Foxes Henhouse in the Lobby

The report argues that transnational corporations (TNCs) like Chevron, Total, and Shell maintain a 'global architecture of impunity' through sophisticated lobbying networks that capture international governance. It specifically highlights the role of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) in influencing the UN Human Rights Council's negotiations for a binding treaty on TNCs and human rights. The document details environmental and human rights violations in the Global South, including oil pollution in Ecuador and Nigeria, and fossil fuel projects in Uganda and Mozambique, while demanding the exclusion of corporate lobbyists from treaty negotiations to ensure accountability.

• Chevron-Texaco is responsible for dumping 71 million litres of oil residues and 64 million litres of crude oil over 2 million hectares of the Ecuadorian Amazon between 1964 and 1990, leading to cancer rates three times the national average in the area.
• Total's East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) and Tilenga projects are displacing over 100,000 people and impacting protected and biodiversity areas, with reports of inadequate compensation and repression of environmental defenders by militarised police.
• Shell's operations in Nigeria's Niger Delta have caused thousands of oil spills and gas flaring, contributing to the region becoming one of the most polluted places on Earth and involving alleged complicity in the execution of nine Ogoni leaders in the 1990s.
• The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) act as primary channels for corporate influence at the UN, with the ICC being the only non-governmental organisation to hold Observer Status at the UN General Assembly.
• TNCs use a multi-layered lobbying strategy, affiliating with national chambers of commerce or employer federations (such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce or MEDEF in France) to gain access to the ICC and IOE, which then lobby at the international level.
• The TNC Lobby has historically opposed binding regulations, such as the 2003 UN Norms, and instead advocated for voluntary frameworks like the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Global Compact.
• During the 10th negotiation session in December 2024 and June 2025 consultations, TNC Lobby representatives threatened states with potential divestment if a treaty was ratified that could hold parent companies liable by piercing the corporate veil.
• The report argues that the current draft of the UN Binding Treaty is being weakened by 'informal' proposals that shift the focus toward voluntary due diligence rather than binding international obligations and legal accountability.

APA

Soares, A., Borghi, D., & Fandel, G. (2025). Foxes Henhouse in the Lobby. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/25-FoEI-Foxes-in-the-Henhouse-report-EN-rhr-online-1.pdf

Chicago

Soares, Andressa, Danilo Borghi, and Ghislaine Fandel. Foxes Henhouse in the Lobby. Friends of the Earth International, 2025. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/25-FoEI-Foxes-in-the-Henhouse-report-EN-rhr-online-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Soares |first1=Andressa |last2=Borghi |first2=Danilo |last3=Fandel |first3=Ghislaine |title=Foxes Henhouse in the Lobby |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=October 2025 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/25-FoEI-Foxes-in-the-Henhouse-report-EN-rhr-online-1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{soares2025foxes, author = {Soares, Andressa and Borghi, Danilo and Fandel, Ghislaine}, title = {{Foxes Henhouse in the Lobby}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2025}, month = oct, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/25-FoEI-Foxes-in-the-Henhouse-report-EN-rhr-online-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }