Mondelez CEO Dirk Van de Put says there was “no pressure from shareholders” to stop doing business in Russia. Photo: Andrew Fox
Western companies that continue to trade with Russia have faced growing anger from campaigners who have accused them of indirectly aiding the Kremlin's war effort by paying taxes in the country.
A representative of the group B4Ukraine More than 80 non-profit organizations calling on multinational corporations to leave Russia said: “The comments of the CEO of Cadbury manufacturer Mondelez highlight the complete moral bankruptcy of the American snacks giant. We are not surprised, as our numerous attempts to engage with the company have fallen on deaf ears.
“Such comments ignore the more than 125,000 war crimes Russia has committed during this illegal invasion, as well as the responsibility of businesses to protect human rights in in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles.
“There is no mention of the appeal of more than 1,200 Mondeles representatives. global staff leaving Russia and a large-scale boycott of its products throughout Scandinavia.”
Ukraine's National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption called Mondeles an «international sponsor of war.» The company also faced a boycott from companies in Scandinavia who stopped selling its products due to their stance on Russia.
Christopher Ford, secretary of the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign, said: “Any company that operates in Russia should have its UK contracts terminated and a public boycott and divestment announced. The lives of Ukrainians are of greater value than the immoral speculation of such investors.”
Mondelez's three largest shareholders, investment firms Vanguard, Blackrock and The Capital Group, declined to comment. However, Vanguard has previously said it donates to organizations that provide materials and resources to Ukrainian children and families, and that it has «quickly taken steps» to comply with sanctions imposed on Russian entities.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, A Conservative MP who called for confiscated Russian assets to be used to rebuild Ukraine said: «Just as we don't want companies trading with North Korea, we don't particularly want companies trading with Russia.»
“You must make it clear to the Russian government and the Russian people that what they are doing in Ukraine is completely unacceptable.”
Other consumer giants such as Unilever and Bacardi have been criticized on similar grounds, while some Western companies that have tried to sell their Russian businesses have been seized by the state.
Russian subsidiaries of Carlsberg and Danone were confiscated. by Russian authorities last year after Mr. Putin signed a decree giving Russia new powers to control Western assets.
Hein Schumacher, Unilever's chief executive, said in July that continuing to do business in Russia is the “least bad option” for the company.
Then he said: “The first option is to abandon our business. We believe that, in fact, this could lead to its nationalization, given all the events that have occurred recently.
“The second option is to sell the business, but the reality is that we have not found a viable solution that meets our stated goals. Neither option is actually good, but the last option of limited operation of our business is the least bad, and that's where we are.»
A Mondelez spokesman said: «In terms of our operations in Russia there is no easy solution. If stopping our operations in Russia would stop the war, we would do it immediately. Unfortunately, it is not that simple.
“Like most of the world's food and drink companies, we continue to supply food during these difficult times in accordance with the current sanctions.
“Stopping operations Our actions would mean cutting off some of the food supply for many families who have no say in the war. It will also create great uncertainty for the approximately 3,000 of our colleagues and the more than 10,000 farmers who depend on us.”
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