Corporate Rap Sheets: Shining a Light on Corporate Misconduct
Every day, headlines remind us that corporate malfeasance is far from rare. From environmental violations and labor abuses to bribery, tax evasion, and defrauding the public, large corporations too often place profit above ethics. Fortunately, there’s a resource helping to hold these companies accountable: the Corporate Rap Sheets, a project of Good Jobs First.
Led by Philip Mattera, the Corporate Research Project compiles detailed dossiers on some of the world’s most powerful and controversial corporations. These rap sheets document the most serious crimes, civil violations, and unethical practices committed by companies across various industries. The goal? To help the public, advocates, researchers, and policymakers track patterns of misconduct and demand change.
What Are Corporate Rap Sheets?
Unlike the term’s usual association with criminal records, these rap sheets cover a broad range of corporate misdeeds—not just criminal cases, but also civil matters, regulatory violations, and high-profile controversies. Whether it’s a mining giant’s environmental disaster, a bank’s fraudulent practices, or a food company’s labor rights abuses, these records lay bare the track records of the corporations shaping our world.
Who’s on the List?
The Corporate Rap Sheets span numerous industries, including:
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Agribusiness & Food: Cargill, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Monsanto
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Automobile: Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen
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Banking & Finance: Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, HSBC
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Chemicals: Dow Inc., DuPont
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Military Contractors: Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon
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Mining & Energy: BP, Exxon Mobil, Rio Tinto
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Pharmaceuticals: Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Merck
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Retail: Walmart, Dollar General
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Utilities & Tobacco: Entergy, Altria
And many more.
You can explore the full list and dive into each company’s history of violations on Good Jobs First’s Corporate Rap Sheets.
Why This Matters
Corporations wield immense power—but power without accountability can cause irreversible harm. The rap sheets reveal how repeated offenses, from environmental destruction to exploitation of workers, aren’t isolated incidents—they’re often part of business models designed to cut costs at any cost.
By making these records public, Good Jobs First empowers communities, journalists, and policymakers to challenge harmful corporate behavior. Tools like their Violation Tracker and Subsidy Tracker make it easier than ever to follow the money and the misconduct.
What Can You Do?
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Research: Before supporting a company, check its rap sheet.
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Advocate: Share this information and demand accountability.
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Engage: Encourage your community and elected officials to use these resources when crafting policies or awarding contracts.
📌 Learn more and explore the rap sheets: https://www.goodjobsfirst.org/corporate-rap-sheets
Our research tools include:
- Violation Tracker, the first wide-ranging database on corporate misconduct in the United States
- Violation Tracker UK, a similar database covering the United Kingdom
- Violation Tracker Global, which covers cases involving large corporations in over 50 countries
- Reports analyzing Violation Tracker data
- Corporate Rap Sheets, detailed dossiers on some of the worst corporate actors.
- Guide to Strategic Corporate Research, an exhaustive guide to online sources.
- Dirt Diggers Digest, a weekly blog on corporate misconduct and how to research it.
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