pressure groups Flashcards
what is a pressure group
an organisation who fights to influence the actions of others for the good of a particular cause
- aim is to raise awareness of an issue and influence the consumer and business behaviour
what is green peace
non-government enviromental organization that focuses on enviromental issues such as climate change, deforestation, overfishing, pollution and nuclear power
- they have participated in international climate conferences
what can greenpeace do to influence the behaviour of a business
- public awareness campaigns
- direct action and non-verbal protests -
- corporate engagement and dialogue
- boycotts and consumer activism-
- lobbying and advocacy
- corporate research and exposes
- certification and partnership programs
- shareholder activism
- alternative solutions and innovation advocacy
- public awareness campaigns
to inform consumers about the environmental practices of specific companies
direct action and non-verbal protests
generate media coverage and public awareness, putting pressure on the targeted business to address environmental concerns
corporate engagement and dialogue
engage direct dialogue with companies to discuss environmental concerns and propose solutions
boycotts and consumer activism
engage in political lobbying to push for stronger environmental regulations and policies
corporate research and exposes
conduct research on environmental practices of businesses and release reports or exposes to the public
certification and partnership programs
Greenpeace may work with businesses to develop and implement certification programs or partnerships that promote environmentally friendly practices.
shareholder activism
engage with shareholders to advocate for environmental resolutions at company meetings
Alternative Solutions and Innovation Advocacy
promote and advocate for alternative, environmentally friendly solutions
how has greenpeace influenced the behaviour of a business
- In the mid-2000s, Greenpeace targeted Apple for its use of toxic chemicals and unsustainable practices in the manufacturing of its products. As a result of sustained pressure, Apple made commitments to phase out hazardous substances and improve its environmental practices
- Greenpeace launched a campaign in 2014 against the partnership between LEGO and Shell. The campaign, which included a viral video featuring a reimagined LEGO Arctic landscape being destroyed by an oil spill, pressured LEGO to end its marketing partnership with Shell. Ultimately, LEGO decided not to renew its contract with Shell, signaling a victory for Greenpeace’s campaign.
two advantages of greenpeace influencing business behaviour
enviromental convservation and sustainability
- By advocating for more environmentally friendly practices, Greenpeace helps businesses adopt measures that reduce their ecological footprint, mitigate climate change, and protect natural resources. This can contribute to the preservation of ecosystems, biodiversity, and the overall health of the planet.
public awareness and accountability - attract more media attention
- engage a broad audience and educating cusumers about the environmental impact of certain business practices
- increased awareness will lead to more environmentally conscious consumer base, influencing purchasing decisions and putting pressure on businesses to act responsibly
- holds companies accountable for their actions and encourages transparency in the operations, fostering a culture corporate responsibility
what do greenpeace do
-aim to raise the profit of environmental issues. they do this by:
- run campaigns to educate people about environmental issues
- organising peaceful protests to draw peoples attention to issues
- take direct action against businesses that are damaging the environment, such as boarding oil platforms, blockading entrances to oil refineries
- lobbying business and political leaders - talking to them directly to try to change their behaviour and policies
- taking legal action to try to prevent businesses behaving in a way that damages the environment
questions
- explain two ways a business could respond to a pressure group
- analyse two ways a business could be affected by a pressure group
GO ONTO POWERPOINT - IT HAS EXAMPLE ANSWERS
identify four actions a pressure group could take to influence the behaviour of a business
- meet with the owners
- encourage people to boycott the business
- hold a protest
- blockage the business premises
describe how a pressure group that you have researched has influenced business behaviour
greenpeace will lobby BP and politicians. this involves meeting with them to discuss issues that concern them about what BP is doing
greenpeace also hold protests. this involves getting people to march or demonstrate against a business like BP
explain two ways a pressure group that you have researched has influenced business behaviour
green peace has encouraged people to boycott BP as its activities are damaging the enviroment. this means that BP loses customers and revenues if it doesnt stop acting in this way
greenpeace has held protests or blockades at the BP premises and their oil platforms. this means the business cant trade as normal and will lose revenues
explain two advantages of a pressure group influencing business behaviour
if greenpeace holds a protest it will make people more aware of things BP are doing that are damaging the enviroment. this means the public will put pressure on BP to stop behaving in the way that damages the enviroment
if greenpeace lobbies BP’s directors it allows them to discuss their point of view. this may make the directors change their mind about the enviroment and so they behave more responsibly in the future which will help to protect the enviroment
explain two ways a business could respond to a pressure group
BP could ask greenpeace representatives to be involved in meetings with them about enviromental issues. this would help them to agree to the best way to drill for oil or generate power in the future
bp could take legal action to stop greenpeace holding protests at its premises. this would allow them to continue to operate their oil platforms, for example, as normal
analyse two ways a business could be affected by a pressure group
BP’s reputation could be damaged. this is because greenpeace could hold protests which would help inform people about what BP is doing and how it is affecting the enviroment. this would lead to bad publicity and a loss of trade. this would impact on the profits it makes
BP could learn more about the enviromental impact of its actions by listening to greenpeace. if they meet with representatives of greenpeace, they could find out better ways to be more enviromentally friendly. this would helop them get a better reputation with the public leading to more sales, revenue and profit
