Emily Mader/16 April 2008/10:00pm/Human Rights
Human rights groups bashed the Coca-Cola Co. and other Olympic sponsors for not aiding in the cessation of abuses in Darfur, stating that the company and the International Olympic Committee have been silent on the issue. The human rights group Dream for Darfur stated that China is a top trading partner and arms dealer to Sudan; the groups are calling upon Olympic sponsors to influence the government to change these practices. Dream for Darfur will support a “turn it off” campaign with the goal that Olympic viewers will change the channel when sponsor ads are aired. The Coca-Cola Co. issued a statement saying that is has donated $5 million to water programs in Sudan and is working with the UN, and is now talking with pro-Tibetan groups.
What is clear to me, and is mentioned in the article, is that no company will stand up to China alone – it will need to be a large-scale, group effort. I personally do not see that happening. Corporations are about making profit. If that profit can be made at the Olympics, then it surely will be, and no company will walk away from that opportunity. I also am wondering what kind of influence the corporations could really have. They can threaten to stop sponsoring the Olympics, but as just stated that would be silly on their parts. At the same time, I am fairly ignorant about what lobbying power these corporations have outside of the Olympics, so perhaps they could influence China in some other fashion.
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/business/coke/stories/2008/04/16/darfur_0417_web.html
4 comments:
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I agree, no corporation is going to give up money just to stand up to what is right. China is in the wrong, but no corporation is going to give up a profit to prove a point.
I completely agree with both of you...There's no way Coca-Cola would stand up to China. China is huge and the government can be so scary. (I guess any government can be...)It's so sad we live in a world where money triumphs over what's right.
I was reading this and I think its interesting to point out that we have now entered an era where it is not an issue of a country standing up to another country - but company versus country. This shows how big and powerful corporations have grown. I certainly do not think Coca-Cola will do anything besides give the same response about giving previous aid.
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