The world’s most hated company: can NGOs help turn around Shell’s reputation?

The oil giant has topped the list of most criticized brands for the fourth year running. But should NGOs be doing more to push the carbon fuel debate forward?

In mid-2015, Shell realized its project in the Chuckchi Sea, off the coast of Alaska, was in trouble. After nearly a decade of expensive drilling, it still hadn't yielded results and increasingly strict regulations were making it harder to operate. Plus, there was the small issue of public opinion, which, inspired by an aggressive campaign by Greenpeace, was turning against the company.

Greenpeace started protesting the Chukchi Sea project in 2012, when activists occupied a Shell-contracted drillship headed for the Arctic. A couple of years later, climbers rappelled off a bridge in Portland, Oregon, to block an icebreaker vessel from leaving the port. And, in September 2015, it staged a weeks-long protest outside Shell's headquarters in London, erecting a giant animatronic polar bear and enlisting the support of British actress Emma Thompson. Later that month, Shell gave up on its arctic dreams altogether, announcing it was ending the $7bn-effort.