What was the point?

News last week that the journalist Mike Daisey lied and contrived his sensational story about the wicked goings-on in Apple's supply chain has done a huge disservice to businesses who are trying to be more sustainable.

Daisey claimed that Apple's supplier Foxconn was responsible for employing underage workers, poisoning and maiming, all claims later disputed by his own Chinese interpreter.

So what has Mr Daisey achieved? He certainly upset Apple and made a few people think about what they were buying but the real damage has been the credibility of investigative journalism.

I believe that big corporations should have their environmental credentials scrutinized and that they should be held to account by the public, through good journalism. But who is going to believe another story about Apple? What big organisation that is exploiting a Chinese workforce will get away with it? What broadcaster, paper or magazine will want to run the risk of being the next "This American Life" ?

At a time when we want to make the world a better place, more sustainable and environmentally connected, this type of irresponsible journalism helps those scrupulous business hide what they are doing and detracts from all the good things that are organisations are achieving.