Monopoly power versus public service
Huge fees for bankers, lawyers and lobbyists, crony capitalism and conflicts of interests, profit extraction on climate funds and essential services... An analysis, commissioned by Public Services International, of the controversial takeover of Suez by Veolia, one year on after the deal was completed.
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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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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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Teleperformance
The global call centre giant has built its fortune on exploiting a young, abundant and cheap workforce.
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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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Bouygues
A construction group at the heart of French capitalism, which has diversified into telecommunications and media.
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Vivendi
Advertising, book publishing, television, media, video games: the Vincent Bolloré-controlled conglomerate yields a lot of influence.
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Schneider Electric
The distant heir to the prestigious industrial group founded in 1836 in Le Creusot is now managed from Hong Kong.
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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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Atos
A digital tech and services specialist that cultivates close connections to government.
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LVMH
The global luxury goods giant headed by Bernard Arnault is now Europe’s largest market capitalisation.
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Our investigations
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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 have greatly profited from it.
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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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Know your Billionaires ! A Portrait of Europe Through Its Richest Citizens
A collaborative report by civil society and media organisations sheds light on Europe’s richest, how they built their wealth and how they use it.
All issues
Our Commitment: investigate abuses of corporate power, and their remedies