SOMO is an independent, non-profit research and network organisation working on social, ecological and economic issues related to sustainable development. Since 1973, the organisation investigates multinational corporations and the consequences of their activities for people and the environment around the world. SOMO supports social organisations by providing training, coordinating networks and generating and disseminating knowledge on multinational corporations in a context of international production, trade, financing and regulation.

• download SOMO brochure
  
• download a Summary Year Plan 2012 which gives a general picture of SOMOs aims, objectives and key activities

• read the SOMO Annual Report 2009. See also 2008 and 2007.

• SOMO participates in two alliances: Fair, Green and Global and Impact
  

• Mission
• Vision
• Strategy
• Code of Conduct for SOMO research
  

Mission

SOMO strives toward global economic development that is sustainable and fair and toward the  elimination of the structural causes of poverty, environmental problems, exploitation and inequality. Through research targeted at achieving sustainable change and strengthening cooperation, SOMO seeks to offer social organisations worldwide, especially those in developing countries, the opportunity to promote sustainable alternatives and to provide a counterweight to unsustainable strategies and practices of multinational corporations.

Vision

In SOMO's vision, strong civil society organisations are the initiators and drivers of positive change. Such change is initiated on the basis of reliable information and close cooperation and is guided by the principles of social and economic justice, sustainable development, transparency and fair distribution of power.

Strategy

In order to realise its mission, SOMO aims to strengthen the position of civil society organisations, workers and local communities. SOMO achieves this by integrating knowledge and action with regard to multinational corporations.

SOMO presumes that in order to affect positive social change, it must employ four interrelated strategies.

1. provide civil society with access to reliable alternative information;
   
2. strengthen networks between like-minded organisations to create a broad societal base;
   
3. build the capacity of civil society organisations to conduct critical research and integrate the resulting knowledge with action and
   
4. engage relevant target groups with prospects for action.
   

Code of Conduct for SOMO research

• With this Code of Conduct, SOMO seeks to make explicit the standards and values that serve as principles for the research it commissions and conducts.
• All SOMO employees are individually responsible for compliance with the guidelines applicable within SOMO to the performance of research. All studies and publications are checked by colleagues within SOMO. Nevertheless, imperfections may occur, about which a complaint can be submitted. The following procedure applies in this context.

Download SOMO Code of Conduct

If you have a complaint about SOMO or a good idea, please fill in the form.