Corporate Social Responsibility

Socially Responsible Killers

by Sheldon Rampton — May 15, 2003 - 10:00pm

Our First Quarter 2003 issue of PR Watch detailed the British American Tobacco company's effort to reposition itself as "socially responsible." Now the Center for Public Integrity has produced a detailed report, citing internal industry documents, showing how the tobacco industry is using "social responsibility" to "prevent the enactment of a tough worldwide treaty" regulating tobacco marketing.

Main Source: 
Public I, May 16, 2003

Corporations Co-opt Earth Day

by John Stauber — April 21, 2003 - 10:00pm

"Earth Day, which began 33 years ago today as a nationwide rally to clean up the planet, has become the latest victim of the corporate takeover. From Houston to Hong Kong, companies are seeking to polish their green image by sponsoring Earth Day events, which grass-roots groups and cities struggle to fund. This year, garbage haulers, coffee companies and even missile manufacturers are underwriting Earth Day festivities, a public relations strategy that has divided environmentalists and led to protests of Earth Day itself. ... Houston Earth Day 2003, held this past Saturday ...

Main Source: 
Houston Chronicle, April 22, 2003

Hybrid Cars Greenwash Japan's Truck & SUV Sales

by John Stauber — April 18, 2003 - 10:00pm

"As the Ford Motor Company scaled back expectations this week for its first hybrid-powered vehicle and backpedaled on a pledge to improve the fuel economy of its sport utility vehicles, Toyota was introducing its latest Prius, which will get about 55 miles a gallon and be the first midsize vehicle with hybrid technology. For environmentalists, the contrasting developments
reinforced the sense that only foreign carmakers care about
curbing America's swelling appetite for oil. ... But the picture is also more complicated - and bleak, from the perspective of reducing oil consumption.

Main Source: 
New York Times, April 19, 2003

If You Take The Cash, You Gotta Learn To Love Us

by Laura Miller — March 17, 2003 - 11:00pm

The CEO of the Business Council of Australia, Katie Leahy, citing Nike and McDonalds as examples, said that companies could be forgiven for wondering why they should make philanthropic contributions if they only became the subject of increased community criticism. "There is a concern among businesses that they don't necessarily receive the acknowledgment they think their efforts should bring them. ...

Main Source: 
Sydney Morning Herald, March 18, 2003

Desperate McDonald's Partners with Paul Newman

by John Stauber — March 11, 2003 - 11:00pm

"In an effort to burnish its tarnished image on Wall Street
and Main Street, McDonald's has formed a partnership with ... Paul Newman. Mr. Newman ... has agreed to sell McDonald's a line of salad dressing,
similar to the bottled dressing made by his company,
Newman's Own. Under the same philanthropic principle that
guides Newman's Own, Mr. Newman said, all after-tax profits
from the deal will be given to charity. ...

Main Source: 
New York Times, March 12, 2003

Corporations Will Save the World

by Sheldon Rampton — February 5, 2003 - 11:00pm

"If you want to save the world, forget going to protests and give up on the press
releases. It's time to work with corporations -- or so an increasing number of former
activists turned corporate consultants would like you to believe," writes frequent PR Watch contributor Bob Burton. "Not only is consulting more financially rewarding than working for non-government organizations (NGOs), it is defended as a superior form of activism. ...

Main Source: 
http://www.prwatch.org/documents/corpsave.pdf

Chilean Baritone Sings the Praises of British-American Tobacco

by Sheldon Rampton — February 4, 2003 - 11:44pm

Not everyone enjoyed "British-American Tobacco's Socially Responsible Smoke Screen," our article from the last issue of PR Watch that examined BAT's social reporting process. Eugenio Rengifo, a baritone with a Chilean band, emailed us a stinging letter, calling the article a "joke. Do you really believe in what you wrote about this?" But Eugenio the baritone didn't bother to inform us that he was also a PR executive with BAT's Chilean subsidiary.

Main Source: 
http://www.prwatch.org/forum/showthread.php?postid=2682

Trust Us, We're Corporations

by Sheldon Rampton — January 27, 2003 - 11:00pm

Integrity and good behavior based on "principles" are more important than rules of corporate governance, according to Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, the chief executive of Swiss-based foods giant Nestle (which recently demonstrated its commitment to "principles" by attempting to sue the famine-stricken nation of Ethiopia).

Main Source: 
International Herald Tribune, January 28, 2003

Resource on Kasky vs. Nike

by Sheldon Rampton — January 27, 2003 - 1:48pm

ReclaimDemocracy.org has created a web resource tracking the Kasky vs. Nike case, in which a California activist is suing the sportswear company for making misleading statements about its overseas labor practices.

Main Source: 
http://reclaimdemocracy.org/nike/

Supreme Court Will Hear Kasky vs Nike On Corporate PR

by Laura Miller — January 14, 2003 - 11:02pm

The US Supreme Court will rule in Nike vs. Kasky whether Nike's statements on the working conditions in its Asian factories are commercial speech and subject to truth-in-advertising laws. Nike appealed a May 2002 California Supreme Court decision that says when a corporation makes "factual representations about its own products or its own operations, it must speak truthfully." Nike says that the First Amendment protects its statements.

Main Source: 
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/01/11/MN1...
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