Action Briefing Feb 2003 - Mar 2003
	The Newsletter of Birmingham Friends of the Earth

Are These The UK's Ten Worst Companies?

Last October, at the Labour Party Conference in Blackpool, amid hundreds of corporate sponsors, Friends of the Earth exposed the activities of ten of the most destructive companies:

Alstom
Involved in many destructive dam projects including Yusufeli in Turkey and the Three Gorges in China.

Aventis (Bayer)
The only company seeking to licence genetically modified oilseed rape and fodder maize in the UK.

BAA
Backing the “Freedom to Fly” coalition, which is seeking a massive expansion of airport capacity all over the country.

BAE
One of the largest arms manufacturers in the world.

Barclays
Provided financial backing to Indonesian rainforest wreckers Asia Pulp and Paper (APP).

BNFL
Marketing dangerous, dirty and expensive nuclear power as “climate friendly”.

Nestle
Still subject to a major boycott owing to its irresponsible marketing of breast milk substitutes in developing countries. Recently tried to claim £4 million in compensation from Ethiopia. The company received 20,000 emails of complaint about this in one week.

Shell
Recent controversies include pollution around the company's South Durban refinery in South Africa, and attempts (now dropped after campaigns by FoE and others) to explore gas in Kirthar National Park, Pakistan.

Tesco
Heavily criticised for commercial exploitation of UK farmers and food producers. According to a recent NFU survaey, UK farmers will get only £11 for a basket of food (e.g. beef, eggs, bread, tomatoes and apples) that will then cost the consumer £37 in a Tesco store.

Wessex Water
Owned by Enron until its collapse in 2002. Chairman and Chief Executive are currently under arrest for receiving a bribe.

James Botham