War on Want: Caterpillar, the alternative reportby Joe Zacune and Claire Faucet, War on Want
March 1st, 2005
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| This report compares and contrasts Caterpillar's rhetoric of corporate social responsibility with the reality of its actual practices.
The report looks at the international construction company Caterpillar, and in particular its operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Caterpillar is the largest UK employer in the earth moving and construction industry,and is known on the high street for its range of rugged boots and fashion accessories.As a company,Caterpillar claims to maintain “a strong focus on social responsibility”,while its Code of Worldwide Business Conduct boasts “high ethical standards” through which Caterpillar should “set an example for others to follow”.
Yet Caterpillar’s armoured bulldozers have been responsible for the destruction of thousands of Palestinian homes,schools,wells and olive groves.Caterpillar’s bulldozers have also been used in the construction of the Separation Wall which Israel has built on Palestinian land and which has been ruled illegal by the International Court of Justice.As a result of this involvement in the abuse of Palestinians’ human rights,Caterpillar has been subject to unprecedented criticism from the United Nations and international human rights groups.
To download a pdf copy of this report, please click here.
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