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New social and environmental obligations are now imposed on transnational companies. They are now responsible for the concrete implementation of these obligations and are developing a set of practices to measure, prevent and remedy their environmental impact. These “corporate transition policies” (Lhulier & Tenreira, 2023) are at the frontier of law, management and natural sciences (mapping, indicators, thresholds), thus constitutive of a new co-produced scientific-normative space. A qualitative Science & Technology (STS) analysis on the basis of corporate documents and other collective practices is useful in order to describe this “corporate assemblages” (Tenreira, 2023), especially using Jasanoff's four-tiered analysis. The case study analysis reveals that the firm Decathlon refers to the 9 planetary limits ("experts/identities" N°1). It also refers to "institutions" (N°2) such as Sciences Based Target. The analysis of the "discourses" (N°3) shows that Decathlon's commitment actually appears largely declarative. The firm falls short of adopting concrete methodologies for calculating its ecological footprint, thereby highlighting a gap between rhetoric and action. This discrepancy presents a unique "representation" (N°4) of science, which permits the company a considerable degree of latitude in employing or constructing scientific indicators according to its “discretion”. At this stage of the analysis, it is thus possible to “problematize” (Laurent, 2022) corporate objects as corporate assemblages. The next steps of the analysis would nevertheless require other methodological approaches to “assess reflexively” these assemblages regarding an “rhizomatic ecological reality”.

Image : Tomas Saraceno, "Galaxies Forming along Filaments, Like Droplets along the Strands of a Spider’s Web", 2009, in Bruno Latour

Tenreira, Luca. 2023. "The construction of an episteme of objectification of corporate practices in the field of transition." In 4S Paraconference X EiJ: Building a Global Record, curated by Misria Shaik Ali, Kim Fortun, Phillip Baum and Prerna Srigyan. Annual Meeting of the Society of Social Studies of Science. Honolulu, Hawai'i, Nov 8-11.

Beck, Nyah E. | Winter 2023 EiJ Annotations

nebeck
  1. This is a standout organization to unite many underrepresented groups and collectively advocates for solutions to their issues. I believe this is a great strategy to bring about genuine change in policy, laws, and, hopefully, the future lives of Californians.
    1. What are some of the biggest challenges facing the environmental justice movement in California today, and how is CEJA addressing these challenges?

    2. How does CEJA approach community engagement and leadership development, and what role do community organizations play in the organization's work?

Beck, Nyah E. | Winter 2023 EiJ Annotations

nebeck
  1. From the sources shared on their website, they seem to be well-regarded by major news outlets and other sources for media. CEJA’s headlines are generally featured as necessary and critical to the context in which they advocate for communities of color disproportionately impacted by higher exposure to pollution. Of course, though, prominent industry leaders for oil and agriculture are opponents of this organization.

Beck, Nyah E. | Winter 2023 EiJ Annotations

nebeck
  1. This organization is a coalition of other organizations; therefore, they work intimately with core members; Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN), Communities for a Better Environment (CBE), Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice (CCAEJ), Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment (CRPE), Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), People Organizing to Demand Environmental and Economic Rights (PODER)

  2. And community partners; Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE), Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, Physicians for Social Responsibility – Los Angeles, and Strategic Concepts in Organizing Policy Education (SCOPE).

Beck, Nyah E. | Winter 2023 EiJ Annotations

nebeck
  1. CEJA does not necessarily have any claims of it using any unique strategies for addressing the problems they work on. If anything, I would note that the fact it is a coalition of multiple Environmental Justice Organizations from all over California would be characteristic enough to stand out.

Beck, Nyah E. | Winter 2023 EiJ Annotations

nebeck
  1. CEJA produces and shares a wide range of data and research on EiJ issues in California. Their website has a section dedicated solely to the resources produced and circulated among their coalition. This includes the bills and legislation they are reviewing and various sources regarding pollution reports like oil refineries, power plants, and transportation.

Beck, Nyah E. | Winter 2023 EiJ Annotations

nebeck
  1. The principal initiatives of CEJA campaigns are central to Policy Advocacy, Community Organizing, Research and Analysis, and Leadership development. They work to advance local, state, and federal environmental justice policies. A research and analysis team can provide evidence of the harmful effects of various pollutants that affect their communities, educate local stakeholders on these issues, and promote engagement of historically underrepresented groups to champion policy to address these concerns.