Last week in my speech class my professor began to talk about companies or corporations that he would no longer purchase from because of their shattered moral compasses.
I then became interested in which corporation is the ‘worst.’
Well, let me present to you the logo of, what is considered to be, the most evil corporation in the world.
(You May have to scroll a little while)
(Keep going)
Yes, Chiquita banana. All of us have most likely peeled this sticker off of a banana or two in our day.
Listverse and CNN both provide insight into Chiquita’s business morals over the last 90 years.
Chiquita’s business ethics started to appear a little dark about around 1928, when Chiquita’s workers went on strike for better working conditions. (At this time Chiquita was know as the United Fruit Company)
The United Fruit Company was not very fond of improving the working conditions for their employees at this time. However, they were fond of making relationships with the Colombian government.
A few ‘business’ meetings later it appeared as Chiquita and the Colombian government had become decent associates.
If a citizen of Colombia was to defy the Colombian government, in the early 1900’s, they were to be killed. As you can imagine, killing many employees of a corporation would be very time-consuming to execute. So, the Colombian government constructed machine guns around the mistreated Chiquita workers and began shooting.
However, 1928, that was quite awhile ago, maybe Chiquita has bettered themselves? Let us move down the timeline a little ways to the 1950’s in Guatemala.
Chiquita (The United Fruit Company) in the 1950’s controlled approximately 40% of the Guatemalan economy, 50% of Guatemalan land, and the majority of railroads, telephones, docks, and ships.
In 1954 a revised labor code was going to be set in place that would end up costing Chiquita about 40% of their land. As proven in other instances, Chiquita does not enjoy being told what to do, nor do they care of the outcome as long as it is in their favor.
Chiquita then began an uprising in Guatemala, which was already somewhat unstable. This group then overthrew the Guatemalan government and resulted in a civil war that lasted until the 1990’s and cost Guatemala approximately 250,000 lives.
Then The United Fruit Company became Chiquita, looking for a fresh start, which was short-lived.
In 2004 it was discovered the Chiquita was funding a terrorist group called United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia or AUC.
Background information about the group United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia:
- They are known to be a major drug-trafficking group around the world.
- They caused the Mapiripán Massacre.
Chiquita thought that their plantations in Colombia needed more protection.
In this situation who would you hire? Of course the drug-trafficking, homicidal, terrorist group, because they will make great use of the funds.
Over the years, many families have brought lawsuits against the Chiquita corporation because their loved ones have gone missing or were found dead at the hands of the well-known fruit corporation.
I suggest Dole.
Dollarmonger.com
My Scattered Thoughts 