people and community
advancing racial equity
4 min read | february 15, 2023
In 2020, Chevron announced a $15 million commitment to support the Black community in the United States to address barriers to racial equity. Since that time, Chevron has continued its work on addressing barriers to racial equity through community partnerships, education initiatives, job creation and talent and leadership development.
One of our first steps was to foster an empathetic culture and commitment to listening. Chevron employees and leaders shared their emotions, perspectives and vulnerabilities on internal dialogue platforms, in town halls and in sponsored forums from our Black Employee Network. We also heard employees describe experiences and painful events and engage in important discussions on race that were often uncomfortable.
what does this commitment mean?
education
creating jobs
black talent and leadership development
community and business partnerships
strategy into action
what we’re doing
dollar amounts and proportions are approximate and indicate multiyear commitments
Chevron values our opportunity to advance racial equity not just in the Black community but among all groups. We recognize that everyone deserves opportunities that allow them to lead purposeful and dignified lives. And our employees deserve a work environment in which everyone has an opportunity to bring their whole selves to work and be successful.
rhonda morris, vice president and chief human resources officer
From the inside out, we want to create a workplace that leads with empathy, respecting and valuing a broad spectrum of ideas from varied backgrounds and perspectives that fuel ingenuity and innovation.
our success stories
- Chevron collaborated with two Chevron social investment partners, National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and Techbridge Girls, to launch the first Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) program aimed to introduce middle school girls of color to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Students explored robotics, drones and coding through hands-on activities, guided by Chevron volunteers and NSBE collegiate mentors.
- We committed $1.6 million to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College community. Through scholarships, capacity building, research initiatives, innovative programs and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K–12 and higher education space.
- Our $7 million commitment to seven participating historically Black colleges and universities over five years will fund scholarships, develop programming for STEM majors, support mentorship programs and create internship opportunities with Chevron.
- Several Chevron executives serve on organizational boards, further demonstrating our commitment to increasing representation and a more inclusive workplace. These executives include Josetta Jones, our chief diversity and inclusion officer, who is a member of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering Board of Directors. Rhonda Morris, vice president and human resources officer, serves on the United Negro College Fund and the Opportunity@Work boards of directors. Telisa Toliver, general manager of renewable power, is on the board of directors for the Executive Leadership Council. And Alysia Green, general manager, IT engineering, serves on the board of directors for Techbridge Girls.
- In August 2022, in partnership with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund Innovation and Entrepreneurship Division, Chevron sponsored the second annual Chevron Energy Innovation Summit. The three-day event featured competitions combining design thinking framework, business modeling and pitch instruction.
creating jobs
Recognizing that the energy industry is transitioning, we seek a diversity of talent to meet future global energy needs.
- Chevron works with the American Petroleum Institute (API) and Opportunity@Work to focus on skills-based hiring to broaden and improve our talent reach and diversity pipeline. This skills-based initiative aims to close industry skills gaps by attracting new, diverse entry-level candidates.
- In 2022, we implemented an equity review committee of Chevron and non-Chevron members to evaluate employee concerns about promotion parity.
- Our partnership with Opportunity@Work helps Chevron identify and source potential employees described by the organization as Skilled Through Alternative Routes. These individuals obtained training through nontraditional paths such as community colleges, workforce training programs, certifications, military training or on-the-job learning.
developing black talent and leadership
- Through our four-year agreement with the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), Chevron has sponsored leadership development training for over 135 Black employees, with more than 40 attending in 2022. We also partnered to develop the Chevron ELC Scholarship Program, a $675,000 multiyear investment where five sophomores in business or STEM majors receive $20,000 annually for three years.
- We focus on increasing our workforce’s understanding of Black experiences and on adopting or revising practices, policies and programs to create greater racial equity. The leadership team of Chevron’s Black Employee Network continues to sponsor reverse mentoring programs with Chevron leaders.
building community and small business partnerships
- Chevron works with the American Petroleum Institute’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Member Working Group to further workforce and supplier diversity. API aims to help increase opportunities for diverse suppliers across the industry and better recruit minority skill seekers in the oil and natural gas industry.
- Our Supplier Diversity Governance Board endorsed new strategies to increase spending with diverse businesses by investing in data analytics technology, our industry partnerships and our relationships with diverse supplier advocacy groups.
- Chief Procurement Officer Steve Freeman’s appointment in 2021 to the Board of Directors for the National Minority Supplier Development Council reflects Chevron’s ongoing commitment to advance supplier diversity.
- Chevron has made a $150,000 3-year pledge to the East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC), comprised of two critical programs for the organization: Chevron Future Leaders Academy and Chevron EOYDC Special Scholarship Program.
topics covered
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