HRC Accuses ExxonMobil Of Lying About Their Non-Discrimination Policy
In the wake of the news that President Barack Obama will sign an executive order banning anti-LGBT discrimination by federal contractors and their employees, HRC slammed ExxonMobil(NYSE: XOM) and accused the giant federal contractor of lying.
ExxonMobil is a Texas-based oil and gas monolith with revenue last year of over $420 billion. It employs 75,000 people (not all in the U.S.) and it is one of the largest federal contractors. ExxonMobil shareholders 17 times in a row have voted against adding LGBT protections to its Equal Employment Opportunity policy. In fact, after the 1999 merger of Exxon and Mobil, ExxonMobil removed those protections, along with Mobil’s domestic partner benefits.
The Human Rights Campaign now says that after the “announcement that President Obama will soon issue an executive order extending essential workplace protections to the employees of federal contractors, all eyes turned to the Exxon Mobil Corporation,†adding that ExxonMobil has “decided to lie about their own record.â€
In a brazen statement obtained by the Human Rights Campaign, ExxonMobil is now claiming it has “a longstanding policy that strictly prohibits any form of discrimination by or toward employees, contractors, suppliers and customers in any ExxonMobil workplace. Our global, zero-tolerance policy applies to all forms of discrimination, including discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.â€
To explain why this is baloney, HRC Vice President for Communications Fred Sainz issued the following statement:
“Put bluntly, this statement is a lie,†Sainz said. “ExxonMobil’s Equal Employment and Opportunity Policy has clearly and consistently omitted enumerated LGBT non-discrimination protections for its personnel. Though their statement sounds like it’s taking a very progressive stand, it is in fact a master class in doublespeak—crafted, no doubt, by a team of well-paid lawyers. Until a nondiscrimination policy is enumerated, it isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.â€

Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.
![]() |