# How can we hold companies responsible for the damage they cause? Source article; https://www.globalwitness.org/en/blog/how-can-we-hold-companies-responsible-damage-they-cause/ [Tweet](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=How%20can%20we%20hold%20companies%20responsible%20for%20the%20damage%20they%20cause?&url=https://www.globalwitness.org/en/blog/how-can-we-hold-companies-responsible-damage-they-cause/&via=global_witness)[Share Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=1573433759567938&display=popup&href=https://www.globalwitness.org/en/blog/how-can-we-hold-companies-responsible-damage-they-cause/)[Share LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.globalwitness.org/en/blog/how-can-we-hold-companies-responsible-damage-they-cause/&title=How%20can%20we%20hold%20companies%20responsible%20for%20the%20damage%20they%20cause?&summary=How%20can%20we%20hold%20companies%20responsible%20for%20the%20damage%20they%20cause?&source=Global-Witness)  [CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY](https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/holding-corporates-account/) Around the world, many corporations are causing harm to both people and planet through their destructive business practices. From coal and copper mines dumping toxic waste into rivers, to cattle ranchers and palm oil plantations cutting down swathes of tropical rainforest, to hydropower megaprojects violently evicting whole communities, these companies are leaving a trail of destruction in their wake in their quest for profit – with little concern for either human rights or the environment. We have exposed the misdeeds of many such companies in our investigations over the years, and each time it raises the question: what can we do to hold these companies accountable for what they have done? And how can we stop this from happening again in the future?  ## Public pressure Naming and shaming a company which has done wrong can help to damage that company’s reputation, as well as potentially scaring their shareholders into demanding action. As consumers increasingly adjust their shopping habits based on environmental and ethical concerns, companies need to make sure they do not end up on the wrong side of public opinion. However, when corporate wrongdoing is exposed, these companies are often more preoccupied with making the negative publicity go away rather than actually addressing the problem. If companies are found to be complicit in deforestation, for example, they will announce a new ‘environmental sustainability’ policy, or that they’ve joined a voluntary initiative to keep forests standing. But these commitments are not binding, and as soon as the public pressure has died down they can quietly slip back into their old habits. STAY INFORMED ## Subscribe to our newsletter Keep up to date with our latest campaign activities First Name