Philip Morris is invited to the Produrable Show

On September 7 and 8, the Produrable Trade Fair was held at the Palais des Congrès in Paris.[1], organized in partnership with the Ministry of Ecological and Inclusive Transition. The tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris, world leader in cigarettes, was present to promote its “smoke-free future”.

The event presents itself as "the largest European meeting of Sustainable Economy Actors and Solutions". The organizers propose a reflection on the role and commitment of the company, described as the engine of a transition towards a new societal model, organized around three watchwords: sobriety, solidarity, prosperity.

A disastrous environmental and human toll

The presence of Philip Morris is surprising in this respect. The environmental impact of the tobacco sector is particularly heavy in terms of the environment. Indeed, the activity of the tobacco industry is directly responsible for 5% of global deforestation. Tobacco growing, which is extremely consuming in pesticides, actively contributes to the pollution of water, soil, as well as to the reduction of biodiversity. The plastic composition of the filters makes it a major environmental problem: cigarette butts, particularly toxic, constitute 40% of the waste in the Mediterranean Sea. The industry is also far from being a model in terms of social responsibility, being a direct cause of illiteracy and multigenerational poverty in low- and middle-income countries.

An advertising and moral whitewashing operation

As Milton Friedman points out, "corporate social responsibility (CSR) aims to increase its profits." Furthermore, since direct or indirect advertising for tobacco products is prohibited, the cigarette manufacturer is using the CSR strategy to improve its image, tarnished by decades of global health scandals. CSR is also considered a form of indirect advertising by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Similarly, the presence of a tobacco manufacturer at an event organized in partnership with a ministry is contrary to the obligations of this same treaty. The latter aims, in particular, to limit as much as possible interactions between public authorities and cigarette manufacturers.

Keywords: Philip-Morris, Produrable, CSR

©Generation Without Tobacco

[1] At the Produrable Show, we advocate the ecology of small steps, Reporterre, September 8, 2020, accessed October 14, 2020

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