Article – Drugs Companies ‘Inventing Diseases’Pharmaceutical firms are inventing diseases to sell more drugs that place healthy people at risk, a leading medical journal claims. “Disease-mongering” promotes non-existent diseases and exaggerates mild conditions in order to boost profits for the industry, according to the online journal Public Library of Science Medicine. Researchers said conditions such […]
On the opening day of the World Economic Forum (WEF), The Berne Declaration and Pro Natura will confer the “Public Eye Awards” for the second year for particularly irresponsible corporate behavior. Over 20 corporations, both domestic and foreign, have been nominated in the categories Environment, Social Rights and Taxes. In addition, a “Positive Award” will […]
The looting of Iraq’s oil wealth is unprecedented in the history of corporate crime, writes criminologist Dave Whyte The neo-liberal transformation of Iraq is portrayed as a humanitarian venture. Western corporations and occupying governments now talk of the liberation of Iraq from the “tyranny of Saddam’s planned economy”. On the day that major hostilities were […]
Corporate America must face up to green and ethical challenges if they are to avoid disaster, former US Vice President Al Gore has told the BBC.Firms are so focused on delivering quarterly financial figures, he said, they lose sight of long-term trends. “The quarterly reports might look good for a little while and then they […]
US congressmen have condemned major IT firms including Microsoft and Google for helping China censor the internet.Members of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus said four US firms were putting profits before American principles of free speech. The hearing follows Google’s decision to block politically sensitive terms from its new Chinese search site. Microsoft, Yahoo, Cisco […]
More than 1,500 of the world’s largest companies have been asked to provide information about their greenhouse gas emissions and environmental strategies.Some of the world’s leading investors are backing the initiative, designed to encourage debate about the risks to business from climate change. Firms such as Exxon Mobil, BP, Ford and Google have been asked […]
Environmental organisations have warned that major banks may be contravening their environmental and social policies by helping to finance controversial projects indirectly.A growing number of financial institutions have developed guidelines that prevent them providing loans to projects that cause environmental damage or have a harmful impact on local people. However, campaigners are now arguing that […]
Is it possible to invest with a clear conscience and still make money? One of the main reasons that people choose to invest ethically is to be sure that their money is not funding something they would consider wrong such as gambling, pornography or arms. But many funds invest in unethical firms without investors being […]
Corruption is on the increase in a majority of countries around the world, according to a study by global pressure group Transparency International. People in 48 of the 69 countries covered in its annual Global Corruption Barometer survey said corruption had risen over the past three years. The survey showed that taking bribes was particularly […]
Global poverty will never be beaten unless poor countries can stop big business and rich elites from dodging tax and stealing wealth, a report says. Poorer nations are losing $500bn (£270bn) a year in revenues to prosperous international tax dodgers, UK charity Christian Aid argues. Responsible tax regimes are needed in the fight against poverty, […]