G4S: Voted 3rd Worst Company in the World

G4S Demonstration 2012 (source: demotix.com)

We apologise if you've been bombarded with messages about the Public Eye Awards, but you'll be glad to know that G4S have been voted the third worst company in the world! Even though we would have loved to see G4S topping the list, were pretty happy with G4S being given the bronze award considering the stiff competition from Goldman Sachs and Shell. 

If you voted for G4S, you'll be pretty well-versed in the reasons for naming and shaming this toxic company. From securing the apartheid wall in Palestine to exploiting the UK "asylum market", G4S are playing a pivotal role in the securitisation and criminalisation of communities across the globe. Unsurprisingly, G4S were not too keen to hear of their nomination, and the company sent a 150 word letter to the Business and Human Rights Resource centre contesting the grounds of their nomination. Here's an excerpt from their defence: 

The basis on which G4S has been nominated is inaccurate and very
misleading. Much of the information published as criteria for the
nomination is completely false, for example: it is not true that G4S staff
are “often badly trained and paid” or that “many have a criminal
record”. G4S staff do not “man checkpoints” or “manage prison
security” in Israel. Where the company does operate in complex
environments such as Iraq or Afghanistan, it often does so in support of
humanitarian programmes or on behalf of western governments helping
to resolve conflict or to provide a long term stable regime for the people
of the country.  

There's no need to repeat the brilliant responses articulated by John Grayson and Adri Nieuwhof in their recent Open Democracy piece, but put simply, G4S' pithy 150 word complaint is hardly demonstrative of a company that values their public image. Whilst their bronze prize from the Public Eye Awards is a brilliant step towards exposing the activities of this multi-national company, it is not going to be enough to change current practice. Campaigners and activists across the globe will continue to highlight G4S' complicity in human rights abuses; we said no to G4S, and we still mean it.

Reason Two: Company Anthem? Really?

As it's Sunday, here's a relatively light-hearted reason for you to vote for G4S as the worst corporation of 2012 . They've got a company anthem. They even had a video for this company anthem (although it was taken off YouTube promptly after the New Statesman ran a story on the song). And they are even rumoured to have a company flag. If you don't believe me, have a listen yourself:



If you found yourself wanting to sing along, here are the terrifying lyrics:

Making a difference is what you do

But consider all you have at stake
The time is now don't make a mistake
Because the enemy prowls, wanting to attack
But we're on the wall, we've got your back
So get out front and take the lead
And be the winner you were born to be
G4S! protecting the world
G4S! so dreams can unfurl
24/7 every night and day
A warrior stands ready so don't be afraid
G4S! secure in your world
G4S! let your dreams unfurl
We're guarding you with all our might
Keeping watch throughout the night

CAST YOUR VOTE HERE...

Reason One: Cockroaches & rotten floorboards: Housing G4S style

As promised, throughout the month of January, we'll be recounting the reasons for you to vote for G4S as the worst company of 2012, and we'll probably be finding more.

Today, we're looking at their multi-million COMPASS contracts with the UK government. 

The COMPASS contracts saw the provision of housing for asylum seekers in the UK completely privatised. The country was split into six multi-regional contract zones, and the provision of services was put up to tender. In March 2012, Serco, G4S and Clearel were revealed as new service providers, with G4S managing provision in Yorkshire, Humberside and the North-East and the Midlands.

Since taking over the management of asylum housing from local authorities, G4S and their chosen property providers have continued to provide sub-standard, unsafe housing for people seeking protection in the UK. For a small indicator of the level of service provided by this multi-million pound company, read John Grayson's account of a young mother's experience of G4S housing. 

Vote G4S: Worst Company of 2012

It's 2013, and we're all looking ahead at the new year. But it's not quite time to forget about what happened in 2012. The Public Eye Awards, run by Greenpeace Switzerland and the Berne Declaration, has opened the online voting for 2012's worst company. Hardly to our surprise, G4S is one of them.

The whole procedure is aimed to help campaigners hold the most culpable companies, those at the heart of human rights and environmental abuses across the globe, to account. If you still need a reminder of why G4S deserve this honourable title of the worst company of the year, this video clip will hopefully trigger some memories:

 Far from just providing abominable asylum housing in Yorkshire and Humberside, securing Israeli apartheid and even targeting 'high-risk areas' of conflict and war as emerging markets, the tentacles of G4S' subsidiary companies are steadily creeping around the globe. Your vote can help bring this murky outsourcing giant into the critical spotlight it deserves.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be providing you with a new reason every day to name and shame G4S as the worst company as 2012. It's time to hold this corporate giant to account. 

CAST YOUR VOTE HERE.... 

As they say every new year, out with the old ...