Not to be confused with Corporate Accountability International

Corporate Accountability Lab is a left-of-center activist organization that advocates policies towards labor, environmentalist, and human rights issues. The organization claims to collaborate with the left-of-center group Fair World Project on financial initiatives including the drafting of corporate accountability standards for social auditing. ^{1 2}

In 2022, Corporate Accountability Lab received $300,000 in funding from George Soros’s Open Society Foundations as well as $149,845 from the Freedom Fund. ³

Background

Corporate Accountability Lab was founded in 2016 by Charity Ryerson. ⁴ In 2017, the organization was given tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). ⁵

The group claims to advocate against alleged “corporate abuse” of human rights and the environment, as well as providing more resources for public interest lawyers and activists. ^{1 4}

Activities

According to its website, the Corporate Accountability Lab’s activism is focused on four program areas. The “Legal Design Lab” promotes identifying legal routes to sue or challenge corporations. ⁶ The “Combatting Forced Labor” program seeks to identify and prevent what it claims to be forced labor practices. The “Corporate Accountability in Transitional Justice” program focuses on identifying practices the group claims are human rights and environmental abuses. Finally, the “Ethical Intellectual Property” claims to advocate for protecting creator property and licenses over their creations. ⁷ In addition, the organization publishes periodic reports ^{8 9} and hosts webinars related to left-of-center legal activism. ¹⁰

The group has advocated support for environmentalist group Greenpeace and has previously partnered with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to host events on corporate accountability. “Post.” Corporate Accountability Lab LinkedIn. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/corporate-accountability-lab_dakotaaccesspipeline-activity-7244820464852762624-7_7n?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop.[/note] ¹¹

Financials

According to its tax forms, in 2023 the Corporate Accountability Lab spent $499,100 on program expenses. These expenses included $176,218 to support labor activists, $117,587 on legal activism, and $115,095 on public policy activism related to human rights and environmental issues. ¹²

In 2021, Corporate Accountability Lab gave a $210,621 grant to the left-of-center Organization for Ethical Source. ¹³

Funding

Corporate Accountability Lab receives funding from individual contributions and grants. ¹⁴ In 2023, Corporate Accountability Lab reported revenue of $695,567 and expenses of $599,696. In the previous year 2022, the organization reported revenue of $961,181 and expenses of $923,650. ¹²

In 2022, Corporate Accountability Lab received a $300,000 grant from George Soros’s Open Society Foundations (OSF) and another $149,845 grant from the Freedom Fund. ³ In addition, the group also received funding from the left-of-center Michael and Alice Kuhn Foundation. ¹⁵

In 2023, Corporate Accountability Lab received a $27,000 grant from the Schwab Charitable Fund. ³

Leadership

Charity Ryerson is the founder and executive director of Corporate Accountability Lab. In 2003, Ryerson served six months in federal prison for civil disobedience at the U.S. Army School of the Americas. ¹⁶

Members of Corporate Accountability Lab’s board of directors have affiliations with several organizations and institutions including the Harvard University Law School, the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, the administration of Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D), National Association of Corporate Directors, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, SEIU, Sustainable Innovations, New Community Transformation Fund, Future Directors Institute, Athena Alliance, 31 Days of Climate Action, American Bar Association, and the United Nations Development Fund for Women, and others. ¹⁷

1. “Corporate Accountability Lab.” University of Pittsburgh Global Studies Center. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/global/corporate-accountability-lab.
2. “Social Auditing and Certifications.” Corporate Accountability Project. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/social-auditing-and-certifications-/-greenwashing.
3. “Corporate Accountability Lab.” CauseIQ. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/corporate-accountability-lab,815123686/.
4. “Corporate Accountability Lab.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/company/corporate-accountability-lab/about/.
5. “Notice of Determination.” Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Service. July 3, 2017. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/dl/FinalLetter_81-5123686_CORPORATEACCOUNTABILITYLABNFP_03092017.tif.
6.  “The Legal Design Lab.” Corporate Accountability Lab. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/legal-design-lab.
7. “Programs.” Corporate Accountability Lab. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/programs.
8. “Publications.” Corporate Accountability Lab. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/publications.
9. “Publications.” Corporate Accountability Lab. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/publications.
10. “Webinars and Recorded Events.” Corporate Accountability Lab. Accessed September 29, 2024. https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/events.
11.  “2021 Symposium.” The Promise Institute for Human Rights. February 26, 2021. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://promiseinstitute.law.ucla.edu/symposium/2021-symposium-international-human-rights-and-corporate-accountability-current-and-future-challenges/.
12. “Corporate Accountability Lab.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2023. Part I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/815123686/202420649349300927/full.
13. “Corporate Accountability Lab.” Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990). 2021. Schedule I. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/815123686/202221179349301822/full.
14. “Donate.” Corporate Accountability Lab. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/donations.
15. “Annual Report.” Corporate Accountability Lab. 2022. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5810dda3e3df28ce37b58357/t/64efebb229e2b02d7323b7b3/1693445144741/Annual+Report+2022+FINAL.pdf.
16. “Staff.” Corporate Accountability Lab. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/our-team.
17. “Our Board.” Corporate Accountability Lab. Accessed September 26, 2024. https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/our-board-of-directors.