EU and Member States must get serious about private sector activities
15 March 2016
A new report by Greenpeace has shown how Socfin (Société Financière des Caoutchoucs), a leading palm oil plantation company working in Africa for decades, threatens forests, community livelihoods, unique ecosystems, and efforts to counter climate change.
The Luxemburg-based Socfin, owned by the French group Bolloré and Belgian businessman Hubert Fabri, is involved in a number of social conflicts with communities in Africa, notably in Cameroon and Sierra Leone, and in Asia (Cambodia).
The Socfin case highlights how the EU and its Member States continue to make international commitments – to combat climate change, protect biodiversity or respect human rights – that are then undermined by the activities of some of their private sector companies.
The EU and its Member States must rein in the harmful activities of companies such as Socfin to end deforestation and forest degradation.