27 August 2002

Sixth Annual Roger Award For Worst Transnational Corporation In NZ: Nominations Open, Judges Named

Nominations for the sixth Roger Award for the worst transnational corporation operating in New Zealand are now open.

The annual award is organised by GATT Watchdog and the Campaign Against Foreign Control of Aotearoa (CAFCA).

The judges for the 2002 Roger Award are Sukhi Turner, Mayor of Dunedin; Dr Ranginui Walker, Emeritus Professor, Auckland University and author; Prue Hyman, feminist author and academic, former Associate Professor of Economics, Victoria University; and John Minto, veteran Auckland activist and national chairperson of the Quality Public Education Coalition (QPEC).

The winner of the Award will be announced at an Auckland event in early 2003.

The award is given to the transnational corporation judged to have had the most negative impact in New Zealand in each or all of the following fields during 2002: unemployment, monopoly, profiteering, abuse of workers/conditions, political interference, environmental damage, cultural imperialism, impact on tangata whenua, running an ideological crusade, impact on women, health and safety of workers and the public.

Transnational corporations dominate almost all aspects of the economy and our lives, with the UN’s World Investment Report describing New Zealand as the most “transnationalised” country in the OECD. The Roger Award is one way to name and shame corporate bullies operating in New Zealand and hold them accountable for their actions. Despite the spin that the public relations industry puts on its clients and their activities, many people know that these corporations exist solely to make a profit, regardless of the negative social and environmental impact which they may have on communities.

Big business takes the Roger Award seriously. Every year we are contacted by public relations spindoctors acting for companies which have been named as finalists for the Award seeking information or hoping to influence the outcome.

The Roger Award attracts significant international interest from researchers, academics, media and campaign organisations concerned with corporate power and control.

The Roger Award 2001 was won by Carter Holt Harvey.

Previous winners have been Tranz Rail (1997 and 2000), Monsanto (1998), and TransAlta (1999).

Nominations close on October 31, 2002. Nomination forms can be downloaded from www.cafca.org.nz and are available from GATT Watchdog, PO Box 1905, Christchurch.

For further comment, contact Leigh Cookson or Aziz Choudry, ph (03) 3662803;
email: notoapec@clear.net.nz

© Scoop Media