GET ACTIVE - MAKING IT HAPPEN



		Lobbying Corporations 'When we discover and expose those who really decide the fate of the earth, and support those with the capability to save it, we find out it's not such a Herculean task to save the planet after all.' Corin Millais, Greenpeace Olympics Campaigner

		This is a time of globalisation and we have transnationals, the 'debt trap' and international trade agreements - colonialism of the new millennium - to thank. Transnational corporations (TNCs) have almost total control over the process of globalisation and the movement of capital. Two thirds of international trade is accounted for by just 500 corporations. The 10 largest TNCs have a total income greater than that of 100 of the world's poorest countries. Of the world's largest economies, 50 are TNCs. Corporations rule our world and we have to face this fact. It's important to empower your local community and lobby your local MP, but the real decisions about your local national park could be taking place in the boardroom of a mining company. Take for example, Jabiluka and the decision by the NSW Government to allow mining in National Parks and Conservation Reserves. This power has led some commentators such as Paul Hawken to conclude that that business is now the only institution in the modern world powerful enough to foster the changes necessary for ecological and social sustainability. It has become a key target for anyone interested in achieving social change. Corporations are generally very well organised, cohesive groups and have an ability to engage and be listened to by governments. Governments and corporations are, in fact, natural allies - often at the expense of less organised and proactive community groups and citizens. Each of us has the ability to reclaim the power yielded to corporations and to consider issues such as ethics, equity, equality, empowerment, education and ecology. How Corporations Think A primary motivation for business success is to maximise returns to shareholders - often at the expense of the environment and without concern for social impacts. Globalisation and the subsequent race to be internationally competitive have compounded the problems. Big business is now developing standards that continually shift the lowest common denominator. Those corporations which try to improve their practices to embrace sustainable development are not necessarily rewarded by the judges - the financial analysts. Business leaders who once ignored the demands of activists are now seeing a green/sustainable corporate reputation as a competitive advantage. Can Corporations be changed? 'Inequality and unsustainability are the twin curses of the current world disorder. It's not just a question of being "rich" or "poor", but of how much is being consumed by whom - at what cost to others and to the world's environment'. David Ranson, Editor, New Internationalist, 1998 In today's business environment, the speed of transportation and communication has risen and costs have fallen dramatically. First world nations are setting a new pace in consumerism as well as raising awareness about the impact of globalisation. Public awareness and outrage have grown steadily and corporate reputations appear to be more vulnerable now as a result of a better informed public. There are a number of significant developments which are slowly impacting on the willingness of business to examine its environmental and social responsibilities. It is a critical time. What is at stake is the ability to identify those corporations with genuine commitment to embrace sustainable development while exposing those who speak the same but do not change their practice. How To Change Them Purchasing Power As consumers, we have the ultimate sanction against unethical business - we simply stop buying their products . It requires organisation to identify products, who purchases them and to effectively stall the trade of those goods or services in the market. This may even include an international boycott. The boycott of Shell service stations in Europe during the time of the Brent Spar protests in 1995 and execution of Ken Saro Wiwa are good examples of what is possible. For further information on Ken Saro Wiwa and the Brent Spar campaign check out: http://www.greenpeace.org/~comms/brent/brent.html Internet Corporations are vulnerable to negative publicity. Given the global reach of the internet, what happens in the hills of Papua New Guinea can be relayed to the whole world almost instantaneously. Big business can no longer rely on time, media or geography to hide its activities around the globe. Setting up an ethical watchdog website is a way of informing investors and other stakeholders in the behaviour of corporations. See www.sanebp.com Shareholder Action Becoming a shareholder in the company you are seeking to influence offers individuals and groups tremendous potential to be taken seriously by the board of directors and company in general. The ability to attend the annual general meetings and ask the appropriate questions is a way of informing other shareholders of the practices of the company. A copy of the shareholders' register is available (usually at a fee) and you may even be able to encourage other shareholders to join your cause. All listed companies have to produce and publish their annual reports. You can obtain a copy by calling them or visiting their websites. An annual report will tell you what a company has done in the last year and what profits it's made. There is a growing trend for companies to produce 'environmental annual reports' to accompany their annual reports - this is a good example of the growing pressure that companies feel to appear green. But the appearance of 'green strategies' doesn't necessarily mean business is changing. We have to stay alert to the substance behind public relations. Direct Lobbying Another method is, of course, organising to meet with corporate executives to get your message across. It's important when talking to the business sector to remember their core motivation is to preserve their companies' reputations. Executives will be focused on the costs and benefits to their organisation of your demands. Part of your success will lie in developing a relationship with someone within the organisation and being very clear about your message. Look for ways to maintain a dialogue with the organisation without compromising your position. This can be tricky. Impact On The Corporate Image It is also worth considering taking your protest to the streets either outside the offices of the corporation or to sites where indiscretions are taking place. Develop Or Support Local Community Alternatives By keeping economic control rooted in your community, you have more control over its ethical base. The New Internationalist published a great guide to local alternatives in a global economy, November 1997. Tips include: Shop locally. A local shop can create one job for every $80,000 worth of turnover; a supermarket for every $400,000. Track your money. A neighbourhood in Chicago discovered that its residents had deposited $33 million in a local bank, but had received back only $120,000 in loans. They created a community-owned bank. Plug the leaks. Successful local economic renewal has concentrated on doing just a few things well. Be practical. Learn from elsewhere. Enjoy it as you go. In Oregon, in the US, local residents set up a non-profit 'buy local' marketplace that matches local business buyers and suppliers. Take control. There is no substitute for communities organising to take control. People are the best experts on their own needs. Tap into that expertise by creating discussion and holding days for popular planning. Aim to be self-reliant. You are not alone! Choose your own future. If you do all this but then fall for seductive adverts to earn and consume like an average person, then you won't last. Aim to create a shared community vision. It can galvanise action and also guard dreams. You are part of a world-wide movement for social justice and sustainability. Play your part in that. Corporations Who Fight Dirty You must check what your legal position is when making a public statement about particular individuals or a company. Some companies have little hesitation using the legal system to quieten people they consider a nuisance. Organisations like the Environmental Defenders Office in your capital city specialise in advice. Center For Media And Democracy http://www.prwatch.org/ A site dedicated to investigative reporting on the public relations industry. The Center serves citizens, journalists and researchers seeking to recognise and combat manipulative and misleading PR practices. Corporate Watch http://www.corpwatch.org/trac/globalization/resources/ A list of selected resources that offers a huge amount of information to assist in researching and understanding corporations and economic globalisation. Multinational Monitor http://www.essential.org/monitor/monitor.html Tracks corporate activity, especially in the Third World, focusing on the export of hazardous substances, worker health and safety, labor union issues and the environment. New Internationalist http://www.oneworld.org/ni/index4.html New Internationalist publications report on issues of world poverty and inequality and campaign for radical changes necessary for the basic material and spiritual needs of all to be met. Adbusters http://www.adbusters.org Adbusters goal is to 'galvanize resistance against those who would destroy the environment, pollute our minds and diminish our lives.' This site hosts a number of exciting online activist tools. 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