Starting Sustainability Initiatives in our Organization

somashekar

Staff member
Super Moderator
#11
Yes, its a Corporation wide initiative with a Sustainability Council formed with members from all regions and sgements of the Business. We just had our first teleconference of the Council members and shall have a first meeting next month.
Great step Ajit. As a part of your initiative it is worth to have a look into how your organization addresses REDACTED harassment in workplace. I am not sure if your legal advisors have recommended you to form a complaints committee, however its worth nothing that :

Undeterred by the absence of legislation covering the issue of REDACTED Harassment at the Workplace, the Supreme Court has laid down the necessary guidelines and norms in, Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan, for the protection of the fundamental rights of women, violated, as a result of REDACTED Harassment at Work. The Court has emphasised that the guidelines and norms being laid down by it had to be duly observed at all workplaces or other institutions until a legislation is enacted for this purpose and that these should be treated as law under Art 141 of the Constitution. These guidelines are in accordance with the recommendations and conventions of various international organisations like the ILO and the European Communities
The European Communities Commission has emphasised worldwide that the most effective method of combating with this menace is to develop and implement a preventive policy at the enterprise level. Taking their recommendations into considerations, the Supreme Court has laid down the following guidelines: Preventive steps : The employers should take appropriate steps to prevent REDACTED harassment. These include:
(a) Express prohibition of REDACTED harassment at the workplace should be notified, published and circulated in appropriate ways.
(b) The rules/regulations of government and public bodies relating to conduct and discipline should include rules/regulations prohibiting REDACTED harassment and provide for appropriate penalties in such rules against the offender.
(c) Appropriate work conditions should be provided in respect of work, leisure, health and hygiene to further ensure that there is no hostile environment towards women at workplaces and no woman employee should have some reasonable grounds to believe that she is disadvantaged in connection with her employment.

Where such conduct amounts to a specific offence under the Indian Penal Code or under any other law, the employer shall initiate appropriate action in accordance with law by making a complaint with the appropriate authority.

In order to ensure that the victims are not discriminated against, while dealing with complaints of REDACTED harassment, the victims should have the option to seek transfer of the perpetrator or their own transfer.

Disciplinary action:
Where such conduct amounts to misconduct in employment as defined by the relevant service rules, disciplinary action should be initiated by the employer in accordance with these rules.

Complaint Mechanism:
Whether or not such conduct constitutes an offence under law or a breach of the service rules, a complaint mechanism should be created in the organisation for redress of the complaint made by the victim.

Complaints Committee:
A complaint mechanism should provide for a Complaints Committee. The Complaints Committee should be headed by a woman and not less than half of its members should be women. Further, to prevent the possibility of any undue influence from senior levels, the Committee should involve a third party, either NGO or any other body familiar with the issue of REDACTED harassment.

Workers initiative:
Employees should be allowed to raise issues of REDACTED harassment in workers meetings and other appropriate forums.

Awareness:
Awareness of the rights of female employees in this regard should be created in particular by prominently notifying the guidelines.

Third party harassment:
Where REDACTED harassment occurs as a result of an act or omission by any third party or outsider, the employer and person in charge will take all steps necessary and reasonable to assist the affected person in terms of support and preventive action.

The Supreme Court has held in Apparel Export Promotion Council V. A.K.Chopra, that in any case involving charge of REDACTED harassment or attempt to sexually molest, the courts are required to examine the broader probabilities of the case and not get swayed by insignificant discrepancies or narrow technicalities or the dictionary meaning of the expression 'molestation'. The Court also held that the statement of the victim must be appreciated in the background of the entire case.

Notwithstanding the availability of potential remedies under labour or criminal or tort laws to a victim of REDACTED harassment, it is now widely accepted that the most effective way of combating with this menace is to situate the primary remedy against REDACTED harassment in the Sex Discrimination Law itself.
 
Last edited:
Elsmar Forum Sponsor

bobdoering

Stop X-bar/R Madness!!
Trusted Information Resource
#12
I think one of the key things you need to sort out from the beginning is the separation of the actual systemic requirements from the nebulous conceptual and emotional facets of the term sustainability. In essence, you need to pull out and list the measurable and auditable specifics of sustainability, and then you can proceed with a meaningful gap analysis, reaction plan and continuous improvement plan.
 

Jim Wynne

Staff member
Admin
#13
I think one of the key things you need to sort out from the beginning is the separation of the actual systemic requirements from the nebulous conceptual and emotional facets of the term sustainability. In essence, you need to pull out and list the measurable and auditable specifics of sustainability, and then you can proceed with a meaningful gap analysis, reaction plan and continuous improvement plan.
I think this is a very good point. I tend to look at these things cynically because I've seen so many bandwagons come and go. They tend to fade over the horizon as soon as the novelty wears off and it becomes evident that hard work will be involved. The irony is that before a sustainability effort can work, you have to figure out how to sustain it.
 

Sidney Vianna

Post Responsibly
Staff member
Admin
#14
The irony is that before a sustainability effort can work, you have to figure out how to sustain it.
Good point. And that is why I offered the bit about the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
In my opinion, the basic problem with sustainability efforts is the simple fact that this would bring long term performance to the forefront of the boardroom discussions, while, organizations, by and large, tend to blindingly focus on short term performance.

As long as the monetary compensation package of top management rewards short term profits, what compromises, sometimes, the organization's long term viability, it will be very difficult to sustain sustainability. Especially in a recessed economy. Maslow's hierarchy of needs applies to corporations, as well. Survival instincts are powerful.
 
Last edited:

Stijloor

Staff member
Super Moderator
#15
Good point. And that is why I offered the bit about the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
In my opinion, the basic problem with sustainability efforts is the simple fact that this would bring long term performance to the forefront of the boardroom discussions, while, organizations, by and large, tend to blindingly focus on short term performance due to the fact that the financial compensation of it's management rewards immediate profits, even though, in many cases, short term performance will detract from long term prosperity.
I agree! A friend of mine recently told me that long-term initiatives will not work because as he put it: "we're a temporary society", seeking instant gratification using the least possible effort. He gave me some excellent examples of home-building (he's an architect/builder), relationships, quality programs, etc. I believe that "sustainability", with a few exceptions perhaps, is a pipe dream...

Stijloor.
 
C

Citizen Kane

#16
Hi !

We have also this approach in our location.

From experience, the top management must supprot this projects/initiatives. It's mandatory ! Otherwise, the people will see it as routine, useless, document filling.

Same things happens with lean impelementation, quality, environmental care, etc.
 
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
J Starting a Weibull Analysis: Source on how to perform Weibull Reliability Analysis - Predictions, Testing and Standards 2
S Starting an ISO 41001:2018 Facility management system Other ISO and International Standards and European Regulations 3
Marc Goldsmiths University will take beef products off the menu starting in September 2019 Sustainability, Green Initiatives and Ecology 19
J Starting from scratch - a plethora of challenges for a new Lumber Mill Machine Shop Quality Management System (QMS) Manuals 11
supadrai ISO 27000 - Starting from Scratch for a Smallish Law Firm IEC 27001 - Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) 4
J Implementation of Total Quality Management/Starting a Quality Department Reliability Analysis - Predictions, Testing and Standards 9
Q Presentation for Employees - Starting the ISO 9001:2015 Transition ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 2
C I'm starting my Career in Quality Assurance Career and Occupation Discussions 8
J Starting from the factory floor get any respect? Coffee Break and Water Cooler Discussions 13
C FMEA Starting point FMEA and Control Plans 7
L Starting an Internal Audit - Help with the basics Internal Auditing 12
M Contract Manufacturer 510K Starting Point 21 CFR Part 820 - US FDA Quality System Regulations (QSR) 13
L Hand-starting threaded fasteners Benchmarking 3
D Just starting out looking to get into a quality engineer position Career and Occupation Discussions 2
C Starting a Quality Department from Scratch and Implementing ISO 9001 ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 32
M Starting out toward compliance Imported Legacy Blogs 0
B Starting a small boutique and looking for business ideas Career and Occupation Discussions 8
M Starting ISO 17025 Accreditation from scratch - Petroleum Laboratory ISO 17025 related Discussions 3
N Overwhelmed starting a new aviation related business AS9100, IAQG, NADCAP and Aerospace related Standards and Requirements 19
O Aerospace Registrar Problems - Starting Over? AS9100, IAQG, NADCAP and Aerospace related Standards and Requirements 13
Jen Kirley Starting Something New Career and Occupation Discussions 104
bobdoering Finally, evidence that people are starting to care about Apple computers After Work and Weekend Discussion Topics 7
M Implementing a Quality System - Just starting out..... in over my head. Quality Tools, Improvement and Analysis 12
E Starting Nadcap Accreditation and making an Implementation Timeline AS9100, IAQG, NADCAP and Aerospace related Standards and Requirements 2
F Starting a Quality Control Program and writing a Quality Control Manual Quality Manager and Management Related Issues 10
T Document Control Revision - Starting Over Document Control Systems, Procedures, Forms and Templates 1
Q How raise en ECO starting from a NC - ECO after NCR? ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 8
B Template for starting up new manufacturing facility in our company AS9100, IAQG, NADCAP and Aerospace related Standards and Requirements 9
A Starting Supplier Management System in a Company Supplier Quality Assurance and other Supplier Issues 4
K Starting a new Calibration and Repair Laboratory General Measurement Device and Calibration Topics 15
B Starting a business in Dubai Career and Occupation Discussions 1
B Implementing APQP - Starting a fresh.... APQP and PPAP 6
R ANSI Z1.9 AQL 0.4 - What are the starting equipment expectations? Inspection, Prints (Drawings), Testing, Sampling and Related Topics 3
K Starting an ISO 17025 Accredited Laboratory ISO 17025 related Discussions 15
M Petrol (Gasoline) Prices Around the World - Part Trois Starting January 2011 Coffee Break and Water Cooler Discussions 25
C Starting an MSA study - How to decide which is appropriate or required Gage R&R (GR&R) and MSA (Measurement Systems Analysis) 2
R Starting In-Process Quality Inspection in the Production Shopfloor Inspection, Prints (Drawings), Testing, Sampling and Related Topics 13
C Rebuilding the QMS - What is a good starting point? Quality Manager and Management Related Issues 13
Z Long Term Measurement Logging for Machine Shop - Starting with a clean slate Statistical Analysis Tools, Techniques and SPC 3
E Starting to write a Quality System Manual - Import/export medical devices - Need help ISO 13485:2016 - Medical Device Quality Management Systems 1
S Starting up a new Calibration Laboratory General Measurement Device and Calibration Topics 18
B Starting a new Quality System ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 17
A Starting the journey (ISO 9000 awareness) ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 2
T CE Marking regulation of construction products starting on January 2009 CE Marking (Conformité Européene) / CB Scheme 4
B Tips for JUMP STARTING Job/Career Search? Career and Occupation Discussions 8
Ajit Basrur Starting ISO 14064 Green House Gas (GHG) program Miscellaneous Environmental Standards and EMS Related Discussions 9
M Starting a quality Department - What are the things I need to initiate it? Misc. Quality Assurance and Business Systems Related Topics 5
R Starting fresh with ISO 13485:2003 certification ISO 13485:2016 - Medical Device Quality Management Systems 5
G Is a copy of the ISO 9001 Standard necessary before starting an implementation? ISO 9000, ISO 9001, and ISO 9004 Quality Management Systems Standards 31
J Would you recommend starting at Yellow Belt or go straight to Black Belt? Six Sigma 7

Similar threads

Top Bottom