Industries have long been known to quietly shape the very systems meant to hold them accountable — a tactic known as “corporate capture.” Now, experts at the University of Portsmouth are explaining how this influence can stall progress on environmental issues like the overheating of the planet, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
What’s happening?
For decades, scientists have warned about corporate capture, where powerful industries exert influence over institutions in a way that can prioritize private over public interests. A new international study, led by Professor Alex Ford from the University of Portsmouth, explains how this tactic can obstruct progress against today’s most pressing environmental threats — from rising global temperatures to toxic pollution.
The research, published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, describes a “tactics playbook” companies use to water down laws, cherry-pick scientific studies, and even shape the messaging of universities, NGOs, and cultural institutions.
“There’s growing evidence that those tasked with protecting people and the planet can become entangled — sometimes unknowingly — in a web of influence,” Ford explained, according to the university, noting that these strategies are often subtle but have a notable impact.
Why is corporate capture concerning?
Corporate capture has been linked to big industries such as dirty energy sources (like oil and gas), tobacco, food, and pharmaceuticals since the 1940s. When regulators and researchers rely too much on industry funding or data, it can skew public protection. For example, harmful products may stay on the market longer, big polluters can avoid accountability, and entire communities may face greater risks to their health and safety.
Left unchecked, this influence chips away at global efforts to curb pollution and protect biodiversity and human health — problems that already disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
“These ‘capture strategies’ don’t always look like outright corruption,” Ford explained. “They can be subtle, systemic, and deeply embedded, making them all the more important to recognize and call out.”
What can we do about corporate capture?
The International Panel on Chemical Pollution, which includes Ford and other experts, is calling for stronger conflict-of-interest policies and more transparency around funding for research and regulatory institutions. The panel also recommends teaching students, especially in environmental sciences, how to recognize misinformation and industry influence.
The study points out that industries can also play a positive role in innovation and sustainability. However, it’s important that any collaboration happens on fair terms.
“Industry voices have a place in public debate,” said co-author Dr. Maria Clara Starling, according to the University of Portsmouth, “but that involvement must be transparent, accountable, and free from conflicts of interest.”
Individuals can play a part by educating themselves about greenwashing and supporting independent science. As Ford summarized: “The idea isn’t to vilify industry — many companies are doing important work in sustainability. It’s about increasing awareness of how some industries operate to slow down positive progress.”
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