Why We Challenge Corporate Accountability

Corporations often cause and get away with the serious harm they inflict on people and the environment around the world because of their political influence.  Corporations typically use this influence to block or eliminate proposed public protections, and to promote and enact policies and regulations that benefit their bottom line at the expense of the public good. Transnational corporations in particular, operate worldwide, without limits on their power and influence or strong, enforceable standards to protect people and the environment. To build a better world, regulators and policymakers must be free to protect people and the environment without business interference.

Corporate Accountability International created the following standards as our vision and goals for how corporations should function in the political arena-toward a safer, healthier, more democratic world. The Standards will raise awareness of how corporate political influence harms people and the environment and facilitate effective corporate campaigning to protect workers, consumers and people in communities where corporations operate. Unlike voluntary corporate codes of conduct-which are often designed by the corporations to serve public relations purposes or to avoid independent regulation-these Standards set a high bar for corporate conduct and are independent from corporate influence.

 

Putting People Before Profit

Corporate Accountability International is working toward a world where major decisions affecting people and the environment are based on the public interest, not on maximizing corporate profits. To reach this vision, corporations must obey the law, limit their political influence, and be more transparent about their activities.

 

Protecting the Public Interest

Public safeguards are vitally important to protect people, the air we breathe and the water we drink, and to ensure precious natural resources are not squandered. Society must apply the “precautionary principle,” placing the burden of proof on corporations to demonstrate that their products and practices are safe.