Shell Game With Human Rights

Corporate lobby groups such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) have launched a fierce counter-campaign against the proposed Norms on Business and Human Rights, which were developed by a subcommission of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The Norms oblige businesses internationally to refrain from activities that violate human rights. In addition to the ICC, the Norms have been vigorously opposed by the Shell oil company, a self-proclaimed leader in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement. "Is this not the kind of campaign one could expect only from companies lagging behind and from free-riders refusing to adapt to social and environmental concerns?" asks the Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO). The motive behind Shell's opposition, CEO suggests, is that "the company generally gets away easily with its inflated claims concerning its social responsibility record. A recent report by Christian Aid documents that Shell's operations in the Niger Delta (Nigeria) are still causing serious problems for local communities. The report also highlights that most of the community development projects presented in various glossy Shell reports on CSR are in fact failing. Hospitals, schools and water supply systems are built but never start working, and roads are mainly used to boost oil production. But beyond the debate about the extent to which Shell's CSR claims are actually greenwash and poor-wash, it is clear that the company is determined to prevent the emergence of international mechanisms through which communities could hold it accountable to its pledges."