Big Gap Surfaces in Davos

Liana Foxvog (left) and Kalpona Akter (right) plan to take the anti-award to Gap's headquarters in San Francisco Credit: Ray Smith/IPS.By Ray SmithDAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 24 2014 (IPS) As self-appointed global leaders gather at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos and discuss ‘The Reshaping of the World’, a stone’s throw away non-governmental organisations named this year’s winners for their dreaded Public Eye Awards.
The jury chose the American textile giant Gap, while 95,000 online voters honoured the Russian energy company Gazprom.“Davos is the global showcase for symbolic policy where arsonists dress up as firemen for a few days.”
“Sadly, there’s still a need for campaigns like ours that demand corporate accountability,” Silvie Lang said on behalf of the organisers, the Berne Declaration (BD), a Swiss NGO working for equitable North-South relations, and Greenpeace Switzerland.
“We are here to remind the corporate world and those hiding behind closed doors in Davos that the social and environmental consequences of their business activities affect not only people and the environment, but also the reputation of their company.”
Participating in the WEF is no option for the BD. “This kind of inclusion is far less effective than fundamental critique from outside,” its spokesperson Oliver Classen told IPS. “Davos is the global showcase for symbolic policy where arsonists dress up as firemen for a few days.”
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Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - January 24, 2014 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Ray Smith Tags: Active Citizens Asia-Pacific Civil Society Crime & Justice Development & Aid Economy & Trade Europe Featured Global Governance Globalisation Headlines Health Human Rights Labour North America Regional Categories TerraViva U Source Type: news