Stakeholder Engagement: Who's listening?
The ongoing discussion regarding the recent Shell settlement I blogged about last week is inspiring to say the least â with Shell executives joining in and a bevy of CSR enthusiasts challenging them to clarify exactly what has been done to both disassociate from corrupt government practices/human rights abuses along with the executives who were calling the shots when Saro-Wiwa and others were killed. It is a unique chance to directly dialogue, and those at the table are doing a great job of framing questions in a direct, but also respectful way.
Apparently not all companies are open to receiving such inquisitions, even from their own shareholders. At the recent Exxon Mobil annual meeting shareholders were given precise three minute intervals to voice ideas and concerns, with virtually no response offered by Exxon Mobil executives.
JustMeans is an opportunity for us all to be critics, though we're also tasked with taking our opinions far beyond the borders of this website and into the boardrooms that make the world go round. In light of this article I think it's especially significant that Shell executives have joined a discussion hosted by those outside of their fold when their competition appears unwilling to cater even to those that keep their share price up. I have a feeling a fair amount of the JustMeans community's beckoning played a role in Shell's participation - but either way, we'll take it!
I also wanted to point out Shell's sustainability report which Bjorn Edlund (Global Head of Communications from Shell) referenced in relation to disassociating with those executives who break the company's codes of conduct. Let me know if you find any of these references, my Kenyan internet is slooooooow tonight.