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02 Sep 2002
Shell Chairman Philip Watts reluctantly accepted a Greenwash Lifetime Achievement Award at a giant business conference near the World Summit on Sustainable Development negotiations. The iconic green statuette was presented by the Greenwash Academy's Oscar Green, who was attending the swanky Legotkla Business Day's lunchtime press conference (Sunday) along with some 50 giggling journalists
"You have to give credit where credit is due," said Mr. Green.
"And when it comes to greenwash, Shell has been simply superb."
Mr. Watts, in response to a question from Mr. Green, said that he was
"quite proud" of Shell's record in Nigeria.
"How can we talk of partnership and trust with business leaders
who do not recognize the most blatant corporate crimes?" asked
Isaac Osuoka of Environmental Rights Action, a Nigerian group that has
documented Shell's complicity in human rights and environmental catastrophes
in the Niger Delta.
Joining Mr. Watts at the press conference was a who's who of corporate
environmentalists, including the Business Action for Sustainable Development
Chair Mark Moody-Stuart, the International Chamber of Commerce President
Richard McCormack, the ICC Secretary General Maria Livianos Cattaui,
WBCSD President Bjorn Stigson and Lord Richard Holme, of Business Action
for Sustainable Development.
Other attendees of the Business Day Conference at the Hilton Hotel
included UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Prime Minister Jean Cretien
of Canada.
The Greenwash Awards were originally announced at a gala ceremony in
Johannesburg on August 20th. Other recipients included BP, for Best
Greenwash, Nestle, for Best Bluewash, the United States, for Best Supporting
Government, the UN Global Compact, for Best Supporting UN Agency, Enron
for Best Makeup, Arthur Andersen for Best Documentary Destruction.
For more information on the Greenwash Academy Awards, please visit
www.earthsummit.biz
Contact details:
Friends of the Earth
26-28 Underwood St.
LONDON
N1 7JQ
Tel: 020 7490 1555
Fax: 020 7490 0881
Web: www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html
Media team
