Challenges in the Business Environment Essay Example for Free

Challenges in the Business Environment Essay There has been no change to Apple Code of Conduct policy since 2014 when Apple started taking previous audit scores into consideration and conduct detailed risk assessments with suppliers who had not been audited in the past before awarding the new business. In 2014, we reviewed 459 suppliers, and factored their responsibility performance into our decisions. This engagement has allowed Apple to address over 700 findings related to labor standards, worker safety, permits, environmental hazards, and chemical management before production began (Apple – 2014 Supplier Code of Conduct). Apple has made significant progress, gaps still exist, and there is more work to do. Apple knows that workers are counting on them and they will not stop until every person in their supply chain is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve (Apple Supplier Responsibility 2015 Progress Report). Apple believes that it is not enough to just set high standards they must work every day to make sure they’re upheld. Apple Supplier Code of Conduct is among the toughest in the industry. To track working conditions at suppliers’ facilities, we conduct regular, in-person audits deep into the supply chain. Audits remain essential to Apple work, but they’re only the beginning. Apple reports monthly on working hours for over one million workers with hopes that their openness will inspire other companies. But more important, Apple believe the feedback that transparency invites makes us even better (Apple Supplier Responsibility 2015 Progress Report). Apple’s suppliers are required to provide safe working conditions, treat workers with dignity and respect, act fairly and ethically, and use environmentally responsible practices wherever they make products or perform services for Apple. Apple requires its suppliers to operate in accordance with the principles in this Apple Supplier Code of  Conduct (â€Å"Code†) and in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. This Code goes beyond mere compliance with the law by drawing upon internationally recognized standards to advance social and environmental responsibility. This Code outlines Apple’s expectations for Supplier conduct regarding labor and human rights, health and safety, environmental protection, ethics, and management practices. Apple assesses its suppliers’ compliance with this Code, and any violations of this Code may jeopardize the supplier’s business relationship with Apple, up to and including termination. This Code applies to Apple suppliers and their subsidiaries, affiliates, and subcontractors (each a â€Å"Supplier†) providing goods or services to Apple, or for use in or with Apple products (Apple – 2014 Supplier Code of Conduct). To show that Apple believes that it is not enough to just set high standards and that they must work every day to make sure they’re upheld. In 2014, over 2.3 million workers were trained on Apple’s Co de and their rights. Apple invested millions of dollars to expand our Supplier Employee Education and Development (SEED) program since it began. SEED now totals 48 classrooms in 23 facilities equipped with iMac computers, iPad devices, education software, video conferencing systems, and more. To make sure the standards were upheld Apple performed 633 audits covering over 1.6 million workers in 2014. Apple also audited suppliers in 19 countries and calls were made to 30,000 workers to make sure their rights were being upheld (Apple – 2014 Supplier Code of Conduct). Apple Suppliers Understanding of Their Standards, Responsibilities, and Company Relationship Apple is proud of the strong relationships they have built with their suppliers, many of whom have been working with them for years. Apple periodically reviews their relationships and adds new suppliers as needed. Apple requires each of its suppliers to meet the highest standards for all goods and services. Our requirements include a commitment to rigorous quality assurance. In addition, suppliers must be committed, as we are, to ensuring the highest standards of soci al responsibility. The ideal suppliers are those who understand our culture and expectations. We value suppliers who take the time to learn about and understand our business and who look for ways to add value. These suppliers know the importance of making and meeting commitments and delivering the highest quality goods and services (Apple Apple and Procurement). Apple business environment is  competitive and fast-paced. Apple suppliers must understand this dynamic and be agile and flexible in responding to changing business conditions. All over the world, people are building Apple products and Apple has a responsibility to make sure that each person is treated with dignity and respect. It’s a massive challenge where Apple work is never done, but each year they implement meaningful, lasting changes across their supply chain. Because of this around the globe, Apple employees are united in bringing equality, human rights, and respect for the environment to the deepest layers of their supply chain. Apple goes deep into their supply chain to enforce their social and environmental standards by empowering workers through education, demanding that suppliers treat workers fairly and ethically at all times, having safe and healthy facilities, and hold their products and processes to the highest environmental standards (Apple Supplier Responsibility 2015 Progress Report). Apple believes that in order to make impactful changes across their supply chain, it’s important to understand firsthand what’s happening inside their suppliers’ facilities. That’s why they don’t simply employ and review audits from behind a desk in Cupertino. Instead, they directly gauge how their supplier facilities are doing by regularly visiting and partnering with their suppliers around the world, so when they discover a problem, they can work together to get it fixed (Apple – Accountability). To make sure the standards are understood and upheld Apple performed 633 audi ts covering over 1.6 million workers. Apple also audited suppliers in 19 countries and calls 30,000 workers to make sure their rights are being upheld. Every audit is led by an Apple auditor and supported by local third-party auditors. These third parties are experts in their fields and all have been trained to use our detailed auditing protocols. During each audit, Apple grade suppliers on more than 100 data points corresponding to each category of our Supplier Code of Conduct (Apple – Accountability). Apple auditors are highly skilled at identifying when suppliers are covering up information. Apple audits are proven to improve supplier compliance. Each year we review and raise our already strict requirements, and suppliers continue to meet our increasingly stringent standards. In 2014, facilities audited two times scored 25 percent higher than those facilities with first-time audits. Facilities audited three times or more scored 31 percent higher than facilities audited  for the first time (Apple – Accountability). In addition to these regular, prescheduled audits, Apple randomly select facilities to audit unannoun ced. These surprise audits help ensure that our suppliers continue to meet our standards at all times not just during scheduled visits. Apple conducted 40 surprise audits in 2014, where their team visited suppliers on the spot and inspected the facility within hours. After the audit Apple conducts physical inspections, reviews documents, and interviews workers in their native languages, without their managers present. Afterward, workers are given a phone number, so they have the opportunity to securely and confidentially provide additional feedback about a facility to our team, including anything they consider to be unethical behavior. Apple encourages workers to report any retaliation to us, and we follow up with all suppliers to address each reported issue (Apple – Accountability). Inclusion these audits, code of conduct, and standards give Apple suppliers the understanding of what it means to be part of the company. Reference Apple Accountability. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 7, 2015, from http://www.apple.com/supplier-responsibility/accountability/ Apple Apple and Procurement. (2015, January 1). Retrieved March 7, 2015, from http://www.apple.com/procurement/ Apple – 2014 Supplier Code of Conduct. (2014, January). Retrieved March 3, 2015 from https://www.apple.com/ca/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Apple_Supplier_Code_of_Conduct.pdf Apple Supplier Responsibility Progress Report. (2015, January). Retrieved March 3, 2015 from https://www.apple.com/supplierresponsibility/pdf/Apple_Progress_Report_2015.pdf

Embracing Higher Education :: College School Essays

Embracing Higher Education Universities are institutions where people can go and receive a higher richer education. Anyone whether young or old, female or male, immigrant or national born can earn a college degree. A formal education can be obtained with desire, demand, and craving to do so. The World Book Encyclopedia defines Universities and Colleges as schools where one continues an education after high school. According to the World Book Encyclopedia â€Å"a university or college education helps men and women enjoy richer, more meaningful lives†. If something can give a person a â€Å"richer, more meaningful† life, then why isn’t everyone running, jumping and rushing to get what the universities and colleges are giving? Each person has a different reason, but for most the reasons are the same repeating over and over again. â€Å"I do not want to go to college.† â€Å"I can not afford to go to college.† â€Å"I am to old to go to college.† The path to a college or a university is not the way for everyone. The ones who say, â€Å"I don’t want to go to college† have legitimate reasons for not attending an institution for higher education. A person can still lead a happy successful life without obtaining a degree. Not only can someone lead a happy life without a college degree, but they may also be educated. Gaining a higher education from a university or college is not the only way to â€Å"enjoy a richer, more meaningful† life. Many who have not obtained a college degree, are still successful, happy, and fulfilled individuals. Receiving a piece of paper, a degree from a university, does not guarantee a person anything, but a degree can be a great boost to say the least. A degree doesn’t automatically give anyone happiness, success, money, or a job, but it can help a person obtain their goals and much more. In Jon Spayde’s essay â€Å"Learning In the Key of Life† he says that education is gained through first-hand experiences. Spayde explains his definition of education as â€Å"an education carpentered out of the best combination we can make of school, salon, reading, online exploration, walking the streets, hiking in the woods, museums, poetry classes at the Y, and friendship† (62). Anything and everything, which we come in contact with or which comes in contact with us, becomes background that can be classified as an educational experience.

Design an Encryption Strategy Essay

Using the table given the encryption strategy for Richmond investments would go as follows. I will be using the privacy or confidentiality objective. The basic description for the privacy or confidentiality objective is to keep information secret from all person or persons, except those who are authorized to see it have access. In other words, no one without authorization will be able to gain access to sensitive company information or client information, such as addresses, names, billing information, credit card information, and other personal information. The security option needs to be implemented on all networks in the company’s domain. The public key infrastructure is a set of hardware, software people policies and procedures needed to create, manage, distribute use store and revoke digital certificates. In this case will be using PKI cards, which will allow entrance into the facility, it will also allow entrance into specific areas of the building, allow employees to clock in and out and will allow for signing off and on of company computers. All employees will be issued a card with their name employee ID and photo on the face the card on the backside of the card will be company contact information such as departmental phone numbers, etc. the implementation of a company encryption strategy is extremely important to protect the company. The company’s clients and the overall day-to-day activities, the employees involved themselves in to keep the company running.

The Ethical Guidelines Provided By The Cima Provides...

The ethical guidelines provided by the CIMA provides different conflict resolutions. Examples of the different conflict resolutions that the CIMA offers are; considering facts for proper identification and then applying the proper course of actions once determined. The facts need to be relevant fact and there needs to be different ethical issues involved. There are also different essential principles that should be related to the matters that are being questioned. The CIMA also suggests that there needs to be internal procedures established and also an alternative course of action should be established incase anything were to happen. The CIMA provides a meeting or session with the right person within their organization or even a board of†¦show more content†¦It also provides opportunities for getting disassociated with such engagements or engagement teams so that conflict can be resolved in a more efficient and faster matter. Define facilitating payments and bribes. Discuss the difference between them. Which are all allowed and which are prohibited? Explain A payment made by a citizen to a government official for expedite the process of government facilities for who is entitled called facilitation payment in U.S. but in some other countries these payments called bribe. These payments are extra burden on companies or individuals. Both payments are not good as per ethics. This fee only applies when the payment if made to speed up the government’s action. There are several different classifications that can be considered a facilitation payment and these vary in many ways. Section 162 C of FCPA act defined the bribe and facilitation payments. If a company made a payment to a foreign government official or employees which is unlawful under sec 162 c of FCPA Act called bribe. Bribes can be paid by money or other things in place of money for influencing government decision. The payment of bribe is considered unlawful under FCPA act, so it is not allowed as deduction under income tax as expenses. A payment made to Government official to expedite the process of government facilities for whose otherwise company orShow MoreRelatedContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 Pages) 978–0–19–928336–1 (Pbk.) 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 3 FOREWORD ‘ Michael Bromwich is an exemplar of all that is good about the British tradition of academic accounting. Serious in intent, he has striven both to illuminate practice and to provide ways of improving it. Although always appealing to his economic understandings, he has been open to a wide variety of other ideas, recognizing their intellectual strengths and capabilities rather than making artificial distinctions between what isRead MoreStrategic Marketing Management337596 Words   |  1351 Pagesthe environment The nature of the marketing environment The evolution of environmental analysis The political, economic, social and technological environments Coming to terms with the industry and market breakpoints Coming to terms with the very different future: the implications for marketing planning Approaches to environmental analysis and scanning Summary 5 Approaches to customer analysis 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 Learning objectives Introduction Coming to terms with buyer behaviour