San Diego, California, United States
I am a pioneer in campaigns to stop corporate abuse. My new book is “Reining in the Bulls: How to Stop Corporate Abuse in an Age of Unbridled Greed”. It’s the first comprehensive resource for NGO professionals and grassroots activists who want to understand, plan, and execute modern corporate campaigns. More than ever, major corporations pose a threat to our climate, social and economic well-being, and our democracy. There is an urgent need to curb their destructive behavior, and my book gives advocates a powerful tool to bring corporations back in service to all the people, not just the wealthy elite. I know how to win campaigns where workers, communities, wildlife, and the natural environment are harmed. I was the campaign director at Rainforest Action Network and the Sierra Club, co-founder of ForestEthics (which became Stand.earth), and founder of Corporate Ethics International. I’ve managed coalitions involving these and other groups such as Greenpeace, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Sierra Club. I’ve also advised the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Pew Charitable Trusts, Hewlett Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation, and others. Through my involvement with these NGOs and foundations I’ve designed, led, directed funding to, or advised many of the largest corporate campaigns ever against companies like: Staples Amazon.com The Home Depot Walmart Smithfield Foods Mitsubishi Corporation Uber Apple Inc. TransCanada Corporation Ford Motor Company While “Reining in the Bulls” is designed to guide the conduct of corporate campaigns, my first book offers inside stories about my involvement in some of those campaigns. It’s entitled "Life as a River: Memories & Reflections of a Die-Hard Fly Fisher and Eco-Activist" and is available on Amazon.com.
Major corporations exercise enormous control over our lives. They influence how we think, what we buy, who we vote for, and how our society evolves. They are key drivers of the wealth that fuels our economic system, and their power insulates them from strict government regulations and accountability. In this setting, corporate abuses—pollution, toxic and inhumane work environments, defective products—go unchecked. When the government refuses to corral industry’s misdeeds, advocacy groups turn to corporate campaigns to expose and change harmful behavior. Reining in the Bulls is the first comprehensive resource for professionals of nongovernmental organizations who want to understand, plan, and execute modern corporate campaigns. Michael Marx is a pioneer in this field and has led multiple high-profile campaigns, pressuring companies that were harming workers, communities, and the natural environment. He draws from his and other campaign experts’ experience to highlight lessons from both US and international campaigns. Corporate campaigns are unique in that they require knowing how to pressure branded companies and understanding their inner workings to strategically target that pressure. The need for a comprehensive guide is growing. Few advocacy professionals receive training on how to conduct these campaigns effectively. Even those who have worked on corporate campaigns for a while need to evolve their strategies to incorporate advances in social media and the threats posed by new industries, such as AI. There is an urgent need to curb the destructive behavior of corporations, and this book gives advocates a powerful tool for holding companies accountable and protecting our social and environmental well-being.
National director of the Beyond Oil Campaign where I was responsible for supervising a team of 20 staff and volunteers, facilitating national strategy development, and helping to implement the campaign through our various state chapters.
Co-founder and executive director of ForestEthics, which after his departure became Stand.earth