GAFAM Nation. Big Tech’s web of influence in France
Rapidly increasing lobbying expenses, revolving doors, secret contacts at the Elysée Palace, financial partnerships with media, think tanks and research institutions... A dive into the formidable lobbying and influence machine of Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple and Facebook in France.
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Allô Bercy? Corporate Welfare in a Time of Pandemic
The French government offered unprecedented financial support to businesses in response to the Covid pandemic, and large corporations of the CAC40 stock index have greatly profited from it. With very few strings attached, whether in terms of dividend payouts or of climate commitments.
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The CAC40’s web
As part of our “true annual report” of CAC40 companies, we analysed the make-up of the boards of directors of the 40 corporations in the flagship Paris stock market index. Our findings help explain the remarkable cohesion and solidarity of French big business, as well as the web of influence it has woven in the media and in French society at large.
All the articles
- 06.02.2018 After their attacks on climate science, industrial lobbyists target the scientific evidence on air pollution
- 13.09.2016 When Prisons, Inmates and Detention Policies Become Investment Products
- 13.09.2016 How to recognize a truly alternative, ethical and socially useful bank
- 13.09.2016 In Bangladesh, Rana Plaza Survivors Set Up Own Cooperative
- 13.09.2016 France’s Blatant Disregard for the Health of its People – How the Government and Lobby Groups have been Pushing Diesel Cars
Multinationals Dissected
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Safran
A French champion at the juncture between the arms and aeronautics industries
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Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
A global shopping centres giant that has the ear of local politicians.
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Worldline
A global leader in payment services, built through successive acquisitions and restructuring
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Saint-Gobain
A historic pillar of French industry, still highly influential, with a tight control over the building materials sector
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Société générale
From the financial crisis of 2008 to the Panama Papers and the financing of fossil fuels, a bank struggling to restore its image
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Stellantis
The automotive giant born from the merger of PSA and FiatChrysler continues to cut jobs while paying executives and shareholders handsomely.
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EDF
National public service for electricity, champion of nuclear energy, and a global corporation like any other?
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Bouygues
A construction group at the heart of French capitalism, which has diversified into telecommunications and media.
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Our investigations
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The EU and the Corporate Impunity Nexus
This report investigates the disturbing alignment of the EU with corporate lobby groups at the UN.
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Our Public Water Future. The global experience with remunicipalisation
A growing wave of cities putting water back under public control has now spread to dozens of countries impacting 100 million people.
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Finance lobby’s risky plans for post-Brexit Europe exposed
Any future EU-UK trade agreement post-Brexit will have to deal with the financial sector; and the long-term consequences of such a deal could be dire.
All issues
Our Commitment: investigate abuses of corporate power, and their remedies