How activists pushed CBA out of coal in five years
A small group of radical activists was able to use the corporate world's rules against itself, in one of the remarkable stories of the Australian environmental movement.
Julien Vincent's team was ironically dubbed Market Forces, signifying that capitalism would be used against itself. Elke Meitzel
When the corporate lobbying arm of the Friends of the Earth – an environmental group that could be fairly labelled eco-socialists – told Australia's largest company it was working on a plan that could embarrass the board, guess what Catherine Livingstone did?
The famously tough Commonwealth Bank of Australia chairman invited Market Forces executive director Julien Vincent to the bank's hushed headquarters overlooking Sydney's Darling Habour for a direct conversation.
Aaron PatrickSenior correspondentAaron Patrick is the senior correspondent. He writes about politics and business from the Sydney newsroom. Email Aaron at apatrick@afr.com
