On the current BMP beta stage:

Currently BMP presents an idea, and is in the very initial stage of offering a platform for users to come and expand it. It is similar to what wikipedia was, when it was still far from being the most comprehensive and popular encyclopaedia in the world.

The database on which BMP is built works on two levels: the first is a virtual duplication of the global corporate structure - the various business entities active in the world and the links of ownership between them - and the second is a store of critical news items. While both levels of the database are already quite extensive, maintaining an up to date account of global finance is a considerable enterprise which demands more working hands and resources. Until traffic on the BloodMoney Project reaches a critical point that would financially enable us to create a program that would automatically collect this information , the BMP databse could only offer an aproximation of the world. The more input we get from users, the closer we would get to BMP becoming an accurate and operative platform for both professional users and the common user who is looking to be a better conscientious consumer.

Q: What`s the purpose of tracking a company`s shareholders? how is the relation relevant?

Q: But a company can`t control who buys its shares.

Q: I can`t find a single shoe, cigarette brand or bank that doesn’t turn out to be unethical, what do I do now?

Q: How can I help?

Q: Is this an anti-consumer culture initiative?

Q: How can we know if the information is reliable?

Q: Where do you get the financial info from?

Q: The articles on the site are somewhat one-sided, to say the least.

Q: There`s a feature I`d like to see on the site, want to hear about it?

Q: The … doesn`t work. Are you doing anything about it?

Q: Some of the articles are very old.

Q: What`s the purpose of tracking a company`s shareholders? how is the relation relevant?

A: In as much as a given shareholder profits through the activity of an invested company, it is an owner of the company, even if it has no corporate control. If you have issues with a certain company`s activity, those issues may be extended to any body that makes a profit from such an activity. By the same token, any profit made by a company is a profit to its shareholders, so it also works the other way - buy a company`s product, and like it or not - you`re financing its shareholders.    

Q: But a company can`t control who buys its shares.

A: True. There are no easy, or as of yet - proposed solutions here. Nevertheless, the fact remains that when investing in a company (by either buying its stock or products) which is partly owned by another company, you help that other company make a profit, thus contributing to its activities. When a company goes public it opens the door to such possibilities. This aspect of the free market inadvertently states that money is money, regardless of where it comes from. One may suggest that a company can set rules that bar bodies which are not inline with its corporate responsibility guidelines from buying its stock, but at the moment there don`t seem to be the legal and financial structures to make such regulation possible.

Q: I can`t find a single shoe, cigarette brand or bank that doesn’t fail miserably, what do I do now?

A: Quit smoking, walk barefoot and stash your paycheck in the mattress. Seriously, in case that doesn`t work for you, you might be glad to know that we are working on a feature that would suggest the best available alternative products. Some industries, such as the sports-shoes industry, are indeed very problematic. What we suggest in such cases is to do some research and find the least offensive manufacturer. Some change (not much though) is already apparent in the heavily criticized shoe industry, which shows that public criticism can actually make a difference. More consumer attention to these issues might create a competition among manufacturers on the "better practices" tag, with each vying for your conscientious dollar. A simpler way to go, and often a better one, would be to buy local, and buy small. By buying products which are produced locally, you would help support a small(er) business, and your product would travel a shorter way to get to you, which also means less energy wastage and less pollution.

Q: How can I help?

Thanks for asking. First of all you can use the site. Tell us about anything you think might work better, any feature that could compliment the site`s functions. Keep looking for information on companies and products out there in the market, and if you can`t find what you`re looking for let us know. We`re working on features that would allow you to input information yourself, submit new articles, add companies etc. Please report any broken link you find, and any information you consider to be mistaken. You can also help by telling your friends to drop by and take a look. Or just tell us how you think you can help.

Q: Is this an anti consumer culture initiative?

A: There`s nothing wrong with being giddy over a new pair of shoes or a slick piece of electronics. Commerce in itself is a fact of life, neither good nor bad. The question is, what kind of consumer culture do we want to be part of? As long as we`re buying, what kind of buyers do we want to be? If this is a consumer culture, and we are the consumers, then with every purchase we make we`re casting a vote. The shape of the multinational corporation is a reflection of us and our choices. Every corporate act of atrocity you read about on this site and our sources is made possible by our financial support, our ignorance, or our relative indifference. One might get the impression that there aren`t enough “clean” products left, but there are still some alternatives out there, perhaps just enough to provide a crack for us to pry open and affect a change in the market.

Q: How can we know if the information is reliable?

A: Regarding articles featured on BMP or linked to, they are as reliable as the publications that issued them. We try to use reputable sources of information, but it is up to the user to make his or her own conclusions, just as you would when reading your morning newspaper or when watching the news. We try to provide more than one article on every item, allowing the reader to have a broader perspective and observe the progression of a given story over time.

Regarding financial info, we do our best to use only sources which are widely used in financial circles. We rely also on companies` own financial statements, and do our best to cross check the information and update it periodically. A certain degree of misinformation is possible and likely. However, until BMP reaches full operational mode (and discards its "beta"), it is not expected to be more than a development platform for users who acknowledge its limitations, an idea, and an aproximation. It is up to a user to go beyond and do the research either to find out for him/herself, or to come back and make sure the site is kept true and up to date.

Q: Where do you get the financial info from?

A: A lot of it comes from reports companies must file in certain countries. Companies which are publicly traded on the American market are required by law to submit financial reports to the Security Exchange Commission, and these are public records. Hopefully we would be able to provide more comprehensive results on company shareholders and supplier-customer relations in the future, but that requires extra funding.

Q: The articles on the site are somewhat one-sided, to say the least.

A: Positive Public Relations are too easy to generate, and the professionals responsible for them are skilled at throwing you off the mark and confusing their critics. There are always receptive media outlets for a company`s PR campaign, as they are often owned by business and political affiliates of the company under scrutiny. What we hope to show, is that in certain cases there is a body of evidence that points to a company`s de facto policy or morals, as opposed to its proclaimed official policy and corporate responsibility declaration. We don`t trust positive PR, and white/green washing.

Q: There`s a feature I`d like to see on the site, want to hear about it?

A: Sure! If you already reviewed our upcoming features list and your idea was not there, please let us know about it.

Q: The … doesn`t work. Are you doing anything about it?

A: Most chances if we know about it, we`re already on it. But we might have missed it. Let us know.

Q: Some of the articles are very old.

A: That’s true, but as old as they are, they are not yet "expired". We try not to go too far back, but in some cases, such as with the Bhopal disaster , the effects are still felt, and the companies involved have yet to take full responsibility, have yet to take remedial actions, and are now implementing the same business practices elsewhere. They stunk then, and they still stink now.