How to start winning against corporates: lessons from business-beating campaigns
Corporations are holding us back, but in the last two months alone campaigners have won huge victories against them. So this feels like as good a time as any to share my experience defeating them. I hope you’ll get to work doing the same
From HSBC to Shell to Privilege Style to Matalan, I’ve seen that people power and collective action can force even the biggest corporate giants to change. So while low wages push children into poverty, energy corporations rake in billions from spiralling bills and big food brands destroy nature, why aren’t more of us taking them on?
It’s just come to light after years of campaigning that Barclays no longer holds shares in Israeli weapons firm Elbit. Unilever – one of the world's largest consumer goods companies – finally pulled out of Russia last month. Neither of these headlines represent acts of corporate conscience. They represent the power of strategic campaigning and collective action.In the case of Unilever, their decision was the result of relentless pressure from Ukrainian activists and allies who refused to let business-as-usual continue while missiles rained down on Kyiv. I was working with Ukraine Solidarity Project on this year long campaign. We spoofed their brand, targeted their decision-makers, and made it impossible for them to ignore us. Then we won.
Get over your fears
Two big obstacles stand in the way of campaigners launching campaigns against companies.
The first is a habitual focus on targeting the UK government in the belief that long term policy change only comes through Westminster's corridors. But corporations don’t exist in a vacuum, they influence politicians and their policies. For example, when Privilege Airlines and many others refused to take refugees to Rwanda after our #StopTheFlights campaign a Tory politician criticised the policy in Westminster by pointing out that no airlines would even agree to be involved.
The hard truth too, is that businesses often fear ordinary people more than the government we elect fear us, especially when a government has a huge parliamentary majority. During the last Conservative Government there were very few campaigns that had success in changing government policy. This Labour government will similarly find it easy to pass legislation through Parliament even if there are large public mobilisations. Sad, but true.
The second obstacle is the fear of getting caught in legal trouble. And yes, the prospect of corporate lawyers is daunting. But there's also a well-worn playbook here, refined by decades of successful campaigns. You can reach out to campaigners who’ve done this kind of work before and find pro-bono legal support where possible. Most companies think twice before sticking their legal teams on charities or communities experiencing injustice – the PR fallout simply isn't worth it.
So once you get over these fears, how do we get to these winning moments and closer to a more just world? Here’s some easy places to start.
Find who holds the power
Behind the scenes, build a power map showing everyone who could influence the decision and decide who your main target is. The more you can personalise the campaign and focus on one person the better – just imagine how you’d feel seeing your name in the media for the wrong reasons.
You can use resources like Companies House in the UK or SEC filings in the US to understand the company's legal structure, subsidiaries, and major shareholders. Use Linkedin to research the directors of the board and find staff who could have input on the issue area you want to influence.
Find out what trade union operates at the company and whether you can make alliances with company workers.
As well as identifying who's responsible for the specific area you're campaigning on, you might also want to look at who has the CEO’s ear. Who are they photographed with and where? Many companies also use celebrities as brand ambassadors or have celebrity customers and getting them on your side could be game-changing.
Use your power map to create a theory of change that you feel really confident about, like “If we show that shareholders are about to be embarrassed into pulling out of the company we can force the CEO to change this policy because his number one priority is profits”
Your research will show you there are many routes to reach a decision maker and its rarely a straight line. In 2014 while targeting Matalan after the Rana Plaza disaster at 38 Degrees, we called on supporters to target the PR company helping them polish their image. We figured if their PR company dropped them that would be damaging and costly. The PR managers came storming into our office out of the blue one day as we sat typing at our computers in Farringdon. That’s when we knew the campaign was having impact.
Get in their heads
Those in charge of businesses are people with values, emotions and personal interests. Find both their personal and professional social media accounts then find out their hobbies, what causes they support and what events they attend. Can you attend those events too?
Understanding where they're from or where they live now can help you identify local pressure points or potential allies. Look at their career history and any public statements they've made. AI platforms such as Perplexity take some of the research load from you if you ask the right questions.
This can reveal inconsistencies to highlight or values you can appeal to. When campaigning to get Privilege Style to pull out of flying refugees to Rwanda, we found the CEO loved to pose with football players using his planes.
When targeting Hugo Boss with Ukraine Solidarity Project, we researched in depth into the CEO’s passions and positions. It meant when we were approaching staff at their HQ and had a chance encounter with him, my Ukrainian colleague could confidently approach him.
Analyse the company's strategy and spending
Grab a copy of the company’s annual report – not only will this provide monetary targets, but information on company spending and priorities. Research where and how they advertise - if they spend big money on social media, TV, or sponsorships then this shows you key areas to target.
For example, when targeting HSBC we knew they spent a lot of money on social media ads, so our supporters flooded them. When the multinational bank announced the decision to stop funding forest destruction, they posted a video to Facebook to announce it, showing just how much they valued that platform and the customers they reach via social media.
Look into their collaborations with other organisations. Research their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiatives so you can show how they’re failing to live up to these aims.
Show customers are watching
Your strategy will most likely revolve around showing potential damage to this company’s profits. That could mean getting a news story or advert into papers their customers or shareholders read, as I did back in 2016 when I asked Greenpeace’s supporters to fund an advert in the Financial Times to Siemens and 3500 chipped in.
Another simple example: creating a simple tick box on an open letter where people can declare they are an active customer of the brand or bank – you can use this stat in the media and then approach these customers to take further action. But you can be much more creative too. Be bold. Embarrass them. Don’t let up.
The time is now
Right now the government is introducing legislation that threatens the profits of unethical companies and greedy landlords. Many will fight tooth and nail against better wages, stronger unions, and meaningful climate action. It’s up to us to stand in the way. So don’t be afraid - look to trade unions for inspiration, to activists like those of Palestine Action and to Greenpeace whose well known brand-jacking has changed the world.
Picture executives at your least favourite company re-heating last nights tea as a buzz spreads by the microwave: an influential newspaper has revealed their bad behaviour. The final straw comes a few months later when the CEO’s sees that his favourite celeb has slammed his company. He drafts a begrudging update to their policies at his desk in Canary Wharf. While these victories might not transform our economic system they represent progress. Our rivers, our climate, our communities, and our future hang in the balance. Let’s turn these visions into reality.
The question isn't whether these campaigns work – it's whether we're ready to launch them.