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Industry Website Provides Jewelers Opportunity To Show Their Commitment To The Kimberly Process By John Caldwell The Kimberly Process Certification Scheme, though a good one, will not be able to stop diamond trade on its own. It needs the support of the entire diamond industry from the diamond producers, to cutters, to bourses, and finally the jewelers. While participant nations and the rest of the diamond industry are being lauded for their efforts in implementing and following the guidelines laid out by the Kimberly Process it has been shown that many jewelers and jewelry retail stores are not holding up their end of the bargain. In 2004 a survey conducted by Global Witness and Amnesty International among diamond jewelers in USA showed that only 11% of the visited stores have a clear policy on diamonds. Jewelers need to have a more active participation in seeing the Kimberly Process push through especially since they are the face of the diamond industry and are the ones who deal with the consumers on a daily basis. If the consumers notice the lack of participation by jewelers they would lose faith in the entire diamond industry.
To address this problem, a new industry website was launched with the aim of getting jewelers to adopt policies against the buying and selling of diamonds as part of their store policy. The new website offers free membership to jewelers in exchange
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How to Protect Your Customer Data and Your ReputationWhen it comes to safeguarding customer data, the stakes are higher than ever in today's wired world. A single security breach can create a legal and regulatory nightmare. How vulnerable is your organization to hackers and disgruntled employees? What can you do to protect your company?<br><br>Sponsored by Cisco, this 30-minute BizWise TV broadcast for small and mid-sized businesses outlines the legal, ethical, and business obligations you face. A panel of security experts will show you how to assess your vulnerabilities, implement an effective security plan, handle an employee suspected of committing a security breach, and execute "damage control" through effective PR if a breach does occur.<br><br><br><br>BizWise TV features TV Style Broadcasts on topics relevant to SMBs. Tune in for a new topic on the third Thursday of every month or watch the previous broadcasts on demand at your convenience.Intrusion Prevention Case Study: Mainova AG - EnergyThis case study examines Frankfurt, Germany energy supplier Mainova AG's reliance on McAfee for its network security.Corporate Incident Response: Why You Can't Afford to Ignore ItThis Foundstone Professional Services paper explains the need for an effective corporate incident response plan and highlights common problems associated with inadequate incident response. It also discusses the steps you need to take when creating a corporate incident response plan and serves as a general guide to the phases that should be included in a comprehensive plan.Making Your Business Disaster Ready with Virtual InfrastructureDownload this white paper to learn how a virtual infrastructure built on VMware server software can help make your disaster recovery strategy more effective and affordable. The paper emphasizes the need for business continuity and disaster recovery (DR) planning in today's enterprises and explains how a virtual infrastructure enables you to:<ul><li>Extend disaster coverage to more applications</li><li>Reduce recovery time</li><li>Make DR processes more reliable</li></ul>Master Time Management With a Final 7 Time Management TipsTime management is a hot topic these days. With more pressure on most people to do more with less, people are constantly turning to gurus in this area to try and improve their time management skills. This paper seven more tips to help people in their quest to master their time usage.Action Plan in Time ManagementAction plans are lists of responsibilities that instruct a person "To carry out to achieve an objective." The list centers on the goals immediately needing achievement on demand. The list or action plan enables one to center his attention on the specific obligations required of him. The marketplace has several software programs that help those people that have busy schedules and time management is a struggle.Business Continuity Preparedness HandbookAT&T's Business Continuity Preparedness Handbook provides a broad range of information to support your business continuity planning efforts.<br><br>The 16-page handbook examines business continuity in the context of two potential catastrophic events a pandemic influenza and a hurricane strike and highlights why taking a proactive approach to business continuity planning is essential for all disaster scenarios.<br><br>Topics include:<ul><li>AT&T's own business continuity preparedness efforts</li><li>Planning assumptions for pandemic influenza and the 2006 hurricane forecast</li><li>Best practices recommendations</li><li>AT&T solutions that support business continuity strategies</li><li>AT&T customer support during business continuity "events"</li></ul>The Inexpensive Instant Message: Creating an E-Mail NewsletterHow does one share accurate, timely information with employees, customers and the community - and do it faster, better and less expensively than using the normal media outlets? The person should turn to e-mail. Faced with a barrage of negative media coverage as a result of innovative steps that provided a few surprises during the 2000-01 upheaval in energy markets, Chelan County PUD (Wenatchee, Wash.) came to this realization: The media were not going to tell their side of the story for them; they had to do it ourselves.Using Crises as Publicity OpportunitiesThere are two kinds of Crisis Management: Internal (for when something happens within a company or externally that affects the company directly) and External (for when something happens in the world that indirectly affects the company). The authors' recommend that every company have a written plan on how to handle a range of both internal and external crises. This paper deals with external crisis management, and how one can, with advanced planning, gain positive publicity for the company when an external event occurs.Telling Everyone You're Ok - A Key Element in Crisis CommunicationsHave a person ever noticed that one of the first side effects of most disaster situations is that the phone lines in the area immediately go down? The author believes that the first thing people think about in disasters is how it affects the people they know, or maybe just know of. That's why the phone lines go down - calls to check.Impact of Past Crises on Current Crisis CommunicationPrevious research based on Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) suggests that an organization's past crises history affects the reputational threat posed by a current crisis when that crisis results from intentional acts by the organization. The study reported on in this paper provides a wider test of crisis history to better assess its role in crisis communication. Results from the present investigation showed that a history of similar crises intensified the reputational threat of a current crisis even when the crisis arose from the victimization of the organization or from an accident, rather than from the organization's intentional acts.Sample Source: Crisis Management Plans - Part IIThis paper includes specific action steps to take in the event of a crisis. Schools should create detailed procedures for each type of crisis that may threaten the school environment. Each process will vary, according to the type and severity of the emergency. The paper also describes the process in which the school recovers and restores its community.Sample Source: Crisis Management Plans - Part IEvery morning, millions of students pour into school buildings all across the country. Families depend on schools to ensure that the environment in which their children learn and play is as healthy and safe as possible. Emergencies can take many forms, including severe weather and natural disasters, medical incidents, terrorism, and other threats of violence. Although many of these incidents are rare, it is vitally important for schools to be adequately prepared in the case of an actual crisis.Media Communication Takes on New Dimensions With RMPIt is puzzling why many companies are doing little to prepare the local press for the information that will soon become public. This may stem from the industry's long-standing mistrust of the media. The good news about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Risk Management Program (RMP) rule is that it could serve as the catalyst for improved relations between the chemical industry and the news media. The bad news is that both are going to have to learn a new set of rules. Before the RMP rule, a chemical company's communications with the local media took place on two levels - routine and crisis.Crisis Management and Disaster Recovery: The New Reality - Response to 21st Century ThreatsThe unfortunate truth is that many companies have failed to recognize that physical events or nagging perceptions can be their undoing. As keepers of corporate reputation, people need to step up to one of their most important responsibilities: developing the capabilities for responding to threatening situations. In the process, if the planning is founded on ethical core values and implemented properly, it can help avert loss of public confidence. Today, up to 25 percent of every chief communicator's time requires attention to readiness planning. That planning had taken on new dimensions that will be discussed in this paper.
for their promise to abide the policies outlined by the website in accordance to the Kimberly Process. Jewelers then get the privilege of posting a “conflict-free” logo on their websites to show consumers and the rest of the world that they are committed to seeing the Kimberly Process push through. The new step is simple. It only requires jewelers and jewelry store owners to sign up for membership at the Stop Blood Diamonds website. Membership is free but as mentioned earlier requires members to adopt the site’s policies against diamond trade as part of their store policy. After jewelers and store owners have signed up, they then have the privilege of putting up a Stop Blood Diamonds Free logo on their websites. The easily identifiable logo will be an effective means for consumers to determine that website’s policies regarding diamonds without having to search through it just to look for a written policy. This will also ease the minds of potential buyers who are becoming increasingly aware and educated about this extremely immoral trade practice. For those interested in knowing more about acquiring the logo for their site you can visit StopBloodDiamonds and read more about the policies your store need to adopt to be able to join. Costumers can also visit the website to know more about diamonds and what the diamond industry is doing regarding the issue. If you are a jeweler and want to help show the world that you care please visit www.stopblooddiamonds.com John Caldwell, has built the most comprehensive online resource about the trade of blood diamonds. To gain further information about this terrible business and how you can help, please visit: www.StopBloodDiamonds.org
Here are some more conflict articles...
Smart Business - Avoid Conflict Of Interest By Jim Smith When working in the business world, one is inclined to encounter instances where professional interests or professional and personal interests clash with each other, causing an inability for a person Read more...
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Handling Conflict By Cheryl Vallejos Conflict is a part of life. People will always have their differences. In the workplace, people can disagree over anything, such as policies, decisions, ideas and strategies. Even in close Read more...
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Jack Welch -- Winners Get Back Up On The Horse By Alan Boyer A few months ago I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with Jack Welch, past CEO of GE. A fantastic opportunity.Some of the things he said about who they hire and what they are looking Read more...
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Ask Don't Tell Leadership - How Do I Create Accountability As A Leader? By Gary B Cohen Dear Coach,Question: I own and run a company, but my leadership skills are sometimes lacking. My Senior Team refers to me as “Mr. Softy,” because I fail to discipline those who breach company Read more...
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Vestas picks Mass. over Colorado Vestas, the Danish wind turbine manufacturer, announced Monday it will put its North American headquarters in Portland, Ore., and is opening a new wind research facility in Boston, Mass. Cancer Care Center building sold National Real Estate Holdings Inc. of El Dorado Hills, Calif., has purchased The Cancer Care Center of Thornton building for $6.5 million, according to Adams County real estate records. Dow drops nearly 680 points The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged nearly 680 points Monday, as investors reacted to news that the country was indeed in the grip of a recession. U.S. officially in a recession The group of economists who officially call a U.S. recession have officially called one. Services set for Lofgren family A memorial service for Parker Lofgren and his family will be held Dec. 5 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Denver, according to information posted Monday on the St. Charles Capital website. Unemployment compensation extended Unemployed Colorado workers are now eligible for up to seven additional weeks of emergency unemployment compensation, state officials said Monday. Frontier loses $20.5M Frontier Airlines lost $20.5 million in October, partly to blame on a traditionally slow month for the airline industry, the carrier announced. Business outlook falls below neutral Weak results for Colorado and Utah have pushed the Mountain States Business Conditions Index to below the growth-neutral point, officials said Monday. UDR gains $400M credit facility UDR Inc., a real estate investment trust, said Monday it’s secured a 10-year, $400 million credit facility from Fannie Mae. (UDR) IHS: One president-COO going forward Ron Mobed is out as co-president and co-COO of information company IHS Inc., leaving the Englewood business in the hands of his former partner. (IHS)
How to Protect Your Customer Data and Your Reputation When it comes to safeguarding customer data, the stakes are higher than ever in today's wired world. A single security breach can create a legal and regulatory nightmare. How vulnerable is your organization to hackers and disgruntled employees? What can you do to protect your company?<br><br>Sponsored by Cisco, this 30-minute BizWise TV broadcast for small and mid-sized businesses outlines the legal, ethical, and business obligations you face. A panel of security experts will show you how to assess your vulnerabilities, implement an effective security plan, handle an employee suspected of committing a security breach, and execute "damage control" through effective PR if a breach does occur.<br><br><br><br>BizWise TV features TV Style Broadcasts on topics relevant to SMBs. Tune in for a new topic on the third Thursday of every month or watch the previous broadcasts on demand at your convenience. Intrusion Prevention Case Study: Mainova AG - Energy This case study examines Frankfurt, Germany energy supplier Mainova AG's reliance on McAfee for its network security. Corporate Incident Response: Why You Can't Afford to Ignore It This Foundstone Professional Services paper explains the need for an effective corporate incident response plan and highlights common problems associated with inadequate incident response. It also discusses the steps you need to take when creating a corporate incident response plan and serves as a general guide to the phases that should be included in a comprehensive plan. Making Your Business Disaster Ready with Virtual Infrastructure Download this white paper to learn how a virtual infrastructure built on VMware server software can help make your disaster recovery strategy more effective and affordable. The paper emphasizes the need for business continuity and disaster recovery (DR) planning in today's enterprises and explains how a virtual infrastructure enables you to:<ul><li>Extend disaster coverage to more applications</li><li>Reduce recovery time</li><li>Make DR processes more reliable</li></ul> Master Time Management With a Final 7 Time Management Tips Time management is a hot topic these days. With more pressure on most people to do more with less, people are constantly turning to gurus in this area to try and improve their time management skills. This paper seven more tips to help people in their quest to master their time usage. Action Plan in Time Management Action plans are lists of responsibilities that instruct a person "To carry out to achieve an objective." The list centers on the goals immediately needing achievement on demand. The list or action plan enables one to center his attention on the specific obligations required of him. The marketplace has several software programs that help those people that have busy schedules and time management is a struggle. Business Continuity Preparedness Handbook AT&T's Business Continuity Preparedness Handbook provides a broad range of information to support your business continuity planning efforts.<br><br>The 16-page handbook examines business continuity in the context of two potential catastrophic events a pandemic influenza and a hurricane strike and highlights why taking a proactive approach to business continuity planning is essential for all disaster scenarios.<br><br>Topics include:<ul><li>AT&T's own business continuity preparedness efforts</li><li>Planning assumptions for pandemic influenza and the 2006 hurricane forecast</li><li>Best practices recommendations</li><li>AT&T solutions that support business continuity strategies</li><li>AT&T customer support during business continuity "events"</li></ul> The Inexpensive Instant Message: Creating an E-Mail Newsletter How does one share accurate, timely information with employees, customers and the community - and do it faster, better and less expensively than using the normal media outlets? The person should turn to e-mail. Faced with a barrage of negative media coverage as a result of innovative steps that provided a few surprises during the 2000-01 upheaval in energy markets, Chelan County PUD (Wenatchee, Wash.) came to this realization: The media were not going to tell their side of the story for them; they had to do it ourselves. Using Crises as Publicity Opportunities There are two kinds of Crisis Management: Internal (for when something happens within a company or externally that affects the company directly) and External (for when something happens in the world that indirectly affects the company). The authors' recommend that every company have a written plan on how to handle a range of both internal and external crises. This paper deals with external crisis management, and how one can, with advanced planning, gain positive publicity for the company when an external event occurs. Telling Everyone You're Ok - A Key Element in Crisis Communications Have a person ever noticed that one of the first side effects of most disaster situations is that the phone lines in the area immediately go down? The author believes that the first thing people think about in disasters is how it affects the people they know, or maybe just know of. That's why the phone lines go down - calls to check. Impact of Past Crises on Current Crisis Communication Previous research based on Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) suggests that an organization's past crises history affects the reputational threat posed by a current crisis when that crisis results from intentional acts by the organization. The study reported on in this paper provides a wider test of crisis history to better assess its role in crisis communication. Results from the present investigation showed that a history of similar crises intensified the reputational threat of a current crisis even when the crisis arose from the victimization of the organization or from an accident, rather than from the organization's intentional acts. Sample Source: Crisis Management Plans - Part II This paper includes specific action steps to take in the event of a crisis. Schools should create detailed procedures for each type of crisis that may threaten the school environment. Each process will vary, according to the type and severity of the emergency. The paper also describes the process in which the school recovers and restores its community. Sample Source: Crisis Management Plans - Part I Every morning, millions of students pour into school buildings all across the country. Families depend on schools to ensure that the environment in which their children learn and play is as healthy and safe as possible. Emergencies can take many forms, including severe weather and natural disasters, medical incidents, terrorism, and other threats of violence. Although many of these incidents are rare, it is vitally important for schools to be adequately prepared in the case of an actual crisis. Media Communication Takes on New Dimensions With RMP It is puzzling why many companies are doing little to prepare the local press for the information that will soon become public. This may stem from the industry's long-standing mistrust of the media. The good news about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Risk Management Program (RMP) rule is that it could serve as the catalyst for improved relations between the chemical industry and the news media. The bad news is that both are going to have to learn a new set of rules. Before the RMP rule, a chemical company's communications with the local media took place on two levels - routine and crisis. Crisis Management and Disaster Recovery: The New Reality - Response to 21st Century Threats The unfortunate truth is that many companies have failed to recognize that physical events or nagging perceptions can be their undoing. As keepers of corporate reputation, people need to step up to one of their most important responsibilities: developing the capabilities for responding to threatening situations. In the process, if the planning is founded on ethical core values and implemented properly, it can help avert loss of public confidence. Today, up to 25 percent of every chief communicator's time requires attention to readiness planning. That planning had taken on new dimensions that will be discussed in this paper.
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