Equality at Exxon Mobil Corporation
Exxon Mobil Corp. (ExxonMobil, NYSE: XOM) is the world's largest integrated oil company (ahead of Royal Dutch Shell and BP), has broken several U.S. records for annual corporate earnings and has consistently ranked in the top three of Fortune magazine's annual list of the largest U.S. businesses since 2000. It supplies refined products to tens of thousands of service stations in more than 100 countries that operate under the Exxon, Esso and Mobil brands.
ExxonMobil is the only U.S. employer that has ever rescinded both a non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation and domestic partner benefits, and is the only Fortune 10 company that does not have a non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation.
Mobil Corp. had written non-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation that were revoked upon its merger with Exxon Corp. in 1999. Mobil also provided domestic partner health benefits to its employees; enrollment in partner benefits ended after the merger with Exxon in 1999.
Today, industry peers BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Shell prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policies and provide domestic partner benefits. BP, Chevron and Shell also prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity.
What You Can Do
Twenty-four members of Congress and thousands of stockholders and consumers wrote to ExxonMobil's then-Chairman Lee R. Raymond in December 1999 to protest the policy reversals. At the May 2000 annual meeting, Raymond brushed aside discussion on changing his company's written Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policy, stating that interested parties should "go pass a federal law instead." Thousands of customers have stopped shopping at Exxon, Mobil and Esso stations; others have mailed back their cut up gas cards with letters explaining why they won't support the company.
- Exxon Mobil Corporation: Shareholder Resolution: make sure you and your family and friends tell Exxon to support LGBT equality
- Buying for Equality: shop at ExxonMobil's competitors that value LGBT equality
ExxonMobil Does Not Prohibit Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation
As with all employers, HRC looks to a company's primary non-discrimination or equal employment opportunity policy that explicitly states "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" alongside other protected classes. As of January 2008, the company's EEO policy as found in its Standards of Business Conduct reads as follows, with no reference to sexual orientation or gender identity:
"Equal Employment Opportunity Policy (modified for application in the United States). It is the policy of Exxon Mobil Corporation to provide equal employment opportunity in conformance with all applicable laws and regulations to individuals who are qualified to perform job requirements regardless of their race, color, sex, religion, national origin, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability, veteran or other legally protected status. The Corporation administers its personnel policies, programs, and practices in a nondiscriminatory manner in all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruitment, hiring, work assignment, promotion, transfer, termination, wage and salary administration, and selection for training."
- Exxon Mobil Corp: Standards of Business Conduct - Equal Employment Opportunity [www.exxonmobil.com]
- Sample Equal Employment Opportunity Policies from Capital One, Costco and IBM
