[Intl-tobacco] ASH UK responds to British American Tobacco social report

[Robert Weissman]

Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2002 11:40:53 +0200 (MEST)
From: Clive Bates <clive.bates@dial.pipex.com>

Dear All

PR Week (July 19)  has published our letter about the BAT social report in
response to a slightly indignant editorial the previous week - I circulate
this because it addresses the common criticism of NGOs that choose not to
participate in dialogue and uses a very helpful quote from BAT Australia's
PR Manager, Brendan Brady, which was leaked to Simon Chapman.  The basic
idea is that WE decide how we spend our time - BAT can't just help
themselves to our resources for their agenda.

Don't forget our alternative report is at:
http://www.ash.org.uk/html/conduct/html/reporttosocietysum.html

This has links to the BAT report now on line. (Also, to let you know it's
coming - we have commissioned the scalpel-like pen of Stan Shatenstein
to do
a critical review of the BAT report - more of that later in August)

Regards

Clive Bates
ASH
---------------
To: The Editor, PR week

Dear Editor

ASH has not dismissed British American Tobacco's social reporting exercise
on 'moral grounds' (CSR is for all, not just do-gooders, 12 July). We agree
with your editorial that every company, including tobacco companies, should
give an honest account of their wider impact on society.  However, BAT
has a
number of long-standing public relations agendas such as denying the impact
of passive smoking and obfuscation about health risks and addiction.  As
expected, the social report turns out to be a vehicle for advancing these
positions.  We have produced a more realistic assessment of the company's
ethical performance (check out www.ash.org.uk)

Stakeholder dialogue is not always constructive.  It can be used offensively
to silence and disorientate legitimate criticism - and BAT has admitted as
much.  BAT Australia   public affairs manager, Brendan Brady, was asked
by a
colleague how they would deal with opponents that refused to engage.
Brady's response: ” We can effectively embarrass them into talking to
us. We
can ensure that they eventually come to the table with their problems about
the industry, with their problems about tobacco. Whatever. And once they’re
at the table, we can then establish our license to operate."  I find it hard
to justify helping BAT establish its 'license to operate'.  As a small
charity, we put our public health priorities ahead of BAT’s demands for
self-serving dialogue.

Yours sincerely

Clive Bates
Director
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
102 Clifton Street
London EC2A 4HW
T: +44 (0)20 7739 5902
M: +44 (0)77 6879 1237
F: +44 (0)20 7613 0531
W: www.ash.org.uk
E: clive.bates@dial.pipex.com


PS.  they edited the letter and cut out "promotion of ineffective youth
anti-smoking campaigns; denial about its business practices in relation to
smuggling, price fixing and document shredding; and much more" from the list
of BAT's PR agenda.