Ending corporate capture of the United Nations

The document expresses concern over the growing influence of major corporations and business lobby groups within the UN, asserting that this 'corporate capture' undermines democracy and blocks effective solutions for climate change and social justice. It criticises partnerships between UN agencies and transnational companies, as well as the promotion of market-based 'false solutions' to environmental crises. The signatories demand a cap on business representation in negotiations, greater transparency regarding lobbying, and the establishment of a legally binding framework to hold companies accountable for human rights and environmental violations.

• Corporate lobbying within the UN has obstructed progress on critical global issues, including climate change, deforestation, poverty, health, water supply, food production, and human rights violations. This influence is particularly evident in spaces like the UNFCCC, where power imbalances lead to the weakening or postponement of necessary international social and environmental justice measures.
• The document identifies the promotion of market-based systems for common goods—such as land, water, biodiversity, and air—as 'false solutions' to the environmental crisis. These systems are argued to serve corporate profits and increase corporate control over resources rather than addressing the root causes of the crisis.
• Various UN agencies have formed partnerships with transnational companies involved in biodiversity destruction and human rights violations. Specifically, UNEP has partnered with Shell, Anglo American, Rio Tinto, and ExxonMobil; UNDP has partnered with Coca Cola on water resource protection; and UN-HABITAT has partnered with BASF and Coca Cola on sustainable urbanisation. The UN Global Compact is criticised for allowing 'bluewash', where companies improve their image without adhering to binding standards.
• In preparation for the Rio+20 Earth Summit, the UN partnered with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The document claims the 'green economy' concept was developed with involvement from high-profile corporate entities like Deutsche Bank and fails to address the role of business in creating financial and climate crises.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (n.d.). Ending corporate capture of the United Nations. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Statement-on-UN-Corporate-Capture-EN.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Ending corporate capture of the United Nations. n.d. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Statement-on-UN-Corporate-Capture-EN.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Ending corporate capture of the United Nations |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Statement-on-UN-Corporate-Capture-EN.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{friendsoftheearthinternationalndending, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Ending corporate capture of the United Nations}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Statement-on-UN-Corporate-Capture-EN.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }