Corporations have become increasingly powerful players within a globalized economy. Yet few effective measures exist to govern their activities.

Since 1975, Canadian churches have worked ecumenically to promote responsible corporate behaviour, calling on corporations to be transparent and accountable in their performance and to take seriously their broader, long-term responsibilities within society. 

As shareholders, the churches use their investments to engage corporations in dialogue. Through shareholder activism, the churches apply direct pressure on corporations to improve their social and environmental performance.

Much of KAIROS' corporate accountability work has focused on the energy and resource extraction sectors. We've called ExxonMobil to account for its continued denial of climate change. We're members of the Canadian Network for Corporate Accountability, which focuses on Canadian mining, oil and gas companies and their involvement in human rights violations and ecological damage at home and abroad. And we're in the midst of a campaign challenging  Canada's continued tar sands development and subsidies for the oil industry.