In an especially cynical act of corporate pinkwashing, the Susan B. Komen breast cancer advocacy group just accepted money from Baker Hughes, one of the largest fracking companies in the world. While the Susan B. Komen Foundation is searching for a cure for breast cancer, Baker Hughes is contributing to it, by pumping millions of gallons of toxic chemicals into the ground worldwide.

The size of Baker Hughes’ donation pales in comparison to its profits. The corporation is moving to buy public support while it continues to destroy our environment and health. Let’s send a message to Baker Hughes that its toxic practices need to stop, by calling on the Susan B. Komen Foundation to reject this cheap PR ploy and to advocate for eliminating carcinogens from our environment instead!

Baker Hughes is a huge company - it owns a full one-third of the world’s offshore fracking operations - and it has a history of operating outside the confines of the law. In 2010 Baker Hughes defended one of its subsidiaries, BJ Services Co., which was caught pumping 11.5 million gallons of carcinogenic diesel fluid into the ground in direct violation of an Environmental Protection Agency agreement. A few years prior, Baker Hughes was accused of spending over $15 million to bribe overseas officials, making their $100,000 donation to the Susan B. Komen Foundation look insignificant by comparison.

Much of the Susan B. Komen Foundation’s work is admirable, but encouraging people to believe that a toxic company like Baker Hughes is motivated by concerns about women’s health instead of corporate profits is downright dangerous. Our friends at Breast Cancer Action have identified at least 175 chemicals commonly used in fracking that increase people’s risk of cancer. A pink fracking drill won’t protect women’s health, and pumping gallons of toxic chemicals into our ground near water sources will cause even more women to experience the horrific reality of breast cancer.

Baker Hughes should be shamed for increasing women’s risk of cancer, not welcomed as a partner by one of the most visible breast cancer foundations. Let’s join friends at Breast Cancer Action, 350.org and women’s advocacy group UltraViolet in calling on the Susan B. Komen Foundation to drop this dangerous partnership today!