Full Coverage: Corporations

20.04.2006 As the level of anger and resentment against Coca Cola touches new heights throughout India, rights activists in the U.S. have increased pressure on the company to mend its ways of doing operations in rural areas.

20.04.2006 People’s health in small towns across India is taking a heavy beating due to rising air pollution caused by an explosion in the number of vehicles, says latest research by the New Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

20.04.2006 The Coca-Cola company came under attack at its shareholder meeting for not disclosing the full extent of the liabilities the company has incurred in India. US based organisation India Resource Centre said various studies by government and independent agencies have confirmed community concerns of over-extraction of water and pollution by the company in India.

20.04.2006 Indian minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Meira Kumar has created a stir with the statement that the government would look into the issue of preparing a draft Bill on reservation of jobs in the private sector for the oppressed sections. Indian corporates are deeply opposed to the idea. The Financial Express's Rajiv Tikoo interviews the minister.

20.04.2006 Even though the Indian government plans to introduce reservations in the private sector for the dalits - the historically oppressed sections in the Indian society - the dalits themselves are not very enthused. Most dalit leaders feel that Indian politicians pay lip service to the cause of dalit upliftment and it is high time that the corporates contributed to the social well being of the deprived communities.

19.04.2006 PM Manmohan Singh on Tuesday put job quotas in the private sector on the national agenda by calling on industry to voluntarily extend affirmative action, saying it was time companies acknowledged the value of diversity and broad-based their workforce.

18.04.2006 Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to four of the six demands of the Bhopal gas victims after which the activists called off their international hunger strike. The demands that have been met include cleaning up toxic wastes, setting up a national commission for medical and economic rehabilitation and providing clean water.

13.04.2006 The India Resource Centre is organising a protest at the venue of Coca-Cola shareholders meeting on April 19, 2006 in Delaware in the US. It wants to present the voice of those Indian communities which have been affected by the company's operations in India and wants to hold the firm accountable for its deeds.

13.04.2006 Phillip Morris Co. from Zagreb announced yesterday the start of the implementation of its campaign to restrict accessibility of cigarettes to minors, under the name “No to Youngher than 18!” The Croatian Ministry of Health today announced a ban of the campaign.

12.04.2006 WASHINGTON, D.C., Apr 11 (OneWorld) - Investors concerned about illegal child labor on West African plantations are demanding that Hershey Co. spill the beans on where the candy maker gets its cocoa.

10.04.2006 Survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy recently marched over 800 kms from Bhopal to Delhi to meet the Indian Prime Minister who refused to grant them an appointment. Their demands include clean drinking water, removal of toxic wastes from the site which are polluting the environment and an investigation into police accesses on the demonstrators. Read Amnesty International's letter.

06.04.2006 New Greenpeace research shows that McDonald's are partners in forest crime that is creating a trail of destruction right into the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

04.04.2006 WASHINGTON, D.C., Apr 3 (OneWorld) - Florida tomato pickers converged on McDonald's Corp.'s flagship Chicago restaurant over the weekend to protest poor working conditions and wages they say have stagnated for 30 years.