As long as oil and fossil fuel companies are on the right side of the law it is worth engaging with them, however uncomfortable that may turn out to be
Are oil companies “morality-free zones”? In a recent article here on Guardian Sustainable Business, Jonathon Porritt, founder of Forum for the Future, suggests they are. And in a move that mirrors SustainAbility’s decision to stop working with Monsanto in the 90s, his organisation has decided to no longer work with Shell and BP.
Interestingly Shell’s CEO, Ben van Beurden, gave a speech last week, responding to increasing pressure on energy companies to leave fossil fuels in the ground. Unsurprisingly, his take on the situation is different: “The issue is how to balance one moral obligation, energy access for all, against the other: fighting climate change.” Shell, he argues, is being driven by a moral imperative.
Related: Oil company employees should consider quitting their jobs | Jonathon Porritt
Related: Business bosses should speak out against ‘anti-sustainability rhetoric’
Organisations (and individuals within them) develop sophisticated repertoires to offload blame onto others