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Administration February 6, 2003
ExxonMobil Shareholders Reject Equal Employment Amendment
June 2, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - For the fifth year
in a row, ExxonMobil Corp. shareholders rejected a
shareholder resolution to amend the company's written equal
employment opportunity policy to include the category of
sexual orientation.
Reported by Eric Hazard
The measure was voted down by 73% of the ballots, down from 76% voting no a year ago . In response to the vote, Chairman and CEO Lee Raymond said t he company has a policy that prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment at any of its work places around the world and that adding a category of sexual orientation was unnecessary, according to a Reuters report.
Overall, shareholders of the Irving, Texas-based company voted to reject 12 proposals. Among those also rejected were a proposal calling for a report on renewable energy’s economic risks and benefits with 79% opposed. Additionally, a new proposal calling for a report on climate change was nixed with 78% opposed.
While Raymond told shareholders the company was supportive of clean-energy initiatives, he also said he believed fossil fuels like oil and natural gas, which represent about 60% of energy supplies today, would remain the dominant energy sources for at least the next 20 years. Further, Raymond reiterated the company’s commitment to developing technologies that address the long-term risks of climate change and the reduction of harmful emissions.