As co-chairs of SEA Shell, Shell Oil Company's gay
and lesbian employees network, we noted your reference
to Chevron as the leader in the energy industry in supporting
its gay and lesbian employees ["Oilpatch Blues," January
OutSmart]. While we do not wish to dispute Chevron's
commitment, we thought you should be aware that we in
SEA Shell feel that our company is also a leader in
that regard.
SEA Shell began as an informal group of employees meeting
for lunch in the early 1990s. Now over 120 employees
strong, official recognition and funding of our employee
network began in 1997 with our efforts supported by
an advisory board of senior managers. In 1996, Shell
added sexual orientation to its nondiscrimination policy
and, in January 1998, took the important step of adopting
domestic partner benefits.
Shell has included gay and lesbian concerns in much
of its diversity training for all employees, and the
company has generously donated to both national and
local gay and lesbian organizations for the last several
years. Locally, Shell has donated to such organizations
as the AIDS Foundation, the Lesbian Health Initiative,
and Miss Camp America in Houston; the AIDS Task Force
in New Orleans; and nationally to PFLAG, among others.
For the last two years, Shell has been a sponsor of
Empower, the annual gay and lesbian business expo at
the George R. Brown Convention Center. Additionally,
Shell Chemical Company joined the Greater Houston Gay
and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in 1999, and their donation
funded GHGLCC's monthly newsletter last year. Our senior
management supported us by funding our participation
in Houston's Pride Parade last June, and Shell sponsored
a table at the national Human Rights Campaign dinner
in Washington, D.C., this past fall.
As Houston's leading source of news for the gay and
lesbian community, we wanted you to be aware of all
the great efforts Houston-based Shell has made in its
relationship with both its gay and lesbian employees,
and with the local and national communities. For these
reasons, we believe our company clearly deserves recognition
as a leader in the field of diversity.
--Eileen Donaghy & John Murphy
via the Internet
OutSmart responds:
In recognizing Chevron's good track record on
gay issues, we did not intend to slight Shell Oil. OutSmart
applauds Shell's progressive leadership in responding
to the needs and rights of their lesbian and gay employees.
We also appreciate the effort of both companies in getting
the word out about their good deeds, so that the gay
community and our friends can better make decisions
as consumers, and in consideration of potential employers.
