Sustainable development transparency

Shell believes there is a compelling business case for sustainable development. It has learnt from experience - no more so than in the first half of 2004 - that companies need to embrace the challenges of heightened expectations and increasing demands for openness and transparency. They need to do this if they are to secure the longterm growth and success of their businesses. It is also clear that this commitment needs to be maintained in both good and bad times. 

Nondegradable polymers are also useful as matrices for ocular implants. This application requires the polymer to be hydrophilic, to minimize local tissue irritation. Need for ocular implants stems from the challenges posed to conventional ocular medicines (i.e., eye drops) such as rapid dilution, tear washout, poor patient compliance, and limited bioavailability. Ocular implants from hydrophilic polymer matrices that provide localized sustained release may overcome the above limitations. The first polymeric sustained release product to reach the market was Ocusert , a pilocarpin sustained release ocular implant developed by Alza. Ocusert has the drug reservoir as a thin disc of pilocarpine-alginate complex sandwiched between two transparent discs of microporous membrane fabricated from ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. The microporous membranes permit the tear fluid to penetrate into the drug reservoir compartment to dissolve pilocarpine from the complex. Pilocarpine molecules are then released at a constant rate of 20 or 40 pg/hr for a four- to seven-day management of glaucoma. 

The Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D), a UN body advising nations on telecommunication development, has been researching technological developments that have the potential to support telecommunication applications that are commercially viable or sustainable through other transparent financing mechanisms in rural and remote areas of developing countries that exhibit the following[2] ... 

Abstract This chapter presents a framework for sustainable operations of food supply chains. A case study approach is used. The data were collected using exploratory interviews and through a structured questionnaire. The sustainable food supply chain involves operational levers of robustness, transparency, traceability and information flow and performance measure for monitoring and control of day-to-day operations for efhciency, flexibility, responsiveness and product quality. New product development, research and development, productivity improvement, entrepreneurial orientation, quality control and conducive policy support across key stages of production, procurement, processing, distribution and consumption of the dairy supply chain emerge as key elements of the sustainable framework. 

GRI is a network of more than 600 organizations dedicated to advancing transparency in economic, environmental and social reporting. Its reporting framework is developed through a multi-stakeholder process, and is the most widely used format for corporate sustainability reports. 

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