Miscellaneous Research Links
AFL-CIO Do Buy/Don’t Buy
The AFL-CIO Union Label & Service Trades Department posts lists of which companies and products are supported and which ones are being boycotted by affiliated labor unions.
Better Business Bureau
The Better Business Bureau has integrated the business reports from its regional branches into one searchable Internet database.
CorpWatch.org
A joint project of the Transnational Resource and Action Center and the Institute for Global Communications, this site includes:
- links and resources for corporate research
- action alerts
- transnational corporate news
- Greenwash Awards for worst corporate environmental practices (co-sponsored with Greenpeace)
Corporate Watch (UK)
This site offers a small, but growing, collection of in-depth profiles of multinational companies. In addition, they have indexed their magazine articles by company. The two most useful resources on this site are the DIY Guide: How to Research Companies and the search engine which covers multiple corporate social responsibility sites in one search.
Transnationale.org
The is a multilingual corporate research site based in France. Corporate profiles are very detailed with brand names, financial and shareholder data, CEOs, environmental and labor law violations, layoffs, and other social responsibility details. You can search by company name or by consumer product brand name. Transnationale recently instituted paid registration but the subscription rate, $27/year, is very reasonable, especially if you are researching foreign companies that are not traded on the U.S. exchanges.
Public Information Network
This site details some of the negative practices of transnational corporations and available reports. All information is sourced, making this database a good starting point for research on transnationals. It is especially strong on environmental issues. Search alphabetically by company name by clicking on the Directory of Transnational Corporations or on one of the small collection of detailed company profiles.
Public Services International Research Unit
This site contains profiles of multinational companies involved in privatization of public services. A typical report contains basic information about the company, a list of its subsidiaries and activities around the world, and financial summary information. These are only available to PSI members and a password must be obtained. PSIRU also posts news stories on privatization and special reports which are available to all.
Canadian Union of Public Employees - Privatization
This site provides stories on privatization of public services and CUPE resources by industry sector. Particularly useful is CUPE’s Annual Report on Privatization.
Project on Government Oversight Federal Contractor Misconduct Database
This database can be searched by many fields including name of federal contractor, type of case, and date. Records show type of case and description of infraction, amount of fine or settlement, disposition, court docket number where applicable, and date.
Multinational Monitor
This is the online edition of Multinational Monitor magazine. It is archived back to 1992. The most useful portion is the annual December issue that lists the 10 worst corporations of the year. The Web site is fully searchable.
Best Companies for Working Mothers
Working Mother magazine compiles an annual list of the 100 most woman-friendly companies based on a variety of criteria such as salary rates and provision of day care. Company records show ratings in the four criteria: salary, opportunity for advancement, child care and family friendliness, as well as the number and percentage of female employees working for the company. The online database can be searched by company name or by the criteria.
Domestic Partner Benefits
Produced by the Partners Task Force for Gay & Lesbian Couples, this site provides links to lists of companies that provide employee benefits to unmarried domestic partners.
EEO/Orientation List
This is a regularly updated list of private and public employers that include sexual orientation in their Equal Employment Opportunity statements.
The Corporate Library: International Corporate Governance Research
Free searches limited to S&P 500 companies only. Paid subscribers gain access to full profiles on over 1600 U.S. and 260 international companies and CEOs. Company profiles show brief but detailed information on corporate governance. Site also has latest news in this area and monitors shareholder actions on this subject.
SocialFunds.com: Corporate Social Research Center
This site provides profiles on corporate social practices and includes company news, links to additional profiles and studies created by a variety of reputable firms in the socially responsible investment business, and shareholder resolutions in this area. Links to major social responsibility indexes, such as the Domini 400, and lists are also available. The Shareholder Action area, powered by the Investor Responsibility Research Center, enables searching for recent proxy resolutions by topic or company.
IdealsWork.com
Compare the social and environmental records of thousands of companies organized by product. Brand names are rated and ranked according to the social criteria you select on such issues as labor policies, role of women, gay and lesbian rights, and environmental record.
Responsible Shopper
Produced by the consumer organization Co-op America, this Web site allows searches by company, brand name, or product category. Companies within an industry are compared and rated on workplace, environmental, and disclosure criteria. Individual company profiles show company strengths and weaknesses in social responsibility, as well as list the brand names and other holdings of the company. A contact tab provides address, phone, e-mail, and Web site for the company and the viewer may e-mail the company immediately about a variety of social responsibility issues.
