It is one of the most consequential legal proceedings in modern corporate history — a trial that could redefine what accountability means in the global economy. The Lafarge case, now before French courts, marks the first time a company as a legal entity is being prosecuted in France for financing a terrorist enterprise. Even more striking, it is the first case where a corporation faces this charge for payments made through a foreign subsidiary. At its heart lies a question that has haunted global business for decades: can a multinational corporation claim ignorance of crimes committed in its own supply chain, or by its own subsidiaries, when the profits keep flowing home? For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, Annette Young welcomes Cannelle Lavite, Director of the Business and Human Rights Program at the ECCHR (European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights).
This story originally appeared on France24
Lafarge trial: Multinational companies 'enjoying impunity, prioritising profits over human rights'
