Total S.A. France Oil Co. and Its Ethical Problems
Autor: pokerdas • February 21, 2015 • Term Paper • 1,619 Words (7 Pages) • 1,938 Views
Ethics Paper
Total S.A. France oil Co. and its Ethical Problems
Brief Information on Total S.A. France oil Co.:
Total S.A. is a fourth largest oil and gas company in the world with 96,104 employees and business in more than 130 countries. Total S.A. is employed with all sorts of petroleum operations like oil and gas exploration, liquefied natural gas (LNG) along with refining, petroleum products, petrochemicals, dealing and distribution of crude oil etc.
Annual Report 2010, Swiss Research Company Covalence:
Total S.A. Oil Company is 10th most unethical company of the world by Swiss research company covalence in their 2010 annual review of multinational corporations. The research was done among the 581 companies according to the 45 different standards which included labor and human rights records.
A Report by Earth Rights International, December 2010:
The report named “The Norwegian Government’s Investments in Oil and Gas Companies Operating in Burma (Myanmar)” presents proof of connection between the oil companies like Total S.A. and others with progressive human rights violation in Yadana project operated in Myanmar with holding 31.24% investment alone. According to the interviewed Burmese soldiers, the companies involved in the Yadana project are the dominant cause of their slavery and abuses in the service.
Human Rights Violation in Myanmar:
Total S.A. (TOT) has been accused to continuously funding Military Junta in Myanmar to stabilize their operations in that country. Total S.A. began its business in Myanmar in 1992. From then it has been using forced labor with the support of Military Junta. It provides around $200 million to $450 million annually to Military Junta. With this money, Military Junta builds its army and buys its arms to suppress the citizens of the country. The citizens are enslaved and forced to work on Yadana pipeline project. The workers on the project are abused and pushed to work in a very harsh working conditions. Total S.A. earns tons of profits from this project and the workers who work for them get nothing in return but exploitation of their human rights.
Cases against Total SA for violating human rights:
Total S.A. has been sued by many Burmese people for using them as forced labor in construction of Yadana pipeline in Burma. Total S.A. was also charged to present in France for violating the human rights in Burma but later the case was closed due to out of court settlements. Again the case has been re-opened in Belgium by four
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