Glencore Xstrata – the ugliest corporation in the world?
– Who’s the ugliest of them all? Glencore Xstrata is a hot contender for worst corporation award New Internationalist Stephanie Boyd on why she thinks the mega-miner should win Public Eye’s competition 8 Dec 13, “……..in these wired times we can express our disfavour by voting for the world’s top corporate bad guy. Eight companies have been shortlisted for the annual Public Eye awards, given to the worst violators of human rights and the environment.
The awards, which are sponsored by Greenpeace and the Berne Declaration, will be given out at the World Economic Forum at Davos in January to the (un)lucky winners. There’s also a jury award, selected by distinguished experts in business ethics, the environment and human rights, including Vandana Shiva. Competition is tight. Nominees include such infamous corporations as Gap, Syngenta/Bayer/BASF, FIFA and Glencore Xstrata.
The selection is so good, or rather, so terribly bad, I found it hard to pick just one. In the end, personal experience won out. I live not far from a mine owned by Glencore Xstrata (GX) in the mountains of Peru and have witnessed the long-running conflict. – ………
This incident is just one in a slew of accusations against GX operations around the world. Human rights activists have united and formed the Shadow Network: Glencore Xstrata Watchdogs to monitor the company and push for changes. Earlier this year I met with some of the network’s members from Bolivia, Colombia, Argentina, the Philippines, Peru and Switzerland. –
Their stories are frighteningly similar: lack of environmental monitoring and controls, harassment and threats against leaders, police violence against peaceful demonstrations and an unwillingness to negotiate with legitimate community leaders. -………
But that’s just my opinion. Now it’s your turn to vote, according to your own conscience.
No matter who you choose, this simple act will send a message to the world’s economic leaders when they gather next year in Davos: we’re watching you, so shake those nasty ghosts out of your closet because sooner or later, the truth will come out. And next time, it might be you up on the podium, receiving the statue of corporate shame.
Vote on the Public Eye Award. http://publiceye.ch/en/
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