Monsanto Australia

In December 2010 Steve Marsh, an organic farmer from Kojonup Western Australia, had genetically modified (GM) canola seeds blown onto his property from a neighbouring farm. Approximately 70 percent of Mr Marsh's property is now contaminated.
GM giant Monsanto has stated that it will support the GM famer's legal action and the Pastoralists & Graziers Association (WA) Inc has agreed to pay the respondent neighbours legal fees.
Monsanto, the main company responsible for developing and promoting GMOs, has insisted on 'no-liability' agreements with participating farmers, making the company immune from persecution or liability for any 'fall out' from its products.
Source: Steve Marsh Benefit Fund (2011)

A recent government study found that 200,000 Indian farmers have killed themselves in the past ten years. Well-known Bollywood filmmaker Aamir Khan attributes this startling statistic to the fact that many unsuspecting farmers are convinced that genetically modified seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers from American companies like Monsanto will increase their profits. Khan is hoping to spread awareness about this disturbing trend in a new movie called Peepli Live.
Source: Care2 (2010)

Monsanto's Roundup herbicide has been linked to human birth defects, and now one of the company's signature genetically engineered crops is Roundup Ready wheat. Monsanto manufactured Agent Orange, a dangerous herbicide containing dioxin used by the US during the Vietnam War to reduce jungle foliage. Approximately 72 million litres of Agent Orange were sprayed over Vietnam, and Monsanto reached a $180 million settlement with veterans who suffered adverse health effects from handling the chemical.
Source: Green America (2009)

This 2011 Greenpeace report criticises the widespread and increasingly intensive use of glyphosate in association with the use of GM (genetically modified) crops, saying it poses further risks to the environment and human health. Glyphosate kills all vegetation except GM crops specifically engineered to be tolerant to the powerful herbicide. Monsanto is the main company these activities.
Source: Greenpeace (2011)

This company is a partner of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, which claims will lift 50 million people in Africa out of poverty by 2022. But according to a 2015 report by ActionAid, the scheme will benefit multinational companies at the expense of small-scale farmers and is likely to increase poverty and inequality in Africa. Launched in 2012, the New Alliance provides aid money from rich countries like the US and the UK, and helps big business invest in the African agricultural sector. But in return, African countries are required to change their land, seed and trade rules in favour of big business. The New Alliance will: Make it easier for big corporations to grab land in Africa: Prevent farmers from breeding, saving and exchanging seeds: Heavily promote chemical fertilisers and pesticides, which increase farmers’ risk of debt as well as damaging the environment and farmers' health: Replace family farms with low paid, insecure jobs; and Prevent countries from restricting crop exports, even at times of domestic shortage.
Source: Action Aid (2015)

In May 2007, the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA), with a membership of around 80,000, announced that it is launching a nationwide boycott of Monsanto to protest a proposed a $1.5 billion merger with Delta and Pine Co. that would reduce competition and crush small farmers. '[The merger] is going to give Monsanto a lock on three major commodities,' says Dr. John W. Boyd, Jr., president and founder of the NBFA. 'They already have corn and soybeans and now they're going to have control of cotton.'
Source: NBFA (2007)

Monsanto sells half of the world's glyphosate, the most widely used and heavily applied herbicide in history. This 2017 report by As You Sow tells the story of glyphosate - how and why it is used, what we know about it, and what we do not. It focuses on human health concerns, such as increasing dietary exposures linked to pre-harvest use of glyphosate and the mounting criticism of current U.S. pesticide regulation.
Source: As You Sow (2017)

The Access to Seeds Index evaluates and compares seed companies according to their efforts to improve access to quality seeds of improved varieties for smallholder farmers. This company received a score of 2.06/5.
Source: Access to Seeds Index (2019)

This company received a score of 51.5/100 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: Newsweek (2017)

The Corporate Research Project's Corporate Rap Sheets are dossiers summarising the most significant crimes, violations and other questionable activities of the world's largest and most controversial companies. Follow link to see this company's Corporate Rap Sheet. "Once a controversial chemical company, Monsanto remade itself into an even more controversial agricultural biotechnology corporation that holds a dominant position in both herbicides and genetically engineered seeds. Identified more closely than any other company with the effort to introduce genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the food supply, Monsanto has been the target of ongoing campaigns for more than 20 years."
Source: Corporate Research Project (2018)

This company is listed on the Facing Finance website as a company that manufactures weapons or profits from violations of human rights, pollution, corruption, or international law. Follow link for further details.
Source: Facing Finance (2014)

Of the world's big pesticide makers, Bayer's pesticides pose the biggest threat to human health and the environment, according to the Greenpeace Germany report 'The dirty portfolios of the pesticides industry' [Listed under Information due to age of report]
Source: Greenpeace International (2008)

Bayer has been criticised for its commercial production of genetically modified crops. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
Source: Boycott Bayer, Corporate Watch, UK (2004)

As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target; climate smart agriculture.
Source: We Mean Business (2021)

This company appears on the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, signifying a commitment to supporting gender equality through policy development, representation, and transparency.
Source: Bloomberg (2021)

This company has sustainability claims on its website under that headings of Health Care, Food Security and Climate Protection.
Source: company website (2021)

This company is a member of How2Recycle. The How2Recycle Label is a voluntary, standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public. It involves a coalition of forward thinking brands who want their packaging to be recycled and are empowering consumers through smart packaging labels. Companies must be a member of the program to use the How2Recycle Label.
Source: How2Recycle (2020)

This company is a member of The Sustainability Consortium, an organization of diverse global participants that work collaboratively to build a scientific foundation that drives innovation to improve consumer product sustainability. They develop transparent methodologies, tools, and strategies to drive a new generation of products and supply networks that address environmental, social, and economic imperatives.
Source: Sustainability Consortium (2019)

The United Nations Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of 10 values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption. However it's non-binding nature has been widely criticised, and many signatory corporations continue to violate the Compact's values.
Source: UN Global Compact (2020)

The WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2019 assesses 173 companies on the commitments they have made, and the actions they have taken, to ensure that there is no destruction of nature including no deforestation along their supply chains; and support a responsible and sustainable palm oil industry beyond their own supply chain. This company is rated 'middle of the pack' with a score of 13.8 out of a possible total of 22.
Source: WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2019 (2019)

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: Modern Slavery Registry (2017)

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: Open Secrets (2020)

This website contains details about Bayer's tainted history including connections to the Nazis in WWII and the production of bee-killing pesticides.
Source: Coalition Against Bayer Dangers (2020)