The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a commitment made by corporations in the form of self-regulation to take responsibility of the social and environmental effects of their business operations. While this commitment is intended to promote social and environmental accountability, there appears to be an inconsistency of policy versus practice. A term synonymous with this discrepancy is ‘green-washing,’ in which companies deceptively market themselves in order to gain a social license to operate.
Established in 2008 and organised by a media partnership of Basta!, the Multinational Observatory and Real World Radio, the Pinocchio Climate Awards is an initiative to expose the devious malpractices of corporate giants. As stated on the Pinocchio Awards website, it “calls for binding regulation for corporations, and highlights the need for an Energy Revolution, to bring justice for people affected by climate change, an end to fossil fuels and support for community-owned renewable energy.” Three Pinocchio Awards will be given this year – one in each category of lobbying, green-washing and local impacts. The nine companies that have been nominated this year are Anglo American, Sofiproteol-Avril, BNP Paribas, Chevron, EDF, Engie, Shell, Total, and Yara. Abuses by these companies vary from mining-induced displacement and environmental contamination, to the detrimental social and environmental effects as a result of agribusiness.
The winners of last year’s Pinocchio Awards include the familiar corporation giant, Shell, as well as GDF Suez and Samsung. Winning with 43% of the vote, Shell’s development of shale gas projects was subject to criticism due to the company’s lack of consultation with local communities, the exploitation of nature protected areas, exposed toxic waste and lack of financial transparency. GDF Suez was also condemned due to their lack of financial transparency as a result of claiming to collect 2.5 billion euro from private investors to finance their “clean energy” projects. However, the company has failed to publish a list of these projects and is suspected to be using these funds to further invest in fossil fuels. Lastly, Samsung made the winners list due to their human rights violations and the poor working conditions in their production factories in China due to long working hours, low wages, and the use of child labor.
The Pinocchio Climate Awards initiative is significant as it is aimed towards merging a corporation’s commitments of CSR with their business operations. Moreover, it puts pressure on companies to operate in an ethical and honest manner in order to avoid being put on the Pinocchio nominee list.
Voting for the 2015 Pinocchio Climate Awards commenced today (the 3rd of November) and ends on the 2nd of December. The winners will be announced on the 3rd of December in Paris. Who will you vote for as the worst company? Visit www.pinocchio-awards.org to cast your vote!
(Featured image from www.pinocchio-awards.org)