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shell accepts greenwash lifetime achievement award

Sept 2, 2002, Johannesburg -- Shell Chairman Philip Watts reluctantly accepted a Greenwash Lifetime Achievement Award at a giant business conference near the World Summit on Sustainable Development negotiations yesterday. The iconic green statuette was presented by the Greenwash Academy's Oscar Green, who was attending the swanky Legotkla Business Day's lunchtime press conference along with some 50 giggling journalists.

"You have to give credit where credit is due," said Mr Green. "And when it comes to greenwash, Shell has been simply superb."

Mr. Watts, in response to a question from Mr. Green, said that he was "quite proud" of Shell's record in Nigeria.

"How can we talk of partnership and trust with business leaders who do not recognize the most blatant corporate crimes?" asked Isaac Osuoka of Environmental Rights Action, a Nigerian group that has documented Shell's complicity in human rights and environmental catastrophes in the Niger Delta.

Joining Mr. Watts at the press conference was a who's who of corporate environmentalists, including the Business Action for Sustainable Development, chair Mark Moody-Stuart, the International Chamber of Commerce President Richard McCormack, the ICC Secretary General Maria Livianos Cattaui, WBCSD President Bjorn Stigson and Lord Richard Holme, of Business Action for Sustainable Development.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan was also present at the Business Day Conference at the Sandton Hilton Hotel.

The Greenwash Awards were originally announced at a gala ceremony in Johannesburg on August 20th. The ceremony was hosted by the Greenwash academy, which comprises Friends of the Earth International, CorpWatch, and local NGO South Africa. Other recipients of the Green Oscars were: BP, for Best Greenwash, Nestle, for Best Bluewash, the United States, for Best Supporting Government, the UN Global Compact, for Best Supporting UN Agency, Enron for Best Makeup, Arthur Andersen for Best Documentary Destruction.

For more information on the Greenwash Academy Awards, please visit www.earthsummit.biz or www.groundwork.org.za or
Contact: Oscar Green (also known as Kenny Bruno) in Johannesburg on 082 370-0579