From the US to the UAE, boycotts are sweeping the world causing many people to open their eyes to the human rights violations being committed by large corporations for the first time. However, the boycotted companies often have a pre-existing track record of violating human rights around the world.
Five months into the conflict, we reveal some of the top corporations from the BDS Boycott list that are some of the worst offenders of human rights around the world.
This highlights how consumers participating in boycotts internationally are not just standing against a genocide in Palestine but also contributing to a fairer and equal world by avoiding companies who are complicit in environmental devastation and more. This is shaping new consumer trends around the world that demand a a transparent and equitable business models.
1. Zara is using forced labour by Uyghurs
Zara has been boycotted since November because of what critics deemed was an ad campaign that dehumanised Palestinians although not on the official BDS list. Prior to this, Zara was already identified as being at high risk of sourcing materials, particularly cotton and PVC, from Chinese state-imposed labour transfer programmes by Uyghurs.
Source: ‘Substantial volume’ of clothing tied to Uyghur forced labour entering EU …
2. Amazon (and Google) provides cloud services for the Israeli military and government
Amazon, which has been named as a ‘pressure’ target, signed a $1.2B contract to provide cloud services for the Israeli military and government. Critics say this bolsters the artificial intelligence and surveillance capabilities of the Israeli military used to repress Palestinian activists.
On top of that, Amazon also refuses to cut ties with the National Rifle Association and pay taxes despite CEO Jeff Bezos amassing $172 billion.
Sources: https://actions.eko.org/a/tell-amazon-to-stop-supporting-the-nra
3. McDonald’s is one of the biggest packaging polluters in the UK
McDonald’s which has lost over $7 billion in revenue over the past 5 months throughout the Middle East has been known as one of the biggest packaging polluters in the UK
4. Coke is one of the largest plastic polluters in the world
Many restaurants and cafes are taking Coke off their menus, but little is known about the fact that Coke is already one of the top plastic polluters in the world.
Source: The top plastic polluters 2022 | WMW – Waste Management World
5. Pepsi is one of the biggest polluters in the UK
Pepsi is one of the biggest polluters in the UK as one of just 12 companies that were responsible for more than two-thirds (70%) of branded pollution that accumulated over the last year.
6. Barclays is knowingly bankrolling 7 out of the 10 worst fossil fuel companies in the world
Barclays is no stranger to boycotts. During the apartheid in South Africa, campaigners around the world successfully protested and managed to get Barclay’s to stop investing in the apartheid state. Today, it funds many of the worst fossil fuels companies in the world.
Source: ttps://bankonourfuture.org/news/barclays-agm-2023/
7. HSBC is complicit in Hong Kong human rights abuses
Today, HSBC is on the BDS boycott list, because of its complicity with Israel’s arms trade as a major shareholder in companies supplying weapons to Israel.
In 2023, HSBC was found to be siding with Chinese authorities and denying pension payouts to those who fled the authoritarian crackdown in Hong Kong, an inquiry by peers and MPs has concluded.
Source: The Guardian
8. Chevron (owns Texaco) is accused of polluting the Amazon for 26 years
Today, Chevron is on the BDS boycott list for being the main international actor extracting fossil gas claimed by the Israel, generating billions in revnue for apartheid Israel.
But it has been known for decades to be one of the biggest polluters of the Amazon. According to an article about the situation, since then “the only people who’ve paid the price are a human rights lawyer and those whose land was poisoned.”
Source: https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/08/chevron-amazon-ecuador-steven-donziger-erin-brockovich
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