ExxonMobil – Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Policy (2015)

Outcome: Successfully withdrawn after the company expanded their Equal Opportunity Employment and non-discrimination policies to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity”.

Whereas: ExxonMobil Corporation (“ExxonMobil”) does not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in its written employment policy;
Over 84% of the Fortune 500 companies have adopted written nondiscrimination policies prohibiting harassment and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, as have more than 93% of Fortune 100 companies, according to the Human Rights Campaign; over 34% now prohibit discrimination based on gender identity;
We believe that corporations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity have a competitive advantage in recruiting and retaining employees from the widest talent pool;
According to an October, 2009 survey by Harris Interactive and Witeck-Combs, 44% of gay and lesbian workers in the United States reported an experience with some form of job discrimination related to sexual orientation; an earlier survey found that almost one out of every 10 gay or lesbian adults also stated that they had been fired or dismissed
unfairly from a previous job, or pressured to quit a job because of their sexual orientation;
Twenty states, the District of Columbia and more than 180 cities and counties, have laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation; 12 states and the District of Columbia have laws prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity;
Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles have adopted legislation restricting business with companies that do not guarantee equal treatment for gay and lesbian employees;
Our company has operations in, and makes sales to institutions in states and cities that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation;
National public opinion polls consistently find more than three quarters of the American people support equal rights in the workplace for gay men, lesbians and bisexuals; for example, in a Gallup poll conducted in May 2009, 89% of respondents favored equal opportunity in employment for gays and lesbians;
Resolved: The Shareholders request that ExxonMobil amend its written equal employment opportunity policy to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and to substantially implement the policy.
Supporting Statement: Employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity diminishes employee morale and productivity. Because state and local laws are inconsistent with respect to employment discrimination, our company would benefit from a consistent, corporate wide policy to enhance efforts to prevent discrimination, resolve complaints internally, and ensure a respectful and supportive atmosphere for all employees. ExxonMobil will enhance its competitive edge by joining the growing ranks of companies guaranteeing equal opportunity for all employees.