Our Human Rights Statement, grounded in The Chevron Way, articulates our values and informs how we conduct our business. Guided by our values, we support universal human rights for our employees and in the communities where we operate.
Although governments bear primary responsibility for safeguarding human rights, we believe companies can play a positive role in contributing to their protection and promotion. Our Human Rights Statement, which we adopted in 2006, acknowledges our support for the U.N. Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the principles in the International Labour Organization's Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. The statement reaffirms our support for the Global Sullivan Principles. These principles prohibit child labor, forced labor and discriminatory behavior as well as recognize the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining. We prefer business partners that treat their employees similarly.
In 2007, we continued to inform and educate our employees about our commitment to human rights. As of the end of 2007, more than 1,550 employees had completed the training, which will continue to be rolled out over the next two years. The training helps our employees understand human rights principles, key international instruments and voluntary initiatives, and how human rights can be supported through Chevron’s role in society.
In 2008, the full text of our Human Rights Statement will be incorporated into our Business Conduct & Ethics Code. Our updated code and required training will be communicated to all 59,000 Chevron employees when the code is released in 2008. The statement's inclusion in the updated code will make it subject to the corporation’s compliance processes.
Chevron continues to engage and participate in voluntary initiatives that support human rights. In 2007, we were active in the development of participation criteria for the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, which promote transparency and accountability for participants. Chevron’s director of Global Security presented Chevron's efforts to implement the Voluntary Principles at the May 2007 plenary session hosted by the U.S. State Department. Chevron also participated in in-country working groups and is part of a working group that is drafting reporting guidelines for the Voluntary Principles.
The Voluntary Principles have been distributed worldwide to our operating companies and business units, which are charged with implementing them according to local laws and conditions. Training on the Voluntary Principles is provided to Chevron's global security advisors on an ongoing basis.
Updated: May 2008