Earth Summit 2002 - Greenpeace

The need for an international instrument on corporate accountability and liability

In the lead-up to the Johannesburg Earth Summit, Greenpeace is calling upon Governments to endorse the Bhopal Principles on corporate responsibility.

These principles are a comprehensive set of measures to implement corporate liability, protect human rights, food sovereignty and promote clean and sustainable development.

The new Greenpeace report, Corporate Crimes, compiles 37 cases from various industrial sectors in different parts of the world. The cases illustrate the urgent need for governments to force corporations to uphold the law and become more accountable to the public.

Corporations benefit from a global market to develop their businesses but are not held globally accountable for any industrial crimes that they commit.

These crimes clearly point towards the need for greater control, monitoring,accountability and liability of corporate activity in a globalised economy.

The Bhopal Principles address concerns about corporate accountability and liability across a wide range of issues.

They are called the 'Bhopal' Principles after the world's worst chemical disaster in Bhopal, India, during 1984. This occurred when a gas leak in the Union Carbide plant killed at least 8,000 workers and residents in the first three days after the disaster and caused permanent and debilitating injuries to over 150,000 people.

The tragedy was caused mainly by insufficient safety systems and cost-cutting measures by Union Carbide. Recently, Union Carbide merged with Dow Chemicals, resulting in the creation of the world's biggest chemical company. Dow shows no sign of taking responsibility over the Bhopal legacy. Justice remains more elusive than ever for the victims of this disaster.

This disaster highlights the current failure of governments to protect public welfare and the failure of corporations to take responsibility for compensation and environmental cleanup.

More information on the Bhopal disaster.

The lessons of Bhopal have still to be learned. With increasing regularity, similar scenarios continue to be played out around the world. Environmental disasters, both chronic and immediate, induced by irresponsible corporate practices are becoming more frequent. Transnational corporations have learned to downplay damage, and to focus attention and liability on the local company in order to elude criminal and/or civil liability.

To curb these abuses, governments must act globally to ensure that both transnational and national corporations are held responsible, accountable and liable for their actions.