Radio Netherlands: Oil giant goes on drilling despite bad press
March 2005
by Pieternel Gruppen,
Despite massive attempts to change the way in which it is perceived, Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell is facing familiar problems once again. Having pumped money and effort into trying to shake off a negative image, the company is again attracting bad press. Following a rise in petrol prices, Shell is now the subject of a boycott in Argentina, and is meanwhile entangled in a border conflict between Asian neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia.
It was back in 1995 when Shell announced a major change in corporate policy, promising to focus greater attention on areas such as the environment and human rights. Socially-responsible entrepreneurship and transparency were the new watchwords. One of the factors behind the changes was the well-publicised controversy surrounding the Brent Spar oil platform.