What is Freedom House?
According to their website, Freedom House is “an independent watchdog organization that supports the expansion of freedom around the world.” They do this mainly by upholding the ideals of democracy and advocating democratic change and human rights across the globe. The organization, founded by concerned Americans in 1941 (and famously co-chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt and Wendell Willkie), has certainly had an impact on the world. In the nearly 70 years since they began their mission, they have worked against tyranny, totalitarianism, and basically any form of government or political control that denies freedom and basic human rights to the people it affects. In addition, they endeavor to support those who are working for freedom in other countries, despite facing an uphill battle against long-standing political repression. In short, they have taken on the lofty goal of securing freedom on a worldwide scale. This may sound impossible, but by advancing their agenda of democratizing the nations of the world, they have attacked the issue from an angle that not only makes their aspiration possible, but probable. Read more
What You Should Know about the UN Convention against Corruption
Did you know that every nation in the world, to some degree, is affected by corruption? You may think that this sort of underhanded and illegal activity is exclusive to countries that have little in the way of economic resources, governmental policies (and the forces to exert them), or social organization to combat it. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. And it is because of this sad fact that the United Nations came together in 2000 to put into motion a plan that would not only fight corruption worldwide, but also strive to prevent it. This was the beginning of what would become the United Nations Convention against Corruption, or UNCAC (although it wouldn’t actually enter into force until five years later). Read more
Eco-Friendly Jewelry Leads to a Clean Planet and a Fair Trade
You may not realize all of the worldly harm that can be produced in concert with the mining and processing of the precious metals that are refined and molded into your designer jewelry. And then, of course, there are the gemstones that these metals encase. Likely you have heard of “blood diamonds”, or at least seen the film of the same name starring Leonardo DiCaprio. But even beyond the slaughter of innocent indigenous workers that is occurring in African nations (wrought by war criminals looking to support their activities by selling stolen diamonds on the black market), there are abuses of both labor and the environment that go along with the jewelry-making industry as a whole, and a handful of companies are looking to change that. Read more
What is the Corruption Perceptions Index?
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is a comprehensive listing of 178 countries, compiled by Transparency International, which ranks them in order of perceived corruption. If you’re not sure what perceived corruption is, you’re not alone. For starters, it is useful to know that Transparency International approaches corruption in the following way: “as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain”. Whether it is in the public or private sector, they endeavor to reveal abuses of power in their many forms in order to curb such behavior worldwide. However, corruption is often well hidden and difficult to uncover. It is for this reason that the Corruption Perceptions Index was initiated. Here’s how it works. Read more
Why Paying Bribes Hurts Your Business
This may seem like a pretty self-explanatory topic. Likely your mind automatically jumps to the legal issues involved in the act of bribery. Whether you’re operating a business on a local, national, or international level, there are laws in place to curb the practice of bribery by strictly enforcing punishment for such unethical behavior. However, aside from undergoing audits, paying hefty fines, and/ or spending time in prison, there are several drawbacks to participating in the practice of paying bribes as a course of conducting business, and many of them can hurt your company even worse than legal action in the long run. Read more
Nestlé Makes the Very Best…But at What Cost?
You may have heard of an unassuming little multi-national conglomerate called Nestlé, best known for making chocolate bars (like Nestlé Crunch, KitKat, and Butterfinger, just to name a few popular products). But it turns out that while they command 10% of the world’s cocoa supply, they actually make a number of products that have nothing to do with chocolate. In fact, you may not know that they started out making condensed milk. That’s right; the cans of Carnation that you use in your pumpkin pie recipe are actually a Nestlé product. They also claim lines like Libby’s Pumpkin Pie Filling (no surprise there), Nestea and Nescafé, Lean Cuisine, DiGiorno (it’s not delivery…), Edy’s (bread), Hot Pockets, Juicy Juice, and about a hundred other labels that you probably had no idea fell under the Nestlé banner. Unfortunately, this means that many of your favorite items may be tainted by the unethical business practices that this mega-corporation has engaged in. Read more
Guidelines for Corporate Gifting
Unless you’re a member of a governing body (or other civil service), there is likely nothing corrupt about the giving and receiving of corporate gifts (this activity is generally forbidden amongst elected or public officials simply because they wish to avoid even a whiff of dishonest activity). After all, corporations are well within their rights to do something nice for the people they work with, especially around the holidays. Whether they’re sending gift baskets (or golf packages) to contractors and partners, throwing lavish and exclusive parties that cost thousands of dollars, or flying prospective clients to Las Vegas for a corporate event, they may not be aware that this type of gifting could be construed not only as unethical and unfair, but also illegal (whether it actually is or not). Read more
Corporate Donations do More than Help the Needy
The holidays are a time when individuals and businesses alike begin to think about what they can do to help those who are less fortunate. Many of us donate our personal resources (time, money, non-perishable food items, and even gifts) to people in shelters and those who live in poverty so that they can enjoy the many wonderful aspects of the holiday season, even if they don’t have the personal resources to do so on their own. It is a time of giving in which even those who neglect their charitable contributions throughout the year rise to the occasion and transfer some of their assets or skills to others in need. Corporations are no exception. And while the noble pursuit of humanitarianism is hopefully at the root of these donations, companies actually have a lot to gain by giving. Read more
Avoiding Workplace Blowouts
In today’s modern business world, determining the potential ramifications and risks of any particular business issue can prove a sticky situation. From the possibility of litigate action by disgruntled employees or clients, to the negative exposure that a controversial decision might bring to a company, corporate professionals field a variety of different concerns regarding the outcomes of their company’s actions. Often times, the best way to prevent such outcomes is to take a proactive stance that addresses concerns before they spin out of control. Read more
Going Cold Turkey: The Truth about America’s Bird
Okay, so the Turkey is not actually “America’s Bird” (don’t get your feathers in a ruffle, bald eagle). It is, in fact, a formerly (and in some places currently) wild fowl that provides us with lean protein, vitamin B6, niacin, and sleep-inducing tryptophan. It is also the traditional centerpiece of every Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately, what you don’t know about turkey could definitely hurt you. While early American settlers had to gather turkeys up old-school (by hunting them), you likely get yours from the frozen food section of the grocery store, never once giving a thought to where it came from. However, it should come as no surprise to any savvy meat-eater that it was most likely raised on a turkey farm. Read more