Grafton Group plc - no corporate social responsibility

limerick | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Tuesday August 28, 2007 00:24

by Sean Clinton - Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Woodie's DIY - supporting Apartheid Israel

Members of the Limerick branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign mounted a picket outside the new Woodie's DIY outlet on the Ennis Road, Limerick on Sunday afternoon. Earlier this year the IPSC sent letters to all Grafton Group plc Board members informing them about the international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Apartheid Israel and asking them to refuse to sell products manufactured in Apartheid Israel until it abides by international humanitarian law and adheres to the norms of civilised behaviour

Members of Limerick IPSC ready for action

Shoppers entering the store were made aware of the fact that Woodie's DIY continues to profit from sales of Keter Plastic products manufactured in Apartheid Israel. Many shoppers were very interested to read the information and wanted to know more about the campaign. One man felt so strongly about this that he said he would refuse to shop in Woodie's, turned and waked away.

The hypocrisy of Grafton Group plc is exposed by their own web site which trumpets their corporate social responsibility and yet they continue to profit from trade with a state that discriminates against its own citizens and is guilty of gross human rights violations including war crimes as documented by Amnesty International. The Grafton Group plc web site claims " The Group has long recognised the importance of conducting its business in a socially responsible manner". "The Group considers that corporate social responsibility is an integral element of good business management".

Corporate social responsibility means taking affirmative action to support human rights, not supporting a regime that flouts international law and wages a brutal campaign of genocide and ethnic cleansing against the voiceless and defenceless Palestinian people.

Judging by the lack of response to the IPSC letter from any of the board members of the Grafton Group plc they may have chosen to ignore this campaign in the mistaken belief that it will quietly fade away.

Customers are given information fliers