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| Council on Economic Priorities | |
|---|---|
| Name | Council on Economic Priorities |
| Formation | 1969 |
| Dissolution | 1990s |
| Type | Nonprofit organization |
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Key people | Robert S. Lynd, Michael Harrington, Jeffrey Hollender |
| Focus | Corporate social responsibility, social justice, consumer advocacy |
Council on Economic Priorities was a nonprofit research and advocacy organization founded in 1969 in New York City that focused on corporate social responsibility, labor rights, and environmental performance. It conducted investigations and produced ratings intended to inform investors, consumers, and activists including connections to movements surrounding civil rights movement, Vietnam War protests, and environmental movement. Over its existence the organization influenced debates involving shareholder activism, socially responsible investing, and policy discussions connected to institutions like the United States Congress and international forums such as the United Nations.
The organization was established in 1969 by figures associated with progressive networks including leaders from the New Left, Students for a Democratic Society, and authors linked to the Port Huron Statement era; early supporters included scholars like Robert S. Lynd and activists connected to Michael Harrington. In the 1970s the group published investigative reports that intersected with campaigns by United Auto Workers, American Civil Liberties Union, and Sierra Club, while engaging with media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time (magazine). Throughout the 1980s it expanded work on corporate ratings amid rising interest from pension funds managed by municipal authorities and institutions like CalPERS and academic centers including Harvard Kennedy School and Columbia University. Financial strains and strategic shifts in the 1990s, influenced by mergers and competition from organizations such as Social Investment Forum and CRS (Center for Responsive Politics), led to its decline and eventual dissolution.
Its stated mission combined investigative research with advocacy aimed at improving corporate behavior in arenas connected to human rights, labor unions standards, and environmental stewardship tied to phenomena such as acid rain and ozone depletion. The organization engaged in corporate accountability campaigns that coordinated with unions like United Steelworkers, faith-based groups such as Catholic Charities USA, and student organizations related to Students for a Democratic Society and National Student Association. It worked with philanthropic institutions including Ford Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, and MacArthur Foundation while interacting with policy actors in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and legislative committees chaired by figures from Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources.
The group produced investigative reports, directories, and rating guides assessing firms implicated in controversies involving supply chains tied to countries such as South Africa during the anti-apartheid movement, and industrial practices in regions like Southeast Asia and Latin America. Publications were cited by journalists at outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, and broadcasters like National Public Radio, and influenced academic research at institutions like Yale University, University of Chicago, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Its methodologies were debated in forums with scholars from Stanford University, Princeton University, and policy analysts at Brookings Institution and Heritage Foundation.
The organization developed corporate ratings used by socially responsible investors and retirement funds overseen by entities like New York State Common Retirement Fund and municipal treasuries; these ratings addressed company conduct in relation to incidents such as labor disputes involving Grievance procedures and environmental liabilities similar to those at Love Canal. It published profiles of multinational corporations including ExxonMobil, Ford Motor Company, Kraft, IBM, and Nestlé, prompting responses from corporate public relations teams and legal departments, and sparking dialogues with trade associations like the National Association of Manufacturers. Its ranking schemes were incorporated into shareholder resolutions brought before annual meetings of firms such as General Electric and Dow Chemical Company.
CEP-supported campaigns contributed to divestment initiatives tied to anti-apartheid movement, to corporate reforms advocated by ACLU and labor federations like the AFL–CIO, and to consumer boycotts coordinated with organizations including Consumers Union. Its findings informed policy debates in hearings before the United States Senate and influenced philanthropic grantmaking priorities at entities such as the Rockefeller Foundation and Annenberg Foundation. The organization’s interactions with international NGOs like Amnesty International and Greenpeace extended the reach of its research into transnational advocacy networks addressing issues from corporate complicity in human rights abuses to pollution events comparable to Exxon Valdez oil spill.
Critics from corporate groups such as the Business Roundtable and conservative commentators associated with The Heritage Foundation challenged CEP’s methodologies and claimed partisan bias; firms profiled sometimes pursued legal action or mounted public relations campaigns via agencies like Edelman (agency). Academics from University of Pennsylvania and commentators at Wall Street Journal questioned statistical methods and case selection, while labor leaders and faith groups disputed prioritization of issues, leading to public debates on standards for responsible corporate assessment. Internal debates mirrored wider disputes among NGOs including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch over investigative rigor and advocacy balance.
After its decline, many functions and constituencies of the organization were absorbed or continued by groups such as Social Investment Forum (now part of US SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment), Greenpeace, Human Rights Watch, and newer watchdogs like Corporate Accountability International and AccountAbility. Academic centers at Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School, and think tanks including Institute for Policy Studies carried forward research agendas, while shareholder activism movements linked to groups like Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility and Ceres (nonprofit organization) sustained campaigns modeled on CEP’s early work. The organization’s historical records and influence are cited in studies from libraries and archives at institutions such as Library of Congress and university special collections.
Category:Non-profit organizations based in New York City