Critical Takes on Corporate Power
@criticaltakes.bsky.social
A non-profit platform for discussing the power of multinationals, by and for civil society.
https://criticaltakes.org
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https://criticaltakes.org
To keep up with the latest, sign up here:
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criticaltakes.org/the-corporat...
If you're from civil society and you find Critical Takes useful, please send in your comments.
(See the link below for details on how to do this).
Your views will influence Critical Takes in 2026.
criticaltakes.org/the-corporat...
November 21, 2025 at 2:25 PM
What do you think of Critical Takes on Corporate Power?
If you're from civil society and you find Critical Takes useful, please send in your comments.
(See the link below for details on how to do this).
Your views will influence Critical Takes in 2026.
criticaltakes.org/the-corporat...
If you're from civil society and you find Critical Takes useful, please send in your comments.
(See the link below for details on how to do this).
Your views will influence Critical Takes in 2026.
criticaltakes.org/the-corporat...
Don't like private equity? This very readable take argues that:
1. The bad social impacts of PE aren't necessarily much different from extractive big business in general.
2. In the US, PE has extracted so much profit from its assets that it now struggles to sell them on to others.
1. The bad social impacts of PE aren't necessarily much different from extractive big business in general.
2. In the US, PE has extracted so much profit from its assets that it now struggles to sell them on to others.
A new piece for @thenation.com on everyone's favourite industry -- private equity; in conversation with one of the many new books on PE, by Megan Greenwell.
Here:
Here:
Can We Blame Private Equity for Everything?
Did PE firms make the world worse? Or was it something else?
www.thenation.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Don't like private equity? This very readable take argues that:
1. The bad social impacts of PE aren't necessarily much different from extractive big business in general.
2. In the US, PE has extracted so much profit from its assets that it now struggles to sell them on to others.
1. The bad social impacts of PE aren't necessarily much different from extractive big business in general.
2. In the US, PE has extracted so much profit from its assets that it now struggles to sell them on to others.
A big new scientific study underlines the role of corporate power in pushing ultra-processed foods which pose a major threat to public health.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Ultra-processed food linked to harm in every major human organ, study finds
World’s largest scientific review warns consumption of UPFs poses seismic threat to global health and wellbeing
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 7:51 AM
A big new scientific study underlines the role of corporate power in pushing ultra-processed foods which pose a major threat to public health.
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
A cautionary tale about a European attempt to break free of US Big Tech which ended up being derailed by it.
If you want to solve a problem of corporate power, don't give seats on your board to the companies creating that problem.
If you want to solve a problem of corporate power, don't give seats on your board to the companies creating that problem.
A major five-year effort to build a technology base for Europe free of US influence flopped amid conflicting national strategies and powerful corporate lobbying.
Anatomy of a Franco-German tech misfire
As Europe debates how far to go in pivoting away from US Big Tech, a cloud initiative provides a cautionary tale.
www.politico.eu
November 17, 2025 at 10:31 AM
A cautionary tale about a European attempt to break free of US Big Tech which ended up being derailed by it.
If you want to solve a problem of corporate power, don't give seats on your board to the companies creating that problem.
If you want to solve a problem of corporate power, don't give seats on your board to the companies creating that problem.
Fresh thinking about corporate power, only on Critical Takes:
- The duplicity of Big 4 accounting firms.
- Last year a UN panel set high standards for critical mineral mining. How's that going?
- Weak journalism and the UK's Big Pharma saga.
All that and more at:
criticaltakes.org/our-takes/
- The duplicity of Big 4 accounting firms.
- Last year a UN panel set high standards for critical mineral mining. How's that going?
- Weak journalism and the UK's Big Pharma saga.
All that and more at:
criticaltakes.org/our-takes/
November 17, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Fresh thinking about corporate power, only on Critical Takes:
- The duplicity of Big 4 accounting firms.
- Last year a UN panel set high standards for critical mineral mining. How's that going?
- Weak journalism and the UK's Big Pharma saga.
All that and more at:
criticaltakes.org/our-takes/
- The duplicity of Big 4 accounting firms.
- Last year a UN panel set high standards for critical mineral mining. How's that going?
- Weak journalism and the UK's Big Pharma saga.
All that and more at:
criticaltakes.org/our-takes/
The Big Four accounting and consulting firms are enablers of corporate power and powers in their own right.
They police the rules on behalf of states while advising wealthy clients on how to get advantage from them.
Is it time to break up them up?
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
They police the rules on behalf of states while advising wealthy clients on how to get advantage from them.
Is it time to break up them up?
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
November 13, 2025 at 1:35 PM
The Big Four accounting and consulting firms are enablers of corporate power and powers in their own right.
They police the rules on behalf of states while advising wealthy clients on how to get advantage from them.
Is it time to break up them up?
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
They police the rules on behalf of states while advising wealthy clients on how to get advantage from them.
Is it time to break up them up?
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
New on Critical Takes
How the Big Four accounting firms act as guardians of the rules while advising clients on how to get around them.
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
If you like what you read on Critical Takes, please share it!
How the Big Four accounting firms act as guardians of the rules while advising clients on how to get around them.
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
If you like what you read on Critical Takes, please share it!
November 11, 2025 at 11:56 AM
New on Critical Takes
How the Big Four accounting firms act as guardians of the rules while advising clients on how to get around them.
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
If you like what you read on Critical Takes, please share it!
How the Big Four accounting firms act as guardians of the rules while advising clients on how to get around them.
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
If you like what you read on Critical Takes, please share it!
"Corporate power, if it's not constrained by the law and by international rights standards, is going to be a huge issue for us."
The UN human rights chief.
Big Tech is the sharp end of a bigger problem: food, finance, medicines, mining, you name it.
1/2
uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/concent...
The UN human rights chief.
Big Tech is the sharp end of a bigger problem: food, finance, medicines, mining, you name it.
1/2
uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/concent...
Concentration of corporate power a 'huge' concern: UN rights chief
A few tech giants accumulating massive power coupled with artificial intelligence is posing huge global rights challenges and needs regulation, the UN human rights chief told AFP in an interview.The f...
uk.finance.yahoo.com
November 11, 2025 at 8:29 AM
"Corporate power, if it's not constrained by the law and by international rights standards, is going to be a huge issue for us."
The UN human rights chief.
Big Tech is the sharp end of a bigger problem: food, finance, medicines, mining, you name it.
1/2
uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/concent...
The UN human rights chief.
Big Tech is the sharp end of a bigger problem: food, finance, medicines, mining, you name it.
1/2
uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/concent...
Reposted by Critical Takes on Corporate Power
Who is killing the coffee trade? www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/11...
Who is killing the coffee trade?
I was recently reading the introduction to James Hoffmann’s World Atlas of Coffee, which someone in our house seems to have because this is a subject close to our hearts.
He had this to say in his int...
www.taxresearch.org.uk
November 7, 2025 at 7:19 AM
Who is killing the coffee trade? www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/11...
Another day, another British media story which uncritically reports the claims of a US Big Pharma company without considering the context.
Which is that this company is highly profitable already, but still wants more revenues, more profits and more public subsidies.
www.politico.eu/article/brit...
Which is that this company is highly profitable already, but still wants more revenues, more profits and more public subsidies.
www.politico.eu/article/brit...
Britain’s plan to raise NHS drug prices won’t bring back Lilly’s investment
Comments from medicines firm Eli Lilly will be a blow to British officials, who are in advanced negotiations with the Trump administration to secure tariff relief.
www.politico.eu
November 5, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Another day, another British media story which uncritically reports the claims of a US Big Pharma company without considering the context.
Which is that this company is highly profitable already, but still wants more revenues, more profits and more public subsidies.
www.politico.eu/article/brit...
Which is that this company is highly profitable already, but still wants more revenues, more profits and more public subsidies.
www.politico.eu/article/brit...
Ensuring justice in the mining of critical minerals and Big Pharma's UK drug price shenanigans.
The new Critical Takes newsletter is out!
(Delayed a few days by a technical hitch)
criticaltakes.org/newsletters/...
If you like what you read or hear on Critical Takes, please share with others.
The new Critical Takes newsletter is out!
(Delayed a few days by a technical hitch)
criticaltakes.org/newsletters/...
If you like what you read or hear on Critical Takes, please share with others.
November 4, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Ensuring justice in the mining of critical minerals and Big Pharma's UK drug price shenanigans.
The new Critical Takes newsletter is out!
(Delayed a few days by a technical hitch)
criticaltakes.org/newsletters/...
If you like what you read or hear on Critical Takes, please share with others.
The new Critical Takes newsletter is out!
(Delayed a few days by a technical hitch)
criticaltakes.org/newsletters/...
If you like what you read or hear on Critical Takes, please share with others.
Reposted by Critical Takes on Corporate Power
We have the right to know which multinational corporations cheated on over a trillion in tax. Our governments had the tax records but didn’t make them public. Doing so could’ve recover hundreds of billions in tax #NameTheTaxCheaters #TaxJustice2025
Find out more: bit.ly/49wNnH0
Find out more: bit.ly/49wNnH0
November 4, 2025 at 8:00 AM
We have the right to know which multinational corporations cheated on over a trillion in tax. Our governments had the tax records but didn’t make them public. Doing so could’ve recover hundreds of billions in tax #NameTheTaxCheaters #TaxJustice2025
Find out more: bit.ly/49wNnH0
Find out more: bit.ly/49wNnH0
Reposted by Critical Takes on Corporate Power
Who are UN climate talks really serving? 🤔
What we see:
🚩 Big polluters as sponsors
🚩 Fossil fuel executives in presidency teams
🚩 Multinationals included in negotiation
🚩 Fossil fuel phase-out missing from the agenda
🚩 Spotlight on corporate-driven "solutions" e.g. carbon offsets
#COP30 (1/3)
What we see:
🚩 Big polluters as sponsors
🚩 Fossil fuel executives in presidency teams
🚩 Multinationals included in negotiation
🚩 Fossil fuel phase-out missing from the agenda
🚩 Spotlight on corporate-driven "solutions" e.g. carbon offsets
#COP30 (1/3)
November 3, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Who are UN climate talks really serving? 🤔
What we see:
🚩 Big polluters as sponsors
🚩 Fossil fuel executives in presidency teams
🚩 Multinationals included in negotiation
🚩 Fossil fuel phase-out missing from the agenda
🚩 Spotlight on corporate-driven "solutions" e.g. carbon offsets
#COP30 (1/3)
What we see:
🚩 Big polluters as sponsors
🚩 Fossil fuel executives in presidency teams
🚩 Multinationals included in negotiation
🚩 Fossil fuel phase-out missing from the agenda
🚩 Spotlight on corporate-driven "solutions" e.g. carbon offsets
#COP30 (1/3)
Really interesting thinking from the UK about how to democratise planning.
The power of very large corporations is going to be, in many cases, a big obstacle to these things happening.
So it's good to see that this agenda includes more democratic models of the firm, and international cooperation.
The power of very large corporations is going to be, in many cases, a big obstacle to these things happening.
So it's good to see that this agenda includes more democratic models of the firm, and international cooperation.
🚨 Today, Common Wealth launches the Green Planning Commission.
A major new initiative to tackle the twin crises of our era: climate breakdown & the affordability crisis.
To meet these challenges, we need a new era of democratic planning.
🧵
https://www.common-wealth.org/green-planning-commission
A major new initiative to tackle the twin crises of our era: climate breakdown & the affordability crisis.
To meet these challenges, we need a new era of democratic planning.
🧵
https://www.common-wealth.org/green-planning-commission
October 30, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Really interesting thinking from the UK about how to democratise planning.
The power of very large corporations is going to be, in many cases, a big obstacle to these things happening.
So it's good to see that this agenda includes more democratic models of the firm, and international cooperation.
The power of very large corporations is going to be, in many cases, a big obstacle to these things happening.
So it's good to see that this agenda includes more democratic models of the firm, and international cooperation.
Critical Takes on Corporate Power presents fresh thinking from civil society around the world.
Five of the newest:
1. Justice in the mining of critical minerals
criticaltakes.org/society-and-...
2. The UK's Big Pharma drug price saga
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
...
1/2
Five of the newest:
1. Justice in the mining of critical minerals
criticaltakes.org/society-and-...
2. The UK's Big Pharma drug price saga
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
...
1/2
October 29, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Critical Takes on Corporate Power presents fresh thinking from civil society around the world.
Five of the newest:
1. Justice in the mining of critical minerals
criticaltakes.org/society-and-...
2. The UK's Big Pharma drug price saga
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
...
1/2
Five of the newest:
1. Justice in the mining of critical minerals
criticaltakes.org/society-and-...
2. The UK's Big Pharma drug price saga
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
...
1/2
New on Critical Takes:
How to ensure justice for low- and middle-income countries in the mining of critical minerals?
An interview with Suneeta Kaimal of @nrginstitute.bsky.social
Listen or read the transcript here:
criticaltakes.org/society-and-...
Also one for @resourcejustice.bsky.social
How to ensure justice for low- and middle-income countries in the mining of critical minerals?
An interview with Suneeta Kaimal of @nrginstitute.bsky.social
Listen or read the transcript here:
criticaltakes.org/society-and-...
Also one for @resourcejustice.bsky.social
October 28, 2025 at 11:54 AM
New on Critical Takes:
How to ensure justice for low- and middle-income countries in the mining of critical minerals?
An interview with Suneeta Kaimal of @nrginstitute.bsky.social
Listen or read the transcript here:
criticaltakes.org/society-and-...
Also one for @resourcejustice.bsky.social
How to ensure justice for low- and middle-income countries in the mining of critical minerals?
An interview with Suneeta Kaimal of @nrginstitute.bsky.social
Listen or read the transcript here:
criticaltakes.org/society-and-...
Also one for @resourcejustice.bsky.social
Tobacco companies are trying to sabotage international measures to control tobacco use, says this very forthright official statement.
It lists the industry's tactics: inserting its sympathisers into national delegations, astroturfing, misleading research etc.
Good to see this nastiness called out.
It lists the industry's tactics: inserting its sympathisers into national delegations, astroturfing, misleading research etc.
Good to see this nastiness called out.
A fairly unfiltered statement from the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Secretariat on the attempts by the tobacco industry to influence the Conference of Parties
Very Merchants of Doubt.
Very Merchants of Doubt.
October 22, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Tobacco companies are trying to sabotage international measures to control tobacco use, says this very forthright official statement.
It lists the industry's tactics: inserting its sympathisers into national delegations, astroturfing, misleading research etc.
Good to see this nastiness called out.
It lists the industry's tactics: inserting its sympathisers into national delegations, astroturfing, misleading research etc.
Good to see this nastiness called out.
Investors know the US stock market is massively overpriced but they don't care because they assume that if there's a crash, central banks will bail them out again.
And people wonder why the Far Right is doing so well in the global North.
And people wonder why the Far Right is doing so well in the global North.
October 22, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Investors know the US stock market is massively overpriced but they don't care because they assume that if there's a crash, central banks will bail them out again.
And people wonder why the Far Right is doing so well in the global North.
And people wonder why the Far Right is doing so well in the global North.
The company that makes Mounjaro, the weight-loss drug, says the UK is a bad place to do business.
But it used to report big profits in the UK. So where did all the profit go?
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
But it used to report big profits in the UK. So where did all the profit go?
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
October 22, 2025 at 7:26 AM
The company that makes Mounjaro, the weight-loss drug, says the UK is a bad place to do business.
But it used to report big profits in the UK. So where did all the profit go?
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
But it used to report big profits in the UK. So where did all the profit go?
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
Reposted by Critical Takes on Corporate Power
New on Critical Takes:
The UK's Big Pharma pricing saga is an example of why business journalists need to dig deeper into corporate accounts.
Featuring Mounjaro, the popular weight-loss drug.
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
The UK's Big Pharma pricing saga is an example of why business journalists need to dig deeper into corporate accounts.
Featuring Mounjaro, the popular weight-loss drug.
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
October 21, 2025 at 8:36 AM
New on Critical Takes:
The UK's Big Pharma pricing saga is an example of why business journalists need to dig deeper into corporate accounts.
Featuring Mounjaro, the popular weight-loss drug.
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
The UK's Big Pharma pricing saga is an example of why business journalists need to dig deeper into corporate accounts.
Featuring Mounjaro, the popular weight-loss drug.
criticaltakes.org/tax-and-prof...
The UK's Patent Box tax break is meant to promote "innovation".
Last year a single pharma company collected a massive £486 million, or a quarter of its entire value.
For doing what, exactly?
Critical Takes fed into this investigation by @taxwatch.bsky.social
www.taxwatchuk.org/wp-content/u...
Last year a single pharma company collected a massive £486 million, or a quarter of its entire value.
For doing what, exactly?
Critical Takes fed into this investigation by @taxwatch.bsky.social
www.taxwatchuk.org/wp-content/u...
www.taxwatchuk.org
October 17, 2025 at 6:53 AM
The UK's Patent Box tax break is meant to promote "innovation".
Last year a single pharma company collected a massive £486 million, or a quarter of its entire value.
For doing what, exactly?
Critical Takes fed into this investigation by @taxwatch.bsky.social
www.taxwatchuk.org/wp-content/u...
Last year a single pharma company collected a massive £486 million, or a quarter of its entire value.
For doing what, exactly?
Critical Takes fed into this investigation by @taxwatch.bsky.social
www.taxwatchuk.org/wp-content/u...
A must-read here for NGOs which engage with big business.
How corporations work to capture multi-stakeholder initiatives and play them off against each other.
How corporations work to capture multi-stakeholder initiatives and play them off against each other.
new article in @reggovjournal.bsky.social that examines how corporations engage in 'venue hopping' as a means to advance agendas in multiple spaces and at multiple levels
This riffs off Baumgartner and Jones' notion of venue shopping, but adapts it for an increasingly multistakeholder world
This riffs off Baumgartner and Jones' notion of venue shopping, but adapts it for an increasingly multistakeholder world
Corporate Power in a Multistakeholder World: Venue Hopping and the Multilevel Politics of Ultra‐Processed Food
The regulation of business is increasingly characterized by “soft” governance regimes that blur the boundaries of public and private authority, as signaled by the rapid proliferation of multistakehol...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 13, 2025 at 12:20 PM
A must-read here for NGOs which engage with big business.
How corporations work to capture multi-stakeholder initiatives and play them off against each other.
How corporations work to capture multi-stakeholder initiatives and play them off against each other.
Reposted by Critical Takes on Corporate Power
🚨 ExxonMobil has been lobbying relentlessly to take down the EU’s CSDDD.
Its playbook?
- Lobbying
- Funding think tanks
- Media sponsorships
⚠️The EU cannot let those causing the climate crisis write the rules to get out of it.
www.somo.nl/how-big-oil-kills-sustainability-and-climate-legislation/
Its playbook?
- Lobbying
- Funding think tanks
- Media sponsorships
⚠️The EU cannot let those causing the climate crisis write the rules to get out of it.
www.somo.nl/how-big-oil-kills-sustainability-and-climate-legislation/
How Big Oil kills sustainability and climate legislation - SOMO
Inside ExxonMobil’s lobby campaign to take down the EU’s CSDDD When the EU finally agreed on its landmark Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) in 2024, it was hailed as a breakthro...
www.somo.nl
October 2, 2025 at 6:51 AM
🚨 ExxonMobil has been lobbying relentlessly to take down the EU’s CSDDD.
Its playbook?
- Lobbying
- Funding think tanks
- Media sponsorships
⚠️The EU cannot let those causing the climate crisis write the rules to get out of it.
www.somo.nl/how-big-oil-kills-sustainability-and-climate-legislation/
Its playbook?
- Lobbying
- Funding think tanks
- Media sponsorships
⚠️The EU cannot let those causing the climate crisis write the rules to get out of it.
www.somo.nl/how-big-oil-kills-sustainability-and-climate-legislation/