International Chamber of Commerce

=attends COPs?=

Greenpeace greenwash says hired BM to undermine Rio etc---<a href="https://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/sites/default/files/resources/insidejobcai.pdf">https://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/sites/default/files/resources/insidejobcai.pdf</a>The International Chamber of Commerce

Headquarters: Paris, France InfluenceMap score on climate policy: C UNFCCC status:

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) represents 6.5 million members in 130 countries.96 It is the “business

‘focal point’ for the U.N. climate talks.”97 It is governed by the World Council, a group of its member business

executives,98 and is made up by sub-chapters, or national committees, from around the world. Even though it is

governed by the very individuals that are in charge of ensuring that the fossil fuel industry continues to grow its

profits, the ICC is an admitted observer of the UNFCCC. It publicly calls for urgent action on climate change and

has praised the Paris Agreement, but its track record shows that its priorities and recommendations operate on the

premise of “business first, everything else second.” As an observer to the UNFCCC, it offers corporations around the

world a way to directly influence climate policy efforts, leaving the door wide open for corporate interest to continue

to interfere in the U.N.’s climate proceedings. Links to the fossil fuel industry The ICC’s leadership across the globe includes executives from the world’s major polluters. For example, BP Group

Regional Vice President for Europe Peter Mather sits on the members council and governing body of the ICC

UK.99-100 Likewise, Anne Riley, head of Shell’s antitrust team, is also on the members council and chairs an ICC UK

committee.97,101 Mark W. Albers, Senior Vice President of Exxon Mobil, and J.G. Clarke, former director and senior vice

president of Exxon Corporation, are both trustees of the U.S. chapter.102 The board of directors includes Neal Goins,

vice president of international government relations at Exxon Mobil, and Maria Pica Karp, vice president and general

manager of government affairs at Chevron.103 Pierre Todorov, group secretary general of EDF (Électricité de France), is

on the ICC France board of directors.104 What it says about climate change and its causes The ICC claims that “climate change is everyone’s business,” 105 and that “urgent action to tackle climate change on

all fronts” is needed.106 While it describes global warming as “one of the major challenges of our time,” it conflictingly

emphasizes the “urgent need for more energy, increased development and population, and greater economic

growth”105—in essence, industry doublespeak at its finest.

Public stance on the UNFCCC or the Paris Agreement

ICC Secretary General John Danilovich hailed the Paris Agreement as a “truly historic moment in our shared efforts to

meet the climate challenge.”107 The ICC has called on businesses to make significant contributions to lowering GHG

emissions, use resources efficiently, incorporate good practices, and invest in environmentally friendly technologies.106

However, while the ICC “talks the talk,” there is little evidence that it “walks the walk.” Track record on climate policy ● Puts business and profits first, disregards climate justice.

The ICC might applaud the Paris Agreement and may have promised to step up to the plate, but its main concern since

the agreement’s adoption has been to protect business interests, not to propose stronger climate policies.106,108 As the

ICC’s U.S. chapter put it, “if this [Paris] agreement doesn’t work with and for business, then it just won’t work,”108—a

thinly veiled ultimatum to governments. The ICC’s recommendations on international climate policy have stressed this

above all else.106 ● Big Business’ liaison and lobbyist in climate negotiations.

Because of the ICC’s promotion of business interests above all else, it is no surprise that the ICC’s 2016 priorities

included advocating for “global business priorities on climate change” to be at the core of any outcomes related to

UNFCCC climate policies.109

CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY INTERNATIONAL 10 INSIDE JOB: BIG POLLUTERS’ LOBBYISTS ON THE INSIDE AT THE UNFCCC ● Works to maintain its undue access and influence within the UNFCCC.

When U.S. secretary of state and former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson visited the G20 in February of 2017, the ICC’s

U.S. chapter urged Tillerson to stay engaged in international climate negotiations—not for the sake of the planet or

humanity, but for business’ sake. The chapter claimed at the time that parts of the “U.N. family are becoming hostile

to the private sector.”110 ● Supports weak regulation and voluntary—not mandatory—action.

The ICC pleaded with UNFCCC high-level champions to ensure that business stay key to UNFCCC decisions.111

It recommended weaker regulations for business, including the recommendation that climate action be voluntary for

business rather than mandatory==

wiki:

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is the largest, most representative business organization in the world. Its hundreds of thousands of member companies in over 130 countries have interests spanning every sector of private enterprise.

A world network of national committees keeps the ICC International Secretariat in Paris informed about national and regional business priorities. More than 2,000 experts drawn from ICC’s member companies feed their knowledge and experience into crafting the ICC stance on specific business issues.

The ICC has permanent observer status with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations" title="United Nations">United Nations</a>. The UN, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Organization" title="World Trade Organization">World Trade Organization</a>, and many other intergovernmental bodies, both international and regional, are kept in touch with the views of international business through ICC.

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce</a>

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) calls itself "the voice of world business championing the global economy as a force for economic growth, job creation and prosperity." <a href="http://www.iccwbo.org/home/menu_what_is_icc.asp" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.iccwbo.org/home/menu_what_is_icc.asp" rel="nofollow">[1]</a>

<h2>Contents</h2>

[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</div>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#The_ICC_on_Corporate_Social_Responsibility">1 The ICC on Corporate Social Responsibility</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#Promoting_Carbon_Capture_and_Storage">2 Promoting Carbon Capture and Storage</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#Case_studies">3 Case studies</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#Contact_details">4 Contact details</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#Articles_and_Resources">5 Articles and Resources</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#Related_SourceWatch_articles">5.1 Related SourceWatch articles</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#References">5.2 References</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#External_links">5.3 External links</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2>The ICC on Corporate Social Responsibility</h2>

ICC claims to champion "corporate responsibility" as a solution to the world's problems. "A growing number of companies approach corporate responsibility as a comprehensive set of values and principles," says a glossy ICC pamphlet, "which are integrated in business operations through management policies and practices and decision-making processes. ICC proposes the following definition of corporate responsibility from a business perspective: 'The voluntary commitment by business to manage its activities in a responsible way.'"

However, the same pamphlet avoids defining corporate responsibility. It states: "There is no single, commonly accepted definition of the concept of corporate responsibility, also referred to as <a title="Corporate Social Responsibility" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Corporate_Social_Responsibility">corporate social responsibility</a>, responsible business conduct, corporate citizenship, voluntary corporate initiatives, etc. ICC prefers the terms responsible business conduct and voluntary corporate initiatives." The pamphlet's definition of good behavior also avoids any statements on ethics or universal <a title="Human rights" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Human_rights">human rights</a>, stating, "ICC applauds the primacy accorded to human rights by the <a title="United Nations" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=United_Nations">United Nations</a>; however, the making and enforcement of laws for protecting human rights are tasks for governments."

In 2004, the ICC lobbied fiercely to prevent official United Nations adoption of the <a class="new" title="Norms on Business and Human Rights (page does not exist)" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Norms_on_Business_and_Human_Rights&action=edit&redlink=1">Norms on Business and Human Rights</a>, which were developed by a subcommission of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The Norms oblige businesses to "within their sphere of activity and influence" refrain from activities that directly or indirectly violate human rights, and establish standards for determining whether they have met that obligation as well as rudimentary mechanisms for enforcement. The ICC opposes the Norms because they violate the ICC's insistence that all standards for corporate responsibility must be "voluntary."

According to ICC representative Stefano Bertasi, "These Norms clearly seek to move away from the realm of voluntary initiatives... and we see them as conflicting with the approach taken by other parts of the UN that seek to promote voluntary initiatives." <a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.corporateeurope.org/norms.html" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.corporateeurope.org/norms.html">[2]</a>

<h2>Promoting Carbon Capture and Storage</h2>

In June 2008 the ICC made a submission to the <a title="Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Subsidiary_Body_for_Scientific_and_Technological_Advice">Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice</a> of the <a title="United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=United_Nations_Framework_Convention_on_Climate_Change">United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change</a> arguing that the as yet unproven <a title="Carbon Capture and Storage" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Carbon_Capture_and_Storage">Carbon Capture and Storage</a> technology should be included in the <a title="Clean Development Mechanism" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Clean_Development_Mechanism">Clean Development Mechanism</a>. In its submission, the ICC argued that "should CCS fail to qualify as a recognised emissions reduction option under the CDM, the cost of achieving the required emissions reductions will increase and the chances of meeting climate change goals would likely fall as a result."<a title="" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#cite_note-CDM-0">[1]</a>

It also noted that "in practice it is a relatively costly, energy and capital intensive technology, albeit with the potential for future cost reduction. The adoption of CCS by the private sector will depend on the incentives provided by the carbon market and other emissions reduction policies that overcome the additional cost of CCS development and deployment."<a title="" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#cite_note-CDM-0">[1]</a>

While acknowledging the technology would be expensive, the ICC signalled its clear intention that governments would underwrite its initial funding. "It is expected that most of the near-term CCS plants will be commissioned in Annex 1 countries and will receive the support that is required from host governments of those countries. However, it is also important that CCS obtains recognition as a valid abatement option in non-Annex 1 countries so that the legitimacy of the technology is established and that financial support measures are available at an early date," the ICC argued.<a title="" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#cite_note-CDM-0">[1]</a> (See <a title="Clean Development Mechanism and Carbon Capture and Storage" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Clean_Development_Mechanism_and_Carbon_Capture_and_Storage">Clean Development Mechanism and Carbon Capture and Storage</a> for more details).

<h2>Case studies</h2>

<ul>

<li><a title="The ICC and the Mechanical Bull" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_ICC_and_the_Mechanical_Bull">The ICC and the Mechanical Bull</a></li>

</ul>

<h2>Contact details</h2>

38 cours Albert 1er

75008 Paris, France

Tel: +33 1 49 53 28 28 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              +33 1 49 53 28 28      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Fax: +33 1 49 53 28 59

Web: <a class="external free" title="http://www.iccwbo.org" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.iccwbo.org">http://www.iccwbo.org</a>

<h2>Articles and Resources</h2>

<h3>Related SourceWatch articles</h3>

<ul>

<li><a title="Corporate Social Responsibility" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Corporate_Social_Responsibility">Corporate Social Responsibility</a></li>

<li><a title="Paul D. Skinner" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Paul_D._Skinner">Paul D. Skinner</a> - Chair</li>

</ul>

<h3>References</h3>

<li id="cite_note-CDM-0">↑ <a title="" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#cite_ref-CDM_0-0">1.0</a> <a title="" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#cite_ref-CDM_0-1">1.1</a> <a title="" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce#cite_ref-CDM_0-2">1.2</a> International Chamber of Commerce, <a class="external text" title="http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2008/smsn/ngo/020.pdf" rel="nofollow" href="http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2008/smsn/ngo/020.pdf">"Carbon Capture and Storage: The Case for Recognition Within the Clean Development Mechanism</a>], United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, May 27, 2008.</li>

</ol>

<h3>External links</h3>

<ul>

<li>"<a class="external text" title="http://www.corporateeurope.org/norms.html" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.corporateeurope.org/norms.html">Shell Leads International Business Campaign Against UN Human Rights Norms</a>," Corporate Europe Observatory, March 2004.</li>

<li>ICC Factsheets, Corporate Europe Observatory <a class="external autonumber" title="http://www.corporateeurope.org/icc/factsheets.html" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.corporateeurope.org/icc/factsheets.html">[3]</a></li>

</ul>

---

<h1 class="firstHeading" id="firstHeading">The ICC and the Mechanical Bull</h1>

<h3 id="siteSub">From SourceWatch</h3>

<div id="jump-to-nav">Jump to: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_ICC_and_the_Mechanical_Bull#column-one">navigation</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_ICC_and_the_Mechanical_Bull#searchInput">search</a></div>

This article was first published as "<a class="external text" title="http://www.prwatch.org/prwissues/2002Q3/icc.html" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.prwatch.org/prwissues/2002Q3/icc.html">The International Chamber of Commerce and the Mechanical Bull</a>", PR Watch, volume 9, number 3, Third Quarter 2002. The original article was authored by Laura Miller and is used here with permission. As with all SourceWatch articles, feel free to edit and revise.

---

"Did I tie this right?" an Asian businessman asked me, pointing at a red bandana around his neck. I had just been watching the milling international crowd. It was an amusing scene--the world's business elite tying red and blue bandanas around their necks, posing for pictures atop mechanical bulls and with costumed "Old West" show girls, queuing up for barbecued ribs and chicken, all leading up to a rodeo exhibition sponsored by <a title="Molson Coors" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Molson_Coors">Coors Brewing</a>, <a title="3M" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=3M">3M</a>, and <a title="Wells Fargo" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Wells_Fargo">Wells Fargo</a>.

The site for the evening's festivities was a rodeo arena in Denver, Colorado surrounded by train yards, grain elevators, and stockyards. It was a bit of a contrast from the air-conditioned, conference-center environs where actual meetings were held and plans were discussed during the 34th World Congress of the <a title="International Chamber of Commerce" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Chamber_of_Commerce">International Chamber of Commerce</a> (ICC). The ICC's May meeting brought together nearly 700 corporate participants from 72 countries to remind themselves, or perhaps convince themselves, that liberalized markets and <a title="Free trade" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Free_trade">free trade</a> will save the world.

<h2>Contents</h2>

[<a class="internal" id="togglelink" href="javascript:toggleToc()">hide</a>]</div>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_ICC_and_the_Mechanical_Bull#Riding_the_bull">1 Riding the bull</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_ICC_and_the_Mechanical_Bull#Whose_Responsibility_Is_It.3F">2 Whose Responsibility Is It?</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_ICC_and_the_Mechanical_Bull#Those_Crazy_Protesters">3 Those Crazy Protesters</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_ICC_and_the_Mechanical_Bull#The_Skeptical_Environmentalist">4 The Skeptical Environmentalist</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_ICC_and_the_Mechanical_Bull#The_WTO_Needs_You">5 The WTO Needs You</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_ICC_and_the_Mechanical_Bull#What_Is_Changing.3F_And_What_Isn.27t.3F">6 What Is Changing? And What Isn't?</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_ICC_and_the_Mechanical_Bull#The_Road_to_Johannesburg">7 The Road to Johannesburg</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_ICC_and_the_Mechanical_Bull#Don.27t_Worry.2C_Be_Happy">8 Don't Worry, Be Happy</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_ICC_and_the_Mechanical_Bull#Other_SourceWatch_resources">9 Other SourceWatch resources</a></li>

</ul>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2>Riding the bull</h2>

Like the pictures taken alongside the mechanical bull, however, the conference itself was largely a staged event. Nobody actually wanted to ride the bull, and nothing of substance seemed to happen at the conference. The documents that came out of the conference had all been written beforehand. Decisions were made in advance by small committees.

The Hong Kong businessman in the red bandana told me that this was his first ICC conference. He was impressed by the attention which <a title="China" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=China">China</a>, and Asia in general, were receiving. Until now, US and European corporations have controlled the business <a title="Lobby group" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Lobby_group">lobby group</a>, whose main office is in Paris. But with China's entry into the <a title="World Trade Organization" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=World_Trade_Organization">World Trade Organization</a> (WTO), eyes have shifted to the East. Still, Asia did not dominate the main discussions of the meeting. Instead, central honors were reserved for rhetorical commitments to the world's poor (none of whom were actually present, of course). The needs of the poor, we were told, can best be served by promoting "corporate responsibility."

During the three-day conference, I heard much from businessmen about <a class="mw-redirect" title="Corporate social responsibility" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Corporate_social_responsibility">corporate social responsibility</a>, the <a class="new" title="World Summit on Sustainable Development (page does not exist)" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=World_Summit_on_Sustainable_Development&action=edit&redlink=1">World Summit on Sustainable Development</a> in Johannesburg, and private sector partnerships. Conference participants seemed genuine in their concern about environmental degradation, hunger, poor sanitation and lack of drinking water for the world's poor. Many sincerely believed that companies can improve these conditions and find ICC's promotion of corporate responsibility reassuring, especially as they face criticisms from <a title="Non-Governmental Organizations" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Non-Governmental_Organizations">nongovernmental organizations</a> (NGOs) and protests at large <a title="Globalization" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Globalization">globalization</a> meetings. Unfortunately, the ICC was vague on specifics of how it could address these problems.

<h2>Whose Responsibility Is It?</h2>

"A growing number of companies approach corporate responsibility as a comprehensive set of values and principles," says a glossy ICC pamphlet, "which are integrated in business operations through management policies and practices and decision-making processes. ICC proposes the following definition of corporate responsibility from a business perspective: 'The voluntary commitment by business to manage its activities in a responsible way.'"

The pamphlet containing these phrases was distributed prior to a large panel discussion titled, "Responsible business conduct--to whom should business be answerable?" The moderator opened the discussion by saying that the definition of "responsible" business is open to different interpretations from CEOs, NGOs, businesses, and the governments of developed and developing nations. The ICC pamphlet agrees: "There is no single, commonly accepted definition of the concept of corporate responsibility, also referred to as corporate social responsibility, responsible business conduct, corporate citizenship, voluntary corporate initiatives, etc. ICC prefers the terms responsible business conduct and voluntary corporate initiatives." The pamphlet's definition of good behavior also avoids any statements on ethics or universal <a title="Human rights" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Human_rights">human rights</a>. It states, "ICC applauds the primacy accorded to human rights by the <a title="United Nations" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=United_Nations">United Nations</a>; however, the making and enforcement of laws for protecting human rights are tasks for governments."

This lack of definition and emphasis on "voluntary" initiatives clearly suits the public relations objectives of corporations, which want to create a feel-good aura for themselves while avoiding any specific, verifiable commitments that might constrain their behavior. The ICC's preferred terminology--"responsible business conduct"--omits the "social" from "social responsibility," a subtle but telling indicator of the limitations to its vision. The more I listened to the speakers at the ICC conference, the more it seemed that businesses' primary responsibility was simply to succeed in business.

The panel discussion on responsible business featured scant self-reflection about bad business conduct. Instead, the spotlight was on companies that already claimed to be practicing corporate responsibility. Panelists offered different interpretations of the concept, but all agreed that it must be undertaken on a voluntary basis.

Voluntary initiatives will work, the ICC argues, because the drive for profits will itself motivate companies to behave responsibly. "Responsible business conduct may place companies in a more favourable legal and political environment, improve their public image, give them a strategic advantage over competitors in the long-term and help them to make their management systems more effective," it says.

<h2>Those Crazy Protesters</h2>

"I often tell people we've got the wrong target when we target multinationals as the problem. We have to make them vectors of solutions," said ICC Secretary General <a title="Maria Livanos Cattaui" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Maria_Livanos_Cattaui">Maria Livanos Cattaui</a> during a press conference meant as a pre-emptive strike against a demonstration planned by organized labor. If there are problems for workers, she said, the <a title="International Labor Organisation" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Labor_Organisation">International Labor Organization</a> is where they should be addressed and not the ICC. "[I]f that forum isn't working, fix the forum. Don't keep adding new international organizations when there's one out there. Fix the forum," Cattaui said.

ICC spokesman <a class="new" title="Bryce Corbett (page does not exist)" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bryce_Corbett&action=edit&redlink=1">Bryce Corbett</a> repeated the common "we're misunderstood" theme. "These kinds of protests go in with the best intentions, but they're maybe a little ill informed," he told Business News. "I don't think they have any clue what's going on inside the meeting there."

The protesters, of course, hadn't been invited, and in fact considerable resources were devoted to keeping them out. According to the Rocky Mountain News, Denver spent nearly $1 million on security for the conference, which was held in a downtown hotel behind steel crowd-control fences and surrounded by police. I was able to get in as an accredited journalist, but I had to show a photo ID, have my bags searched and step through a metal detector to get into the hotel lobby.

About 500 union members, community activists, and anarchists demonstrated against the ICC meeting. The protest featured speakers from <a title="El Salvador" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=El_Salvador">El Salvador</a> and <a title="Mexico" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Mexico">Mexico</a> who have not seen the "wealth" promised by free-market boosters. They described wages too low to live on, uncertain and abusive working conditions, jobs lost to privatization, and retaliation for unionizing. Far from misunderstanding the work of ICC, demonstration organizers link these problems to the trade policies supported by ICC.

"We've just become familiar [with ICC] over the last few weeks," said Denver Area Labor Federation president Leslie Moody. "We've read a lot of the stuff that they have on their web site--some of the policies that they advocate for. A lot of it really is contrary to what we advocate for in terms of protecting workers and having government and business work together to improve working standards." Moody disagreed with ICC's emphasis on voluntary corporate responsibility. "We want to make sure that there is some standard that's being upheld across borders when business is talking about how to grow," she said.

ICC worked hard to be accessible to media before, during and after the demonstration, and panelists at the conference inside spoke with a great deal of knowledge about the media and their desire to be involved in shaping public opinion. Public relations techniques, such as labeling critics "irrational" and using "independent" third party advocates, were also evident.

"The total organization of the economy and our business' future is at stake," said Francois Perigot, president of the International Organization of Employers and former chair of the European business lobby UNICE. "Convincing opponents is a formidable task. First of all, because they don't care what we are saying. . . . The more you talk, the more you say, the more evidence you give, they don't believe. They have other evidence. So I say the direction is very, very limited. Secondly, because their attitude is not only irrational, but is totally emotional, there is very little you can do against emotion. How can you discuss with emotional people? These movements are purely emotional."

<h2>The Skeptical Environmentalist</h2>

Another critique of NGOs came from <a title="Bjorn Lomborg" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bjorn_Lomborg">Bjorn Lomborg</a>, the associate professor of statistics at the University of Aarhus (<a title="Denmark" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Denmark">Denmark</a>) whose book, The Skeptical Environmentalist, has made him a current darling of the anti-environmental right wing. Lomborg, whose attempt to debunk environmental groups like <a title="Greenpeace" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Greenpeace">Greenpeace</a> has been panned in leading scientific publications including Science, Nature and Scientific American, has nevertheless been knighted as a "global leader for tomorrow" by the <a title="World Economic Forum" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=World_Economic_Forum">World Economic Forum</a>.

Like the labor protesters outside, NGOs were also not invited to the ICC congress but were often mentioned as a source of concern regarding public opinion. "It's important to say that sometimes NGOs overinterpret or falsely represent data, but mostly they actually use data fairly reasonably," Lomborg admitted. "The thing that I'm trying to point out is that NGOs are like business organizations. They are interest groups. They are basically trying to promote an interest."

The problem, Lomborg said, is that NGOs have more credibility than corporations in public debates, because the public perceives business claims as self-serving. "The problem is that most people actually believe them [NGOs] above government scientists and university researchers. And there is a clear failure to understand that these are also interest groups, and we should certainly hear them, but we shouldn't necessarily take them as purveyors of the proverbial truth."

<h2>The WTO Needs You</h2>

The success of the World Trade Organization's new round of talks, launched at their November 2001 meeting, was of much concern to many conference panelists. ICC members were urged to do everything they could to shore up the credibility of the WTO. "The WTO needs the champions in the private sector to defend public only hears the critics and support for trade is cool. Citizens, businesses and governments must build support for WTO's work."

Marchi admitted that WTO's operations are "antiquated" in terms of "engaging and transparency and releasing of documentation." But, he said, "The WTO should strive to reform those procedures." While saying that governments need to take the lead on transparency, Marchi believed the WTO's image would benefit by supporting governments in doing so. "If in fact the WTO is as important as we say it is," Marchi said, "it needs to complement the work of national governments in terms of transparency and therefore facilitating greater public support in return."

<h2>What Is Changing? And What Isn't?</h2>

"The world's expectations of us are changing," said <a class="new" title="Lord Holme (page does not exist)" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Lord_Holme&action=edit&redlink=1">Lord Holme</a> of Cheltenham, an advisor to the <a title="Rio Tinto" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rio_Tinto">Rio Tinto</a> mining company, chairman of the ICC Environment Commission, vice-chair of <a class="new" title="Business Action for Sustainable Development (page does not exist)" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Business_Action_for_Sustainable_Development&action=edit&redlink=1">Business Action for Sustainable Development</a>, and a member of the <a title="World Business Council for Sustainable Development" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=World_Business_Council_for_Sustainable_Development">World Business Council for Sustainable Development</a>. With more information instantly available from all corners of the world, he said, business leaders are experiencing "less deference and trust" and "more cynicism and suspicion of actions of powerful entities."

Citizens of developed countries are actively and effectively challenging business in the court of public opinion. In this context, ICC's embrace of "corporate responsibility" is a strategic, defensive move aimed at co-opting the language of NGOs.

But do words like "transparency," "accountability," "principles," "responsibility" and "inclusivity" signify a real change in business practices? While these broad ideas were floated by panelists, meaningful definitions of the words and how they should be practiced were lacking. Speakers at the ICC Congress claimed that trade liberalization will decrease poverty but never provided any evidence to support this contention and were quick to assign blame elsewhere when alluding to failures of current and past liberalization policies.

The main change that was evident at the ICC Congress was that transnational corporations, in particular the industry giants, are feeling increased pressure to defend their enormous control over wealth and resources. They need to convince the world that increasing disparity and environmental degradation aren't that bad and that what are beginning to look like corporate fiefdoms are somehow beneficial to all, and not just to the few who rule them.

<h2>The Road to Johannesburg</h2>

The ICC's newfound preoccupation with "responsibility" is part of a corporate PR buildup to the 10th anniversary of the United Nations' World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), also known as Rio+10. The WSSD, scheduled for August 26-September 4, has been billed as a 10th anniversary follow-up to the UN's Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

The WSSD is seen by some activists as an opportunity to "re-dedicate ourselves to the goals of Rio and to avoid the mistakes made since the first Earth Summit." The business community, however, sees the event as an opportunity to advance its own power in controlling the affairs of the world and undermine any attempt to place binding controls on international business activities.

According to <a title="Shell" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Shell">Shell</a>'s Philip Watts, WSSD "is a vital opportunity for the international community to demonstrate it can take practical steps to ensure all benefit from sustainable development. Business needs to show it can be a partner in that journey." Watts told ICC members that the themes of their conference -- trade, technology and partnership -- are "an excellent basis" for conceptualizing that partnership.

As the key to sustainable development, the business lobby is heavily promoting "partnerships" between business and NGOs, the UN, local governments, trade unions, and communities. The "voluntary action" agenda is represented by the Business Action on Sustainable Development (BASD), a joint project of the ICC and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Louise Franchette [sp?], UN Deputy Secretary-General, told the ICC that the "doors to the United Nations are open as never before to the vast and dynamic constellation of non-state actors. The Secretary General has made it one of his main priorities to see that this trend continues. So let there be no mistake, the UN needs the world's business men and business women as creators of wealth, as promoters of trade, investment and stable markets, as innovators in the development of new technologies, in short, as full partners in our global mission of peace and development." FrÃ©chette added that the new partnership marks "a new recognition by the UN and the private sector alike, not only that business can do a great deal for the United Nations, but that a strong United Nations is good for business."

A stronger embrace of business by the UN can scarcely be imagined. "It is quite natural for the United Nations and the private sector to join forces," FrÃ©chette said. "I'm pleased to say that the partnership with the ICC has already yielded some very positive results. Together the ICC and the United Nations conference on trade and development have created guides designed to steer foreign investment to some of the world's poorest countries."

Sir <a title="Mark Moody-Stuart" href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Mark_Moody-Stuart">Mark Moody-Stuart</a>, former chair of Royal Dutch/Shell group and current chair of BASD, spoke at an ICC panel discussion titled "Sustainable solutions for business and the environment." He told ICC members that business participation was welcomed at preparatory meetings leading up to the Johannesburg summit. Meeting the goals set out at Rio is a "huge task and we're only just starting," he said. He was concerned, however, by the number of demands coming out of the "multi-stakeholder dialogues" leading up to the summit, which he characterized as "much less dialogues than a series of position statements or wish lists. This structure is not easy to handle."

Moody-Stuart was joined by Rio Tinto's Lord Holme of Cheltenham, who is also co-chair of BASD. Holme agreed that partnership initiatives are the best way to promote sustainability and took another dig at environmentalist demands for enforceable standards on international business conduct. Holme was the only panelist to mention Friends of the Earth by name and alluded to a proposal that FOE is spearheading for international negotiations to create enforceable standards. Holme characterized FOE's position as naive, arguing that global standards would fail to make distinctions across sectors or between global regions, imposing a "one-size-fits-all" straitjacket on corporate behavior.

<h2>Don't Worry, Be Happy</h2>

Skeptical Environmentalist author Bjorn Lomborg also participated in the panel with Moody-Stuart and Holme and was a clear audience favorite. He elicited giggles and applause during his presentation on the state of the environment. Lomborg's basic argument is that things are not so bad with the environment, and if anything, they are getting better. By recognizing this "fact," he argues, "better" decisions can be made about "sustainable" development.

"You should make sure we focus on the important issues," Lomborg said. "Those are poverty and starvation and, not in the first place, environment. That will come when people get sufficiently rich. Basically, what matters is that we make sure the poor countries get allowed to trade."

Lomborg admitted, however, that his recommendations were likely to elicit skepticism from the public. "Everyone is going to say, 'ah, of course, business.' And so there really is a selling problem, a PR problem," Lomborg said. "But I do also honestly believe that just only because people can't possibly level a suspicion at you, it shouldn't prevent you from advocating the right thing."

As public scrutiny of corporate activities continues to increase, international business will want more than ever to be perceived as doing the right thing. ICC and other business lobbies will do all they can to ensure their members and constituents are seen as not needing regulation and as capable of being good corporate citizens.

<h2>Other SourceWatch resources</h2><div>=</div><div>=<a href="https://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/">https://www.stopcorporateabuse.org/</a> 2017?<a href="http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=17-P13-00021&segmentID=1">http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=17-P13-00021&segmentID=1</a>bonn COP...CURWOOD: Now, you're not telling me that all corporate lobbying at these events is designed to subvert the process, are you?BRAGG: What I'm telling you is that there’s actually ... it would be very to difficult to discern who is and who isn't in the interest of climate policy, and frankly, that's not the role of an intergovernmental process to pick the winners and losers in the private sector. And so we need to be very careful about who is at the table and who isn't at the table and especially not rely on PR and advertisements from the likes of the fossil fuel industry to try to convince us that they have the interests of people and the planet in mind when their actions over the last two decades, at least, have proved otherwise.CURWOOD: Now, as I understand it, the trade groups, of course, and other interest groups don't actually have a seat at the table. How are they able to court the diplomats and otherwise influence talks?BRAGG: Well, you look at the example from COP 21. There were numerous examples of side events sponsored by the fossil fuel industry, by energy utilities where they wined and dined delegates and others, decision-makers, presumably toward their agenda. If you look at COP 19 in Warsaw, there was an entire parallel meeting hosted by the World Coal Association where delegates were invited, the head of the Secretariat of the Treaty actually spoke at that event.CURWOOD: Which countries are championing limitations on corporate influence at the climate talks, and which made some kind of case for maintaining the kind of presence that companies have right now?BRAGG: The champions of this issue were clearly Ecuador, and actually Uganda. Ecuador spoke representing the like-minded developing countries. Uganda spoke representing the least developed countries block. And actually, Senegal spoke representing the African negotiating group. Altogether, those groups represent far more than 70 percent of the world's population. And so, they were the leaders, but they were supported by Cuba. China spoke very, very strongly in support of these limitations, saying that the voices of the vulnerable are often drowned out by the voices of the rich and wealthy corporate interests. And those who were opposed to this were pretty easy to identify. You're looking at the US, Australia, Russia, and to some extent, the European Union, all places where the fossil fuel industry is based and representing countries that have the most at stake economically with the continuation of business as usual when it comes to extracting and burning fossil fuels.CURWOOD: Jesse, talk to me about how these discussions in some ways parallel what happened at the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. This is back in 2003. What can we take away from how that treaty successfully put limitations on the tobacco industry's lobbying at those sessions?...BRAGG: It's a great example and a fantastic precedent to look to when you’re trying to figure out how to address industry influence in any policymaking process. When parties, governments, got together to hash out the framework convention on tobacco control, they quickly realized that one of the primary obstacles to their progress was the tobacco industry. You know, it's very easy to understand why the tobacco industry has no incentive to advance public health policy. Every step forward we take in public health and tobacco control means one less dollar in the pockets of tobacco industry. And so, they brought forward a really bold proposal, it was one line of text initially that just said that parties need to take steps to reduce the influence of the tobacco industry over public health. And since then, the implementation of this treaty has taken off. And that's really the model we need to look at when we're talking about the fossil fuel industry and climate change. We need information from them. They have a role. But we also need to limit their influence and understand that they shouldn't be writing the policy by which they need to abide.CURWOOD: What corporate associations are exercising the most undue influence on the climate talks in your opinion?BRAGG: The two organizations that really stood out in terms of influence over these recent talks were the International Chamber of Commerce and the US Chamber of Commerce. The International Chamber of Commerce, their role is really to keep the door open for businesses around the world. They believe, and they're very proud of it, that corporations, including the fossil fuel industry, need to be at the table helping parties write the rules that we're going to implement the Paris Agreement under, and so in that way they take every opportunity to advance and expand the access of the private sector. The US chamber actually held a side event at the UNFCCC talks in which they said that US fossil fuel corporations are going to be central to this process as well. One of their representatives actually then went on to say that the US is going to need to revise down its commitments to the Paris agreement, and more or less said that, people need to get used to that, that that’s the way it was, really towing the line of the Trump administration that these commitments need to be reviewed.CURWOOD: Now, under the Paris agreement, the fossil fuel industry will be selling their products perhaps as late as 2050. It will take a while to phase out what they do. If they are, in fact, going to be part of the energy mix going forward as they are right now, why shouldn't they have some input into these negotiation processes so that they can deal with their business in an orderly fashion?BRAGG: I think there's a big difference between having input and being part of a process, and what governments have been saying and what the sort of broad campaign around this is calling for, is to draw that line. When are we gathering input from those industries we're seeking to regulate and when are we actually allowing them to be part of the policymaking process? And so, certainly there's going to be a great need to consult with the industry and gather information from the industry as needed as we’re developing the implementation of this agreement, but the question here is not whether or not we need input. It's whether or not they should have a role in writing the rules, and that's what this discussion was about.
BRAGG: Well, it's a long process. Decisions are made by consensus at the UNFCCC, which means you need more or less the vast majority, if not all governments to agree, and so while that is a great process because it's inclusive, it does mean that things take time. We know the next milestone for this movement is next meeting in Bonn in May next year, so 2018, where parties will refer to submissions that governments and civil society groups have made on this issue and chart a path forward.  CURWOOD: When can we expect some sort of formal limitations to be agreed upon in terms of corporate lobbying at the UN climate meetings, if ever?CURWOOD: Jesse Bragg is the Media Director of Corporate Accountability International.</div><div>=</div>

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