ExxonMobil shareholders voted recently to strongly support a shareholder resolution to amend the company’s written equal employment opportunity (EEO) policy to include the category of sexual orientation.
27.1 percent of ExxonMobil shares were voted in support of the resolution, according to results released at the annual shareholder meeting. This was an increase of 15% over last year’s vote and represents over $55 billion worth of shares voted. The proposal was sponsored by the New York City Employees Retirement System (NYCERS), the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Walden Asset Management, the Unitarian Universalist Association and three individual shareholders. The resolution was presented in Dallas by a representative of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
ExxonMobil’s continued resistance to changing its policy leaves it increasingly isolated in corporate America. It is one of only 10 companies in the Fortune 100, and one of only three companies in the Fortune 50, without such a policy, according to the Human Rights Campaign.
This was the fifth year the resolution has been voted on by stockholders. In May 2002 the resolution garnered 23.5 percent of the vote, up 81 percent from the vote in 2001.