This company briefing has been prepared by SOMO (Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations). It provides an overview of business practices that could be considered as unsustainable or irresponsible which occurred (or might have been addressed) in 2008. In addition, it may describe developments on some issues identified in a similar overview for 2006, which was also prepared by SOMO.

The overview below describes only controversial practices that were identified and not the positive achievements of a company in the same year, except for positive developments related to some of the practices from the overview for 2006. Information on positive achievements can usually be found in a company’s annual and/or sustainability report and on the company’s website. The purpose of this report is to provide additional information to shareholders and other stakeholders of a company on controversies that might or might not be detected and reported by the company itself.