Centre For Corporate Accountability Closure Announced

Despite appealing for funds in order to continue the work done over the last ten years, the Centre For Corporate Accountability has announced that it will cease to be from Friday 28th August.

Derek Maylor, Chair of the BTU NW H&S Co-ord said,

“This is extremely bad news for all the people who need their support following an incident to a member of their family. The Co-ord has actively supported the CCA since it's inception and Co-ord members have attended every conference they organised, including the most recent a few weeks ago in London.

It's not usual  to name individuals but Dave Bergman and Steve Tombs, he particularly locally, have been inspirational to the Co-ord over the last  few years.

On behalf of the Co-ord I will be writing to the CCA to not only express our concern and sadness at the closure of the organisation, but to thank them for the difference they have made to ordinary families who were placed in desperate circumstances through no fault of their own.”

Dave Joyce, CWU National Health, Safety & Environment Officer announced the closure to CWU USRs via LTB696/09 today (12th August):

" I regret to inform Branches and Safety Representatives that the Centre for Corporate Accountability (CCA) has announced that due to financial circumstances it has been forced to close and will cease to operate on Friday 28 August.

Over the last two years the CCA has been struggling financially and it has proved extremely difficult for the CCA to secure the necessary funding for the running of the organisation and although every possible avenue was pursued the CCA has been unsuccessful in attempts to generate the necessary income for it's continuation. Sadly, the last issue the CCA's "Corporate Crime Update" Newsletter has been published."

The LTB goes on to give some background detail of the organisation and its work:

" The Centre for Corporate Accountability (CCA) was established in 1999 as a human rights charity, working on issues of safety, safety law enforcement and corporate accountability. The CCA worked to promote worker and public safety, concerning itself with the role of state bodies in the enforcement health and safety law and the investigation and prosecution of work-related death and injury. The CCA strongly advocated and campaigned for changes in law and policies that promote worker and public safety – including reform of the Corporate Manslaughter law and imposing safety duties on directors. The CCA worked and campaigned closely with bereaved families, safety organisations and Trade Unions, including the TUC and CWU.
 
Additionally the CCA ran the UK's only free, independent and confidential advice service for families bereaved from work-related deaths, providing assistance to families on investigation and prosecution issues arising from the death and to help them ensure that wherever possible, were appropriate, those responsible were held to account.
 
The CCA also published a range of important reports, policy documents and research into the need for changes in the law, law enforcement and corporate accountability in Britain and internationally and much more.

The CCA under the leadership of Executive Director David Bergman worked hard and achieved much over the last 10 years, working with the Unions and other Safety Campaigning organisations in pressing for better safety law enforcement, corporate accountability, new safety laws and directors duties.

David Bergman and the CCA were instrumental and at the forefront of the campaign that led to the introduction of a new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007."

Concluding Dave said:
 
"In the ten years since its formation, the CCA has, working together with the CWU and others achieved a great deal, in the area of workplace safety and law enforcement. It's therefore sad to be notified of David's departure from the CCA and the CCA's imminent closure as David Bergman and the CCA have done a great job over the last decade. On behalf of the CWU I have conveyed a message of thanks to the CCA and its Directors for their work and expressed the CWU deep regret and the organisations demise."

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