In 2001, the Enron Corporation collapsed into bankruptcy after the exposure of systemic accounting fraud, erasing billions in shareholder wealth and employee pensions. This scandal revealed significant flaws in corporate governance and accounting practices, leading to widespread regulatory reforms, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Enron scandal serves as a cautionary tale about corporate ethics and the importance of transparency in business.

The Enron corporate accounting scandal in 2001 spurred a wave of corporate documentary poetry, with poets like Claudia Rankine and Jennifer Moxley investigating the language of financial obfuscation. This movement highlighted the ethical implications of corporate culture and its impact on society.