Total - a Responsible Company

Earlier this week I read an article about Total - a Paris-based oil company - and how they are more socially-responsible compared to the "homegrown" Alberta oilsands developers. Being based in Europe, they are supposedly more experienced with and more accustomed to dealing with environmental and social issues in an ethical manner, as well as giving back to the community.

Then, just today I found a piece of news about the same company, but showing a very different face of it. In 1999, a tanker chartered by Total sank and released 20,000 L of fuel into the Bay of Biscay. Total was just today found to be a guilty party in this event.

Now, not being well-versed in international and/or French dangerous goods, transportation or environmental legislation, it may very well be that Total has a case for an appeal.

However, this is a chance for them to show just what kind of a company they really are. Their reaction to the court's decision to convict them could reveal if they are the friendly, arts-and-culture, socially-responsible entity depicted in the first article. Or else, if the decision is received grudgingly, appeals drawn out for the sake of "saving face*", or cleanup efforts for which Total is responsible are carried out at an unnecessarily slow pace...

Well, then they'd just be like everyone else, right?


*- This would be an interesting topic for a graduate student in sociology or industrial ecology: What is the net effect on the "value of a company" due to blame for, and the results of legal proceedings stemming from, environmental disasters? IE: Is there a point to drawing out appeals when the fine you'd have to pay is a drop in the bucket anyway and the damage to your reputation is likely already done by an impatient and unforgiving media?