Campaigns which challenge large corporations to act in socially responsible ways are not new. Since the 1970s, citizen action groups have been attempting to achieve change by means of public awareness raising, boycotts, shareholder resolutions, postcard mailings, court cases and other campaign strategies. At first, most of the corporations and business associations which were the objects of criticism reacted either by denying responsibility or by attempting to discredit those who criticised them. Today, however, the corporate community casts ‘dialogues’ with critics as one of the best ways to deal with contentious issues.

What lies behind the offers of large corporations and business associations to enter into dialogue with them? Do such offers really indicate a change in attitude on the part of industry – and if so, in what direction? Or do they merely constitute a more sophisticated strategy for defending corporate practices that are subject to criticism?

In this paper, Judith Richter, renowned international expert on public interest safeguards in the field of health and nutrition, provides a useful perspective on the opportunities and risks to engage in talks with the industry.