The Bhopal Gas Tragedy Environmental Sciences Essay

On December 3, 1984. In the metropolis of Bhopal, a cloud of toxic gases escaped from an American pesticide works, killing and wounding 1000s of people. When the noxious clouds cleared, the worst industrial catastrophe in history had taken topographic point. Now, Dominique Lapierre in her book â€Å" Five Past Midnight † brings the 100s of characters, struggles, and adventures together in an unforgettable narrative of love and hope.IntroductionUnion Carbide Corporation ( UCC ) was asked to construct a works for the industry of Sevin, a pesticide normally used throughout Asia. As portion of the trade, India ‘s authorities insisted that a important per centum of the investing semen from local stockholders. The authorities itself had a 22 % interest in the company ‘s subordinate, Union Carbide India Limited ( UCIL ) . The company built the works in Bhopal because of its cardinal location and entree to transport substructure. The specific site within the metropolis was zoned for light industrial and commercial usage, non for risky industry. The works was ab initio approved merely for preparation of pesticides from constituent chemicals, such as MIC imported from the parent company, in comparatively little measures. However, force per unit area from competition in the chemical industry led UCIL to implement â€Å" backward integrating † – the industry of natural stuffs and intermediate merchandises for preparation of the concluding merchandise within one installation. This was inherently a more sophisticated and risky procedure. In 1984, the works was fabricating Sevin at one one-fourth of its production capacity due to reduced demand for pesticides. Widespread harvest failures and dearth on the subcontinent in the 1980s led to increased liability and reduced capital for husbandmans to put in pesticides. Local directors were directed to shut the works and fix it for sale in July 1984 due to reduced profitableness. When no ready purchaser was found, UCIL made programs to level cardinal production units of the installation for cargo to another developing state. In the interim, the installation continued to run with safety equipment and processs far below the criterions found in its sister works in Institute, West Virginia. The local authorities was cognizant of safety jobs but was reticent to put heavy industrial safety and pollution control burdens on the fighting industry because it feared the economic effects of the loss of such a big employer. At 11.00 PM on December 2 1984, while most of the one million occupants of Bhopal slept, an operator at the works noticed a little leak of methyl isocyanate ( MIC ) gas and increasing force per unit area inside a storage armored combat vehicle. The vent-gas scrubber, a safety device interior decorator to neutralize toxic discharge from the MIC system, had been turned off three hebdomads prior. Apparently a faulty valve had allowed one ton of H2O for cleaning internal pipes to blend with 40 dozenss of MIC. A 30 ton infrigidation unit that usually served as a safety constituent to chill the MIC storage armored combat vehicle had been drained of its coolant for usage in another portion of the works. Pressure and heat from the vigorous exothermal reaction in the armored combat vehicle continued to construct. The gas flair safety system was out of action and had been for three months. At around 1.00 AM, December 3, loud rumble reverberated around the works as a safety valve gave manner di recting a plume of MIC gas into the early forenoon air. Within hours, the streets of Bhopal were littered with human cadavers and the carcases of American bisons, cattles, Canis familiariss and birds. An estimated 3,800 people died instantly, largely in the hapless slum settlement adjacent to the UCC works. Local infirmaries were shortly overwhelmed with the injured, a crisis farther compounded by a deficiency of cognition of precisely what gas was involved and what its effects were. It became one of the worst chemical catastrophes in history and the name Bhopal became synonymous with industrial calamity. Estimates of the figure of people killed in the first few yearss by the plume from the UCC works tally every bit high as 10,000, with 15,000 to 20,000 premature deceases reportedly happening in the subsequent two decennaries. The Indian authorities reported that more than half a million people were exposed to the gas. Several epidemiological surveies conducted shortly after the accident showed important morbidity and increased mortality in the open population. These informations are likely to under-represent the true extent of inauspicious wellness effects because many open persons left Bhopal instantly following the catastrophe ne'er to return and were hence lost to followup.AftermathImmediately after the catastrophe, UCC began efforts to disassociate itself from duty for the gas leak. Its chief maneuver was to switch blameworthiness to UCIL, saying the works was entirely built and operated by the Indian subordinate. It besides fabricated scenarios affecting sabotage by antecedently unknown Sikh extremist groups and dissatisfied employees but this theory was impugned by legion independent beginnings. The toxic plume had hardly cleared when, on December 7, the first multi-billion dollar case was filed by an American lawyer in a U.S. tribunal. This was the beginning of old ages of legal intrigues in which the ethical deductions of the calamity and its affect on Bhopal ‘s people were mostly ignored. In March 1985, the Indian authorities enacted the Bhopal Gas Leak Disaster Act as a manner of guaranting that claims originating from the accident would be dealt with quickly and equitably. The Act made the authorities the exclusive representative of the victims in legal proceedings both within and outside India. Finally all instances were taken out of the U.S. legal system under the opinion of the presiding American justice and placed wholly under Indian legal power much to the hurt of the injured parties. In a colony mediated by the Indian Supreme Court, UCC accepted moral duty and agreed to pay $ 470 million to the Indian authorities to be distributed to claimants as a full and concluding colony. The figure was partially based on the disputed claim that merely 3000 people died and 102,000 suffered lasting disablements. Upon denoting this colony, portions of UCC rose $ 2 per portion or 7 % in value. Had compensation in Bhopal been paid at the same rate that asbestosis victims where being awarded in US tribunals by defendant including UCC – which mined asbestos from 1963 to 1985 – the liability would hold been greater than the $ 10 billion the company was deserving and insured for in 1984. By the terminal of October 2003, harmonizing to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation Department, compensation had been awarded to 554,895 people for hurts received and 15,310 subsisters of those killed. The mean sum to households of the dead was $ 2,200. At every bend, UCC has attempted to pull strings, obfuscate and withhold scientific information to the hurt of victims. Even to this day of the month, the company has non stated precisely what was in the toxic cloud that enveloped the metropolis on that December dark. When MIC is exposed to 200A ° heat, it forms debauched MIC that contains the more deathly H nitrile ( HCN ) . There was clear grounds that the storage armored combat vehicle temperature did make this degree in the catastrophe. The reddish colour of blood and entrails of some victims were characteristic of acute nitrile toxic condition. Furthermore, many responded good to disposal of Na thiosulfate, an effectual therapy for nitrile toxic condition but non MIC exposure. UCC ab initio recommended usage of Na thiosulfate but withdrew the statement subsequently motivating suggestions that it attempted to cover up grounds of HCN in the gas leak. The presence of HCN was smartly denied by UCC and was a point of speculation am ong research workers. As farther abuse, UCC discontinued operation at its Bhopal works following the catastrophe but failed to clean up the industrial site wholly. The works continues to leak several toxic chemicals and heavy metals that have found their manner into local aquifers. Perilously contaminated H2O has now been added to the bequest left by the company for the people of BhopalLESSONS LEARNEDThe events in Bhopal revealed that spread outing industrialisation in developing states without coincident development in safety ordinances could hold ruinous effects. The catastrophe demonstrated that apparently local jobs of industrial jeopardies and toxic taint are frequently tied to planetary market kineticss. UCC ‘s Sevin production works was built in Madhya Pradesh non to avoid environmental ordinances in the U.S. but to work the big and turning Indian pesticide market. However the mode in which the undertaking was executed suggests the being of a dual criterion for transnational corporations runi ng in developing states. Enforceable unvarying international operating ordinances for risky industries would hold provided a mechanism for significantly improved in safety in Bhopal. Even without enforcement, international criterions could supply norms for mensurating public presentation of single companies engaged in risky activities such as the industry of pesticides and other toxic chemicals in India. National authoritiess and international bureaus should concentrate on widely applicable techniques for corporate duty and accident bar as much in the underdeveloped universe context as in advanced industrial states. Specifically, bar should include hazard decrease in works location and design and safety statute law. Local authoritiess clearly can non let industrial installations to be situated within urban countries, irrespective of the development of land usage over clip. Industry and authorities need to convey proper fiscal support to local communities so they can supply medical and other necessary services to cut down morbidity, mortality and material loss in the instance of industrial accidents. Public wellness substructure was really weak in Bhopal in 1984. Tap H2O was available for merely a few hours a twenty-four hours and was of really hapless quality. With no working sewerage system, untreated human waste was dumped into two nearby lakes, one a beginning of imbibing H2O. The metropolis had four major infirmaries but there was a deficit of doctors and infirmary beds. There was besides no mass casualty exigency response system in topographic point in the metropolis. Existing public wellness substructure needs to be taken into history when risky industries choose sites for fabrication workss. Future direction of industrial development requires that appropriate resources be devoted to progress planning before any catastrophe occurs. Communities that do non possess substructure and proficient expertness to react adequately to such industrial accidents should non be chosen as sites for risky industry. Since 1984 Following the events of December 3 1984 environmental consciousness and activism in India increased significantly. The Environment Protection Act was passed in 1986, making the Ministry of Environment and Forests ( MoEF ) and beef uping India ‘s committedness to the environment. Under the new act, the MoEF was given overall duty for administrating and implementing environmental Torahs and policies. It established the importance of incorporating environmental schemes into all industrial development programs for the state. However, despite greater authorities committedness to protect public wellness, woods, and wildlife, policies geared to developing the state ‘s economic system have taken precedency in the last 20 old ages. India has undergone enormous economic growing in the two decennaries since the Bhopal catastrophe. Gross domestic merchandise ( GDP ) per capita has increased from $ 1,000 in 1984 to $ 2,900 in 2004 and it continues to turn at a rate of over 8 % per twelvemonth. Rapid industrial development has contributed greatly to economic growing but there has been important cost in environmental debasement and increased public wellness hazards. Since suspension attempts consume a big part of India ‘s GDP, MoEF faces an acclivitous conflict as it tries to carry through its authorization of cut downing industrial pollution. Heavy trust on coal-burning power workss and hapless enforcement of vehicle emanation Torahs have result from economic concerns taking precedency over environmental protection. With the industrial growing since 1984, there has been an addition in little graduated table industries ( SSIs ) that are clustered about major urban countries in India. There are by and large less rigorous regulations for the intervention of waste produced by SSIs due to less waste coevals within each single industry. This has allowed SSIs to dispose of untreated effluent into drainage systems that flow straight into rivers. New Delhi ‘s Yamuna River is exemplifying. Perilously high degrees of heavy metals such as lead, Co, Cd, chrome, Ni and Zn have been detected in this river which is a major supply of drinkable H2O to India ‘s capital therefore presenting a possible wellness hazard to the people populating at that place and countries downstream. Land pollution due to uncontrolled disposal of industrial solid and risky waste is besides a job throughout India. With rapid industrialisation, the coevals of industrial solid and risky waste has increased appreciably and the environmental impact is important. India relaxed its controls on foreign investing in order to submit to WTO regulations and thereby attract an increasing flow of capital. In the procedure, a figure of environmental ordinances are being rolled back as turning foreign investings continue to turn over in. The Indian experience is comparable to that of a figure of developing states that are sing the environmental impacts of structural accommodation. Exploitation and export of natural resources has accelerated on the subcontinent. Prohibitions against turn uping industrial installations in ecologically sensitive zones have been eliminated while preservation zones are being stripped of their position so that pesticide, cement and bauxite mines can be built. Heavy trust on coal-burning power workss and hapless enforcement of vehicle emanation Torahs are other effects of economic concerns taking precedency over environmental protection. In March 2001, occupants of Kodaikanal in southern India caught the Anglo-Dutch company, Unilever, red-handed when they discovered a garbage dump with toxic quicksilver laced waste from a thermometer mill run by the company ‘s Indian subordinate, Hindustan Lever. The 7.4 ton reserve of mercury-laden glass was found in lacerate tonss sloping onto the land in a bit metal pace located near a school. In the autumn of 2001, steel from the ruins of the World Trade Center was exported to India seemingly without first being tested for taint from asbestos and heavy metals present in the twin tower dust. Other illustrations of hapless environmental stewardship and economic considerations taking precedency over public wellness concerns abound. The Bhopal catastrophe could hold changed the nature of the chemical industry and caused a redirect examination of the necessity to bring forth such potentially harmful merchandises in the first topographic point. However the lessons of ague and chronic effects of exposure to pesticides and their precursors in Bhopal has non changed agricultural pattern forms. An estimated 3 million people per twelvemonth suffer the effects of pesticide poisoning with most exposure happening in the agricultural development universe. It is reported to be the cause of at least 22,000 deceases in India each twelvemonth. In the province of Kerala, important mortality and morbidity have been reported undermentioned exposure to Endosulfan, a toxic pesticide whose usage continued for 15 old ages after the events of Bhopal. Aggressive selling of asbestos continues in developing states as a consequence of limitations being placed on its usage in developed states due to the well-established nexus between asbestos merchandises and respiratory diseases. India has become a major consumer, utilizing around 100,000 dozenss of asbestos per twelvemonth, 80 % of which is imported with Canada being the largest overseas provider. Mining, production and usage of asbestos in India is really slackly regulated despite the wellness jeopardies. Reports have shown morbidity and mortality from asbestos related disease will go on in India without enforcement of a prohibition or significantly tighter controls. UCC has shrunk to one sixth of its size since the Bhopal catastrophe in an attempt to reconstitute and deprive itself. By making so, the company avoided a hostile coup d'etat, placed a important part of UCC ‘s assets out of legal range of the victims and gave its stockholder and top executives big net incomes. The company still operates under the ownership of Dow Chemicals and still provinces on its web site that the Bhopal catastrophe was â€Å" cause by calculated sabotage † . Some positive alterations were seen following the Bhopal catastrophe. The British chemical company, ICI, whose Indian subordinate manufactured pesticides, increased attending to wellness, safety and environmental issues following the events of December 1984. The subordinate now spends 30-40 % of their capital outgos on environmental-related undertakings. However, they still do non adhere to criterions every bit rigorous as their parent company in the UK. The US chemical giant DuPont learned its lesson of Bhopal in a different manner. The company attempted for a decennary to export a nylon works from Richmond, VA to Goa, India. In its early dialogues with the Indian authorities, DuPont had sought and won a singular clause in its investing understanding that absolved it from all liabilities in instance of an accident. But the people of Goa were non willing to assent while an of import ecological site was cleared for a heavy polluting industry. After about a decennary of protesting by Goa ‘s occupants, DuPont was forced to scurry programs at that place. Chennai was the following proposed site for the plastics works. The province authorities at that place made significantly greater demand on DuPont for grants on public wellness and environmental protection. Finally, these programs were besides aborted due to what the company called â€Å" fiscal concerns † . QUESTIONAIRE Name: Alkesh R Takpere Age: 43 Company Name: RCF Appellation: Chief Manager ( Technical services ) Which merchandises do you cover in? Fertilizers and other chemicals 1 ) Fertilizer Urea 2 ) Complex fertilisers ( NPK ) 3 ) Methanol 4 ) Sodium Nitrate 5 ) Ammonium hydrogen carbonate 6 ) Methylamines 7 ) Dimethyl Form amide 8 ) Dimethylacetamide Which is the most risky chemical and what is the injury caused due to it? Methanol is a risky chemical. It has severed effects on the organic structure such as terrible abdominal, leg, and back hurting. Sums of methyl alcohol can besides do Loss of vision and even sightlessness. Have your company faced any calamity with respects to gas escape? No, RCF has ne'er faced any gas escape jobs. During the start up and the shut down all the gases are arrested utilizing flairs. If yes, how did you cover with the state of affairs? We have upgraded ourselves with all the latest engineering. There are 22 workss in all and they are installed with DCS systems in all the workss. Bing established in 1968 we bit by bit modernized all the systems. We have computerized control systems which help us track all the activities around the fabricating units. The temperature degree of all the vass can be moderated via computing machine. Internalized LAN system connexions with the ammonium hydroxide workss help in maintaining a cheque on operation of the works, temperature and chemical degrees, MCS 1010 grade Celsius. Workplace proctors help us to take disciplinary actions via â€Å" Alarms † and â€Å" CCTV ‘s † which command the operators and the analysts. What are the ideal norms to be followed in a chemical fabrication company? There are two types of Norms followed by the RCF: Safety norms and environment norms. Safety norms: Training to all contract employees Time to clip wellness look into up Separate preparation given to the applied scientists Fire contending preparation Baseball gloves, goggles and places to cover with risky chemicals Welding shield for welding occupations Environment norms: Norms related to Sox, Nox, Ammonia, â€Å" PM2.5 † , CO etc Other stipulated norms given by CPCB ( Central Pollution Control Board ) and MPCB ( Maharashtra Pollution Control Board ) and RCF works manner below these norms. What safeguards are taken as a step of safety? Surveies done by allocated organic structures ISO 14000, ISO 9000 & A ; OSAS -18000 ( Certified ) Proper medical assistance handiness at the clip of accidents Due attention for worker life by availing the insurance Health look into up from clip to clip Workers with Phobia ‘s detected by the physician are non permitted to work Fire Fighting Training is given to the workers in the welding section Mock bore on Levels 1,2, & A ; 3 is conducted one time in a one-fourth for supervising safety Flat 1: Deals with gaseous emanations Flat 2: Deals with Fire Department Flat 3: Common group treatments are done in instance of major issues. Level 3 Mock drill is performed one time in a twelvemonth. BPCL & A ; HPCL are members with RCF who are taken into consideration at degree 3 Example: Heavy escape Did the company undergo any alterations after the Bhopal Gas Tragedy? RCF has set up the environment cell in 1978. 500 chromium. was spent for environment protection while puting up the cell. 4 ambient air quality monitoring subdivisions are set up around each works of RCF to supervise the gas emanations from the works. They function 24Ãâ€"7 ; to convey and capture informations every 15 proceedingss. Meteorological Department is set up in one of the workss to command the air pollution around RCF. Are all the employees in your company insured? There is a group insurance policy The contract workers are insured under ESI What is the function of the company in societal duty? Autonomic nervous system: The following enterprises have been taken by the company: aˆ? Farmer Education on farm inputs aˆ? Soil Testing of major and micro foods aˆ? Water/Irrigation direction aˆ? Plant Protection Measures aˆ? Training on station crop engineering & A ; selling aˆ? Field and Crop Demonstrations are other effectual agencies of leaving cognition to husbandmans. aˆ? Tie-up with M/s ITC e-choupal aˆ? The Company has 6 inactive and 4 nomadic soil-testing new waves. More than 60,000 dirt samples are tested every twelvemonth and recommendations on efficient usage of fertilisers are given through ‘Soil Health Cards ‘ . aˆ? 600 Krishi-melas conducted functioning about 3,00,000 husbandmans per twelvemonth aˆ? RCF has launched a dedicated web site for husbandmans â€Å" www.rcfkrushisamridhi.com † What are the assorted monitoring & A ; surveillance system adopted by the company for security intents? Autonomic nervous system: For security purposes the company follows assorted policies like: The ‘Fraud Prevention Policy of RCF-2010 ‘ has been framed to supply a system for sensing and bar of fraud, coverage of any fraud that is detected or suspected and just dealing of affairs refering to fraud. The policy will guarantee and supply for the followers: – 1. To guarantee that direction is cognizant of its duties for sensing and bar of fraud and for set uping processs for forestalling fraud and/or observing fraud when it occurs. 2. To supply a clear counsel to employees and others covering with RCF, prohibiting them from engagement in any deceitful activity and the action to be taken by them where they suspect any deceitful activity. 3. To carry on probes into deceitful activities. 4. To supply confidences that any and all suspected deceitful activity will be to the full investigated. This policy applies to any fraud, or suspected fraud, affecting employees of RCF ( all full clip, portion clip or employees appointed on adhoc / impermanent / contract footing, student nurses and trainees ) every bit good as representatives of sellers, providers, contractors, advisers, service suppliers or any outside bureau making any type of concern with RCF. The company besides employs 12 to 15 security guards in & A ; around the office premises. What is the back-up program of the company in instance of indecent accident or any exigency? Autonomic nervous system: There is handiness of ambulance at mill site Safety dismaies are available as a warning signal to move rapidly in instance of exigency Workers are provided with proper and maintained machineries What function does moralss play at RCF? We make certain that air pollution Act, H2O pollution act and noise pollution act are followed purely. In MOU with authorities of India we guarantee that are 2 adult male yearss per employee for preparation. What step has RCF taken apart from the authorities norms? Alternatively of N2O, RCF uses DN2O acid accelerator which has the potency of consuming pollution by 300 times. We besides use selective catalytic reactor to breathe colourless exhausts alternatively of brown exhausts as earlier. Interpretation & A ; Analysis of the Interview RCF produces fertilisers and other risky chemicals of the classs:15-15-15 & A ; 20-20-0 RCF being one of the largest chemical fertilizing workss takes extreme safeguards and applies rigorous pattern of safety steps. They are really peculiar about the safety and take heavy steps for the same. They give equal preparation to all the workers every bit good as the contract employees. They are one measure in front in using the safety norms. There have no incident taken topographic point in RCF with regard to gas escape or other such catastrophe. They are really advanced and have modernized all the workss since 1968.They usage computerised monitoring system to look into the operation of every works which is reviewed in every 15 minutes.There are 22 workss and a works is shut down one time a twelvemonth for one-year care either in May or October for a maximal period of 20 yearss one works at a time.They have spent around 500 crores for developing the environment cell therefore lending to the protection of environment. They are besides really peculiar about the wellness of every worker. Besides after the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, the authorities norms have become really stringent.Thus, the whole interview gave us a thought that RCF believes in â€Å" Better Safe than Sorry † Q. Describe the systematic mistakes that led to the catastrophe in December 1984? These were the above factors that contributes to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy in 1984. A Production: The usage of risky chemicals like ( MIC ) alternatively of less unsafe onesA.Care: Storing these chemicals in big armored combat vehicles alternatively of over 200 steel drums.A Possible eating stuff in pipelinesA A Poor care after the works ceased production in the early 1980sA SECURITY & A ; SAFETY: Failure of several safety systems ( due to hapless care and ordinances ) .A Safety systems being switched off to salvage money-including the MIC armored combat vehicle infrigidation system which entirely would hold prevented the catastrophe. Government: The job was made worse by the works ‘s location near a dumbly populated country, non-existent calamity programs and defects in wellness attention and socio-economic rehabilitation. Analysis shows that the parties responsible for the magnitude of the catastrophe are the two proprietors, Union Carbide Corporation and the Government of India, and to some extent, the Government of Madhya Pradesh. Finance: Supplying less rewards & A ; no publicities to extremely skilled workers which made them to exchange the administration. Training: Coercing the workers to utilize English manuals even after cognizing they are non familiar with the linguistic communication. Q. Find out trigger points that a uninterrupted procedure fabrication works covering with risky stuffs need to watch out for? A uninterrupted procedure fabrication works have to watch out on following points: Chemical degrees of: Night Sox Ammonia $ other risky Chemicals Temperature degrees of the Vessels After Bhopal Gas Tragedy, all the chemical fabrication companies have started holding hart proctors in every subdivision as a safeguard step. Wherever these risky chemicals are produced, stored, used or handled, a proper and effectual wellness direction programme should be implemented so as to protect the involvement and safeguard the safety and wellness of people who are exposed to such stuffs. Policies and scheme – the duty of the direction sing the safety of employees and the usage of the chemicals should be stated in the policy statement. To give consequence to the policy, the direction must border a broad scheme on pull offing the risky chemicals. Register of chemicals – these should incorporate the information sing the location and the stock list of the chemicals. Besides it should advert the figure of people exposed to those risky chemicals. Risk appraisal and command – 1 ) designation of the safety and the wellness risky events, 2 ) Frequency of the exposure to the chemicals and likeliness of happening of the events and its development excessively. If the determination shows that the hazard is excessively high and non acceptable than preventative steps should be taken every bit shortly as possible. Safety work processs – at any point where and when this chemicals are used in managing there should be a written process for the start up, everyday operation, shut down and care work. It besides include the usage of personal protective equipments when necessary and besides other safeguards to be taken. Storage of chemicals – a storage system is established based on the nature of the chemical, mutual exclusiveness, measure and environmental conditions. So the layout of the storage design should take into the consideration like the statutory demand, material safety informations and besides other national and international criterions to be followed. Personal protection equipment include inhalators, safety spectacless, field shields overall, aprons and baseball mitts. Workplace supervising – it reveals which workers, country of the workplace and nearby locality of the works will be most affected if degree of the airborne taint additions. A regular medical examination by a competent individual should be carried out and besides consequence of the monitoring should be right evaluated and decently recorded. Emergency planning responses and first assistance procedures – its needed to get by up with chemical acciidents such as fires, detonations, spills, or leaks of risky stuffs. Emergency processs should be established so that the beginning of release should be decently rectified and the country of taint could be decently contained. The first assistance programme will guarantee that commissariats for exigency intervention of victims of chemical toxic condition or inordinate exposure to toxic chemicals are met. Information and preparation – employees who handle chemicals or may be affected by them should be informed of the hazard potency of these chemicals and the processs for safe handling, minimisation of exposure. A preparation programme should be instituted to guarantee that the safe handling process are both known and understood by all concerned. Information on risky chemicals and safe handling processs should be disseminated on a regular basis to employees involved via group and single preparation, informations sheets and other AIDSs. Programme reappraisal and audit – the direction should carry on an one-year reappraisal of its risky stuff, direction programmed to guarantee that it is relevant and up-to-date. The programme should be subjected to regular audits to guarantee that it has been implemented efficaciously. The direction should implement the recommendations of the reappraisal and the audit to better and heighten the programme.Acts and regulations sing the chemical industriesEnvironment direction The air bar and control of pollution act, 1981amended 1987 The H2O bar and control of pollution act, 1974 amended 1988 The environment protection act 1986 amended 1991 Hazardeous wastes ( direction and handling regulation ) , 1986 amended 2004 Ozone depleting substances ( ordinance and control ) regulations, 2000 Batteries ( direction and managing ) regulations 2001 Chemical safety and exigency direction Industry storage and import of hazardeous chemical regulations 1989 amended 2000 Chemical accidents ( exigency planning and response ) regulation, 1996 Public lialibity insurance act, 1991 amended 1998 Specific chemical category/container The chemical carbide rules,1987 The explosives act, 1988 The gas cylinders regulations 2004 The insect powders act,1988 The fertilizer control order act, 1985 The crude oil act, 1934 Other relevant to chemical direction Factories act, 1948 The moter vehicals act, 1988 The mines act 1952 The national catastrophe direction act, 2005 Chemical Rules in India: BackgroundPrime DriversAâ„ ¢ Bhopal Gas Disaster, 1984 Aâ„ ¢ Environment ( Protection ) Act, 1986 Aâ„ ¢ Multilateral Environmental Agreements ( MEAs ) Aâ„ ¢ Responsible Care ; OSHAS 18001Aims– Prevention of major accidents – Restricting the effects on adult male & A ; environment – Safety, control steps and coordination amongst bureaus. Chemical Rules in India Background: Industrial Activities Covered in the ordinances: Production, storages, usage and import of the specified risky chemicals. Chemical and petrochemical substances holding risky ( i.e. flammable, explosive, caustic, toxic ) belongingss. Storages of risky chemicals non associated with procedures. Industry, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules: Requirements in instance of Low Level Chemicals Identify jeopardies associated with industrial activity and take equal stairss for bar and control Provide relevant information to individuals apt to be affected by a major accident Develop information in the signifier of a safety informations sheets Industry, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules: Requirements in instance of the Medium & A ; High degree chemicals & A ; Storages off from Plant. Aâ„ ¢Submit written study sing â€Å" Notification of site † at least three months before and get downing any activity utilizing risky stuffs Aâ„ ¢Submit â€Å" Safety Report † at least 3 months before get downing activity Industry, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules: Requirements in instance of the Medium & A ; High degree chemicals & A ; Storages off from Plant ( Contd.. ) : Aâ„ ¢ Submit an up-to-date safety study at least 90 yearss before doing any alteration Aâ„ ¢ New and bing industrial activities to transport out safety auditand submit study within 30 yearss Aâ„ ¢ Submit a safety audit update study once a twelvemonth and send oning a transcript within 30 yearss Aâ„ ¢ Prepare up-to-date on site exigency program before get downing a new industrial activity affecting specified chemicals. Industry, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemical Rules: Requirements in instance of the Medium & A ; High degree chemicals & A ; Storages off from Plant ( Contd.. ) : Aâ„ ¢Conduct a mock drill of exigency program every six months and subject a study Aâ„ ¢Maintain records of imports of risky chemicals and to supply information to the concerned Authority Ensure the transit of risky chemicals as per the proviso of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Chemical Accidents ( Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response ) Rules:Aâ„ ¢ Central Crisis Group– Vertex organic structure to cover with major chemical accidents and to supply adept counsel for managing major chemical accidents – Continuously monitor the station accident state of affairs from major accidents, suggest steps for barAâ„ ¢ State Crisis Group– Vertex organic structure in the province to cover with major chemical accidents and supply adept counsel – Reappraisal all territory off-site exigency programs in the province and study to cardinal Crisis Group Loopholes in Indian ordinances Buffer stock jobs To put up universe category capacity works. Government should in audience with industry should develop a policy for allotment of buffer stock to outdo suitable merchandises. Government should setup support financess and supply inducements. Chemical bunchs: There is a demand to organize bunchs with proviso of common substructure installations to turn to the restraints of common wastewater intervention, conveyance linkages, including roads, power supply, H2O installations. Consolidation of little capacities: Government will make consciousness about benefits of capacity consolidation amongst SMEs. Wherever possible, authorities will back up consolidation of smaller capacities and constitution of chemical bunchs by switching downstream capacities near to female parent workss. Government may see to supply portion fiscal aid for any such resettlement. Forte chemicals as a focal point country Provding fund for Technology up-gradation for chemicals Establish chemical sector council for invention Sign international coaction understandings with other advanced states in this sector Promotional Issues: – National Awards for Technology Innovation- A strategy of national awards for engineering invention in assorted Fieldss, such as dyes, pesticides, chlor bases, etc. , is to be formulated. Under this strategy, the Government would commit awards for outstanding parts made in engineering inventions. The choice for awards would be made by a Committee of high individuals. Industrial Trade Fairs and Exhibitions- The Government would actively ease and back up the selling and organisation of major exhibitions and events in order to supply a platform to the Indian chemical industries to demo instance their strengths. Market Development- The Government would research new avenues of export of chemical from India to Latin American, African and Middle East states through our embassies and missions abroad.DecisionThe calamity was caused due to synergy of really worst American an Indian civilizations. The safety processs were minimal and neither the proprietors nor the local direction seemed to take necessary safeguards. The fact is the direction was non really prepared for such an inauspicious state of affairs. No prompt action was taken by local governments. Our legal system failed miserably, which needs to be changed every bit shortly as possible for the safety of people and improvement of state. we need to see assorted international pacts to give justness to people suffered in such a sort of calamity. The MNC ‘s operating in India must hold to the status of making concern that they will subject to the legal power of Indian tribunals both civil and condemnable. They must be responsible for the act of their subordinates in the host state and non disinherit them like cowards. The effort by the top direction of the Union Carbide USA to switch all the incrimination of Bhopal Gas Tragedy out to the direction of its Indian subdivision is the act of cowardiness.Notice should besides be taken into consideration that even the authorities of Madhya Pradesh was every bit responsible for the calamity that had taken topographic point. It was the administrative responsibility of the province authorities to play its regulative and supervisory function with most earnestness.

Positive discrimination Essay

â€Å"New Right Sociologists† would argue that this would be a disadvantage to the government as it would lead to an eventual reduction in the nation’s talent pool. However, it is important to note that the methodology used in the production of â€Å"The Bell Curve† is both dubious and highly doubtful. This is most vividly illustrated by the article Inequality by Design, written by the Sociology Department of UC Berkeley, which claims that the statistics used by Murray and Herrstein were flawed due to omissions and technical errors. On the other hand, â€Å"New Right Sociologists† also argue that ethic groups are disadvantaged because they refuse to integrate into their host society. A refusal to integrate may include a refusal to take on the norms and values of the host culture; or to learn the language. This prevents them from seeking opportunities and hence leaving them at a disadvantage. â€Å"New Right Sociologists† would henceforth argue that the state would have no responsibility whatsoever for self-made choices, and therefore that Positive Discrimination would be pointless and a waste of both time and resources. Neo-Marxists and Social Democratic/Left Wing sociologists would argue that because Ethnic Minorities suffer from ethnic discrimination as well as poorer life chances they require and need Positive Discrimination in order to ensure that they are able to reach the best of their potential. Neo-Marxist Sociologists would refer to the argument, as advocated by Stuart Hall of black people being scapegoat for economic and social problems in times of peril. This shows that people from ethnic minorities are blamed for causing problems, and hence are put at a disadvantage with other groups. This effect is then emphasized through the schema model, in which press coverage and blame of ethnic minorities leads to prejudice, prejudgment and in turn a disadvantage for minorities in regards to a wide range of areas, including life chances as represented through education, health and work. The prejudice caused by scapegoating leads to ethnic minorities being denied jobs in the primary job market, having to get by through the routine, ill paid and unskilled jobs offered through the Secondary Job Market. This in turn impacts greatly on all other aspects of their life, including where they live and the lifestyle they lead. Because ethnic minorities are tied to the secondary job market with lower wages, or languishing in unemployment, they end up residing in inner cities and other areas which are likely to be affected by what is described as the â€Å"Inverse Care Law† as coined by Hart, in which those who need the most access to services receive the least. Statistics from the Office of National Statistics show that ethnic minorities tend to have the worst self-reported health, live in overcrowded housing and smoke the most. This shows the fact that Ethnic Minorities, due to the lack of job opportunities, suffer from lower than average health and lifestyles. This, coupled with the fact that ethnic minority households are three times more likely to live in poor neighborhoods (Commission on Racial Equality, 2003) tells us that ethnic minorities do indeed suffer from lower life chances due to poor health, poorer education due to failing inner city schools and finally a cumulatively lower chance of success in life that other groups due to clear disadvantages in terms of health, education and job prospects. This clearly shows that Positive Discrimination in favor of disadvantaged groups is desirable as it allows for the disadvantages caused by ethnic discrimination and its knock-on effects to be limited if not redressed, hence increasing the nation’s pool of talent and preventing those who are capable from languishing behind due to disadvantageous conditions. Henceforth it can be said that Positive Discrimination in favor of disadvantaged ethnic minorities is both beneficial and disadvantageous depending on which perspective it is viewed from. However, it could be concluded with a degree of certainty that Positive Discrimination in favor of ethnic minorities is both a good government policy and advantageous to the country in question- as it allows ethnic minorities put at a disadvantage to compete on what amounts to nearer grounds to those from other ethnic groups that may enjoy an advantage, whether it be through wealth, power or better overall life chances. This allows for the meritocratic principles of Functionalism to occur on fair and even grounds- facilitating competition for roles and jobs between everyone on fair and even terms, hence allowing the best and brightest, regardless of ethnicity, to reach the very top and bring mutual benefits for society as a whole.

Abrahamic Religions

Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are all very closely unified as Abrahamic religions because they share a multitude of common beliefs and thoughts. Hinduism, on the other hand is almost complete opposite of these religions. The extreme differences within these religions has seemed to cause problems between them throughout history. Hinduism is considered to be an Eastern religion while Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are considered Western. (Lafave,2004. Location, leaders, religious practices, and political issues are just a few aspects that bring them to differentiating opinions. The Abrahamic religions have many shared ideas and thoughts in relation to life and the driving force of the universe. Jews ,Christians, & Muslims all agree upon the notion that there is only one creator of all of humanity. They are all monotheistic religions and they rely on holy scriptures as a life guided tool. The Christians use the Holy Bible, Islams refer to the Qu’ran, while Jews refer mostly to the Torah.All believe that the human body is only a temporary state and that if the soul is a deemed a good one by following God’s plan then it goes on to live eternally in heaven with Jesus or the equivalent. If the soul judged by God is unworthy, then it must live in hell with the devil. Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike all believe in a coming of the Messiah, though at different times. Another shared belief is that GOD is a merciful God and must be respected and given praise accordingly.He will forgive the sins of the people by repentance and one must live their life according to his teachings. These beliefs are just the tip of the iceberg when talking about similarities between the Abrahamic religions. Hinduism is an almost complete opposite of the Abrahamic religions. Hindus have no substantial founder of the religion nor do they only worship just one God, but different Gods and Goddesses and manifestations or aspects of the Supreme God. Hinduism is considered a pol ytheistic religion.The life guided scriptures used by them is the Vedas which are considered the oldest and most sacred religious texts. Hinduism beliefs consider karma to determine one’s life path for the future in the cycle of reincarnation. Karma is considered to be the universal law of cause and effect. They consider life to be a continuous cycle and the end goal for them is to be released from life by â€Å"learning the true illusions of life and achieve unity with the Brahman†. â€Å"Individuals may find release from life by devotion to one or more of the Indian Gods. (Hopfe &Woodward,2009. p. 98)Hinduism has grown to become the world’s third largest religion. Places of worship include temples and home shrines. Brahman is the unifying principle and Supreme Reality behind all existance though is rarely worshipped. Brahma is the most widely known and is the recognized one as Creator of the world. The similarities that are shared by these religions are very few and many conflicts have actually risen from differences in views of the world.In modern civilation in these days and times, I believe in unity of all religions. If the whole world could all come to a common point of understanding, there would be less need for war and misunderstanding of humanity. Even though these religions are deemed so different, I believe there is a unifying force that helped create them all.References Hopfe, L. & Woodward, M. , (2009). Religions of the World,11th ed. Lafave, S. , Retrieved January 2004 from http://instruct. westvalley. edu/lafave/east_west. html

Behavioral Change WIthin an Organization Essay

1.What characterizes a hyperturbulent environment? †¢A hyperturbulent environment is characterized by rapidly changing product lines, an increasing and changing set of competitors, rapid and continual technological innovation, and rapid market growth. 2.On the Adaptive Cultures diagram, describe the difference between a â€Å"satisficing† environment and a â€Å"reactive† environment? †¢The difference between â€Å"satisficing† and â€Å"reactive environments† stems from their respective differences pertaining to their environmental stability and adaptive orientation. A â€Å"satisficing† style is the result of a stable environment and a high level of adaptive orientation. This style of managing emphasizes a centralized decision-making structure, more levels of management, and coordination by formalized committees. A â€Å"reactive† style is the result of a hyperturbulent environment and a low level of adaptive orientation. Management typically deals with problems on a crisis basis. This style implies waiting until serious problems can no longer be ignored and then correcting them with drastic measures. 3.Which is the â€Å"best† situation on the diagram and the â€Å"worst†? †¢The â€Å"best† situation on the diagram is renewing/transformational management. This style is proactive; identifying solutions to problems before they occur, and constantly changing through innovation to stay ahead of competitors. Conversely, the â€Å"worst† situation on the diagram is sluggish-thermostat management. This style has a tendency to value tradition, which is a road block to change, and emphasizes formal control systems, processes, and procedures. As a result, this style can lead to failure through current success (things are working well right now, so why change them). 4.Describe Open System. Give an example. †¢An open system is based on interdependency. It is in constant interaction with its environment; influencing and being influenced. Feedback is obtained throughout this interaction so that the system can adjust and achieve a constant state of dynamic equilibrium. An example of an open system is a family. Parents, children, siblings, etc. constantly act and react to one another based upon what each individual member puts forth (work, money, love, daily problems, school, friendship, etc.). 5.Describe Socio-technical system. Give an example. †¢A social-technical system views the organization as an open system of coordinated human and technical activities. Under this view, the organization’s activities consist of the goals and values, technical, structural, psychosocial, and managerial subsystems. Any changes that occur in any of the organization’s process can have effects throughout the organization since all processes are related. An example of this is a bank. If management decides to change the way it take in deposits, this has an effect on the backroom operations of the bank (clearing and settling the deposit transactions), the bank tellers (how to take and handle the deposits), customer service (what type of information to relay to the deposit customers), and marketing (the information used for advertising may have changed). This change also effect the lending function (deposits are the source of funding for the bank’s loans, therefore loan pricing may be effected). 6.Give me a situation where you might use a â€Å"contingency approach† at work? †¢The contingency approach says that there is no one â€Å"best way† to handle all situations that may occur. Rather, a person needs to adjust to the situation and handle it based upon the characteristics at hand. A situation where I use the contingency approach is in dealing with my coworkers. One group of people I work with can handle very direct and candid responses to issues and problems; therefore I speak with them in this manner. Conversely, another group of individuals is not as susceptible to candor. I must use finesse and a great deal of emotion in relaying solutions to problems they want to solve. 7.How are the concepts of future shock and hyperturbulent environment similar? †¢The concepts of future shock and a hyperturbulent environment are similar in that both deal with a rapid level of change. As a result, organizations must be more adaptable and flexible than ever before to deal with the ever changing landscapes in which they operate. 8.OD focuses on the _________, _______, and ____.____ †¢OD focuses on the individual, team, and organizational behavior. Read the article on the Airline Industry (Fear and Loathing)—Write two or three paragraphs describing the problem. How could this be fixed? †¢The problem with the airline industry, based upon the article Fear and Loathing (BusinessWeek, September 10, 2007) is that the overall industry lacks leadership. That is, it appears that no one is in charge. Various members of the entire industry (the airlines, unions, small plane owners, community groups, the government, and the FAA) have only their self-interests at heart. As such, no one is being held accountable for what is needed most—change. While the airline industry has developed into its current form, it has not accounted for economic, technological, and environmental changes. The preferred fix for this problem—a lack of accountability due to a lack of leadership—would be for an independent group to take long-term oversight of much needed changes in the airline industry. This group would act in the best interest of the system (i.e. the airline industry). In addition, this group could provide much needed oversight in changing the overall self-serving mindset of the individual groups. Unfortunately, likely many government (or in this case quasi-government) situations, the adage of â€Å"if it isn’t broke don’t fix it† is followed. And, like past situations, it typically takes a large-scale catastrophe to promote change (i.e. sluggish-thermostat management).

Organizational Ethics Essay

There are at least four elements which exist in organizations that make ethical behavior conducive within an organization. The four elements necessary to quantify an organization’s ethics are: 1) Written code of ethics and standards 2) Ethics training to executives, managers, and employees 3) Availability for advice on ethical situations (i.e. advice lines or offices) 4) Systems for confidential reporting. Good leaders strive to create a better and more ethical organization. Restoring an ethical climate in organization is critical, as it is a key component in solving the many other organizational development and ethical behavior issues facing the organization. From debates over drug-testing to analyses of scandals on Wall Street, attention to ethics in business organizations has never been greater. Yet, much of the attention given to ethics in the workplace overlooks some critical aspects of organizational ethics. When talking about ethics in organizations, one has to be aware that there are two ways of approaching the subject–the â€Å"individualistic approach† and what might be called the â€Å"communal approach.† Each approach incorporates a different view of moral responsibility and a different view of the kinds of ethical principles that should be used to resolve ethical problems. More often than not, discussions about ethics in organizations reflect only the â€Å"individualistic approach† to moral responsibility. According to this approach, every person in an organization is morally responsible for his or her own behavior, and any efforts to change that behavior should focus on the individual. But there is another way of understanding responsibility, which is reflected in the â€Å"communal approach.† Here individuals are viewed not in isolation, but as members of communities that are partially responsible for the behavior of their members. So, to understand and change an individual’s behavior we need to understand and try to change the communities to which they belong. Any adequate understanding of, and effective solutions to, ethical problems  arising in organizations requires that we take both approaches into account. Recent changes in the way we approach the â€Å"problem of the alcoholic† serve as a good example of the interdependence of individual and communal approaches to problems. Not so long ago, many people viewed an alcoholic as an individual with problems. Treatment focused on helping the individual deal with his or her problem. Today, however, the alcoholic is often seen as part of a dysfunctional family system that reinforces alcoholic behavior. In many cases, the behavior of the alcoholic requires that we change the entire family situation. These two approaches also lead to different ways of evaluating moral behavior. Once again, most discussions of ethical issues in the workplace take an individualistic approach. They focus on promoting the good of the individual: individual rights, such as the right to freedom of expression or the right to privacy, are held paramount. The communal approach, on the other hand, would have us focus on the common good, enjoining us to consider ways in which actions or policies promote or prohibit social justice or ways in which they bring harm or benefits to the entire community. When we draw upon the insights of both approaches we increase our understanding of the ethical values at stake in moral issues and increase the options available to us for resolving these issues. The debate over drug-testing, for example, is often confined to an approach that focuses on individual rights. Advocates of drug-testing argue that every employer has a right to run the workplace as he or she so chooses, while opponents of drug-testing argue that drug-testing violates the employee’s right to privacy and due process. By ignoring the communal aspects of drug abuse, both sides neglect some possible solutions to the problem of drug use in the workplace. The communal approach would ask us to consider questions which look beyond the interests of the individual to the interests of the community: What kinds of drug policies will promote the good of the community, the good of both the employer and the employee? Using the two approaches to dealing with ethical problems in organizations will often result in a greater understanding of these problems. There are times, however, when our willingness to consider both the good of the individual and the good of the community leaves us in a dilemma, and we are forced to choose between competing moral claims. Affirmative Action Programs, for example, bring concerns over individual justice into conflict with concerns  over social justice. When women and minorities are given preferential treatment over white males, individuals are not treated equally, which is unjust. On the other hand, when we consider what these programs are trying to accomplish, a more just society, and also acknowledge that minorities and women continue to be shut out of positions, (especially in top management), then these programs are, in fact, indispensable for achieving social justice. Dropping preferential treatment programs might put an end to the injustice of treating individuals unequally, but to do so would maintain an unjust society. In this case, many argue that a communal approach, which stresses the common good, should take moral priority over the good of the individual. When facing such dilemmas, the weights we assign to certain values will sometimes lead us to choose those organizational policies or actions that will promote the common good. At other times, our values will lead us to choose those policies or actions that will protect the interests and rights of the individual. But perhaps the greatest challenge in discussions of ethics in organizations is to find ways in which organizations can be designed to promote the interests of both. Organizational ethics are the principals and standards by which businesses operate, according to Reference for Business. They are best demonstrated through acts of fairness, compassion, integrity, honor and responsibility. The key for business owners and executives is ensuring that all employees understand these ethics. One of the best ways to communicate organizational ethics is by training employees on company standards. Uniform Treatment One example of organizational ethics is the uniform treatment of all employees. Small business owners should treat all employees with the same respect, regardless of their race, religion, cultures or lifestyles. Everyone should also have equal chances for promotions. One way to promote uniform treatment in organizations is through sensitivity training. Some companies hold one-day seminars on various discrimination issues. They then invite outside experts in to discuss these topics. Similarly, small company managers must also avoid favoring one employee over others. This practice may also lead to lawsuits from disgruntled employees. It is also counterproductive. Social Responsibility Small companies also have an obligation to protect the community. For example, the owner of a small chemical company needs to communicate certain dangers to the community when explosions or other disasters occur. The owner must also maintain certain safety standards for protecting nearby residents from leaks that affect the water or air quality. There are state and federal laws that protect people from unethical environmental practices. Business owners who violate these laws may face stiff penalties. They may also be shut down. Financial Ethics Business owners must run clean operations with respect to finances, investing and expanding their companies. For example, organizations must not bribe state legislators for tax credits or special privileges. Insider trading is also prohibited. Insider trading is when managers or executives illegally apprise investors or outside parties of privileged information affecting publicly traded stocks, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The information helps some investors achieve greater returns on their investments at the expense of others. Executives in small companies must strive to help all shareholders earn better returns on their money. They must also avoid collusive arrangements with other companies to deliberately harm other competitors. Considerations A small company’s organizational ethics can also include taking care of employees with mental illnesses or substance abuse problems, such as drug and alcohol dependency. Ethical business owners help their employees overcome these types of problems when possible. They often put them through employee advisor programs, which involves getting them the treatment they need. Employees may have issues that lead to these types of problems. Therefore, they deserve a chance to explain their situations and get the help they need. Business Ethics Perhaps the most practical approach is to view ethics as a catalyst that causes managers to take socially responsible actions. The movement toward including ethics as a critical part of management education began in the 1970s, grew significantly in the 1980s, and is expected to continue growing.  Hence, business ethics is a critical component of business leadership. Ethics can be defined as our concern for good behavior. We feel an obligation to consider not only our own personal well-being but also that of other human beings. This is similar to the precept of the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. In business, ethics can be defined as the ability and willingness to reflect on values in the course of the organization’s decision-making process, to determine how values and decisions affect the various stakeholder groups, and to establish how managers can use these precepts in day-to-day company operations. Ethical business leaders strive for fairness and justice within the confines of sound management practices. Many people ask why ethics is such a vital component of management practice. It has been said that it makes good business sense for managers to be ethical. Without being ethical, companies cannot be competitive at either the national or international levels. While ethical management practices may not necessarily be linked to specific indicators of financial profitability, there is no inevitable conflict between ethical practices and a firm’s emphasis on making a profit; our system of competition presumes underlying values of truthfulness and fair dealing. The employment of ethical business practices can enhance overall corporate health in three important areas. The first area is productivity. Milton Friedman. The employees of a corporation are stakeholders who are affected by management practices. When management considers ethics in its actions toward stakeholders, employees can be positively affected. For example, a corporation may decide that business ethics requires a special effort to ensure the health and welfare of employees. Many corporations have established employee advisory programs (EAPs), to help employees with family, work, financial, or legal problems, or with mental illness or chemical dependency. These programs can be a source of enhanced productivity for a corporation. A second area in which ethical management practices can enhance corporate health is by positively affecting â€Å"outside† stakeholders, such as suppliers and customers. A positive public image can attract customers. For example, a manufacturer of baby products carefully guards its public image as a company that puts customer health and well-being ahead of  corporate profits, as exemplified in its code of ethics. The third area in which ethical management practices can enhance corporate health is in minimizing regulation from government agencies. Where companies are believed to be acting unethically, the public is more likely to put pressure on legislators and other government officials to regulate those businesses or to enforce existing regulations. For example, in 1990 hearings were held on the rise in gasoline and home heating oil prices following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, in part due to the public perception that oil companies were not behaving ethically. ACODE OF ETHICS A code of ethics is a formal statement that acts as a guide for how people within a particular organization should act and make decisions in an ethical fashion. Ninety percent of the Fortune 500 firms, and almost half of all other firms, have ethical codes. Codes of ethics commonly address issues such as conflict of interest, behavior toward competitors, privacy of information, gift giving, and making and receiving political contributions. According to a recent survey, the development and distribution of a code of ethics within an organization is perceived as an effective and efficient means of encouraging ethical practices within organizations. Business leaders cannot assume, however, that merely because they have developed and distributed a code of ethics an organization’s members have all the guidelines needed to determine what is ethical and will act accordingly. There is no way that all situations that involve decision making in an organization can be addressed in a code. Codes of ethics must be monitored continually to determine whether they are comprehensive and usable guidelines for making ethical business decisions. Managers should view codes of ethics as tools that must be evaluated and refined in order to more effectively encourage ethical practices. CREATING AN ETHICAL WORKPLACE Business managers in most organizations commonly strive to encourage ethical practices not only to ensure moral conduct, but also to gain whatever business advantage there may be in having potential consumers and employees regard the company as ethical. Creating, distributing, and continually improving a company’s code of ethics is one usual step managers can take to establish an ethical workplace. Another step managers can take is to create  a special office or department with the responsibility of ensuring ethical practices within the organization. For example, management at a major supplier of missile systems and aircraft components has established a corporate ethics office. This ethics office is a tangible sign to all employees that management is serious about encouraging ethical practices within the company. Another way to promote ethics in the workplace is to provide the work force with appropriate training. Several companies conduct training programs aimed at encourag ing ethical practices within their organizations. Such pro grams do not attempt to teach what is moral or ethical but, rather, to give business managers criteria they can use to help determine how ethical a certain action might be. Managers then can feel confident that a potential action will be considered ethical by the general public if it is consistent with one or more of the following standards: 1. The Golden Rule: Act in a way you would want others to act toward you. 2. The utilitarian principle: Act in a way that results in the greatest good for the greatest number. 3. Kant’s categorical imperative: Act in such a way that the action taken under the circumstances could be a universal law, or rule, of behavior. 4. The professional ethic: Take actions that would be viewed as proper by a disinterested panel of professional peers. 5. The TV test: Always ask, â€Å"Would I feel comfortable explaining to a national TV audience why I took this action?† 6. The legal test: Ask whether the proposed action or decision is legal. Established laws are generally considered minimum standards for ethics. 7. The four-way test: Ask whether you can answer â€Å"yes† to the following questions as they relate to the decision: Is the decision truthful? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? Finally, managers can take responsibility for creating and sustaining conditions in which people are likely to behave ethically and for minimizing conditions in which people might be tempted to behave unethically. Two practices that commonly inspire unethical behavior in organizations are giving unusually high rewards for good performance and unusually severe punishments for poor performance. By eliminating such factors, managers can reduce much of the pressure that people feel to perform unethically. They can also promote the social responsibility of the organization. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY The term social responsibility means different things to different people. Generally, corporate social responsibility is the obligation to take action that protects and improves the welfare of society as a whole as well as organizational interests. According to the concept of corporate social responsibility, a manager must strive to achieve both organizational and societal goals. Current perspectives regarding the fundamentals of social responsibility of businesses are listed and discussed through (1) the Davis model of corporate social responsibility, (2) areas of corporate social responsibility, and (3) varying opinions on social responsibility. A model of corporate social responsibility that was developed by Keith Davis provides five propositions that describe why and how businesses should adhere to the obligation to take action that protects and improves the welfare of society and the organization: * Proposition 1: Social responsibility arises from social power. * Proposition 2: Business shall operate as an open system, with open receipt of inputs from society and open disclosure of its operation to the public. * Proposition 3: The social costs and benefits of an activity, product, or service shall be thoroughly calculated and considered in deciding whether to proceed with it. * Proposition 4: Social costs related to each activity, product, or service shall be passed on to the consumer. * Proposition 5: Business institutions, as citizens, have the responsibility to become involved in certain social problems that are outside their normal areas of operation. The areas in which business can become involved to protect and improve the welfare of society are numerous and diverse. Some of the most publicized of these areas are urban affairs, consumer affairs, environmental affairs, and employment practices. Although numerous businesses are involved in socially responsible activities, much controversy persists about whether such involvement is necessary or appropriate. There are several arguments for and against businesses performing socially responsible activities. The best-known argument supporti ng such activities by business is that because business is a subset of and exerts a significant impact on society, it has the responsibility to help improve society. Since society asks no more and no less of any of its members, why should business be exempt from such responsibility? Additionally, profitability and growth go hand in hand with  responsible treatment of employees. customers, and the community. However, studies have not indicated any clear relationship between corporate social responsibility and profitability. One of the better known arguments against such activities is advanced by the distinguished economist Milton Friedman. Friedman argues that making business managers simultaneously responsible to business owners for reaching profit objectives and to society for enhancing societal welfare represents a conflict of interest that has the potential to cause the demise of business. According to Friedman, this demise almost certainly will occur if business continually is forced to perform socially responsible behavior that is in direct conflict with private organizational objectives. He also argues that to require business managers to pursue socially responsible objectives may be unethical, since it requires managers to spend money that really belongs to other individuals. Regardless of which argument or combination of arguments particular managers might support, they generally should make a concerted effort to perform all legally required socially responsible activities, consider voluntarily performing socially responsible activities beyond those legally required, and inform all relevant individuals of the extent to which their organization will become involved in performing social responsibility activities. Federal law requires that businesses perform certain socially responsible activities. In fact, several government agencies have been established and are ma intained to develop such business-related legislation and to make sure the laws are followed. The Environmental Protection Agency does indeed have the authority to require businesses to adhere to certain socially responsible environmental standards. Adherence to legislated social responsibilities represents the minimum standard of social responsibility performance that business leaders must achieve. Managers must ask themselves, however, how far beyond the minimum they should attempt to go difficult and complicated question that entails assessing the positive and negative outcomes of performing socially responsible activities. Only those activities that contribute to the business’s success while contributing to the welfare of society should be undertaken. Social Responsiveness. Social responsiveness is the degree of effectiveness and efficiency an organization displays in pursuing its social responsibilities. The greater the degree of effectiveness and efficiency, the more socially responsive the organization  is said to be. The socially responsive organization that is both effective and efficient meets its social responsibilities without wasting organizational resources in the process. Determining exactly which social responsibilities an organization should pursue and then deciding how to pursue them are perhaps the two most critical decision-making aspects of maintaining a high level of social responsiveness within an organization. That is, managers must decide whether their organization should undertake the activities on its own or acquire the help of outsiders with more expertise in the area. In addition to decision making, various approaches to meeting social obligations are another determinant of an organization’s level of social responsiveness. A desirable and socially responsive approach to meeting social obligations involves the following: * Incorporating social goals into the annual planning process * Seeking comparative industry norms for social programs  * Presenting reports to organization members, the board of directors, and stockholders on progress in social responsibility * Experimenting with different approaches for measuring social performance * Attempting to measure the cost of social programs as well as the return on social program investments S. Prakash Sethi presents three management approaches to meeting social obligations: (1) the social obligation approach, (2) the social responsibility approach, and (3) the social responsiveness approach. Each of Sethi’s three approaches contains behavior that reflects a somewhat different attitude with regard to businesses performing social responsible activities. The social obligation approach, for example, considers business as having primarily economic purpos es and confines social responsibility activity mainly to conformance to existing laws. The socially responsible approach sees business as having both economic and societal goals. The social responsiveness approach considers business as having both societal and economic goals as well as the obligation to anticipate upcoming social problems and to work actively to prevent their appearance. Organizations characterized by attitudes and behaviors consistent with the social responsiveness approach generally are more socially responsive than organizations characterized by attitudes and behaviors consistent with either the social responsibility approach or the social obligation approach.  Also, organizations characterized by the social responsibility approach generally achieve higher levels of social responsiveness than organizations characterized by the social obligation approach. As one moves from the social obligation approach to the social responsiveness approach, management becomes more proactive. Proactive managers will do what is prudent from a business viewpoint to r educe liabilities whether an action is required by law or not. Areas of Measurement. To be consistent, measurements to gauge organizational progress in reaching socially responsible objectives can be performed. The specific areas in which individual companies actually take such measurements vary, of course, depending on the specific objectives of the companies. All companies, however, probably should take such measurements in at least the following four major areas: 1. Economic function: This measurement gives some indication of the economic contribution the organization is making to society. 2. Quality-of-life: The measurement of quality of life should focus on whether the organization is improving or degrading the general quality of life in society. 3. Social investment: The measurement of social investment deals with the degree to which the organization is investing both money and human resources to solve community social problems. 4. Problem-solving: The measurement of problem solving should focus on the degree to which the organization deals with social problems. The Social Audit: A Progress Report. A social audit is the process of taking measurements of social responsibility to assess organizational performance in this area. The basic steps in conducting a social audit are monitoring, measuring, and appraising all aspects of an organization’s socially responsible performance. Probably no two organizations conduct and present the results of a social audit in exactly the same way. The social audit is the process of measuring the socially responsible activities of an organization. It monitors, measures, and appraises socially responsible performance. Managers in today’s business world increasingly need to be aware of two separate but interrelated concernsusiness ethics and social responsibility. BACKGROUND & DEFINITIONS The past decade has seen an explosion of interest among college faculty in the teaching methods variously grouped under the terms ‘active learning’ and  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœcooperative learning’. However, even with this interest, there remains much misunderstanding of and mistrust of the pedagogical â€Å"movement† behind the words. The majority of all college faculty still teach their classes in the traditional lecture mode. Some of the criticism and hesitation seems to originate in the idea that techniques of active and cooperative learning are genuine alternatives to, rather than enhancements of, professors’ lectures. We provide below a survey of a wide variety of active learning techniques which can be used to supplement rather than replace lectures. We are not advocating complete abandonment of lecturing, as both of us still lecture about half of the class period. The lecture is a very efficient way to present information but use of the lecture as the only mode of instruction presents problems for both the instructor and the students. There is a large amount of research attesting to the benefits of active learning. â€Å"Active Learning† is, in short, anything that students do in a classroom other than merely passively listening to an instructor’s lecture. This includes everything from listening practices which help the students to absorb what they hear, to short writing exercises in which students react to lecture material, to complex group exercises in which students apply course material to â€Å"real life† situations and/or to new problems. The term â€Å"cooperative learning† covers the subset of active learning activities which students do as groups of three or more, rather than alone or in pairs; generally, cooperative learning techniques employ more formally structured groups of students assigned complex tasks, such as multiple-step exercises, research projects, or presentations. Cooperative learning is to be distinguished from another now well-defined term of art, â€Å"collaborative learning†, which refers to those classroom strategies which have the instructor and the students placed on an equal footing working together in, for example, designing assignments, choosing texts, and presenting material to the class. Clearly, collaborative learning is a more radical departure from tradition than merely utilizing techniques aimed at enhancing student retention of material presented by the instructor; we will limit our examples to the â€Å"less radical† active and cooperative learning techniques. â€Å"Techniques of active learning†, then, are those activities which an instructor incorporates into the classroom to foster active learning. TECHNIQUES OF ACTIVE LEARNING Exercises for Individual Students Because these techniques are aimed at individual students, they can very easily be used without interrupting the flow of the class. These exercises are particularly useful in providing the instructor with feedback concerning student understanding and retention of material. Some (numbers 3 and 4, in particular) are especially designed to encourage students’ exploration of their own attitudes and values. Many (especially numbers 4 – 6) are designed to increase retention of material presented in lectures and texts. 1. The â€Å"One Minute Paper† – This is a highly effective technique for checking student progress, both in understanding the material and in reacting to course material. Ask students to take out a blank sheet of paper, pose a question (either specific or open-ended), and give them one (or perhaps two – but not many more) minute(s) to respond. Some sample questions include: â€Å"How does John Hospers define â€Å"free will†?†, â€Å"What is â€Å"scientific realism†?†, â€Å"What is the activation energy for a chemical reaction?†, â€Å"What is the difference between replication and transcription?†, and so on. Another good use of the minute paper is to ask questions like â€Å"What was the main point of today’s class material?† This tells you whether or not the students are viewing the material in the way you envisioned. 2. Muddiest (or Clearest) Point – This is a variation on the one-minute paper, though you may wish to give students a slightly longer time period to answer the question. Here you ask (at the end of a class period, or at a natural break in the presentation), â€Å"What was the â€Å"muddiest point† in today’s lecture?† or, perhaps, you might be more specific, asking, for example: â€Å"What (if anything) do you find unclear about the concept of ‘personal identity’ (‘inertia’, ‘natural selection’, etc.)?†. Questions and Answers While most of us use questions as a way of prodding students and instantly testing comprehension, there are simple ways of tweaking our questioning techniques which increase student involvement and comprehension. Though some of the techniques listed here are â€Å"obvious†, we will proceed on the principle that the obvious sometimes bears repeating (a useful pedagogical  principle, to be sure!). Debates – Actually a variation of #27, formal debates provide an efficient structure for class presentations when the subject matter easily divides into opposing views or ‘Pro’/‘Con’ considerations. Students are assigned to debate teams, given a position to defend, and then asked to present arguments in support of their position on the presentation day. The opposing team should be given an opportunity to rebut the argument(s) and, time permitting, the original presenters asked to respond to the rebuttal. This format is particularly useful in developing argumentation skills (in addition to teaching content). ABOUT THIS DEBATE DNA carries a person’s identity. It also carries a vast amount of other information about that person’s biology, health and, increasingly, psychological predispositions. This information could have great medical value, en masse, but might be abused, ad hominem, by insurers, employers, politicians and civil servants. Some countries are building up DNA databases, initially using the excuse that these are for the identification and prosecution of criminals, but also including the unprosecuted and the acquitted. Should such databases be made universal? Is it ever right for the DNA of the innocent to be used for any purpose without the consent of the â€Å"owner†. If so, when? The Moderator-Mar 24th 2009 | Mr Geoff Carr Clarke’s Third Law (the Clarke in question being Sir Arthur C., a distinguished writer of science fiction) is that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. That law applies nicely to the modern science and technology of genetics. On the one hand, understanding and eventually manipulating genes may lead to the treatment and even abolition of many diseases by white-magical (or, at least, white-coated) sorcerer-priests. On the other, dark necromancers plot to use the knowledge that genetics brings to regulate and manipulate people on behalf of commercial and political princes. Magic, of course, depends on the audience not understanding what the conjurer is up to. That was Clarke’s point. In the case of a stage show, the deception is both deliberate on the part of the conjurer and self-inflicted on the part of the audience, who would enjoy  the show less if they know how the tricks were done. Which is fine for show business, but is no way to conduct public policy. Hence the need for a serious debate on the matter, to which The Economist is privileged to make this small contribution. For the truth, as both of our opening â€Å"speakers† eloquently illuminate, is that the potential of genetics for both good and ill is great. And the more profound truth is that decisions will have to be made soon about how much genetic privacy a person is entitled to, even before those two potentials are properly understood. The accurate interpretation of the human genome is only just beginning, and where it will lead, no one knows. It is only recently, for example, that whole new classes of gene whose products regulate the functions of other genes, rather than being used as templates for the manufacture of proteins, have been identified. Other surprises surely await. Art Caplan and Craig Venter are two of the most distinguished thinkers in their fields, but those fields are different and, in the end, it is probably the differences between their fields that lead to the distinction in their positions. Dr Venter is a geneticist with a background in the American navy’s medical corps (he served in Vietnam). He has always been a man in a hurry. His team was the first to obtain the complete genetic sequence of a bacterium (an organism called Haemophilus influenzae), and he led the privately financed version of the effort to sequence the human genome, a project that both succeeded in its own right and chivvied publicly financed scientists to redouble their own efforts. Now, he wants to hurry genetic knowledge into the public arena so that the wider pattern can be seen, understood and acted on for the greater good. His mission might be summarised by Hippocrates’s injunction: â€Å"I will prescribe regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment.† Dr Caplan’s background, by contrast, is in the history and philosophy of science. The history of genetics is well known as one in which both ignorance and deliberate distortion of the trut h have led to evil consequences—not just in essentially wicked regimes such as that of Nazi Germany, but even in apparently benign places like Sweden and also in the United States. The eugenics that led to the castration of the â€Å"feebleminded† and the death camps for those deemed to belong to â€Å"inferior races† were the descendants of well-meaning, liberal-minded policies intended to improve the condition of humanity. Dr Caplan therefore draws a different lesson from  Hippocrates: â€Å"Never do harm to anyone†, and argues that it is the individual who is best placed to judge what will harm him. At bottom, the two speakers’ arguments come down to the oldest political argument of all—how do you balance private and public interests?—with the added twist of ignorance about how the science will eventually play out. It should be a fascinating debate. The Proposers-Mar 24th 2009 | Professor Arthur Caplan There are, it is increasingly said, plenty of reasons why people you know and many you don’t ought to have access to your DNA or data that are derived from it. Have you ever had sexual relations outside a single, monogamous relationship? Well then, any children who resulted from your hanky-panky might legitimately want access to your DNA to establish paternity or maternity. If various serious diseases run in your family then shouldn’t your loved ones expect you to provide a sample of your DNA so that the family can establish who is and is not at risk of inheriting a disposition to the disease with greater accuracy. If you are young and eligible for military service the desk-jockeys of the military bureaucracy will want to keep a sample of your DNA handy in frozen storage should you encounter misfortune resulting in only tiny smidgens of yourself being all that is left. DNA banks prevent memorials to unknown soldiers. If you are a baby or a child, your parents rightly wa nt to have a DNA sample on file so they can either identify you should you go missing or to help profile your behavioural and disease genetic risk factors so that they can take steps to improve your lot in life. The police might well want to have a sample of your and everyone else’s DNA to make their lives easier as they try to sort through evidence at crime scenes. So might your boss, doctor, hospital, local university, pharmaceutical company, insurance company and national immigration service. Lots of reasons can be given about why genetic privacy ought to be abandoned for the greater good. But none of these is persuasive. No one should be peeking at your genes without your prior knowledge and consent. The main reason why your DNA and any data derived from it should be yours to control is that they are intimately linked to your personal identity. And your identity is an asset that should not be taken from you or accessed without your express permission. Those who wish to have your DNA, including the military, police, government, medical system, researchers and  prosecutors all realise this. They know that they can track you, control you and even profit from you if they do not have to go through the nicety of asking for your permission to obtain or examine your DNA. But you should have the right to decide for what purpose someone can access any identifying information about you. This is especially true for genetic information that can reveal sensitive things about your health, history and behaviour, past, present and future. You may well decide to donate your DNA in a familial study of disease risk, or to donate your DNA to a foundation or university for research; or to have your DNA stored so that you can be readily identified if something untoward were to happen to you; or you may decide to sell your DNA; or you may well decide to make your DNA available for a variety of purposes, but only if you receive convincing assurances that your personal identity will not be revealed to others; or you may not make it available unless you are paid. In any event, it must, if personal privacy and thus your autonomy and dignity are to have any meaning at all, be your choice. In modern society control over one’s own identity is crucial. People can steal your identity and pass themselves off as you, or they may simply use your identity to gain access to your person al information, records and data. Your sense of self, of your security, of even your ability to maintain relationships and intimacies by controlling who can know about you, depends on control of your identity. Retaining control over your identity is something you need to be able to do and the government needs to be able to ensure that you can do. There are those who will say that the whole notion of genetic privacy is absurd. After all, your DNA can be pulled off a glass from which you have sipped, a cigarette you smoked, hair in a shower or anywhere else you might leave behind your sweat, spit, semen or dead skin. But the ready availability of your DNA does not mean that it is sound public policy to simply make access to it a freefire zone for which there are no penalties for those who peek without permission. The law can and should still seek to ensure privacy and make it clear what the penalties will be for non-consensual DNA sampling or use. Now it is true that some research with DNA can be done without identifyi ng the source. Even in these instances you should still have an absolute assurance that no one will reconnect your identity to such data without your assent. In addition to protecting your identity, it is important that you control your DNA in a world in which you  might well suffer adverse consequences were others able to access and analyse your genome at their leisure or pleasure. Your prospective boss could decide that you are not the best person for a job, basing his decision on your genetic risk of suffering a mental illness or debilitating disease three or four decades hence. Your health or life insurer might be jacking up your rates or simply drop you out of a plan because of your risk profile. And admission to college or even to a national security position might well be compromised by an unfavourable risk profile. Remember we are talking risk as the basis of penalties and discrimination, not actual events. Until societies legislate for adequate protections against risk discrimination, you are your own best guardian of your DNA. There are plenty of reasons for others to want to access your genes. Some of these are lofty, useful and admirable. Others are not. Unless something can be done to minimise the latter, the case for genetic privacy is quite strong. The Opposition-Professor J. Craig Venter As we progress from the first human genome to sequence hundreds, then thousands and then millions of individual genomes, the value for medicine and humanity will only come from the availability and analysis of comprehensive, public databases containing all these genome sequences along with as complete as possible phenotype descriptions of the individuals. All of us will benefit the most by sharing our information with the rest of humanity. In this world of instant internet, Facebook and Twitter, access to information about seemingly everything and everyone, the idea that we can keep anything completely confidential is becoming as antiquated as the typewriter. Today, in addition to my complete human genome, that of Jim Watson and some others, medical and genetic information is also readily shared between people on genetic social networking companies who provide gene scans for paying customers. It was my decision to disclose my genome and all that it holds, as it was Jim Watson’ s and presumably all those others who chat online about their disease risks and ethno-geographic heritage. So while we all have a right to disclose or not to disclose, we have to move on from the equally antiquated notion that genetic information is somehow sacred, to be hidden and protected at all costs. If we ever hope to gain medical value from human genetic information for preventing and  treating disease, we have to understand what it can tell us and what it cannot. And most of all we have to stop fearing our DNA. When we look at our not so distant past it is easy to understand how the idea of the anonymity and protection of research subjects came to pass. The supposed science-based eugenics movement, the human experiment atrocities of the Nazis and the Tuskegee syphilis research debacle are just a few examples that prove that we as a society do not have a very good track record on the research front. So naturally when the idea first arose of decoding our human genome, the complete set of genetic material from which all human life springs, it was met largely with fear, including co ncern of how to adequately protect those involved as DNA donors. Notions about genetics at the time were based on myth, superstition, misunderstanding, misinformation, misuse, fear, over-interpretation, abuse and overall ignorance propagated by the public, the press and—most surprisingly—even some in the scientific community. In the 1980s the state of genetic science was not very advanced and the limited tools available led to a very narrow view of human genetics. The only disease-gene associations made then were the rare cases in which changes in single genes in the genetic code could be linked to a disease. Examples include sickle cell anemia, Huntington’s disease and cystic fibrosis. As a result, most began to think that there would be one gene for each human trait and disease, and that we were largely subject to genetic determinism (you are what your genes say you are). An unfortunate slang developed in which people were described as having the â€Å"breast cancer gene† or the â€Å"cystic fibrosis gene† (ins tead of the precise way of describing that a mutation in the chloride ion channel associated with cystic fibrosis). In short, people learned that genetics could all be compared with a high-stakes lottery where you either drew the terrible gene that gave you the horrible disease or you got lucky and did not. The notion of applying probability statistics to human genetic outcomes did reach the public. Today, the science has come a long way since those early days and we now know that there are many genetic changes in many genes associated with genetically inherited diseases like cancer. We also know that genetics is about probabilities and not yes or no answers. However, the public is, for the most part, still back on what they learned from scientists early on: genes determine life outcomes and so you had better not let anyone know the dirty  secrets in your genome. So talk of sequencing the entire human genome created a sort of â€Å"perfect storm† of the colliding research ideals of human subject protection and anonymity. The publicly funded, government version of the human genome project went to extremes to use anonymous DNA donors for sequencing, even throwing out millions of dollars of work and data after at least one donor self-identified his contribution to the research. In contrast to the public human genome project, my team at Celera allowed DNA donors to self-identify but Celera itself was bound by confidentiality. Since I was a donor to the Celera project, I thought that one of the best ways to help dissipate the fears of genetic information being misused, or used against me, was to self-disclose my participation as a DNA donor, thereby showing the world that I was not concerned about having my genome on the internet. My colleague at Celera, a Nobel laureate Hamilton Smith, later disclosed that he too was a DNA donor to the Celera genome sequence. My act of self-disclosure and using my own DNA for the first human genome sequence was extensively discussed and criticised by some at the time, including one of the Celera advisory board members, Art Caplan, who likened the genome sequence to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and wanted it to remain anonymous. It might all now seem like a quaint historical discussion because of the onslaught of genome announcements and genome companies aiding thousands to share their genetic information with friends, family and the public at large. In 2007 my team and I published my complete diploid genome sequence. This was followed a year later by Jim Watson disclosing his genome identity and releasing his DNA sequence to the internet. Several others have now followed from various parts of the globe. My institute wrestled with the IRB (Institutional review board) issues of sequencing the genome of a known donor as a break from the anonymous past. Following our effort, George Church, a researcher at Harvard, convinced the IRB there to allow full disclosure of multiple individual genomes as part of his project. He and his team have gone even further by including clinical and phenotype information on the internet along with his partial genome sequences. As we progress to sequence the huge number of human genomes, the value for medicine and humanity will only come from the availability of comprehensive, public databases with all these genome sequences, along with as complete as possible phenotype descriptions of the individuals. Our human genomes are of  sufficient complexity and variability that we need these genomes, with the corresponding phenotype data, to accurately move into the predictive and preventive medicine phase of human existence. The possible irony is that, other than as examples and testimonials of well-known individuals, the actual identity of donors is generally of little value to science. I had the right and the privilege to disclose my genetic code to all and I had the right not to do so. I feel that all humans should have the same right to choose. So while we actually don’t need people to step forward and identify themselves as donors and subjects in this research, there is no real need for them to remain anonymous, because there is little to fear and only much to be gained by information sharing. In the United States the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) was signed into law in May 2008 after more than a decade of trying to get it through congress. GINA is designed to prohibit health insurers and employers from discriminating against someone on the basis of their genetic information. In order that this protection should be global, other countries should do the same. We are learning more and more all the time about what our genes can tell us about our health and what they still cannot and probably will never tell us. We have been beginning to see the fruits of our sequencing labours over the last decade but we still have so far to go in understanding our biology. Each and every one of us has a unique genetic code. Understanding our code can have a major impact on our life and health management, particularly in early disease detection and prevention. These advances will only happen with large comprehensive databases of shared information. Your genetic code is important to you, your family members and to the other 6.6 billion of us who are only 1-3% different from you. We will only gain that understanding by sharing our information with the rest of humanity.