Public Eye on Davos 2002
«The Public Eye on Davos» calls on corporate elites to support accountability (04.02.02)
«The Public Eye on Davos» calls on corporate elites to support accountability
This statement is first presented by the Public Eye Coalition at its conference in New York, 31 January 2002. It is also formally presented to Prepcom 2 for the Johannesburg Summit preparatory conference taking place in New York 28 January to 8 February 2002
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«The Public Eye on Davos» calls on corporate elites to support accountability (19 KB) |
In the ten years since the “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro, when world leaders pledged to reverse the course of environmental degradation, international public assistance to developing countries has plummeted while private foreign investment increased rapidly. Corporations have seen their economic power and political influence grow. Yet corporations have not played a sufficiently responsible role as demonstrated by cases of corporate environmental, social and human rights abuses worldwide. One reason for the evident failure of corporations to thus far respond to the challenge of sustainable development is the absence of rules that balance the rights of corporations to trade and grow, with their responsibilities to society and the environment.
Action by the World’s Governments
The Public Eye on Davos calls on the world community to address the imbalance between corporate rights and responsibilities by agreeing to negotiate an intergovernmental treaty resulting in binding rules of transparency, accountability and liability on corporations at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in August 2002.
Action by the World Economic Forum (1)
The Public Eye on Davos calls on the World Economic Forum (WEF) and its members, whose annual meeting coincides with the Johannesburg preparatory conference, to publicly support and act on the initiative outlined above and the principles elaborated below.
The WEF claims it is a group dedicated to corporate responsibility, sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Yet many of its prominent corporate representatives continue to work behind the scenes against popular measures for these worthy goals. For the public to accept the sincerity of the WEF's public mindedness, it must end the widespread resistance to global measures for corporate accountability.
The Rationale for Increased Corporate Accountability
Governments must act now to ensure that corporations meet democratically-agreed national and international sustainable development and social justice objectives. Corporations world-wide claim to have embraced the concept of sustainable development and social responsibility in public statements and business strategies. However, the aim of achieving more equitable development within the carrying capacity of the global ecosystem remains elusive.
We insist that companies must have social and environmental duties - for example, full disclosure and transparency. All stakeholders ? including local communities and employees ? should be granted legal rights to challenge the activities of companies that threaten their interests. Local communities need rights of access and ultimate control over the resources needed to sustain healthy and sustainable lives. Standards of corporate behaviour need to improve. Corporations that commit criminal offences must be open to national and international legal action backed by strong and effective sanctions.
Many corporations have embraced the agenda of corporate social responsibility to differentiate themselves from competitors working to lower standards. Those who lag behind, however, are able to ignore the real long-term needs of people and the environment and gain competitive advantage as a result. For there to be a true level playing field, with a race to improve international standards of business behaviour, it is vital this situation is remedied.
Opportunity for Action: The UN World Summit on Sustainable Development
The UN 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development is an ideal opportunity for governments to respond to the calls for greater corporate accountability and for corporations to declare their support. Such a move would be a first step in redefining the relationship between companies and the societies in which they operate and is a necessary prerequisite for turning sustainable development from aspiration to reality.
Discussions and decisions that are relevant to the public should be held in institutions that abide by principles of transparency, accountability and democracry. As such, the most appropriate venue for discussing international corporate accountability is the UN, and the role of the UN must be strengthened. It is the only existing international organization that is based on universal representativity (at least on the level of nations). But reform making the UN more democratic, fair and effective is overdue.
Above all, the influence transnational corporations exert on the UN must be curbed. The UN must sever its partnership with global corporations as stipulated in the Global Compact. Governments must commit themselves to devising legally binding regulations for transnational corporations and the UN must establish the institutions to monitor and implement agreed rules. In contrast, the consultation and co?determination of civil society with the UN has to be extended so it can champion the goals of global justice, peace and sustainability.
(1)The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a private institution funded by 1000 of the world’s largest corporations. It seeks to strengthen the power of the private
sector's elite over international politics. Through its annual meeting, it provides a forum for the top echelons of CEOs to discuss their corporate wishlists for
finance and trade with invited high-ranking politicians and heads of international institutions. Economic and political directions for the future of the world are set
behind closed doors and without the WEF being accountable to the wider public.
Organisations endorsing the Public Eye statement 2002:
Australia
Cam Walker
Friends of the Earth Australia
Les Mac Donald
United Care Ageing and Disability Service/Uniting Church Australia
Austria
Hans Peter Graß
Friedensbüro Salzburg
Andreas Rennert
Plattform “Against racism”
Bangladesh
Arup Rahee
LOKOJ
Belgium
Alexandra Wandel
Friends of the Earth Europe
Steve Emmot
Greens, European Free Alliance Group/European Parliament
Carole Crabbe
Magasins du monde-Oxfam
Bendedicte Allaerte
Women in Development Europe
Cameroun
Christine Andela
Dialogues
Canada
Anuradha Mittal
Food First/Institute for Food&Development
Colombia
Alberto Yepes
Corporacíon Regíon
Costa Rica
Manuel Chiriboga
Asociacion Latinoamericana de Organizaciones de Promocion
Babriel Rivas-Ducca
Coecoceiba/Friends of the Earth
Czech Republic
Pavel Pribzl,
Hnuti Duha/Friends of the Earth
Denmark
Pernille Hagedorn-Rasmussen
Noah - Friends of the Earth-Denmark
Egypt
Said Samir
Roxy Research Center
France
Sébastien Godinot
Amis de la Terre/Friends of the Earth
Germany
Daniel Mittler
BUND/Friends of the Earth
Greece
Vangelis Stoyannis
Nea Ecologia/Frends of the Earth
Hungary
Viola Ferjentsik
BUDS Foundation for Human and Nature Protection
India
D. Narasimha Reddy
Centre for Resource Education
Ashish Kothari - Kalpavriksh
Enironmental Action Group
Shripad Dharmadhikary
Mathan Research Centre
M.K. Sukumar
Narmada Bachao Andolan
Ammu Abraham
Women’s Centre Bombay
Indonesia
Committee of Workers for Reform Action, KOBAR
Riza V. Tjahjadi
PAN Indonesia
Kenya
Grace Akumu
Climate Network Africa
Reginald Nalugada
Social Research Network Center
Latvia
Fanija Bluma
Green Liberty
Luxembourg
Mike Mathias
Action Solidarité Tiers Monde
Mexico
Elena Lazos Chavero
IIS-UNAM
Scott Robinson
University Metropolitana
Netherlands
Wiert Wiertsema
Both ENDS
Clean Cloth Campaign
Adam Ma’anit
Corporate Europe Observatory
Gerard Oonk
India Commitee of the Netherlands
Anneke van Luijken
IRENE
Fiona Dove
Transnational Institute
Marileen Reinders
University of Utrecht
Pakistan
Naeem Iqbal
SUNGI Development Foundation
Philippines
Joan Carling
Cordillera People’s Alliance
Gigi Francisco
Gender & Trade Network Asia
Arze Glipo
Integrated Rural Development Foundation
Jayson Cainglet
Resource Center for People’s Development
Victoria Tauli-Corpuz
Tebtebba Foundation
Slovakia
Jura Zamkovsky
Center for Environmental Public Advocacy/Friends of the Earth
Spain
Carola Reintjes
IDEAS/Fair trade
Switzerland
Denis von der Weid
Antenna International
Theo Buss
Bread for All
Marianne Hochuli
Erklärung von Bern
Fédération genevoise de coopération, Switzerland
Brian Mac Call
Geneva Federation for Development Cooperation
Gruppe Schweiz ohne Armee
Marc Steinlin
Helvetas
Mélanie Purser-Comte
International Federation Terre des Hommes
Beat Dietschy
Kommission für Gerechtigkeit Frieden und Bewahrung der Schöpfung
Prof. Mario von Cranach
Netzwerk für sozial verantwortliche Wirtschaft
Miriam Behrens
Pro Natura/Friends of the Earth-Switzerland
Barbara Heiler
Service Civil International
Brigitte Anderegg
Solifonds
Peter Brey
Terre des Hommes Foundation
Prof. Ulli Steinlin
University of Basle
Thailand
Walden Bello
Focus on the Global South
UK
Christopher Keene
Anti-Globalisation Network
Mark Curtis
Christian Aid
John D. Clark
London School of Economics
Clare Joy
World Development Mouvement
USA
Peter Stone
Anarchist Action of Rochester
Prof. John B. Cobb Jr.
Claremont School of Theology
Kenny Bruno
Corpwatch
Rev. Walter Stark
Cumberland Countians for Peace & Justice/United Church of Christ and
Network for Environmental & Economic Responsibility
John Gershman
Interhemispheric Resource Center
Mélanie Purser-Compte,
Maryknoll Fathers/Brothers
Cathy Rowan
Maryknoll Mission Association of the Faithful
Andrew George
National Forest Protection Alliance
Jeffrey Ballinger
Press for Change
Sandy Buffett
The Nautilus Institute for Security&Sustainable Development
Zimbabwe
Yash Tandon
International South Group
Action by the World’s Governments
The Public Eye on Davos calls on the world community to address the imbalance between corporate rights and responsibilities by agreeing to negotiate an intergovernmental treaty resulting in binding rules of transparency, accountability and liability on corporations at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in August 2002.
Action by the World Economic Forum (1)
The Public Eye on Davos calls on the World Economic Forum (WEF) and its members, whose annual meeting coincides with the Johannesburg preparatory conference, to publicly support and act on the initiative outlined above and the principles elaborated below.
The WEF claims it is a group dedicated to corporate responsibility, sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Yet many of its prominent corporate representatives continue to work behind the scenes against popular measures for these worthy goals. For the public to accept the sincerity of the WEF's public mindedness, it must end the widespread resistance to global measures for corporate accountability.
The Rationale for Increased Corporate Accountability
Governments must act now to ensure that corporations meet democratically-agreed national and international sustainable development and social justice objectives. Corporations world-wide claim to have embraced the concept of sustainable development and social responsibility in public statements and business strategies. However, the aim of achieving more equitable development within the carrying capacity of the global ecosystem remains elusive.
We insist that companies must have social and environmental duties - for example, full disclosure and transparency. All stakeholders ? including local communities and employees ? should be granted legal rights to challenge the activities of companies that threaten their interests. Local communities need rights of access and ultimate control over the resources needed to sustain healthy and sustainable lives. Standards of corporate behaviour need to improve. Corporations that commit criminal offences must be open to national and international legal action backed by strong and effective sanctions.
Many corporations have embraced the agenda of corporate social responsibility to differentiate themselves from competitors working to lower standards. Those who lag behind, however, are able to ignore the real long-term needs of people and the environment and gain competitive advantage as a result. For there to be a true level playing field, with a race to improve international standards of business behaviour, it is vital this situation is remedied.
Opportunity for Action: The UN World Summit on Sustainable Development
The UN 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development is an ideal opportunity for governments to respond to the calls for greater corporate accountability and for corporations to declare their support. Such a move would be a first step in redefining the relationship between companies and the societies in which they operate and is a necessary prerequisite for turning sustainable development from aspiration to reality.
Discussions and decisions that are relevant to the public should be held in institutions that abide by principles of transparency, accountability and democracry. As such, the most appropriate venue for discussing international corporate accountability is the UN, and the role of the UN must be strengthened. It is the only existing international organization that is based on universal representativity (at least on the level of nations). But reform making the UN more democratic, fair and effective is overdue.
Above all, the influence transnational corporations exert on the UN must be curbed. The UN must sever its partnership with global corporations as stipulated in the Global Compact. Governments must commit themselves to devising legally binding regulations for transnational corporations and the UN must establish the institutions to monitor and implement agreed rules. In contrast, the consultation and co?determination of civil society with the UN has to be extended so it can champion the goals of global justice, peace and sustainability.
(1)The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a private institution funded by 1000 of the world’s largest corporations. It seeks to strengthen the power of the private
sector's elite over international politics. Through its annual meeting, it provides a forum for the top echelons of CEOs to discuss their corporate wishlists for
finance and trade with invited high-ranking politicians and heads of international institutions. Economic and political directions for the future of the world are set
behind closed doors and without the WEF being accountable to the wider public.
Organisations endorsing the Public Eye statement 2002:
Australia
Cam Walker
Friends of the Earth Australia
Les Mac Donald
United Care Ageing and Disability Service/Uniting Church Australia
Austria
Hans Peter Graß
Friedensbüro Salzburg
Andreas Rennert
Plattform “Against racism”
Bangladesh
Arup Rahee
LOKOJ
Belgium
Alexandra Wandel
Friends of the Earth Europe
Steve Emmot
Greens, European Free Alliance Group/European Parliament
Carole Crabbe
Magasins du monde-Oxfam
Bendedicte Allaerte
Women in Development Europe
Cameroun
Christine Andela
Dialogues
Canada
Anuradha Mittal
Food First/Institute for Food&Development
Colombia
Alberto Yepes
Corporacíon Regíon
Costa Rica
Manuel Chiriboga
Asociacion Latinoamericana de Organizaciones de Promocion
Babriel Rivas-Ducca
Coecoceiba/Friends of the Earth
Czech Republic
Pavel Pribzl,
Hnuti Duha/Friends of the Earth
Denmark
Pernille Hagedorn-Rasmussen
Noah - Friends of the Earth-Denmark
Egypt
Said Samir
Roxy Research Center
France
Sébastien Godinot
Amis de la Terre/Friends of the Earth
Germany
Daniel Mittler
BUND/Friends of the Earth
Greece
Vangelis Stoyannis
Nea Ecologia/Frends of the Earth
Hungary
Viola Ferjentsik
BUDS Foundation for Human and Nature Protection
India
D. Narasimha Reddy
Centre for Resource Education
Ashish Kothari - Kalpavriksh
Enironmental Action Group
Shripad Dharmadhikary
Mathan Research Centre
M.K. Sukumar
Narmada Bachao Andolan
Ammu Abraham
Women’s Centre Bombay
Indonesia
Committee of Workers for Reform Action, KOBAR
Riza V. Tjahjadi
PAN Indonesia
Kenya
Grace Akumu
Climate Network Africa
Reginald Nalugada
Social Research Network Center
Latvia
Fanija Bluma
Green Liberty
Luxembourg
Mike Mathias
Action Solidarité Tiers Monde
Mexico
Elena Lazos Chavero
IIS-UNAM
Scott Robinson
University Metropolitana
Netherlands
Wiert Wiertsema
Both ENDS
Clean Cloth Campaign
Adam Ma’anit
Corporate Europe Observatory
Gerard Oonk
India Commitee of the Netherlands
Anneke van Luijken
IRENE
Fiona Dove
Transnational Institute
Marileen Reinders
University of Utrecht
Pakistan
Naeem Iqbal
SUNGI Development Foundation
Philippines
Joan Carling
Cordillera People’s Alliance
Gigi Francisco
Gender & Trade Network Asia
Arze Glipo
Integrated Rural Development Foundation
Jayson Cainglet
Resource Center for People’s Development
Victoria Tauli-Corpuz
Tebtebba Foundation
Slovakia
Jura Zamkovsky
Center for Environmental Public Advocacy/Friends of the Earth
Spain
Carola Reintjes
IDEAS/Fair trade
Switzerland
Denis von der Weid
Antenna International
Theo Buss
Bread for All
Marianne Hochuli
Erklärung von Bern
Fédération genevoise de coopération, Switzerland
Brian Mac Call
Geneva Federation for Development Cooperation
Gruppe Schweiz ohne Armee
Marc Steinlin
Helvetas
Mélanie Purser-Comte
International Federation Terre des Hommes
Beat Dietschy
Kommission für Gerechtigkeit Frieden und Bewahrung der Schöpfung
Prof. Mario von Cranach
Netzwerk für sozial verantwortliche Wirtschaft
Miriam Behrens
Pro Natura/Friends of the Earth-Switzerland
Barbara Heiler
Service Civil International
Brigitte Anderegg
Solifonds
Peter Brey
Terre des Hommes Foundation
Prof. Ulli Steinlin
University of Basle
Thailand
Walden Bello
Focus on the Global South
UK
Christopher Keene
Anti-Globalisation Network
Mark Curtis
Christian Aid
John D. Clark
London School of Economics
Clare Joy
World Development Mouvement
USA
Peter Stone
Anarchist Action of Rochester
Prof. John B. Cobb Jr.
Claremont School of Theology
Kenny Bruno
Corpwatch
Rev. Walter Stark
Cumberland Countians for Peace & Justice/United Church of Christ and
Network for Environmental & Economic Responsibility
John Gershman
Interhemispheric Resource Center
Mélanie Purser-Compte,
Maryknoll Fathers/Brothers
Cathy Rowan
Maryknoll Mission Association of the Faithful
Andrew George
National Forest Protection Alliance
Jeffrey Ballinger
Press for Change
Sandy Buffett
The Nautilus Institute for Security&Sustainable Development
Zimbabwe
Yash Tandon
International South Group
