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European business: Stop greenwashing the economy

Brussels, 21 February - At today's opening of the 6th European Business Summit in Brussels, environment campaigners accused companies involved in the event, titled 'Greening the economy', of being anything but green themselves. With an action and exhibition [1], Friends of the Earth Europe, Corporate Europe Observatory and Transnational Institute exposed the greenwashing practices of the businesses taking part.

Click on photos for print-quality, high resolution versions. Friends of the Earth Europe campaigners staging their 'Stop greenwashing the economy' action, and displaying their 'What lies beneath' exhibition, outside the European Business Summit . (Photo credit:Lode Saidane)

The campaigners 'greenwashed' the corporate social responsibility reports of high-profile companies taking part in the summit. The action was designed to expose companies' efforts to attain environmental credentials when in reality their operations have detrimental effects on the environment and local communities worldwide and contribute significantly to global warming.

"If the organisers of the European Business Summit seriously want to discuss a greener economy, why do they invite the most polluting companies and sectors?" asks Paul de Clerck, Corporate Campaign Coordinator for Friends of the Earth Europe. "That an event titled 'Greening the economy' is dominated by dirty laggards instead of green leaders is hypocritical."

The European Business Summit (EBS) is an annual high-level conference organised by BUSINESSEUROPE, the lobby organisation of big European companies. During the EBS, business leaders and CEOs meet with European commissioners and top national politicians. This year's event is being attended by eight European Commissioners, including Commission president Barroso. The summit provides a floor to some of the most polluting companies in the world and some of the worst performers in their sectors. [2]

"At events like the European Business Summit, corporations use their direct access to decision-makers to manipulate perceptions, pretending that the company behaviour is the solution to climate change whereas in reality it is part of the problem," says Paul de Clerck. "Instead of spending millions on PR campaigns designed to paint themselves green, the companies should make real efforts to improve their environmental performance."

Click on photos for print-quality, high resolution versions. Friends of the Earth Europe corporate campaigners 'greenwashing' the corporate social responsibility reports of high-profile companies participating in the summit. (Photo credits:Lode Saidane)

Among a host of environmentally dubious companies taking part, sponsoring or attending the summit, the green groups drew particular attention to some for the environmentally harmful impacts of their business behaviour: [3]

* BMW and Volvo: For producing the least fuel efficient cars of the 20 top-selling brands in Europe
* E.on: For owning three of the most polluting power stations in Europe
* Fortis: For investing in controversial companies such as Freeport McMoRan, operator of the world's most polluting gold mine
* Gazprom: For owning the controversial Sakhalin II oil and gas project, which threatens the survival of the last 100 Western Grey Whales
* Lufthansa and KLM: For downplaying the fact that aviation has by far the greatest climate impact of any mode of transport
* Shell: For continuing the climate-polluting practice of gas-flaring in Nigeria and harming the environment and local communities near its refineries around the world

"The European Business Summit happens in a context of increased corporate power in Europe where corporate domination results in EU policies that dismantle environmental, social and labour policies for the sake of improving companies' competitiveness and profits. The EU's agendas on 'Better Regulation' and 'Global Europe' aim to increase competitiveness of European businesses at all costs," says Charly Poppe, trade campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe.

Click on photos for print-quality, high resolution versions. Left: Friends of the Earth Europe outside the entrance to the summit, handing out leaflets exposing the greenwashing practices of some of the businesses taking part. Right: 'Greenwashing' the corporate social responsibility report of BMW, one of the participating businesses. (Photo credits:Lode Saidane)

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For more information, please contact:

Paul de Clerck, Corporate Campaign Coordinator for Friends of the Earth Europe
paul.de.clerck@foeeurope.org

Francesca Gater, Communications Officer at Friends of the Earth Europe,
francesca.gater@foeeurope.org

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NOTES:
[1] The exhibition "What lies beneath?" can be viewed here: http://www.foeeurope.org/corporates/greenwash/exhibition.html

[2] Website of the European Business Summit, including programme:
http://www.ebsummit.org/index

[3] Detailed information about the detrimental effects of these companies can be found here:
http://www.foeeurope.org/corporates/greenwash/greenwashing_the_economy.html

Friends of the Earth Europe campaigns for sustainable and fair societies and for the protection of the environment,
unites more than 30 national organisations with thousands of local groups
and is part of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International.

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