With a socioeconomic system that rewards short term personal gains, regardless of the long term consequences for society and nature, are we really surprised that these companies operate like this? But individuals act like this as well of course.
“No conspiracy required”, as Simon said in InterReflections. We structurally reward corruption, cartel behavior and exploitation. If we don’t want that, then we need different economic rules which in effect help shape a new behavior for the players. Such a new behavior might be shaped by e.g. a resource based economy.