Friends of the Earth wants the Government to make UK-based companies behave responsibly wherever they operate.
We've already managed to get clauses addressing companies' environmental and social effects into the Government's draft Company Law Reform Bill. Now we need to make them stronger.
As it stands, the Bill invites directors to "consider" their negative impacts. It doesn't make them take action to reduce these impacts.
And it states that the only people who can appeal against companies' actions are shareholders. This excludes the wider population whom the company directly affects, like the people living under the roar and heat of Shell's gas flares.
We want Company Law changed so that directors are duty-bound to take concrete action to reduce their negative impacts on communities and the environment. Government and MPs must hold their nerve in the face of big business pressure and strengthen the law to change how businesses behave and secure rights for people.
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