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Even Ezer GEHBRHIWET IBM Bachelor Thesis.pdf
Bachelor thesis

Transparency and business ethics in the commodity trading industry : the case of Glencore in the DRC

  • Genève : Haute école de gestion de Genève

72 p.

Bachelor of Science HES in International Business Management: Haute école de gestion de Genève, 2022

English The commodity trading industry has for a long time been the cause of many social and
environmental problems, particularly through the mining activities, and as one of the
leading companies in that industry, Glencore contributes substantially to this reputation,
due to the various scandals the company was involved in.
As a public company, Glencore must be transparent regarding its operations and
therefore publish yearly reports covering many aspects of its business. The aim of this
thesis was to assess the extent to which Glencore comply with its Corporate Social
Responsibility statement, as well as its various commitments on social and
environmental issues, through various measures obtained in the company’s reports and
by comparing them with other major players of the industry.
Most of the environmental and social problems caused by mining activities take place in
emerging countries, as they are major contributors to the global production of
commodities. This thesis has focused on the Democratic Republic of Congo as the
country plays a significant role in the global supply of metals such as copper and cobalt,
and is also one of the locations that are the most harmed by mining activities undertaken
by Glencore.
Through the comparison of the company’s management practices and the industry
expectations, the research was able to spot some mismatches between the
commitments made by Glencore and their implementation, particularly on ethical
behaviour and human rights. The company’s Corporate Social Responsibility statement
emphasized the health and safety of its employees as well as the communities living
near the mining activities, but records show that few of the objectives set out by Glencore
in that field have been reached.
The research also showed a lack of adequate sanctions against commodity trading
companies. The majority of cases involving commodity trading companies are settled
with a fine paid by the defendant, but these are rarely big enough to harm the companies.
One solution proposed could be to prevent those firms from operating assets that had
been purchased through illegal or unethical practices, by revoking mining licenses and
permits, which are absolutely needed for a commodity trading company to conduct its
business.
Language
  • English
Classification
Economics
Notes
  • Haute école de gestion de Genève
  • International Business Management
  • hesso:hegge
Persistent URL
https://sonar.rero.ch/hesso/documents/321197
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