Certification Standards Research Articles

Analysis and Governance of "Greenwashing" Behavior in China's Green Bond Market

With the Chinese government and leaders attaching great importance to the construction of ecological civilization and the green financial market, green bonds have become an important tool to promote green development. However, the problem of "green washing" in the market not only erodes investors' trust in the market, but also damages the credibility and actual effectiveness of green finance, posing a potential threat to the continuous promotion of ecological civilization construction. This article analyzes two typical behaviors of "greenwashing" in the Chinese green bond market: false labeling of green projects and opaque use of funds, and explores their causes, involving problems such as incomplete green bond standard formulation and certification system, weak regulatory crackdown, short-term interest driven corporate behavior, insufficient public green awareness and supervision. Targeted response strategies have been proposed: firstly, to improve the green bond standard formulation and certification system, ensuring the authenticity of green projects; Secondly, enhance regulatory efforts and punishment measures, and build a rigorous legal environment; The third is to improve the transparency of information disclosure, requiring enterprises to regularly disclose the progress of projects and the use of funds; The fourth is to establish a sound investor protection mechanism and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of investors. Through these measures, it is possible to effectively regulate and curb "green washing" behavior, and promote the sustainable development of the green bond market.

Emerging Post-Hospital Models of Care: A Primer for Stroke Center Leaders

After discharge, stroke survivors are at high risk for secondary stroke as well as readmission to a hospital. While stroke center certification standards emphasize preparing patients and caregivers for discharge, patients discharged to home may experience delays in seeing a community provider and report inadequate preparation for discharge. Several models suggest inpatient stroke programs are assuming additional roles and responsibilities in the management of patients after discharge. Models such as a stroke nurse navigator, post-stroke clinics and other interdisciplinary supported discharge programs may address gaps in care after discharge. Even with this evidence, stroke leaders should evaluate their own patient outcomes to understand their needs and plan services accordingly. Strategies to evaluate discharge outcomes and advocate for services are discussed.

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF LEED CERTIFIED HOSPITALS WITH “YES-TR” IN THE SCOPE OF "GREEN CERTIFICATION"

Sustainability is a major concern for everyone. Diminishing resources and increasing pollution raise questions about, sustainability. This creates a pressure in the world to become more environmentally friendly. A green hospital is an organization that improves people's health and meets its share of the burden of disease by continuously reducing environmental impacts on sustainability. This sector is expected to grow several times over the next decade. Energy savings and water savings are tangible benefits of green hospitals. Increased daylight, faster patient recovery, natural connections, improved hygiene and health are just a few intangible benefits of green hospitals. Criteria have been set worldwide with certificates to qualify hospitals as green. In this context, in Turkey, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change started the YeS-TR: In this study, a comparison of green certification standards in the world and YeS-TR: Green Certificate application was compared with the green certification standards in the World.

COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF LEED CERTIFIED HOSPITALS WITH “YES-TR” IN THE SCOPE OF "GREEN CERTIFICATION"

Sustainability is a major concern for everyone. Diminishing resources and increasing pollution raise questions about, sustainability. This creates a pressure in the world to become more environmentally friendly. A green hospital is an organization that improves people's health and meets its share of the burden of disease by continuously reducing environmental impacts on sustainability. This sector is expected to grow several times over the next decade. Energy savings and water savings are tangible benefits of green hospitals. Increased daylight, faster patient recovery, natural connections, improved hygiene and health are just a few intangible benefits of green hospitals. Criteria have been set worldwide with certificates to qualify hospitals as green. In this context, in Turkey, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change started the YeS-TR: In this study, a comparison of green certification standards in the world and YeS-TR: Green Certificate application was compared with the green certification standards in the World.

Research on the Design of Higher Vocational Education Professional Certification System

This article mainly focuses on the significance, standards, and implementation strategies of the development of professional certification systems in higher vocational colleges. It analyzes the data collection needs and functional requirements of professional certification systems in higher vocational education. Around the overall solution of professional certification, it provides functions such as interpretation of certification standards, diagnosis of certification data, generation of certification materials, calculation of achievement degree, and comprehensive evaluation analysis. Based on OBE, a higher vocational education professional certification management system is developed. Its functional modules cover multiple aspects such as talent training programs, course management, graduate management, driving center, control center, self-evaluation report management, and task center. It more intuitively and quickly displays the degree of achievement of graduation requirements and indicators of students and majors, and timely understands the development status of professional construction. By discovering and Improving problems, effectively implementing continuous improvement in the process of professional construction and certification, enhancing the connotation and teaching quality of the profession itself, and helping schools achieve a platform tool for the construction of higher vocational education majors.

A Comparison of Training and Dispatch Criteria for Security Personnel in 119 Domestic and Overseas General Situation Rooms

This study proposes an efficient way to strengthen work capabilities based on a comparison of the education and training of guard personnel before and after their deployment in the 119 Emergency Operations Center, which is in charge of elementary responses to various disasters and accidents, with that given to advanced foreign situation personnel. Only one area of Gyeonggi-do Province was identified in an internal document on personnel standards for moving into the situation room in Korea, and it was found that most of the situation room agents were used for situation room work through the informal OJT training of senior members of each city and provincial headquarters before deployment. Japan, like Korea, is organized into several prefectures and operates the same Emergency Operations Center or Joint Command Center. However, the most distinctive feature of the Japanese system with respect to Korea is that situation room agents are employed in the day-to-day operations of the command center after education with systematic and clear contents before being put into the work of the Emergency Operations Center. Similarly, the United States comprises 50 states, each with its own laws and emergency management systems. However, the federal government actively controls disaster safety and establishes and operates regulations by state, and each state has education and training, certification standards, and supplementary education regulations for existing agents. In Germany, there is a specific system of vocational education and training to become a worker in the Emergency Operations Center, and the curricula in vocational schools for security personnel, as well as the admission requirements and professional qualifications, are specified by the government.

Quality evaluation of internet resources related to breast surgery in major search engines in Korea

Background With the increasing number of internet users, search engines have become a widely used source of health-related information. However, evaluating the quality of medical information obtained through search engines can be challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of search results related to breast implants obtained from major domestic websites in Korea using systematic evaluation standards.Methods Two main primary search terms (“gaseum” [breast] implant and “yubang” [breast] implant), along with 15 adjunct search terms, were combined and searched in Google, Naver, and Daum. The top 20 websites were evaluated and classified according to their type and provider. They were scored using the Korean Medical Association’s Internet Health Information Certification Standards. The proportion of significant websites, their categorical distribution, and the quality of information scores were then compared.Results Google yielded the highest number of appropriate results, with statistical significance. Blogs (36.4%) and news (34.8%) were the most common types of search results, while healthcare provider groups (49.5%) constituted the most common provider subgroup. Only 1.9% of the search results were from public organizations. Google had a significantly higher average quality score (14.04) than Naver (13.22), and Daum (12.45) (P<0.05).Conclusions Although almost half of the search results were provided by medical personnel, their average quality score (13.16) was below the overall average (13.36) and far below the 21 points of the journal/abstract category. The findings highlight the need for healthcare providers to provide high-quality medical information, and for users to develop high-level digital health literacy.

A training framework for food handlers in the national school nutrition programme in Gauteng province

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) in South Africa spearheads the National School Nutrition Program (NSNP), which is a holistic endeavour geared towards offering nourishing meals to students enrolled in public schools situated within financially disadvantaged neighborhoods. The selective responsive cluster training framework (SRCTF) aims to enhance skills development and competencies of food handlers, considering professional and ethical aspects. The key output of the NSNP is dependent on the skills competency levels of food handlers. The aim of the study was to develop a SRCTF for the NSNP for food handlers in Gauteng Province. Using mixed methods in the form of a convergent parallel design, the study includes structured questionnaires administered to NSNP food handlers, nutrition teacher coordinators, and school principals. The study identified both professional and ethical competencies as crucial factors for training through varimax rotation of a Likert scale questionnaire with 30 questions. The findings of this study highlight the lack of comprehensive training among NSNP food handlers in Gauteng Province, which is a common issue across South Africa and other countries. Pearson Chi-Square for independence confirms a significant relationship between training and skills competence levels among food handlers. For all food preparation competencies, the p-values were 0.000, indicating a significant relationship between training (independent variable) and competence levels (dependent variable). In response, a Selective Responsive Cluster Training Framework (SRCTF) is proposed specifically for NSNP food handlers in Gauteng Province. The two main competencies of the SRCTF will be the professional and ethical competencies. The main custodian of the NSNP is the DBE which should create a conducive environment for the training of food handlers within the identified clusters. Implementation of this framework would improve the overall performance and effectiveness of the NSNP. The food handlers training could lead to standard setting and certification of the NSNP food handlers on training. Key words: Training framework, Nutrition, Food handler, Competences, Skills development

Relationship between Cultural Intelligence of Hotel Employees and Guest Satisfaction: A Cross-Cultural Study in Kenya

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between cultural intelligence of hotel employees and guest satisfaction, a cross-cultural study in Kenya. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study investigated the correlation between the cultural intelligence (CQ) of hotel employees and guest satisfaction across different cultural contexts. Through a cross-cultural analysis, researchers found a significant positive relationship between the cultural intelligence of hotel employees and guest satisfaction levels. Specifically, higher levels of cultural intelligence among employees were associated with increased guest satisfaction, suggesting that employees who possess a better understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures are better equipped to meet the needs and preferences of guests from various backgrounds. This highlights the importance of fostering cultural intelligence among hotel staff to enhance overall guest experiences and satisfaction in the hospitality industry. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social exchange theory, service climate theory and resource-based view theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the relationship between cultural intelligence of hotel employees and guest satisfaction, a cross-cultural study in Kenya. Hospitality organizations should prioritize the integration of cultural intelligence training programs into their employee development initiatives. These programs should not only focus on enhancing employees' cultural knowledge but also emphasize the development of cultural mindfulness and adaptability skills. Government bodies and industry associations should advocate for the inclusion of cultural intelligence training requirements within the accreditation and certification standards for hospitality professionals.

Personnel certification as a component of the business process of development of employees of it companies

The article examines the main theoretical aspects of employee certification. It analyzes the approaches to applying the definition of certification as an element of professional training for employees, as well as a permit to use specific software or other tools that are an element of protection and regulation in the labor market. Based on various sources, the author systematizes the classification of certification types according to various division criteria, in particular: by type, by the number of levels, and by the origin of materials. Based on the current situation in the IT industry, a list of advantages and possible disadvantages of certification of employees of modern Ukrainian IT companies is determined. The primary certification areas are identified: «soft skills», «hard skills», and the subject area of the unit's functioning. Among the main advantages of certification of employees of IT companies are the following: advanced training of current staff, standardization of own training programs, the ability to prove to external stakeholders the level of staff qualifications, and the simplification of recognition of the level of skills in certain areas. Typical shortcomings in the certification process are that the knowledge and skills acquired during certification are not always used in practice; there is no standard international certification for many industries/topics/elements; some courses are extensive and time-consuming; and some programs require certain significant restrictions (experience, qualifications). The multi-stage certification business process involves determining the need for certification by collecting the necessary information. Based on the list of potential areas of certification, available resources, and other components, an annual certification program is formed, and employees are motivated to improve their knowledge and skills. In the professional certification process of IT company employees, current feedback and, most importantly, summarizing the certification results and fair rewards based on its results are essential. The article provides conclusions and prospects for further research. Keywords: employee certification, staff development, business process, types of certification, IT company

Sustainable Organic Farming Maturity Model

Organic farming is of the utmost importance in promoting environmentally sustainable agricultural practices, minimizing environmental contamination, and avoiding using chemical fertilizers and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Even inexperienced and seasoned farmers frequently encounter formidable obstacles when attempting to authenticate their organic farming status by acquiring organic agriculture certification. The current level of agricultural land maturity is accurately assessed by a comprehensive model presented in this study, which also provides a framework for the transition to organic farming standards. These maturity models were formulated through an exhaustive analysis of agricultural standards, an extensive review of pertinent literature, and expert interviews conducted in 15 distinct locations, with each expert holding certification in a minimum of three organic agricultural standards. Identifying characteristics germane to organic standards, integrating them into maturity models, and establishing maturity items and dimensions are also components of the study. The outcome of our investigation is the Sustainable Organic Farming Maturity (SOFaM) model, which consists of five levels and eight dimensions, as well as a standard operating procedure manual for organic agricultural standard certification applications. This model's potential as an assessment instrument for determining the maturity level of agricultural land has been validated by experts who hold credentials in three distinct domains and three locations. The SOFaM model has the potential to function as a paradigm shift in the agricultural sector, streamline the certification process following organic farming standards, and guarantee adherence to predetermined criteria.

Quantifying the impact of modeling fidelity on different substructure concepts – Part 2: Code-to-code comparison in realistic environmental conditions

Abstract. Floating offshore wind is widely considered to be a promising technology to harvest renewable energy in deep ocean waters and increase clean energy generation offshore. While evolving quickly from a technological point of view, floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) are challenging, as their performance and loads are governed by complex dynamics that are a result of the coupled influence of wind, waves, and currents on the structures. Many open challenges therefore still exist, especially from a modeling perspective. This study contributes to the understanding of the impact of modeling differences on FOWT loads by comparing three FOWT simulation codes, QBlade-Ocean, OpenFAST, and DeepLines Wind®, and three substructure designs, a semi-submersible, a spar buoy, and the two-part concept Hexafloat, in realistic environmental conditions. This extensive comparison represents one of the main outcomes of the Horizon 2020 project FLOATECH. In accordance with international standards for FOWT certification, multiple design situations are compared, including operation in normal power production and parked conditions. Results show that the compared codes agree well in the prediction of the system dynamics, regardless of the fidelity of the underlying modeling theories. However, some differences between the codes emerged in the analysis of fatigue loads, where, contrary to extreme loads, specific trends can be noted. With respect to QBlade-Ocean, OpenFAST was found to overestimate lifetime damage equivalent loads by up to 14 %. DeepLines Wind®, on the other hand, underestimated lifetime fatigue loads by up to 13.5 %. However, regardless of the model and FOWT design, differences in fatigue loads are larger for tower base loads than for blade root loads due to the larger influence substructure dynamics have on these loads.

Review of Wind Flow Modelling in Urban Environments to Support the Development of Urban Air Mobility

Urban air mobility (UAM) is a transformative mode of air transportation system technology that is targeted to carry passengers and goods in and around urban areas using electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. UAM operations are intended to be conducted in low altitudes where microscale turbulent wind flow conditions are prevalent. This introduces flight testing, certification, and operational complexities. To tackle these issues, the UAM industry, aviation authorities, and research communities across the world have provided prescriptive ways, such as the implementation of dynamic weather corridors for safe operation, classification of atmospheric disturbance levels for certification, etc., within the proposed concepts of operation (ConOps), certification standards, and guidelines. However, a notable hindrance to the efficacy of these solutions lies in the scarcity of operational UAM and observational wind data in urban environments. One way to address this deficiency in data is via microscale wind modelling, which has been long established in the context of studying atmospheric dynamics, weather forecasting, turbine blade load estimation, etc. Thus, this paper aims to provide a critical literature review of a variety of wind flow estimation and forecasting techniques that can be and have been utilized by the UAM community. Furthermore, a compare-and-contrast study of the commonly used wind flow models employed within the wind engineering and atmospheric science domain is furnished along with an overview of the urban wind flow conditions.

Global bamboo forest certification: The state of the art

Illegal logging is an important cause of deforestation and forest degradation. As a voluntary market-driven mechanism, sustainable forest management certification aims to reduce illegal logging in forests and promote sustainable management practices by creating a transparent, independent tracing and auditing mechanism. To date, around 11% of global forest areas have been certified under forest certification schemes. Biologically, bamboo belongs to the grass family and is classified as a non-timber forest product. Owing to its high fibre quality, many bamboo panel-based products, such as flooring, furniture, and kitchenware, are traded as alternatives to timber products in the global market. Forest certification is widely acknowledged as a means of ensuring the sustainability and legality of forest sources by European countries and the United States, which are the largest importers of bamboo products. Therefore, certified bamboo and its products are often required to meet the legal requirements and public procurement policies when entering these markets. Currently, 48 valid Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) bamboo forest management certificates and 3237 valid bamboo FSC Chain of Custody (CoC) certificates have been issued, while only 1 bamboo forest management and 3 bamboo CoC certificates have been documented in PEFC (Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) online database. Here, we describe the current development of global bamboo forest certification in terms of certification standards, practices, and markets; analyze challenges and future trends; and offer recommendations for creating interest in this issue and taking further action.

Academic Accreditation and Certification in Criminology and Criminal Justice Education: From Ricochets to Reckonings

For over a decade, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) was the official source of criminology and criminal justice (CCJ) academic program review before its “certification” program was discontinued in 2018. Several certification standards and indicators have been modified, addressing concerns raised with earlier iterations of the ACJS Quality Standards. The pressing need for a revisit has become evident due to challenges such as the emergence of proprietary schools as well as institutional financial pressures resulting in continued under-resourcing of CCJ programs. This article delves into previous initiatives focused on the pursuance of accreditation and certification, highlighting critical milestones and contextual influences that have propelled these mechanisms to the forefront of CCJ education. We also explore the aspirations and future directions for program review, with a particular focus on program integrity, curriculum relevance, and the evolving needs of students and the criminal justice system.

Reduced-Order Model for Supersonic Transport Takeoff Noise Scaling with Cruise Mach Number

The recent interest in the development of supersonic transport raises concerns about an increase in community noise around airports. As noise certification standards for supersonic transport other than Concorde have not yet been developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization, there is a need for a physics-based scaling rule for supersonic transport takeoff noise performance. Assuming supersonic transport takeoff noise levels are dominated by the engine mixed jet velocity and the aircraft-to-microphone propagation distance, this paper presents a reduced-order model for supersonic transport takeoff noise levels as a function of four scaling groups: cruise Mach number, takeoff aerodynamic efficiency, takeoff speed, and number of installed engines. This paper finds that, as cruise Mach number increases, supersonic transport takeoff noise levels increase while their thrust cutback noise reduction potential decreases. Assuming constant aerodynamic efficiency, takeoff speed, and number of installed engines, the takeoff noise levels and noise reduction potential of a Mach 2.2 aircraft are found to be ∼15.3 dB higher and ∼19.2 dB less compared to a Mach 1.4 aircraft, respectively. This scaling rule can potentially yield a simple guideline for estimating an approximate noise limit for supersonic transport, depending on their cruise Mach number.

Building a Culture of Safety among Future Maritime Leaders in Indonesia

This research investigates the implementation and perception of Occupational Safety and Health (K3) among cadets in the Port and Shipping Management program at the Jakarta Maritime Institute. Through qualitative interviews and surveys with 50 cadets, key K3 aspects such as hazard identification, safe work practices, and physical health were examined. The results reveal a strong emphasis on preventing accidents and injuries, while also highlighting areas for improvement in mental health, healthy lifestyles, and productivity-related aspects. Additionally, the research assesses the alignment of K3 practices with international standards and regulations, such as the Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). While certain K3 aspects and regulations are compliant, there are opportunities for further improvement to ensure full alignment. The implications of the research extend to policy and practice in the maritime industry, emphasising the importance of continuous evaluation and refinement of K3 practices to foster a stronger safety culture among future maritime leaders and enhance the overall safety and health of workers in the maritime sector.

Criteria pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions from cargo handling equipment operating at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach

This study reports in-use emissions from eight pieces of diesel or natural gas cargo handling equipment (CHE) moving containerized freight at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Equipment had engines certified to the legacy on-road model year (MY) 2010 or the off-road Tier 3, Tier 4 Interim, or Tier 4 Final emission standards. Overall, load factors were about half of the values in the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) current CHE emissions inventory, oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions were 2.7 times higher than certification standards, and tailpipe-emitted fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions were 2.2 times higher than certification standards. This is yet another study, the first dedicated to in-use operations by CHE at a large commercial seaport, showing elevated in-use emissions from combustion-powered mobile sources compared to certification levels. These results underscore the need to perform routine surveillance emissions testing of any off-road mobile source fleet when developing emission inventories and air quality programs for any jurisdiction worldwide. The Energy Economy Ratio (EER) – or ratio of increased efficiency from converting combustion to zero-emission battery-electric equipment – ranged from 2.8 to 3.7, which highlights potential energy savings and therefore greenhouse gas benefits of transitioning CHE and other freight sectors to zero-emission technologies.

Comparative analysis of GPT-3.5 and GPT-4.0 in Taiwan's medical technologist certification: A study in artificial intelligence advancements.

This study examines the comparative effectiveness of GPT-3.5 and GPT-4.0, in the certification of medical technologists (MT) in Taiwan, exploring their adeptness in processing complex medical language and their contributory role in the educational and communicative aspects of professional healthcare training. This study used GPT-3.5 and GPT-4.0 to test the medical laboratory technician professional college entrance examination questions. The questions in different fields, including six subjects, such as Clinical Physiology and Pathology, Hematology, and Blood Bank, among others were answered one-on-one using two generative pretrained transformer (GPT) versions, simulating the situations during exam preparation. A total of 480 questions were analyzed and the results showed that both versions of the GPT met the certification standards. Version 4.0 was better than version 3.5 for all subjects, particularly in Clinical Biochemistry (score = 96.25) and Microbiology (score = 91.25). Outstanding performance compared to version 3.5, which had an average score of 65.42 and a maximum score of 77.5. Overall, version 4.0, which was significantly better than version 3.5 in both median and average scores, reflects a significant improvement in professional knowledge processing capabilities. The GPT can provide valuable support for both the upstream and downstream processes of MT certification. Future research can further explore the application of GPT in different educational and certification contexts and improve the passing rate of medical personnel in the certification process. This study provides useful information for exploring the potential applications of GPT in certifying medical examiners. Furthermore, it provides new directions for future research in medical education.

Integrative building safety evaluation to mitigate disaster risks: a case study on public-use buildings in Seoul

ABSTRACT Recognizing potential hazards is imperative for devising pragmatic building inspection and management strategies. However, existing safety evaluation standards across diverse fields have inherent limitations in ensuring overall building safety. Chained and cascading damages following a catastrophic disaster necessitate comprehensive safety management. Thus, this study derived evaluation criteria and determined their priority to assess building safety against various hazardous events in urban settings. This case study targeted Seoul’s public-use buildings with high risks of potential harm to many regular users. Moreover, this study aggregated evaluation categories from existing inspection and certification standards into field-specific groups, including architecture, fire safety, electrical systems, gas systems, vertical transportation, and crime prevention. This categorical evaluation was further analyzed based on their importance for preventing disasters and minimizing damage, emphasizing fire safety as the most essential for securing building safety. In addition, categories evaluated from a preventative perspective hold significantly greater importance than those focused on mitigating damage. This finding underscores the need for proactive monitoring and enhanced building safety across six fields before a disaster strikes. The integrated assessment method facilitates determining which areas are well managed or need improvement. Furthermore, this approach enables efficient building safety enhancement by prioritizing field-specific or evaluation criterion-specific areas.