Table of Contents
Index to Financial Statements
ITEM 10 AMENDMENT OF EEO POLICY
This proposal was submitted by the New York City Employees Retirement System, 1 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007, as lead proponent of a filing group.
Whereas: Exxon Mobil Corporation does not explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in its written employment policy;
Over 88% of the Fortune 500 companies have adopted written nondiscrimination policies prohibiting harassment and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation,
as have more than 98% of Fortune 100 companies, according to the Human Rights Campaign; over 30% 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 a June, 2008 survey by Harris Interactive and Witeck-Combs, 65% of gay and lesbian workers in the United States reported facing 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 reported 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 160 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, 2007, 89% of respondents favored equal opportunity in
employment for gays and lesbians;
Resolved: The Shareholders request that Exxon Mobil Corporation 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. Exxon Mobil Corporation will enhance its competitive edge by joining the growing
ranks of companies guaranteeing equal opportunity for all employees.
The Board recommends you vote AGAINST this proposal for the following reasons:
ExxonMobil is committed to having a workplace that facilitates the maximum contribution from all of our employees. While there are many factors that are important to
creating this type of environment, one of the most significant is having a workplace that is free from any form of harassment or discrimination.
The Board has
reviewed in detail ExxonMobils existing global policies that prohibit all forms of discrimination, including those based on sexual orientation and gender identity, in any Company
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