Corporate Social Responsibility

Wikis Prove Tricky for PR Firms

by Diane Farsetta — September 4, 2007 - 5:15pm

Thanks to WikiScanner, more PR firms are coming under fire for making anonymous edits to Wikipedia that favored their clients. "Freud Communications' London office was caught making edits" on articles about Pizza Hut and Carphone Warehouse, reports PR Week.

Main Source: 
PR Week, August 31, 2007

Fake Green Certification Backfires

by Bob Burton — August 29, 2007 - 5:13am

The Australian supermarket company Woolworths has withdrawn a range of tissue products after being outed by an anonymous blogger for using a "Sustainable Forest Fibre" logo on products sourced from a notorious Indonesian forestry company.

Main Source: 
Australian Associated Press, August 27, 2007

Beyond Petroleum, But Still Big on Ammonia and Soot

by Diane Farsetta — August 23, 2007 - 11:20am

The oil and energy company BP recently received "a permit from the state of Indiana to dump more toxic discharges from its Whiting, Ind., refinery into Lake Michigan," reports Advertising Age. The permit, "which allows BP to dump 54% more ammonia and 35% more suspended solids" in the Great Lake, has "enraged" Chicago officials.

Main Source: 
Advertising Age, August 20, 2007

Rendition Lawsuit Against Boeing Subsidiary Grows

by Bob Burton — August 14, 2007 - 5:06am

A lawsuit against airservices company Jeppesen Dataplan, Inc., has been re-filed to include two more victims of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's extraordinary rendition program. In December 2002, Bisher al-Rawi was kidnapped from Gambia and flown to a secret U.S. prison in Afghanistan and then the Bagram airbase.

Main Source: 
Chicago Tribune, August 2, 2007

McDonald's Advised to Fight or Fess Up

by Bob Burton — August 13, 2007 - 4:47am

McDonald's has been criticized by PR professionals for its response to the recent study by Stanford University School of Medicine and the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital which found that young children preferred foods associated with the company's packagi

Main Source: 
Advertising Age, August 13, 2007

McCarrott's?

by Bob Burton — August 9, 2007 - 5:08am

A survey of the impact of marketing on children's taste preferences has revealed the power of McDonald's. Sixty-three preschoolers from low-income families in California were presented with five samples of identical foods and beverages, one in McDonald's packaging and the other in unbranded packaging. They were then asked "to indicate if they tasted the same or if one tasted better." The results?

Main Source: 
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, August 2007

Starbucks' CSR Not Worth a Hill of Beans

by Diane Farsetta — August 6, 2007 - 3:14pm

On August 6, "when opening statements are set to begin in the trial over Starbucks' anti-union operation, in some ways corporate social responsibility itself will be on trial," writes Daniel Gross.

Main Source: 
CounterPunch, August 4 / 5, 2007

Grrrrrreenwash

by Bob Burton — August 6, 2007 - 5:26am

The New South Wales Greens have complained to the Australian corporate regulator that Saab's "Grrrrrreen" advertising campaign makes deceptive claims and is greenwashing.

Main Source: 
Sydney Morning Herald, August 2, 2007

Solid Spoof

by Bob Burton — July 30, 2007 - 1:06am

The New Zealand Government-owned coal mining company, Solid Energy, has had only a limited win with the legal action it launched over a spoof corporate social responsibility

Main Source: 
New Zealand Press Association, July 25, 2007

Green as in Money

by John Stauber — July 9, 2007 - 7:32pm

The UK Telegraph notes that "it is not just politicians and rock stars who are trying to persuade people to reduce their carbon footprint. Banks, lenders and fund managers are dreaming up ethical options for environmentally aware customers. ... The question is whether these products really make a difference, or whether it is simply a case of providers jumping on the green bandwagon. ...

Main Source: 
The Telegraph, July 9, 2007
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