Week 6: Influencing the power of corporations on the ground

Introduction

This week was written by Fidèle Mutwarasibo.

This week you will be building on last week’s discussion on professional power and exploring the power of businesses and corporations. Corporations influence public opinion, provide employment, support the community through their corporate social responsibility activities, and provide financial resources to the community through their philanthropic contributions. In a nutshell, businesses and corporations significantly affect your life and the lives of members of your community and broader society.

This week, you will explore how you can influence businesses and corporations as an individual or as part of a group or organised community from the bottom up. You can work with civil society and its diverse membership (voluntary sector organisations, faith-based organisations, trade unions) to influence businesses and corporations. The law, especially equality and human rights legislation, has provisions to help you as an individual with protected characteristics to assert your rights if you are discriminated against, victimised, or harassed.

By the end of this week, you should be able to:

• understand the difference between equality and equity
• understand ways to influence businesses and corporations – civil society, public institutions, and personal actions
• analyse the influence of businesses and corporations in politics and the media
• challenge harassment, discrimination, and victimisation if and when they happen to you or a colleague at work or when accessing services.