Multinational Resource Center

Southern countries increasingly find themselves exploited by the worst abuses of multinational corporations rampant pollution, oppressive labor practices, exploitative trading arrangements, and more. Yet Southern residents often have limited access to even basic information such as who owns local factories and what is their labor and environmental history, what are the laws that regulate specific industries in the North, and what are cleaner alternative waste management methods.

The Multinationals Resource Center (MRC) helps redress this situation by providing valuable information, free of charge, to Southern activists, environmental and consumer groups and journalists.

Through its research and outreach programs, MRC functions as a unique source of support for activists in these countries. In a small but important way, MRC is strengthening grassroots organizations and activist networks, and serves as a vital counter to the largely unchecked power of corporations.

Providing Information
Upon receipt of an information request, MRC sends an information packet to the activist, quickly and without charge. Promptly delivered information can catalyze a community to aggressively oppose a dangerous project, or provide an organization with substantiation for its claims in a heated campaign.

The kind of information MRC provides includes:

  • The history of a company's corporate citizenship. Is it a polluter?
  • The structure and size and ownership of a company. Who are its major stockholders?
  • Helpful NGO organizations. How do I contact allies in other countries who work on similar issues?
  • Environmental evaluations of specific technologies, such as incinerators, being proposed in Southern countries. How safe are these technologies? Do they harm the environment? What alternatives exist?

Due to the high volume of information requests MRC receives from people in the global South, we regret that we are unable to provide information and services to people in countries where information is easier to obtain, such as the United States and Europe. We encourage activists outside the global south to get in touch with allies suggested on our research help page and to support campaigns for justice around the world. Thank you for your understanding!

Skillshares
To meet the needs of Southern NGOs beyond providing information, MRC developed its Skillshare Project. A Skillshare is a meeting of activists and experts from the South and North that seeks to build the capacity of Southern NGOs to take action on a major issue.

MRC is focusing its Skillshare Project on incineration, toxics and waste management issues. If you have an idea for a Skillshare to strengthen toxics campaigns in your country, please contact MRC. Some past Skillshares include:

Toxics - anti-toxic groups from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and the U.S. met in India to learn new strategies, exchange ideas, and forge campaign alliances.

Composting - U.S. and Haitian experts in waste composting and recycling trained local community groups in the mechanics of composting.

Incineration - activists from Southeast Asia and Central America met with U.S. scientists and activists to learn about dioxin, toxic ash, and alternative waste technologies that support local economies without endangering the environment.

To contact MRC email: mrc@essential.org