| WASHINGTON
- December 31 - Abbott Laboratories, Argenbright, Bayer, Coke, Enron, Exxon
Mobil, Philip Morris, Sara lee, Southern Co. and Wal-Mart have been
named the 10 worst corporations of 2001, in Multinational Monitor
magazine's annual listing.
"These behemoths have ripped off the public, polluted the
environment, abused their workers and debased our culture," said
Robert Weissman, editor of Multinational Monitor. "They appear in
our lives everyday, disguised as 'respectable members of the
community.' They deserve public opprobrium, and, in many cases,
government sanction."
Multinational Monitor is a Washington, D.C.-based monthly
magazine that tracks the activities of multinational corporations.
It was founded by Ralph Nader.
Abbott Laboratories made the 10 worst list for its TAP
Pharmaceuticals, a joint venture with Japanese Takeda
Pharmaceuticals. TAP was forced to pay $875 million to resolve
criminal charges and civil liability in connection with allegations
of major Medicare reimbursement fraud.
Argenbright, the security company, was named to the list for
repeat violations of regulations for airport security.
Argenbright's appalling record helped convince Congress to
federalize U.S. airport security operations.
Bayer appears on the list for its overcharge of the government
and public for the anti-anthrax drug Cipro, as well as dangerous
peddling of antibiotics for poultry (contributing to antibiotic
resistance among humans) and its harassment of a corporate
accountability group.
Coca Cola was named among the 10 worst for its sponsorship of
the first Harry Potter movie and possible sequels, using a
children's favorite to hawks its unhealthy product, and for alleged
complicity with death squads in Colombia targeting union leaders
there.
Enron made the 10 worst list for costing many of its employees
their life savings by refusing to let them dump Enron stock from
their pension plans, as the company plunged toward bankruptcy.
ExxonMobil earned a spot on the list for leading the global
warming denial campaign and blocking efforts at appropriate
remedial action, plus a host of other reckless activities.
Philip Morris asserted its claim to be among the 10 worst by
virtue of a "we've changed" marketing campaign -- revealed to be a
hoax by a Czech study it commissioned alleging the cost savings
from smoking-related premature death, as well as the company's
ongoing efforts to addict millions of new smokers.
Sara Lee was named to the list because of a scandal involving
its Ball Park Franks hot dogs. Contaminated hot dogs due to company
negligence killed 21.
Southern Co., the largest electric utility in the United States,
grabbed a place on the list for its efforts to defeat sensible air
pollution regulations.
Wal-Mart secured its place among the 10 worst by mistreating
workers domestically and abroad, and by contributing to the sprawl
that blights the U.S. landscape.
Corporations on Multinational Monitor's 10 worst list appear
alphabetically, and are not ranked internally.
For a complete copy of Multinational Monitor's article naming
the 10 worst corporations of 2001, see www.essential.org/monitor.
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