University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

Sample
138
We analysed CSR and annual reports of 10 large multinational seed corporations and
online documents of 10 NGOs (see Annex A). When selecting the TNC sample we
conducted extensive literature review but unfortunately were not able to include
professional industry reports on the agro-chemical and seed industries due to our
limited financial resources. However, the communications of the ETC Group (2005a;
2007a; 2007b) were identified as an appropriate and reliable source for identifying
the largest seed companies. We conducted literature and online research as well as
expert interviews to identify the most important NGOs who are engaged in the field
of access to PGRFA and/or technology and knowledge transfer, conservation issues
and/or plant breeding. For both TNCs and NGOs the online availability of high
quality data in English or German as well as their engagement in Europe was a major
selection criterion.
Results of the Study
The next paragraph shows the results of our content analysis of ten global seed
companies and ten NGOs. The results are structured according to the three
dimensions of sustainable development: i.e. Economy, Environment and Social
issues.
Economy
A specific characteristic of the seed industry is the high market concentration which
is also subject to NGO and company reporting (e.g. Bayer 2007c:92; BASF 2007:14;
IgNN 2006b; CBD 2008d). Limagrain (2007:40) states that “seeds are a “vector for
technology”, indispensable and strategic, that must be controlled. This explains why
we are witnessing a powerful movement of concentration in the seeds world”. NGOs
see this situation as a threat to AB and food security (FoE 2006:6) given the decline
from thousands of seed companies and public breeding institutions thirty years ago to
ten companies which now control more than two-thirds of global proprietary seed
sales (ETCGroup 2008b:3; SF 2006:12).
This concentration in the seed industry emerged primarily through: a) mergers and
acquisitions, b) patents on life (BD 2005:3,4) and c) co-operations (ETCGroup
2008b:13). All analysed companies refer to several takeovers and joint ventures
within the last years (FoE 2009:13; Syngenta 2007:19; Limagrain 2007:14,52; Bayer
2007a:12,29; Dow 2007a:22; Genewatch 2000:10). One of the most prominent cases
heavily criticised by NGOs is the merger between Monsanto and Delta&Pine which
now strongly control the global cotton seed market (ETCGroup 2005b:1). While
public sector plant breeding is declining (ETCGroup 2008a:1) these large TNCs get
access to high quality genetic material that was once owned and developed by small
seed companies (Greenpeace 2009a:3; CBD 2008c).
The changes in intellectual property rights regulations and specifically in patent law
foster this market concentration, a fact that NGOs strongly criticise (e.g. Genewatch
2007:1). TNCs on the other hand, in their reports stress the importance of strong