Environment and public relations: strategic planning in environmental communication campaigns in Spain

Un valor de la sociedad contemporánea es el cuidado del medio ambiente. Los ciudadanos reconocen positivamente a aquellas organizaciones que respetan y cuidan el entorno natural en el que operan. Así la responsabilidad ambiental es una variable en alza según figura en los índices de reputación, como es el Monitor Español de Reputación Corporativa (MERCO). En este contexto, la gestión de la comunicación ambiental cobra especial relevancia. El principal propósito de esta investigación es conocer la planificación en comunicación ambiental que se hace en España. Los objetivos generales de esta investigación son: describir la gestión que se hace en las campañas de comunicación ambiental; conocer la naturaleza de los objetivos; identificar los grupos de interés; reflexionar sobre si los intereses de cada público influyen en la definición de los objetivos y en el tipo de relación que se construye. Para llevar a cabo estos objetivos se ha realizado un trabajo de campo de carácter cualitativo mediante un cuestionario que se ha dirigido a veinte instituciones procedentes del sector público y privado, y del mundo empresarial y asociativo. Los resultados confirman que siguen todos los pasos de la planificación estratégica, pero adoptan una perspectiva instrumental en la identificación de los públicos.Environment is all around us since companies and organizations develop their mission in a political, economic and natural space. In fact, citizens ask for a healthier context and the Administration organizes campaigns in order to obtain sustainable behaviors. Moreover, companies introduce sustainability in their corporative culture. Therefore, if the latter take care of the environment, it is means a positive value, thus, it is reflected in the main index of reputational organization within enterprises. The focus of this research is on the study of the planning there is behind an environmental communication campaign, in other words, which are the steps followed in order to achieve a global environmental commitment. With this objective in mind from May 2013 to May 2014, we collected a sample of questionnaires conducted to several heads of communication who work for organizations with sustainable behavior. In this sense, our results seem to indicate that environmental communication campaigns follow all the steps in the planning process, but they adopt an instrumental view of the public. The conclusions have been reached provide elements of information that are useful of those involved in the management of environmental communication campaigns

Creating the habit of recycling in early childhood : a sustainable practice in Spain

The authors are grateful to the teachers, students, and parents who participated in this study. The authors would also like to thank ARPAL (the association that promotes aluminum packaging recycling in Spain) and SUPLA Educational Services, who helped with the development of the program. We would also like to thank Frederic Marimon and research assistant José Schöder for their collaboration.Early childhood education on sustainability has been an issue of high relevance in the last decade. In Spain, many different efforts have been made to increase children's knowledge, skills, and awareness related to sustainability issues. However, uncertainty about the effectiveness of education on sustainable development exists. This research reports on an exploratory study organized by the association that promotes aluminum packaging recycling in Spain (Arpal). Seven teachers were trained on sustainability in general and on aluminum packaging recycling in particular. These teachers defined and implemented a teaching unit with active learning activities that involved three preschools. Fifty-four children under 6 years of age, mainly 2 and 3 years old, along with their parents, participated in the teaching unit. Qualitative and quantitative methods (questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and focus groups) were carried out to assess the impact. The results proved that different partners, such as children, parents, teachers, managers, and associations, can work together with the common goal of improving education on sustainable development in early childhood, and all of them benefit from this collaboration. Moreover, this study confirmed that education on sustainability should be embedded in the daily routine of preschools. Furthermore, after the exploratory study, the teaching unit was implemented in 29 Andalusian preschools

Becoming a techie and improving your English with audiovisual translation. The two-for-one formula offered by TRADILEX

Audiovisual translation (AVT) as a tool in the teaching/learning of a foreign language has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers in the latest years. The TRADILEX Project team is currently working on the pedagogic use of AVT in the teaching /learning of English as a Foreign language (EFL) in an online environment, in a good number of Spanish universities. This paper presents the results of the TRADILEX experience, carried out at the University of Zaragoza (Spain). The methodology designed and applied for that end has required the use of technological tools to guide students through different steps, from an Initial Test of Integrated Skills (ITIS) to a Final Test of Integrated Skills (FITIS), both designed by members of the team. On their way from the former to the latter, students were invited to carry out a series of B1-level tasks in five AVT modes. The materials previously designed and tested aimed at a progressive autonomy of the student in their advance in the lesson plans of each mode. The analysis of the results obtained in each of the AVT modes, as well as the comparative results between the ITIS and the FITIS will highlight the virtues of the methodology used

Análisis del grado de difusión de los ODS en las memorias de sostenibilidad orientado a la estrategia de comunicación corporativa

[EN] The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are at the heart of the management of public and private enterprises. Organizations have incorporated the SDGs into their business strategy by developing actions that they disseminate in their reports. In the last decade, academic research has paid special attention to this development, publishing a growing number of studies on the subject with the emergence of a specific line of research in the area of sustainability: sustainability reporting. In this context, this paper aims to show a methodology that serves as a tool to analyze the disclosure of SDGs in the sustainability reports. This methodology has three stages. First, a lexicographic analysis of sustainability reports has been carried out, second, a correspondence analysis, and third, outlining through “guided questions” how the information obtained can be useful to analyze SDG communication strategy. For further illustration the methodology has been applied to a company in the Spanish agri-food sector: Ebro Foods. This work has both academic and professional implications by providing a guideline for SDG dissemination analysis in sustainability reports and, on the other hand, by providing the business world with an analysis tool that serves to improve communication strategies in the field of sustainability.[ES] Los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) ocupan un lugar central en la gestión de las empresas públicas y privadas. Las organizaciones han incorporado los ODS en su estrategia de negocio desarrollando acciones que difunden en sus memorias. En la última década, la investigación académica ha prestado especial atención a esta realidad publicándose un creciente número de estudios al respecto y apareciendo una línea de investigación específica en el área de la sostenibilidad: sustainability reporting. En este contexto, este trabajo tiene como objetivo presentar una metodología que sirva como herramienta para analizar el grado de difusión de los ODS en las memorias de sostenibilidad. Dicha metodología consta de tres etapas: en primer lugar, un análisis lexicográfico de las memorias de sostenibilidad; en segundo lugar, un análisis de correspondencias y; finalmente, se muestra, en forma de preguntas-guía cómo la información obtenida puede ser de ayuda para la estrategia de comunicación de los ODS. Para ilustrar esta metodología, se ha aplicado en los informes de sostenibilidad del período 2016-2021 en una empresa del sector agroalimentario: Ebro Foods. Este trabajo tiene implicaciones tanto de tipo teórico como práctico, al aportar una pauta de análisis de la difusión de los ODS en las memorias de sostenibilidad y, por otra parte, al facilitar al mundo empresarial una herramienta de análisis que sirva para mejorar las estrategias de comunicación en el ámbito de la sostenibilidad

Consumos de riesgo: menores y juegos de azar online. El problema del juego responsable.

Los juegos de azar online son una actividad muy popular entre los adolescentes. Sin embargo, desde hace un tiempo se ha observado un incremento notable del número de jóvenes que sufren o están al borde de la ludopatía. En este artículo revisamos el impacto de estas prácticas sobre los jóvenes y discutimos la conveniencia de promover un concepto de “juego responsable” que permita alertar de sus riesgos e impida eficazmente el acceso a los menores de edad. Los principales factores asociados al juego problemático son la edad de inicio, el entorno familiar, la influencia de la publicidad, el consumo de sustancias estimulantes y las actitudes del grupo de iguales. Los poderes públicos y la misma industria del juego deben considerar estos factores y concretar el desarrollo de planes que promuevan un modelo de juego seguro y controlado. La publicidad debe tener en cuenta criterios de protección de los consumidores sabiendo que, aun cuando les está prohibido, los menores acceden con facilidad al juego de azar online. Las Administraciones Públicas deben establecer políticas y sensibilizar a la sociedad. Los agentes sociales implicados deben aportar mecanismos de prevención y sensibilización hacia un problema del que existe aún poca conciencia social y una excesiva despreocupación

The impact of SMS messages on young people's participation in recycling campaigns

Los residuos se han convertido en un verdadero problema en las sociedades desarrolladas; en España, la generación de residuos está por encima de la media europea. Conseguir un cambio de actitud en la población para que adquiera comportamientos más respetuosos con el medio ambiente resulta imprescindible. El objeto de este artículo es estudiar la efectividad de los mensajes SMS a la hora de promover el reciclado de envases de aluminio en los adolescentes. Para ello se ha empleado una metodología cualitativa y cuantitativa, concretamente, se han realizado grupos de discusión y cuestionarios a jóvenes entre 14 y 18 años. Las conclusiones aportan elementos de interés para los gestores en comunicación ambiental.Waste has become a real problem in developed countries; in Spain, municipal waste generated is higher than the European average. To encourage real change in citizens’ behaviour in order to achieve a more environmentally friendly society is essential for real sustainable development. The aim of this article is to investigate the effectiveness of workshops and text messages in promoting aluminum recycling among adolescents through quantitative and qualitative investigations, specifically focus groups and questionnaires to young people between 14 and 18 years old. The conclusions of this study provide elements of information that are of interest of those involved in the management of environmental information, and particularly in the designing of communication campaigns to promote recycling among young people more effectively

Genotype patterns at CLU, CR1, PICALM and APOE, cognition and Mediterranean diet: the PREDIMED-NAVARRA trial

The traditional Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has shown beneficial effects on cognitive decline. Nevertheless, diet–gene interactions have been poorly evaluated. We aimed to investigate diet–gene interaction in the PREDIMED-NAVARRA randomized trial. A total of 522 participants (67 ± 6 years at baseline) enrolled in the PREDIMED-NAVARRA trial were randomly allocated to one of three diets: two MedDiets (supplemented with either extra-virgin olive oil or nuts) or a low-fat diet. They were evaluated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Clock Drawing Test (CDT) after 6.5 years of intervention. Subjects were genotyped for CR1-rs3818361, CLU-rs11136000, PICALM-rs3851179 and Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genes. We studied MedDiet–gene interactions for cognition and assessed the effect of the MedDiet on cognition across different genetic profiles. A significant interaction (p = 0.041) between CLU-rs11136000 and the MedDiet intervention on the MMSE was found with a beneficial effect of MedDiet among carriers of the T minor allele (B = 0.97, 95 % CI 0.45–1.49). Similar effect was observed for CR1-rs3818361, but no significant interaction was observed (p = 0.335). For PICALM-rs3851179, the MedDiet intervention showed a beneficial effect in both genotype groups. No apparent interaction was found for the CDT between intervention and gene variants. Similarly, participants randomly allocated to MedDiet groups, with favorable profiles of CR1, CLU and PICALM genes, significantly improved CDT scores compared to controls with the same genetic profile. Cognitive performance was better for non-ApoE4 and for ApoE4 carriers of MedDiet groups compared to controls, but for CDT performance, we only found statistical significant differences for non-ApoE4 carriers. A MedDiet intervention modulates the effect of genetic factors on cognition. The effect of MedDiet might be greater for subjects with a more favorable genetic profile

Osmium Catalysts for Acceptorless and Base-Free Dehydrogenation of Alcohols and Amines: Unusual Coordination Modes of a BPI Anion

A novel type of catalyst precursors for the dehydrogenation of hydrogen carriers based on organic liquids has been discovered. Complexes OsH6(PiPr3)2 (1) and OsH(OH)(CO)(PiPr3)2 (2) react with 1,3-bis(6'-methyl-2'-pyridylimino)isoindoline (HBMePI) to give OsH3{¿2-Npy,Nimine-(BMePI)}(PiPr3)2 (3) and OsH{¿2-Npy,Nimine-(BMePI)}(CO)(PiPr3)2 (4). The unprecedented ¿2-Npy,Nimine coordination mode of BMePI is thermodynamically preferred with Os(IV) and Os(II) metal fragments and allows for preparation of BMePI-based dinuclear metal cations. Treatment of OsH2Cl2(PiPr3)2 (5) with 0.5 equiv of HBMePI in the presence of KOtBu affords the chloride salt of the bis(osmium(IV)) dinuclear cation [{OsH3(PiPr3)2}2{µ-(¿2-Npy,Nimine)2-BMePI}]+ (6). Related homoleptic bis(osmium(II)) complexes have been also synthesized. Complex 4 reacts with the bis(solvento) [OsH(CO){¿1-O-[OCMe2]2}(PiPr3)2]BF4 to give [{OsH(CO)(PiPr3)2}2{µ-(¿2-Npy,Nimine)2-BMePI}]BF4 (7), whereas the addition of 0.5 equiv of HBMePI to {OsCl(¿6-C6H6)}2(µ–Cl)2 (8) affords [{OsCl(¿6-C6H6)}2{µ-(¿2-Npy,Nimine)2-BMePI}]Cl (9). The reactions of 4 with 8 and {OsCl(¿6-p-cymene)}2(µ–Cl)2 (10) lead to the heteroleptic cations [(PiPr3)2(CO)HOs{µ-(¿2-Npy,Nimine)2-BMePI}OsCl(¿6-arene)]+ (arene = C6H6 (11), p-cymene (12)). The electronic structrure and electrochemical properties of the dinuclear complexes were also studied. Complexes 3 and 4 are efficient catalyst precursors for the acceptorless and base-free dehydrogenation of secondary and primary alcohols and cyclic and lineal amines. The primary alcohols afford aldehydes. The amount of H2 released per gram of heterocycle depends upon the presence of a methyl group adjacent to the nitrogen atom, the position of the nitrogen atom in the heterocycle, and the size of the heterocycle

Mediterranean diet and quality of life: Baseline cross-sectional analysis of the PREDIMED-PLUS trial

We assessed if a 17-item score capturing adherence to a traditional Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) was associated with better health-related quality of life among older Spanish men and women with overweight or obesity harboring the metabolic syndrome. We analyzed baseline data from 6430 men and women (age 55±70 years) participating in the PREDIMED- Plus study. PREDIMED-Plus is a multi-centre randomized trial testing an energyrestricted MedDiet combined with promotion of physical activity and behavioral therapy for primary cardiovascular prevention compared to a MedDiet alone. Participants answered a 36-item questionnaire about health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and a 17-item questionnaire that assessed adherence to an MedDiet. We used ANCOVA and multivariableadjusted linear regression models to compare baseline adjusted means of the quality of life scales according to categories of adherence to the MedDiet. Higher adherence to the Med- Diet was independently associated with significantly better scores in the eight dimensions of HRQoL. Adjusted differences of > = 3 points between the highest and the lowest dietary adherence groups to the MedDiet were observed for vitality, emotional role, and mental health and of > = 2 points for the other dimensions. In conclusion, this study shows a positive association between adherence to a MedDiet and several dimensions of quality of life.This project is funded by the European Research Council (Advanced Research Grant 2013-2018; 340918) granted to MAM-G, the Spanish Ministry of Health - Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) for the periods 2014-2016, 2015- 2017, 2017-2019 and 2018-2020, through the Fondo de Investigación para la Salud (FIS), which is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (four coordinated FIS grants lead by Jordi Salas-Salvadó and Josep Vidal, including the following projects: PI13/00673, PI13/ 00492, PI13/00272, PI13/01123, PI13/00462, PI13/00233, PI13/02184, PI13/00728 PI13/01090 PI13/01056, PI14/01722, PI14/00636, PI14/00618, PI14/00696, PI14/01206, PI14/01374, PI14/01919, PI14/00853, PI16/00743 PI16/00501, PI17/ 000508), by a Recercaixa grant 2013 (2013ACUP00194), by a grant from the Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucía (PI0458/2013), and a SEMERGEN grant