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Oxy has a strong commitment to our neighbors and local
communities, and promotes mutually beneficial outcomes through
proactive engagement. Our goal is, without fail, to
appropriately consider the self-sufficiency, sustainability,
health, safety and environment of these communities, and to
conduct our business as a responsible corporate citizen. In each
of our business locations, we follow established procedures to
gain a thorough understanding of the potential effects of Oxy’s
presence on the local community and the surrounding region, and
we develop action plans to enhance benefits, mitigate any
concerns and advance our relationships with neighboring
communities.
In order to appropriately tailor our actions to the
communities in which we operate, our stakeholder engagement and
local community donations are led by Oxy’s business management
at each location. While our charitable support, outreach and
areas of focus vary with the diversity of our business
locations, Oxy’s commitment to stakeholder engagement and
creating positive community impacts applies throughout our
operations in the United States, the Middle East/North Africa
and Latin America.
Additional information on Oxy’s recent social responsibility (SR) efforts in these
regions and specific examples of Oxy’s stakeholder engagement
activities are summarized in the SR profiles located on each of
our performance Overview pages, the
Stakeholder Engagement page located in this section, the
Interview with Director (Ambassador) Edward P. Djerejian
located in the Governance section, and our Media Library.
Books Highlight Oxy's Environmental and Social Awareness in Colombia
From 2008 through 2011, Oxy Colombia produced a collection of books to portray the natural and social environment of the Caño Limón oilfield. The collection highlights and recognizes the beauty of the varied landscapes, flora and fauna species in Arauca and the vibrant spirit of the surrounding communities.
The first three titles of the collection refer to natural elements – Soil, Air and Water – and highlight the ecosystem of the Arauca region. Environmental protection programs work to preserve and maintain these landscapes within Oxy Colombia’s areas of operation.
The fourth and final volume of the collection, completed in December 2011, is titled Fire. It represents the human element in the region — community residents and Oxy employees who for 30 years have worked together to ensure development that is both socially and environmentally responsible. As Oxy has become a source of development, employment and well-being for neighboring communities, it is the human element that has made this operation one of the most efficient in Colombia.
Cristina Uribe, a nationally and internationally recognized photographer, worked with Oxy Colombia to produce the editorial collection. In addition, well-known academics, environmental authorities, scientists and historians contributed material for the four books, which have enhanced national cultural awareness of sustainable development.
Reflecting Oxy’s successful and long-standing social responsibility program, the collection has received recognition from academia, government and the community. Among many tributes, Colombia’s Presidential Advisor on Communications thanked Oxy for "the legacy these books represent for our country by picturing the beauty and greatness of biodiversity of Caño Limón oilfield, and demonstrating Oxy’s respect and commitment to preserving the environment." The National Ombudsman also recognized the project, stating that the collection "reflects, in every one of its pages, the outstanding beauty of the Orinoquia, manifesting the equilibrium that can be achieved between industrialization and development, while protecting the environment."
Oxy Mentors Encourage Girls to Pursue Science Careers
In Bakersfield, California, Oxy partners with the Alliance of Women in Energy (AWE), a mentoring program of the Kern Economic Development Foundation that encourages female students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Launched in 2009 at Independence High School’s Energy and Utility Academy, the initiative expanded to include the Taft High School Oil Technology Program in 2011.
During the 2011-2012 school year, eight Oxy employees and one Oxy retiree served as mentors at Taft High School, and three served at Independence High. In addition to providing volunteer mentors, Oxy supports the initiative through a monetary contribution to the Taft High School Oil Technology Program. The donation will go toward books, scholarships and field trips for the students, including attendance at the 2012 Oil and Gas Conference in Bakersfield.
Mentors provide support, encouragement, education and career advice through a curriculum-based program. The students meet for an hour each month with their mentors, who are men and women in a variety of professional careers. With the help of Oxy volunteers, this program has benefitted more than 160 female students since its inception.
Oxy Helps Veterans Make the
Transition to Business Life
As part of Oxy’s partnership
with American Corporate Partners
(ACP), 58 Oxy employees are
serving as mentors in ACP’s
nationwide program to help
veterans make the transition to
business life. Mentors are
paired with recently returned
veterans and meet with them once
a month for a year to offer
career counseling and
development support.
Oxy provides
its mentors with a host of
career-building resources to
help participating veterans
transfer their skills and
experience to the corporate
world. Says participating
veteran Kris Van Vasquez: “To
see a company like Oxy support
the ACP has been great. Veterans
can come home and know that
there is someone there to
support them and give them the
help they want and the help they
need. It’s great to walk into a
room and know that it’s full of
mentors and protégés ready to
take that next step to build
future leaders.” Another protégé
in the program, reservist
Shameria Walwyn, is a new mother
who will be transitioning to
active duty after she finishes
her degree. Shameria credits her
Oxy ACP mentor, who is also an
active reservist, with
supporting her through this
challenging transition and
providing the motivation she
needed to find a civilian career
that was a good fit for her, as
well as her growing family. “[My
mentor’s] leadership and her
drive in life have caused me to
have the same leadership and
drive in my life,” Shameria
says, “so I’ve recently acquired
a position in my civilian life
that I don’t think I would have
necessarily had without her
guidance and saying, ‘Go for
what you really want.’”
The Oxy
mentors are gratified to have
the opportunity to support
returning veterans. Among them
is Richard Dixon, a Senior
Reservoir Engineering Advisor.
Richard says, “It’s an
opportunity that I’ve been
looking forward to for a long
time. I can’t think of a more
deserving group and I want them
to have the benefits that our
country has to offer — the
benefits that they’ve defended.”
See "Preparing Returning Veterans for the Business World" video in the Media Library.
 Helping
Brave Kids to Lead Healthy Lives
In 2011, Oxy provided support to
“Al-Bawasil” (The Brave), an
annual camp for children with
diabetes hosted by the Qatar
Diabetes Association. Juvenile
onset diabetes has become an
increasing concern in Qatar and
in the region generally. During
the 2011 Al-Bawasil camp, 60
children from the Middle East
and North Africa as well as
India and other Asian countries
participated in recreational and
educational activities. The
weeklong event provides the
children and their families with
a fun, safe environment where
they can learn how to
successfully manage their
medical condition.
 Oxy
Oman Supports Dar Al Atta’a
Student Care Program
In 2010 Oxy Oman made a donation
to Dar Al Atta’a, a charity that
assists underprivileged families
and children in Oman. Oxy’s
contribution benefited the
organization’s Student Care
Program, which provides needy
children with uniforms, school
supplies, books and nutritious
meals. With support from Oxy and
other companies, Dar Al Atta’a
will provide approximately 900
students with breakfast meals
and 3,500 students with school
bags and stationery in
2010-2011. The program aims to
improve the quality of life for
those who are less fortunate.
 OxyChem
Supports Earthquake Relief Efforts in Chile
Early in the morning of February 27, 2010, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake and
subsequent tsunami struck Chile. Just 60 miles from the epicenter of the
devastating temblor is the city of Talcahuano, home to an OxyChem
chlor-alkali facility.
Talcahuano incurred significant damage from the earthquake.
Scores of residents were injured and left without power, shelter, food and
water. The widespread impact of this natural disaster extended to OxyChem’s
plant, its employees and their families. Oxy responded immediately by providing
fuel, water, generators, supplies and monetary assistance to OxyChem employees
and their families. Oxy also provided support and supplies to assist the broader
community of Talcahuano, and donated funds to help restore the city’s damaged
infrastructure.
The company’s monetary donations were used for construction
of emergency housing, the rebuilding of schools, and purchasing crucial
equipment for the Talcahuano Volunteer Fire Department. In total, Oxy
contributed $575,000 toward relief efforts for OxyChem employees and the
communities affected by the earthquake and tsunami.
The products OxyChem manufactures in Talcahuano — chlorine,
caustic soda and bleach — were in high demand immediately after the disaster. In
fact, OxyChem provides nearly all of the bleach used to purify water in Chile, a
resource greatly needed during the crisis. Until its Talcahuano plant resumed
operations, about three months after the earthquake, OxyChem provided these
important products to Chilean customers from inventory stock and secured
additional supplies from neighboring countries.
 Oxy
Boosts Annual Fund-Raiser for Pyles Boys Camp
When R. M. Pyles Boys Camp in California’s Sequoia National Monument sought
to revitalize its annual fund-raising event, Occidental of Elk Hills and
Vintage Production California responded to the challenge. The expanded 2010
event raised $100,000 for Pyles Boys Camp, which provides youth leadership
and character development programs for selected at-risk male youths aged 12
to 14.
“The idea was to make the Pyles barbecue the summer picnic
event for oil companies and service companies supporting our industry,” said Oxy
Elk Hills Operations Manager Alan White, who served as chairperson for the
event. “The idea was a hit. As a result, attendance in 2010 was over 4,000
people versus 600 people in 2009, and funds raised increased from $20,000 to
$100,000.”
In addition to its key planning role, Oxy served as an event
sponsor and provided volunteers who served lunch and staffed the activity
booths. Employees and their families lined up for Oxy-sponsored activities
including face painting, a kids’ arts and crafts area and a Safety Prize Wheel.
The inaugural corporate challenge race held to kick off the event was won by the
team from Vintage.
 Kids
Make Pacific Ocean Their Classroom
The Think Watershed project, part of Think Earth Environmental Education
Foundation, is a collaborative educational program that offers marine
science instruction aboard the Floating Lab, a seagoing vessel with a
mission to inspire the next generation. Oxy's subsidiary, THUMS Long Beach
Company, is a program sponsor for these floating field trips around Long
Beach Harbor, which in 2009 enabled more than 3,500 Los Angeles County
fourth- and fifth-graders – some of whom had never seen the ocean – to learn
about water quality and plant and animal life in the Pacific. The THUMS
production islands provide a model of environmental stewardship as well as a
picturesque backdrop for the Floating Lab trips, which last about three
hours.
 Oxy
Partners with Texas Family Literacy Organization
In 2007, Oxy Permian formed a partnership with Yoakum County Family Literacy
(YCFL) in Denver City, Texas. YCFL offers courses in English as a second
language, computer skills, parenting, early childhood education and GED
preparation. To help maintain the organization's success, Oxy Permian
provided funds to hire a literacy outreach coordinator. With more students
and families enrolled and attending courses regularly, 2007 was the best
year in the organization's 18-year history of providing literacy services to
families. To date, participants of YCFL services have logged more than 7,800
hours of literacy instruction.
See "Promoting Adult
Literacy in Denver City, Texas" video in the Media Library.
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