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The sustainable development goals (SDGs) are a guide for caring for the planet, guaranteeing the fundamental rights of its inhabitants and shaping sustainable economic growth. In the current context, characterised by great challenges and geopolitical conflicts, the figure of the CEO is key to driving the necessary transformation of companies and the prioritisation of their commitment to the current challenges of the world we live in. In this regard, the aim of this paper is to deepen current knowledge on the role of CEO visionary leadership in shaping inclusive and sustainable business models aligned with the goals of the 2030 Agenda. For the period 2019–2022, we study the information reported by the top 3910 companies worldwide on their contributions to the SDGs and analyse whether these commitments are determined by the structural power of the CEO within these companies. The results obtained confirm previous arguments, contradicting some of the previous evidence. In this sense, our findings show that the information disclosed by companies in relation to projects aligned with the SDGs is positively associated with leadership figures who wield power that allows them to influence the agenda and decisions made by the board of directors. The influence of leaders is reinforced in scenarios where companies excel in sustainability performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Port State Control (PSC) inspections conducted under the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement have become a crucial tool for maritime administrations in European Union countries to ensure compliance with international maritime safety standards by ships entering their ports. This paper analyses all PSC inspections conducted in 10 major European ports belonging to the Paris MoU between 2012 and 2019. For its study, a multivariate HJ-Biplot statistical analysis is carried out, which facilitates the interpretation and understanding of the underlying relationships in a multivariate data set by representing a synthesis of the data on a factorial plane, with an interpretation that is very intuitive and accessible for readers from various fields. Applying this method with ship characteristics as explanatory variables, several classifications were derived. These classifications align with the annual performance lists published by the Paris MoU and the International Association of Classification Societies list, suggesting that this method could serve as a reliable classification approach. It provides maritime authorities with an additional indicator of a ship's risk profile, aiding in the prioritising of inspections. The method also effectively categorises ports and types of ships used for cargo transport, offering insights into the specific maritime traffic each port experiences. Furthermore, this study identifies characteristics associated with substandard ships, which is a primary objective of PSC inspections. Beyond revealing these traits, this research underscores the existence of several readily applicable techniques to enhance maritime safety and reduce the risk of ocean pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through multivariate data analysis, this research aims to study the current commitment of agricultural and livestock companies in Castilla y León to the mitigation of their negative environmental impacts and whether it is conditioned by their resources and capabilities, through the implementation of clean technologies. Agricultural and livestock production is vital for the subsistence of the world's population, but the productive activities of this sector can have unfavorable consequences on the environment. These business projects are designed to mitigate the negative impacts on three essential environmental elements: air, freshwater and ecosystems (fauna and flora). The results were derived via the External Logistics Biplot methodology, whose purpose is to determine the influence of various factors or variables on a result, and which shows that 63% of the companies analyzed have invested in technological systems to optimize water use, 40% have invested in technologies and systems to avoid and control carbon dioxide (CO2) and Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions, and 24% of companies have implemented technologies for recycling and reusing waste, showing a hierarchical preference in mitigating risks related to freshwater scarcity, emitting polluting emissions into the air and the conservation of ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has set back progress toward the 2030 Agenda. This raises concerns about the ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as outlined in this global action plan. The responsibility to act to protect the planet, eradicate poverty and improve the current and future situations of people around the world requires the commitment of all actors, especially the public and private sectors. The objective of this paper is twofold. First, it aims to demonstrate the level of business commitment to the 2030 Agenda at a global level in a post-COVID period (2020-2021). Second, it aims to analyse whether this commitment, in general, and for each of the SDGs, is determined by the institutional context in which companies operate, as associated with the regulatory frameworks and cultural values of the different continents and countries (coercive and normative isomorphism). Based on a sample of the world's leading listed companies, i.e. 8,201 observations for the period of 2020-2021, the multivariate statistical technique HJ-biplot was applied to analyse whether business commitment to the 2030 Agenda is determined by the institutional context of the companies. The results show significant differences in the level of business commitment to sustainable development across regions and countries, as well as in the prioritisation of the SDGs. Countries in Asia (the Philippines) and Europe (Spain and Portugal) stand out as leaders, with the highest levels of SDG commitment. The USA and Qatar show the lowest engagement in business contribution to the SDGs. SDG 8, SDG 13 and SDG 12 appear as the top three priorities for companies in all countries. The results show that, in countries characterised by collectivism and feminism and with strong legal systems (civil law countries), companies are under greater pressure to adopt sustainable practices, which enables countries to improve their commitment to the SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the current state and the dynamic evolution of corporate transparency practices in relation to the 2030 Agenda in the context of stakeholder engagement. Considering six key stakeholder groups and 53 information items related to business actions aligned with the 2030 Agenda, data from 5908 companies worldwide corresponding to the period 2015–2019 are analysed by using X‐STATIS to identify which stakeholder groups have a meaningful role in fostering business contribution to the 2030 Agenda. The results show a low level of corporate transparency in relation to business contribution to the 2030 Agenda. Companies are mainly focused on transparency practices aimed at investors and shareholders. Conversely, customers and the environment are the less considered stakeholder groups. European countries are the leaders in this regard, whereas countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar present the worst records in corporate transparency regarding the 2030 Agenda. The findings have a practical value by providing a picture of how companies use Sustainable Development Goal reporting to optimise relationships with key stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been applied to different populations, but evidence in elderly women and maintenance of improvements achieved during training is scarce. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of IMT 6 months after finishing the training period in elderly women. Methods: A controlled, randomized, double-blind trial was conducted, with allocation concealment performed on 26 institutionalized elderly women distributed into 2 groups: high loads and low loads. Over an 8-week period, an IMT protocol was followed; later, elderly women continued for 6 months with their daily normal activities. Inspiratory strength, expiratory strength, and functional capacity were measured pre-IMT, post-IMT, and 6 months after intervention. Results: After an 8-week training, respiratory strength and functional capacity increased in both groups. Six months after finishing the intervention, these benefits were lost. Inspiratory strength decreased in the high-loads group but was 32% higher than initial values (p = 0.007); in the low-loads group, patients lost 41% (p = 0.015). Improvements were higher in the high-loads group after training (p = 0.000) and follow-up (p = 0.002). Functional capacity was similar to initial values in both groups. Conclusion: The improvements achieved with IMT in elderly women disappeared 6 months after the end of training. High loads were more effective to keep inspiratory strength than low loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to extend the Industrial Corporate Social Responsibility Practices Index proposed for the 10 main industries in the 39 sectors of activity that comprise them. This extension will provide more detailed information on CSR practices at the industrial level, especially about sustainable development and environmental concerns. In addition, this paper stablishes an aggregate measure of industrial classification and mimetic typologies. It will tabulate the overall impact that the economic activity of a company has on society and environment. Thereby, the relationships between these indicators and the mimetic institutional forces are studied, testing these forces indicate that companies from sectors considered to have greater impact/risk have higher corporate social responsibility (CSR) scores than companies from other sectors. Additionally, using the MetaBiplot statistical multivariate technique, which by the comparison and integration of several subspaces provides a global view of sustainability at a sectoral level, it was found that the most polluting companies with the highest environmental risks—forestry and paper, mining, oil and gas producers, gas, water, and multi‐utilities, tobacco and electricity sectors—show their predilection for environmental policies and reports, human rights, and stakeholder participation. Moreover, the less polluting companies—banks, insurance, media, telecommunications, real state, and general retailers—are more intensive on staff and implement policies aimed at favoring: the personal and work‐life balance with systems for employee training and promotion; the equal opportunities and participation; the maintenance of good customer and supplier relations; and the fight to counteract bribery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Currently, one of the most discouraging aspects for many patients undergoing dental procedures is the administration of anaesthesia. Consequently, there is a constant search for new techniques to avoid the invasive and painful nature of the injection. A new motorised syringe system (Dentapen®) has recently been developed, standing out for its convenience and ease of use. Material and Methods: Randomised, controlled, single-blind, and single-centre study including 178 voluntary adult participants aged between 18 and 90 years. Individuals were randomly assigned using a randomised table. Patients were asked to rate the level of pain experienced during the injections, using a 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS). The following data were recorded: pain index, heart rate, blood pressure, and saturation, both before and after anaesthesia. Results: Of the total 178 participants, 87 participants (48.9%) were men and 91 (51.1%) were women. The first variable to be assessed was the pain experienced by patients when anaesthetised with a syringe, obtaining a mean value of 2.63 ± 1.86 on the VAS with the conventional syringe and 1.06 ± 1.28 with the Dentapen® syringe, showing statistically significant differences (p-value < 0.01). When stratifying, based on the procedure that was undertaken, differences were also significant for all treatments (p-value < 0.01) except for endodontics, where differences were likely to be significant (p-value = 0.02). Conclusions: In conclusion, from a clinical standpoint, the Dentapen® syringe is a valid alternative to traditional infiltration syringes, causing minimum pain with the injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]