Chevron’s commitment to respecting human rights is embodied in The Chevron Way. To further clarify this commitment, we adopted a Human Rights Policy in 2009.
Our policy is designed to increase awareness of human rights throughout the company and deepen our ability to manage human rights issues. The policy addresses four human rights areas relevant to our business: employees, security providers, the community and suppliers.
Implementing Our Human Rights Policy
The policy, which replaced our 2006 Human Rights Statement, is part of our Business Conduct and Ethics Code. Employees are required to read and acknowledge the code and to comply with our policy on human rights.
Chevron is integrating a number of tools to enhance corporate processes, including issues assessments, internal controls and systems for continuous improvement to advance organizational capabilities on human rights issues. Additional training and tools are being deployed in countries where human rights issues may be more prevalent.
The implementation of the policy began in 2010. Governed by an executive leadership body and guided by a global team, full implementation is expected by 2013.
Since 2007, Chevron has actively participated in the public consultation process with Prof. John Ruggie, the United Nations Special Representative on business and human rights. Ruggie is developing the concept of shared responsibility between governments and business concerning human rights. It is embodied in the U.N. Framework—the government duty to protect and the corporate responsibility to respect human rights.
Along with our engagement with key international human rights institutions, our participation with the U.N. Framework continues to complement the implementation of Chevron’s Human Rights Policy. The business responsibility to respect human rights, as outlined by Ruggie, suggests an operational framework to manage potential human rights issues related to business operations. Chevron’s Human Rights Policy is consistent with the U.N. Framework.
Promoting Respect for Human Rights
Chevron is the vice chair of the Social Responsibility Working Group of the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA). While supporting the vision and objectives of the IPIECA working group, Chevron leads both the Human Rights and the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs) task forces. Under the Human Rights Task Force, Chevron organizes and leads a series of industry meetings to share experiences and build skills related to managing human rights issues. Under the VPs Task Force, Chevron works to develop the VPs Implementation Guidance Toolkit with the International Council on Mines and Minerals, IPIECA, the International Finance Corporation, members of the VPs, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Additionally, Chevron supports the Security Sub-Committee on the VPs at the Association of Oil and Gas Producers.
As a member of the VPs initiative, Chevron participates in a number of key working groups to support the implementation of the VPs for participating governments, industry and nongovernmental organizations. Chevron has participated in the plenary meetings since 2000 and was one of the founding members.
http://www.chevron.com/globalissues/humanrights/