VW and the toxic problem of corporate amnesia

Scandals such as the BP oil spill, horsemeat and the recent revelations about VW raise serious questions about how to ensure companies don't repeat wrongdoing

When it was revealed that VW had been cheating on emissions tests, people were shocked. The automaker that had styled itself as a champion of corporate social responsibility and clean technology suddenly no longer looked so ethical.

It turns out this is not the first time VW has cheated emissions tests. As far back as 1973, VW had been fitting defeat devices to cars. The company was pursued by the EPA and eventually settled out of court with a fine of $120,000 (78,500). So why didn't VW learn its lesson?