Drivers and Enablers That Foster Environmental Management Capabilities in Small‐ and Medium‐Sized Suppliers in Supply Chains

The limited capabilities and resources available within many small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises frequently hamper an effective response to environmental pressures, which in turn hurts large buying firms (i.e., customers). Using a case study method with multiple suppliers of two large buying firms, we mapped factors that initiated and improved environmental capabilities in small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises over time. Through several specific mechanisms, buyers' green supply chain management initiated and then enabled the improvement of suppliers' environmental capabilities. Independent of buyers, internal championing of environmental concerns also provided an impetus for small‐ and medium‐sized enterprise suppliers to acquire resources outside the supply chain. Thus, synergistic linkages emerged in supportive buyer‐supplier relationships, resource acquisition, and capability development. When these findings are combined with earlier research on larger suppliers, an integrative framework emerges that provides direction for suppliers, buyers, and public agencies seeking to improve environmental performance.     

Semi‐conditional cash transfers in the form of family allowances for children and adolescents in the informal economy in Argentina

In 2009, Argentina introduced a new transfer programme for children and adolescents younger than age 18 (Universal Child Allowance) that extended coverage under the contributory programme for family allowances to include families in the informal economy and families of unemployed persons. This article describes this innovative programme, compares it with similar programmes in Latin America and analyses its impact on coverage and its possible effects on the welfare of the population. The results indicate that the extension of access to this type of benefit has reduced considerably the coverage gap for the poor and indigent and supports efforts to consolidate the operations of different and poorly coordinated transfer programmes.     

城乡医疗保障制度一体化研究

公平和正义是社会保障制度价值的核心理念,也是衡量一个国家或地区社会保障制度能否充分和真正发挥作用的重要衡量因素。在新医改背景下,"人人公平享有健康保障"成为医疗保障制度建设进程中的一个重要目标,而推动城乡医疗保障制度一体化,进而实现三项医保制度整合衔接是实现这一目标的途径。下一步要重点完善社会医疗保障制度的运行环境;努力保障流动参保人员的就医权益,完善基本医疗保险关系转移接续;整合经办资源,强化管理体制统一化;确定合理的筹资补偿机制,强化财政补贴机制。     

法律视角下的海洋环境责任强制保险制度——墨西哥湾原油泄漏事件对我国海洋环境责任保险制度的启示

随着科学技术的发展,日渐频繁的海上石油勘探、开采、运输活动使海洋环境污染事故频频发生,对海洋生态环境造成恶劣影响。2010年4月,位于美国墨西哥湾的"深水地平线"钻井平台发生原油泄漏,造成了前所未有的环境灾难和难以估量的经济损失,而相关单位并未投保针对性较强的足额商业保险,充分暴露了当事国的海洋环境责任保险制度缺陷。我国目前尚未建立完善的环境责任保险制度,墨西哥湾原油泄漏事件对我国海洋环境责任保险法律制度的构建与完善,具有毋庸置疑的警示作用。     

关于国家人才安全战略的思考

由于各种因素的影响,当前中国人才安全的现状不容乐观,人才总量相对不足,高层次人才大量流失,人才法律不完善、管理机制不健全等问题,制约了中国的可持续发展。因此,应从人才战略思维、法律法规与管理机制等方面着手,加大培养人才力度,优化人才环境,维护国家的人才安全,积极应对国际人才竞争,确保经济与社会的可持续发展和整体战略目标的实现。     

全球化时代地缘政治安全观念的转变

在传统地缘政治安全观念中,国家对权力的追求或者利用权力达到安全的目的一直是主流的地缘政治观,在这种地缘政治观念的指导之下,国家间的发展模式基本上是冲突性质的。然而,全球化的发展打破了国家领土与边界的限制,科学技术的迅猛发展成为重要的"中介变量",有助于克服传统地缘政治安全观的"力量损失梯度"的限制,有助于国家利益范围的拓展,有助于增强国家间的共同利益。因此,在全球化的背景下,通过国家利益的拓展、科学技术的进步以及经济全球化的作用,合作性地缘政治安全观具有了实现的可能。     

Environmental ethics for social work: Social work's responsibility to the non‐human world

Gray M, Coates J. Environmental ethics for social work: Social work's responsibility to the non‐human world This lead article in this Special Issue begins discussion on an environmental ethics for social work and raises arguments as to whether and, if so, why social workers have duties, obligations, responsibilities and commitments to the non‐human world. It provides an overview of the field of environmental ethics in searching for a moral stance to affirm an environmental social work. To what extent should social workers engage in fundamental geopolitical issues concerned with climate change, global warming, environmental degradation, pollution, chemical contamination, sustainable agriculture, disaster management, pet therapy, wilderness protection and so on and, if so, why and how? Are these issues incidental and peripheral and only of concern when they impact upon humans or do social workers have a responsibility beyond human interests? What is the significance of the ‘non‐human’ for social work? The article explores the terrain of the burgeoning field of environmental ethics to determine whether convincing ethical grounds for environmental social work might be found beyond hortatory claims of what the profession ought to be doing to address environmental concerns.     

Contextualizing case reviews: A methodology for developing systemic safeguarding practices

This paper introduces a systemic methodology for reviewing professional responses to abuse between young people. The approach, “contextual case reviewing,” draws upon constructivist structuralism to assess the extent to which safeguarding practices engage with the social and public contexts of abuse. The paper conceptually compares the methodologies of contextual case review and other serious case review methods before drawing upon findings from 2 studies, which used the contextual case review methodology to explore the extrafamilial nature of peer‐on‐peer abuse and the ability of child protection practices to engage with this dynamic. Thematic findings from these studies regarding the practical interpretation of “significant harm” and “capacity to safeguard,” as well as their use within child protection assessments, are used to challenge conclusions of other case reviews, which imply that child protection procedures are sufficient for safeguarding young people. Contextual case reviews suggest that safeguarding practices, and the legislation that underpins them, are culturally, procedurally, and organisationally wedded to the context of the home, whereas insufficiently engaged with extrafamilial contexts of significant harm. The application of these issues require interrogation if social work systems are to provide sufficient mechanisms for safeguarding young people and families at risk of significant harm.     

Rising food security concerns among New Zealand adolescents and association with health and wellbeing

The current paper explores recent changes in food insecurity among adolescents and determine if food security concerns are associated with poorer wellbeing. Data were collected as part of two nationally representative surveys of the health and wellbeing of high-school students in New Zealand in 2007 and 2012. In 2012, 11% of young people reported food security concerns often or always, with 33% reporting food security concerns occasionally/sometimes. The prevalence of food security concerns at both frequencies increased significantly from 2007 (8% and 28%, respectively). Young people with food security concerns were more likely to report poor indicators of health and wellbeing, including truancy, poor general health, mental health concerns and obesity. Our findings highlight the growing concerns of food insecurity reported by adolescents in New Zealand. Interventions that address food security for families may provide a tangible means of promoting the healthy development of children and young people.     

美国环境健康损害赔偿的法律实践与借鉴

在美国,环境健康损害赔偿法律实践中广泛运用成本-收益分析方法进行。在联邦层面,美国基于普通法和判例法确定可获赔偿的内容,其中主要包括医疗费用、工资损失和获取收入能力损失、死亡与伤害、精神损失、财产损失与生活侵扰、惩罚性赔偿、按日累计赔偿金、隐私侵犯、杂项费用等。在州层面,一些州制定并较为有效地实施了环境健康损害赔偿相关立法,但另外一些州的立法并不发达。总体而言,美国贯彻整体主义司法理念,实行基于科学判断的规则之治,重视地方知识与国家实践协同运作,这些经验值得借鉴。