General Electric

OVERALL
Owned	USA
Rating

Conglomerate

Founded by Thomas Edison in 1876. Today it is one of world's largest companies with operations in the areas of energy, technology infrastructure, capital finance, and consumer and industrial (including appliances, lighting, aviation and healthcare). In 2013 GE sold its media interests to USA's largest cable and internet access provider, Comcast.


General Electric Corporation	USA	website	email

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE

CRITICISM

INFORMATION

General Electric Corporation

Conflict minerals rating

As You Sow's 2018 report, Mining the Disclosures, is a deep analysis of 206 companies' human rights performance in relation to sourcing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This company's score was above 70% (Strong).
[Source 2018][More on Human Rights]

Global 100

The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list is an extensive data-driven corporate sustainability assessment. The ranked companies are leaders in the field of a sustainable business approach. The efficiency of a company's energy, water, CO2 and waste management is measured in relation to its total sales volume. The disclosure of that information is a pre-condition for the assessment. This company ranked #70 in the 2016 Global 100.
[Source 2016][More on Sustainability Reporting]

Top 10 Corporate Criminal of 2017

This company appeared on Global Exchange's list of "10 Top Corporate Criminals of 2017" for being the top corporate US tax evader; its tax rate was -9% from 2008-2013.
[Source 2017][More on Governance]

Supply chain practices in China

This company received a score of 25/100 (retrieved 14-Feb-2018) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains.
[Source 2018][More on Habitats]

Omniscan lawsuit

On 23 March 2013 GE Healthcare, a division of this company, was found by a jury in a federal court in Cleveland to have failed to adequately warn patients and doctors about the dangers of its medical imaging dye, Omniscan. The jury awarded US$5m to the plaintiff and his wife. This was the first time a jury had examined whether the dye, injected to sharpen MRI scans, can cause the debilitating disease of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis. It was revealed that GE Healthcare ignored the advice of its own experts in 2009 and 2010 to proactively restrict its use. The company had also settled a few hundred cases involving the dye out of court which were all confidential.
[Source 2013][More on Product Safety]

Arms sales

This company is 27th on SIPRI's list of the Top 100 arms-producing and military services companies in the world (excluding Chinese companies), ranked by their arms sales in 2015. Arms sales accounted for 3% of this company's total sales in 2015.
[Source 2015][More on Military]

Excessive CEO pay

As You Sow's 2017 report, 'The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs', reveals the 100 most overpaid CEOs from USA's 500 largest public companies (as determined by the S&P 500 list). This company's CEO, Jeffrey R. Immelt came in at number 12 on the list, having been paid US$32,973,947 in 2015. According to the report, "Most CEOs have come to be grossly overpaid, and that overpayment is harmful to the companies, the shareholders, the customers, the other employees, the economy, and society as a whole."
[Source 2017][More on Finance]

Political donations

This company is on OpenSecrets.org's list of the 100 top donor organisations in US federal-level politics since 1989. Companies on this list lobby and spend big, with large sums sent to candidates, parties and leadership PACs. This company comes in at number 47 on the list, with donations totalling US$37,904,456 between 1989 and 2018.
[Source 2018][More on Politics]

History of misdeeds

GE has a lengthy record of criminal, civil, political and ethical transgressions. Listed under information due to age of report.
[Source 2001][More on Habitats]

Nuclear - direct involvement

Hitachi and General Electric operate a joint venture which builds nuclear power plants.
[Source 2014][More on Nuclear]

Military - direct involvement

GE is a top contractor for the U.S. government in both Iraq and Afghanistan. (Listed under information due to age of article)
[Source 2007][More on Military]

Action on Darfur

Identified in 'The Big Chill: Too Scared to Speak' report which identified Chinese Olympic Sponsors response to Darfur crisis in Sudan. Received a D. Neither took action in regard to bringing security to Darfur, their grades reflect what appeared to be significant concern with the issue and an effort (unsuccessful) to take an action.
[Source 2008][More on Human Rights]

Chemical poisoning of workers

The Poisonous Pearl is a 2016 report by Good Electronics which focuses on the experiences of (former) workers in the electronics industry in China who are victims of chemical poisoning. The health of all the workers in the report was damaged by exposure to hazardous chemicals such as benzene and n-hexane. All were working in large or small factories in the Pearl River Delta-region of China, an area well known as being a global hub for the production of consumer electronics (ICT). This company is supplied by factories in the region.
[Source 2016][More on Workers Rights]

Multinational Monitor's '10 Worst Corporations of 2008'

Named one of Multinational Monitor's '10 Worst Corporations of 2008'. (Listed under information due to age of report)
[Source 2008][More on Finance]

Responsible Minerals Initiative member

This company is a member of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (formerly the Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative), which helps companies address conflict minerals issues in their supply chains. The RMI provides information on conflict-free smelters and refiners, common tools to gather sourcing information, and forums for exchanging best practices on addressing conflict minerals. Membership is open to companies that use or transact in tantalum, tin, tungsten or gold (3TG). Founded in 2008 by members of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative.
[Source 2019][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]

PPA Participant

This company is a participant in the Public-Private Alliance for Responsible Minerals Trade (PPA), a multi-sector and multi-stakeholder initiative to support supply chain solutions to conflict minerals challenges in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes Region (GLR) of Central Africa. The PPA provides funding and coordination support to organizations working within the region to develop verifiable conflict-free supply chains; align chain-of-custody programs and practices; encourage responsible sourcing from the region; promote transparency; and bolster in-region civil society and governmental capacity.
[Source 2014][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]

CDP Climate Change Score of C

In 2018, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of C.
[Source 2018][More on Climate Change]

Modern Slavery statement

California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
[Source 2016][More on Human Rights]

57.6% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017

This company received a score of 57.6/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
[Source 2017][More on Sustainability Reporting]

OpenSecrets.org profile

OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.
[Source 2014]

Media Ownership Chart

One of USA's biggest media companies. General Electric media-related holdings include television networks NBC and Telemundo, Universal Pictures, Focus Features, 26 television stations in the United States and cable networks MSNBC, Bravo and the Sci Fi Channel. GE also owns 80 percent of NBC Universal. Follow link for more info.
[Source 2010]

NuclearBanks.org profile

The Nuclear Banks website tells you about the banks, companies and projects behind the nuclear industry. Follow link to see this company's profile.
[Source 2009]

> About the Icons

Company Details

Company Structure	Public company
Revenue	US$146 billion in 2013
# Employees	305,000 in 2013
Subsidiaries	GE Australia Pty Ltd

Contact Details

Address	Fairfield, Connecticut, USA
Website	www.ge.com

Products / Brands

General Electric

GE Light Globes

General Electric

OVERALL

Company Assessment

Company Details

Contact Details

Products / Brands

Featured Pages

Connect

Legal