The company’s actions comes as the battles in the cultural war over LGBTQ+ rights heats up in other places like Florida
Published on April 26, 2022
By Brody Levesque
https://www.washingtonblade.com
HOUSTON – Texas-based American multinational oil and gas corporation, ExxonMobil, had executed plans to ban display of what the petroleum industry giant referred to as ‘position flags,’ the ‘Rainbow Pride Flag’ and the Black Lives Matter flag, outside of company offices during the month of June, which is designated as LGBTQ+ Pride month.
The plans were set in a new flag protocol according to the policy first reported by Bloomberg News.
“The updated flag protocol is intended to clarify the use of the ExxonMobil branded company flag and not intended to diminish our commitment to diversity and support for employee resource groups,” Tracey Gunnlaugsson, ExxonMobil vice president of human resources, said in a statement.
“We’re committed to keeping an open, honest, and inclusive workplace for all of our employees, and we’re saddened that any employee would think otherwise,” Gunnlaugsson added.
In response, members of ExxonMobil’s PRIDE employee resource group which numbers around 3,000, are refusing to represent the company at the city’s June 25 Pride celebration, according to an employee group email also seen by Bloomberg. ExxonMobil’s employee resource group has existed since 2008. The company’s worldwide workforce is about 63,000.
“Corporate leadership took exception to a rainbow flag being flown at our facilities” last year, Exxon’s Pride employee group in Houston said in an email Thursday, according to Bloomberg. “PRIDE was informed the justification was centered on the need for the corporation to maintain ‘neutrality.’”
“It is difficult to reconcile how ExxonMobil recognizes the value of promoting our corporation as supportive of the LGBTQ+ community externally (e.g. advertisements, Pride parades, social media posts) but now believes it inappropriate to visibly show support for our LGBTQ+ employees at the workplace,” the group said, according to Bloomberg.
“These types of visible actions are even more impactful for many of our LGBTQ+ colleagues who aren’t out at work and may not feel comfortable participating in PRIDE events,” the group added.
The Houston Chronicle noted that ExxonMobil has made significant strides to improve diversity and extend employee benefits over the last decade, but some workers perceive the row over the rainbow flag as a major setback for LGBTQ employees and their allies.
The oil giant was slower than many corporations to provide equal coverage, but added g-y marriage benefits in 2014, restored protective-employment language in 2015 and added transgender coverage in 2016.
Still, the Chronicle says, some Exxon employees believe the company’s leadership should be taking a stronger position on LGBTQ rights.
“It is difficult to reconcile how ExxonMobil recognizes the value of promoting our corporation as supportive of the LGBTQ+ community externally (e.g. advertisements, Pride parades, social media posts) but now believes it inappropriate to visibly show support for our LGBTQ+ employees at the workplace,” the workers’ group said in the email.
“Flying a Pride flag is one small way many corporations choose to visibly show their care, inclusion and support for LGBTQ+ employees,” the ExxonMobil LGBTQ+ group said. “These types of visible actions are even more impactful for many of our LGBTQ+ colleagues who aren’t out at work and may not feel comfortable participating in PRIDE events.”
The company’s actions comes as the battles in the cultural war over LGBTQ+ rights heats up including the recent feud between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his Republican allies and The Walt Disney Company over its opposition to Florida’s recently passed ‘Don’t Say G-y’ law.