Human rights

Just as ExxonMobil is committed to meeting the world’s growing demand for energy to power economic progress, we are also committed to playing an important role in respecting and promoting human rights. ExxonMobil actively promotes human rights, not just because doing so fosters a stable and productive business environment, but more importantly, because it is simply the right thing to do. We believe our business presence can, and should, have a positive influence on the treatment of people in the communities where we operate.

The responsibilities of transnational corporations to respect human rights and the responsibility of governments to protect human rights are core principles of a policy framework issued in 2008 by John Ruggie, the United Nations Special Representative on Business and Human Rights. Along with other stakeholders, we participated in Special Representative Ruggie’s consultations on the topic of business and human rights.

Our commitment to human rights is supported by our Standards of Business Conduct, which are consistent with the spirit and intent of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with the 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work of the International Labor Organization (ILO). Our Statement on Labor and the Workplace articulates our support for the principles of the ILO Declaration, namely the elimination of child labor, forced labor, workplace discrimination, and the recognition of the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining. All employees are required to comply with our policies.

We seek business partners that observe similar standards. Our standard contract language requires adherence to all national laws and regulations. We pre-screen suppliers and mandate that they comply with all applicable laws regarding business practices and human rights (such as laws prohibiting child labor and forced labor). We are taking steps to include specific language regarding child and forced labor in certain engineering, procurement, and construction contracts. This extra safeguard may pose additional challenges in locating qualified suppliers; however, we believe these additional measures will raise awareness and help ensure our partners and suppliers are committed to respecting human rights.