RepRisk has released a report listing the top ten most environmentally and socially criticized companies of 2009. These companies have been severely criticized by the world's media and NGOs for issues including human rights abuses, severe environmental violations, impacts on local communities, corruption and bribery, as well as breaches of labor, health and safety standards. The German electronics giant Siemens ranks sixth with a record of bribing and illegal trading.
In February 2010, RepRisk released a report listing the top ten most environmentally and socially criticized companies of 2009. These companies have been severely criticized by the world's media and NGOs for issues including human rights abuses, severe environmental violations, impacts on local communities, corruption and bribery, as well as breaches of labor, health and safety standards.
Alleged bribing and illegal trading place Siemens in sixth position of the Reprisk ranking. The German electronics giant has bribed officials in a dozen countries to obtain lucrative telecommunications contracts. Chilean civil servants criticized Siemens' illicit trade in coltan, a mineral used in the manufacture of electronic devices. Armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo benefit from this trade.
RepRisk is a provider of dynamic data on environmental and social risks for an unlimited universe of companies and projects. According to information provided on the RepRisk website, rankings are based on the Reputational Risk Index (RRI), a quantitative risk measure that captures criticism and quantifies a company's exposure to controversial issues. It does not measure a company's overall reputation, but rather is an indicator of reputational risk. The ranking is directly derived from the negative press captured by RepRisk and is strictly rule-based. RepRisk is used by asset owners and asset managers, commercial and investment bankers, supply chain managers, and corporate responsibility experts.
RepRisk covers controversial issues including environmental footprint and climate change, human rights and community relations, labor conditions and employee relations as well as corruption and money-laundering. In particular, all principles of the UN Global Compact are addressed.
