Trinity Students Disrupt KPMG Event to Protest Corporate Greenwashing

Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) Campaigns group took an unconventional approach to environmental activism today by disrupting a KPMG careers event held in the Business School during Green Week. Rather than conventional protest chants or sit-ins, the students opted for an impromptu DJ set to underscore their opposition to perceived corporate greenwashing.

TCDSU President Jenny Maguire justified the disruption as a necessary statement, challenging Trinity's relationships with corporations whose environmental commitments she questions. She further criticised Trinity’s institutional stance, stating, "Every year, students and staff are forced to do volunteer labour to cover up the university’s shabby commitment to true environmentalism."

Maguire underscored the urgency of confronting corporate alliances that she argues harm the environment. She explicitly condemned Trinity’s financial ties with companies such as Ryanair and Coca-Cola, and sharply criticised the university's ongoing engagement with Israel, accusing it of perpetrating "ecocide on Palestinian land."

Signs placed by the protesters at the event highlighted KPMG’s significant investments in artificial intelligence technology, specifically pointing to concerns about increased water usage linked to expanding data centres. Patrick Flynn, Secretary of Trinity’s Environmental Society and participant in the protest, emphasised the seriousness of these environmental implications, noting Ireland's rapid growth as a hub for data centres. Flynn remarked, "We’re on course to have 30% of our energy used by data centres alone—fueled largely by the AI boom. These glossy corporate events don’t critically address such pressing issues."

While some students embraced the disruption with enthusiasm, dancing around speakers and recording the protest, others expressed frustration. Trinity’s Sustainability Manager Jane Hackett contested the protesters' characterisation of the event, stating directly to Maguire that it was "not a greenwashing event," although her comments were partly drowned out by the volume of the music.

College authorities have yet to formally comment on the protest. KPMG has also been approached for comment but has not responded as of publication.