In what has been called the largest margin of defeat for the proposal in recent memory. By an 80-20 margin of defeat, ExxonMobil shareholders have voted down once again a proposal to add gay and transgender employees to the Irving-based corporation’s nondiscrimination policy.
From the Dallas Voice
Meeting at the Meyerson Symphony Center in the Dallas Arts District, the ExxonMobil shareholders voted 80 percent to 20 percent against a resolution asking the corporation to amend “its written equal employment opportunity policy to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and to substantially implement the policy.” The 80-20 margin of defeat was the largest in recent memory for the proposal, which has been introduced each year since Mobil and Exxon merged in 1999. The percentage of shareholders voting for the policy had increased steadily over the years to about 40 percent, before dropping off significantly this year.
Mobil was one of the first companies in the world to include sexual orientation in its nondiscrimination policy and offer benefits to the same-sex partners of gay employees. But ExxonMobil rescinded those policies after the merger.
This year, the resolution was initiated by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who wants the company to not only amend the nondiscrimination policy, but also to begin offering health benefits to the spouses of employees married in the Empire State.
The comptroller controls the state’s pension funds. As of May 18, New York’s pension fund held more than 16 million shares of ExxonMobil worth more than $1 billion.
Exxon Mobil has called the measure unnecessary. It says the company is a “meritocracy” for its 82,000 workers worldwide, and that it already prohibits all forms of discrimination.
ExxonMobil maintains the lowest possible rating on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, with a minus-25.
BOYCOTT EXXON-MOBIL! If you don’t you are hurting your own people and supporting a company that does not care about equal rights and human dignity.
And for once it would be nice to see the Task Force, Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD and all other LGBT Organizations grow some balls and stand up and say to the community BOYCOTT EXXON-MOBIL and lead this boycott instead of being afraid they might lose a possible donation in the future.