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Enterprise and Social Responsibility

Academic Year 2010/2011

Question 1.1

Identify each of the stakeholders and how they are affected. What are the main harms and benefits in this case for the different stakeholders based on the current situation?

|Stakeholders |Harm |Benefits |
| | | |
| | | |
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BP as a global player, is immensely powerful. It has no democratic legitimacy, but often is better able to lead on the social development of the planet than national governments. This is a dilemma it needs to handle carefully.

What do the critics say?

BP's move towards positioning itself as a sustainable energy company has been the proverbial red rag to a bull for some. They point out that BP's claim to be a global leader in producing the cleanest burning fossil fuel (natural gas) is an incremental improvement over oil at best, and a distraction from getting away from fossil fuels at worst. BP, they claim, has co-opted the language of the environmentalists without the real commitment to deliver.
Campaigners named BP as one of the "top ten worst corporations" in 2006 following the Prudhoe Bay oil spill. They say that since branding itself an environmentally sound corporation with the "Beyond Petroleum" tagline in 1997, BP has been hit with a number of fines for major pollution incidents.

What does BP say?

BP states that it recognises the significant environmental and social challenges faced by the world in the 21st century. It believes it can, and should, play a part in addressing and resolving many of the issues associated with sustainable development. It also accepts that while the company can be part of the solution, it cannot and should not be the whole solution. Governments, companies