Earth Day @SOAS: Should corporate owners be held to account for nature loss

*A lunch will be served prior to the event in room B301 from 11am -12pm

Join us on 22 April 2026 for a change-focused Earth Day @SOAS, where we will introduce a new policy research project within the Political Economy Research Cluster (PERC) of the Department of Politics and International Studies, inviting new partnerships, social media and policy research initiatives. Our main target: is restoring firm’s legal accountability and liability for climate damages.

Giant corporations have the rights of a person, but none of the responsibilities. Owner-shareholders and top executives exercise immense power in society both globally and locally but are not responsible in law for their actions according to the law of limited liability. This doesn’t only apply to climate impacts but also to human rights violations. Understanding the link between climate change and human rights is, therefore, a further target of this project.

Corporations often advocate for the removal of regulations they see as limiting, while supporting those that align with their interests. Increasingly, they are also promoting systems and structures that reflect corporate approaches to organisation and decision-making. This trend risks concentrating influence in ways that may reduce transparency and accountability in the evolving global order.

More information and our previous work

Blankenburg, S., Plesch, D., & Wilkinson, F. (2010). Limited liability and the modern corporation in theory and in practice. Cambridge Journal of Economics, 34(5), 821-837.

Plesch, D. (2013, June 18). Limited liability – a fundamental breach of our rights? Remarks delivered at the UK House of Lords.

Plesch, D., & Blankenburg, S. (2008). How to make corporations accountable. Institute of Employment Rights.

Plesch, D., & Blankenburg, S. (2008). How to make corporations accountable. Institute of Employment Rights.

Funding the Future Podcast

Who should join:

• Undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in developing a final year project or dissertation related to whether corporate owners should be held to account for ecological damage.
• PhD and ECR researchers interested in climate/environment research and corporate responsibility.
• Climate activists and researchers interested in fighting for climate justice against corporate impunity.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher SOAS Politics, University of London