The EMAS Business School demands its community to adhere to a zero-tolerance policy for the manifestation of any discrimination, corruption, fraud, dishonesty and dishonset play in business and life.

 November 2021 will be the historic month and period for EMAS Business School in Moscow, Russia and at all its paratner international partners around the world during which amongst others the leaders of the school  introduced Code of Ethical Behaviour for all its community, students, graduates, teachers, guest lecturers consultants, employeees and related partners.  

Managing human behaviour in general and sustaining such behaviour in a sort of standardized and acceptable culture is probably one of the challenging tasks an international institution such as the EMAS Business Schoolf can manage. This task can even be more challenging considering that the EMAS Business School - consists of  different 70 nationalities and managing over 400 students from diverse background and different national legislations. 

As readers of this post may know, many countries including my own, Namibia are grappling with reported high profile cases of perceived fraud, corruption or just of pure dishonesty including cases that are currently before high court in Namibia dubbed Fishrot which include former Ministers of Fisheries and Justice and other senior of officials of State Owned Enterprises. Infact the bail hearing of the former minister of fisheries will be in High Court on Monday, 29th November 2021 a few hours from now -(as I am writing this report).  I am mentioning the Namibian Fishrot Case conscious of the fact that one is guilty until proven guilty. But, since there are charges of perceived corruption and dishonesty I am referring to that case. But, generally, issues of personal integrity and reputational guarding are not that easy to manage, both at personal and business level - inclding at academic level too.

This probably explains why the school introduced a Code of Ethical Behaviour which had to be adhered to by the EMAS Business School family in an attempt to remind the EMAS Business School family to conduct themselves in a manner that does not put the varsity in disrepute or discriminate fellow school family members on the basis of their creed, coloour, culture or skin as well as religion. 

The Code of Ethical Conduct does  therefore not only contain academic integrity, honesty and related behaviour such as avoiding issues of plagiarism, respecting intellectual property - it also refers to the values and ideals which ae not less important than the most advanced knowledge according to the EMAS Business School Rector in his message that is included in the Code of Ethics.

EMAS Business School Rector, Andrey Kolyada states that, "each of us has a personal responsibility to protech th reputation of EMAS. Everyone can strengthen it or conversely discredit it because we live in an age when the actions of each person matters and can change th world. An axiom that does not require proof is the fact that we must all adhere to a zero-tolerance policy for th manifestation of any discrimination, corruption, fraud, dishonesty and dishonest pay in business and life. In order to codify our values and worldviewe, we have adopted the Code of Ethics (herinafter- the Code), which covers the minimum basic standards of ethics and core values which each of us must adhere to in all circumstances. It should and nothing else-if we want to consider ourselves a part of a single EMAS family . The education and educational institution in which a person once studies is a story for his entire life".

Clause number 4 of the Code of Ethics deals with the compliance with the laws of Russia and other countries. The Code states that the EMAS Business School is governed by a number of national and international laws and regulations and that most of the standards established by the Code are based on legal requirements. The Code therefore hints that it is necessary to understand that non-compliance with the lawa can lead to serious consequences both legal and reputational terms. All employees, faculty, students, graduates and partners of EMAS must therefore comply with the law including but not limited to:

• Tax law
• Occupational Safety and Health
• Labour Relations
• Environmental protection and protection of wildlife
• Antimonopoly legislation
• Anti-Corruption legislation 

On the highlighted values, the Code of Ethics points out the need for the Love for the Motherland, (Russia for Russians and citizens of other countries for their countries), not only in words but also in deeds, by our actions providing belief that our countries and peeople deserve all the best. On mutual respect, the Code highlights that the EMAS Business School family members must value each othr and representatives of all partis intersted  in our activities such as our students, graduates, employees, teachers and partners. It says that we owe our success to corporate culture of diversity and an equal playing field in which everyone knows he or she has the opportunity to unleash his or her talent, thrive and reach his or her reach potential. It also touches on issues of responsibility - saying wee have a sense of responsibilit that is inherent in mature adults. And that we take responsibility of our own activitis, decisions and actions and for the overall impact of our work on society.

 It clearly stipulates issues of honesty and decency, cheerfulness and positivity, curiousity and inquisitiveness and quality of education. It then referred to human rights and qual rights and opportunities, respect for people and friendliness and academic business honesty and intetrity such as cheating, plagiarism, infringement of copyright and intellectual property, presenting work for one course or module as for another coursee or module, creation without consent of EMAS of closed communitis and groups in all forms (channels, chats, groups in social networks, etc) whose existence is ensured by using the resources and activities of EMAS, business dishonesty, data falsification, unfair coopeeration, unjustified criticism, revenge for academic performance assessement. It touches on the responsibility of staff and teachers of the business school such as the academic freedom, adequate self-esteem and self -irony, honesty and decenty in this regard, mutual rspect, support and cooperation and maintaining the high status of an employee and tacher. The protection of EMAS Business School assets  - alerting the school community that it is forbiddent to use the assets and resources of EMAS to commit any illegal or unethical actions. 

Confidentiality among EMAS Business School is critical and it is the community's duty to protect the commercial and other secrets of EMAS, the secrets of our business partners, the prsonal data of our students, graduates, employees and teachers, awe well as the protection of confidential businss information that becomes known to us in the course of our activities. The Code confirms that disclosure of this information in an inappropriate manner may adversely affect the competitiveness of EMAS, entails economic damage and loss of trust of the members of the EMAS Community to each other. This also applies to Communication and public relations - and states that EMAS activity participates in open discussions, cooperations with various organizations in the implemetionation of initatives that are beneficial to society and also offers its experience to develop appropriate business and other solutions when appropriate. In other words, EMAS strives to contribute to the movemnt of society towards sustainable development.

On the Compliance of the Code, the policy guidelines state that every membr of the EMAS Bsuiness School is obliged to comply with the requiremnt of the Code. It says we are all responsible for preventing potential violations and reporting them in a manner using available ecommunication channels. The Code also warns against transmission of false messages which it says is prohibited. The Code ends with clear instructions that state that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against violators of the Code.

This post has been authored as part of my EMAS Business School Studies - which require students to promote school activities and related social events. 29 Nov 2021

EMAS Business School - United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Report 3 on Poverty Eradictation by an EMAS DBA Student

It's a standing rule when writing these related reports  that the author as an EMAS Business School Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) student,has to first affairm and pledge her support towards the promotion of the United Nations Development Goals.
This inspiration and initiative to publically support the UN Sustainable Development Goals, SDG's is the brain child of the EMAS Business School with its Headquarters in Moscow, Russia, but with a number of partnership linkages world-wide. The school, through its community, and mainly its students is therefore spreading good will in the world through the amplification of the significance of embracing the SDGs acroos the planet for common good.

As the EMAS Business School DBA Student, this is my third report on the support of the UN SDG's efforts since the School implemented this initiative as part of the students'social ranking activities in October 2021. The aim of this report is to amongst others enforce the agenda on the UN development goals as inspired by my school.

The first report posted on 12 October 2021 highlighted the importance of promoting the UN SDGs by EMAS Business School students. The second report published on 20th October 2021 as initialy hinted, highlighted the 17 UN SDGs, with the aim to further create awareness about this noble initative. The focus of the 2nd report focused more on the  listing of 17 UN SDGs just to create awareness on the individual SDGs which will be unpacked in due course.

This third report (13 November 2021) will focus on SDG-1, which is No Poverty. The author will briefly unpack what the SDG-1 means and why it is critical for countries to esure that they abide by the UN Guidelines on SDG-Number-1.

Before I could write any of my own views about UN SDG-1, i first had to google it and get a clear international  undrstanding what Wikipedia would refer to this particular goal versus my own local undrstand of the same goal.

Below is the definition i lifted from Wikepedia on the call of the sustainable development goal and what it stands for.

"Sustainable Development Goal 1, one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015, calls for the end of poverty in all forms. The official wording is: "No Poverty". Wikipedia"

Another defnition I came across through my googling efforts on the internet, mainly from the UN Development Goals page states that:

"The SDGs are a bold commitment to finish what we started, and end poverty in all forms and dimensions by 2030. ... This involves targeting the most vulnerable, increasing basic resources and services, and supporting communities affected by conflict and climate-related disasters"

Below is another valuable explanation just to create some understanding before we can commend on why each one of us must act accordingly to end poverty.

"Goal 1 Targets: 1.1 By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day. 1.2 By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions."

Another detailed  and straight and to the point explanation why it is important for your and me to act now and end poverty is the one below which I lifted from the UN Sustainable Development Goals copyrighted -page (today, 13 November 2021 on SDG-1): 

"Globally, the number of people living in extreme poverty declined from 36 per cent in 1990 to 10 per cent in 2015. But the pace of change is decelerating and the COVID-19 crisis risks reversing decades of progress in the fight against poverty. New research published by the UNU World Institute for Development Economics Research warns that the economic fallout from the global pandemic could increase global poverty by as much as half a billion people, or 8% of the total human population. This would be the first time that poverty has increased globally in thirty years, since 1990.

More than 700 million people, or 10 per cent of the world population, still live in extreme poverty today, struggling to fulfil the most basic needs like health, education, and access to water and sanitation, to name a few. The majority of people living on less than $1.90 a day live in sub-Saharan Africa. Worldwide, the poverty rate in rural areas is 17.2 per cent—more than three times higher than in urban areas. 

For those who work, having a job does not guarantee a decent living. In fact, 8 per cent of employed workers and their families worldwide lived in extreme poverty in 2018. One out of five children live in extreme poverty. Ensuring social protection for all children and other vulnerable groups is critical to reduce poverty."

After having read through the explanations or definitions from the UN Sustainable Development Goals, it has become obvious why I am supporting these goals and specificallfy goal number 1. One out of 5 children live in extreme poverty!!!! Does that ring a bell? How many children in your country are roaming the streets? How many are without access to portable water and sanitation? How many have no access to health, not to meantion access to free health? How many children in your community do go to bed on a hungry tummy? The information shared earlier in this report hints that a person survives on U$1.90 a day in Sub-Saharan Africa. How much is that less than two U$ dollars if you convert it in your country's national currency. Can it buy a 10kg bag of maize? Can it buy 2kg sugar? Can it buy a loaf of break or cooking oil? Can it pay for pre-paid water and usage of the toilets per day - and air time to call a family member or friend in terms of emergency e.g. somebody bitten by a snake or a woman about to give birth especially at night when taxis (cabs/ubers) are not easily available on the road?

Do you encourage people to plant and have a small garden during the rainy season so that they can have potatoes, spinach and related relish or have fruit trees to support their diet? Do you encourage families that have access to water to also grow some veggies and team up with those in extreme poverty to come assist and get some produce in return as a work to eat from their own sweat and hard work? I am just mentioning about small practical things that can be done that come to mind? Do you buy some tomatoe seeds or cabbage seeds even if it its only two packs to share with the community members who need them most as your small contribution towards food secuity in your area?

That's why I am saying, this poverty issue is not abstract and neither is it international or needs international gathering to solve especially when it comes to communities and in our homes. The answer is with us as members of the communities and household leaders?

What can you and I do to contribute to the reduction of the total number of the 7 000 million people (which is 10 percent of the entire world popoulation (7 billion) who are currently living in extreme poverty and struggling to have access to education, water and sanitation as well as health services? Are we able to teach our communities and especially our children some hints to helep reduce poverty even going forward? For how long are we going to remain with poverty at our door steps?

I am aware that each person needs resources to address this challenge. But, are there some minor but significant efforts we can make to help feed that one of of five children who is hungry and lives in extreme poverty. Is there a child in your surrounding who needs to attend school but has not school fees, school uniforms, food to go to school with, dormitories or lodgiing fees or water and sanitation fees as well as medical aid cost? Can you build a small house for that child and family to live in? I am saying this because my family built a brick house for a family of almost ten people whose dad has been assisting our family with some domestic work at the country side. My family also assisted with the construction of the farm road of about 10 km from the main road to the village and now and then helped to grade it although this has not been an easy task. My family also extended the farm road feeder to other villages as a way to create access to various services in and around the districts where we live. I am sure each one of us can take a small step in our own way and as it fits a particular person or family to contribute towards poverty eradication. 

Let's start now, it is your action including mine that will contribute to eradicating poverty. I do not need to blame another person or my government or international community or the UN for not eradicating poverty because it has to start in my backyard. They say charity starts at home - although I am clear that this call to action is not a charitable action, but a serios effort that has to be sustained before 2030. We are in 2021, meaning we have 9 years to the deadlines, but the information I lifted from the UN page on SDGs referred to the fact that although from 1990, poverty record decreased from 36% to 10% in 2015, the process to further reduce it has become slow, mainly because of the impact of COVID-19 on the various countries' economies.

   I thefore, thank my Business School, EMAS for having introduced this initiative of supporting the UN SDGs among students and graduates and its partners. Let's support the successful implementation of UN SDGs in our own communities and countries, it's our own responsibility. No one else will eradicate poverty from our own houselds, but you and me. Yes, government and other international organization or non-profit making institutions can come on board, but that should be a plus - such help can already find us on the way.

As a way to remind you the reader of the 17 UN SDGs, I am again sharing those as lifted from the Wikipedia page.

(1) No Poverty, (2) Zero Hunger, (3) Good Health and Well-being, (4) Quality Education, (5) Gender Equality, (6) Clean Water and Sanitation, (7) Affordable and Clean Energy, (8) Decent Work and Economic Growth, (9) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, (10) Reducing Inequality, (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities, (12) Responsible Consumption and Production, (13) Climate Action, (14) Life Below Water, (15) Life On Land, (16) Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, (17) Partnerships for the Goals

Author: Menesiah N Muinjo

EMAS Busines School DBA student

Disclaimer: This piece has been written as part of my EMAS Business School DBA students educational actities regulation orders.