Gay Today: World

BP Joins Shell:
Oil Companies Supporting ENDA

Compiled by GayToday

HRC's Elizabeth Birch: 'We commend BP for its commitment to treating all workers fairly'

Berlin, Germany--In a speech here, BP CEO John Browne announced his company's support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, saying that ENDA is good for business and that companies that oppose discrimination are more competitive because they attract the best workers.

"We have to go beyond discrimination and that's why, for instance, we endorse measures such as Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the U.S.," said Browne in his speech to two business groups, Catalyst and Conference Board.

The Conference Board helps businesses strengthen their performance and better serve society. Catalyst is the nonprofit research and advisory organization working to advance women in business.

If passed, ENDA would prohibit discrimination in the workplace. Specifically, it would bar employers from using a person's sexual orientation as the basis for employment decisions, including hiring, firing, promotion or compensation.

"The momentum for ENDA keeps growing each day because it not only is common sense, it makes business-sense," said HRC Executive Director Elizabeth Birch. "We commend BP for its commitment to treating all workers fairly and for supporting the principles of non-discrimination."

Also in his speech, Browne said that equal benefits should be given for equal work if employers want to attract the most talented employees.

"If we want to be an employer of the most able people who happen to be gay or lesbian, we won't succeed unless we offer equal benefits for partners in same sex relationships," said Browne.

ENDA has unprecedented support from the business community with 75 companies, including 31 major corporations, having endorsed the legislation.

Some of the companies that have endorsed ENDA are: AT&T, Coors, Xerox, FleetBoston, Eastman Kodak, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and General Mills. BP, formerly BP Amoco, is the world's second largest integrated oil company, behind Exxon Mobil. It is the also the second major oil and gas firm to endorse ENDA.

In February, Steven L. Miller, CEO of Shell Oil Co. announced his company's support of the bill in testimony to a Senate committee. Several other firms in the industry, such as Chevron Texaco and Sunoco, also include sexual orientation in corporate non-discrimination policies.

"The principles [ENDA] fosters are consistent with our corporate principles of treating all employees with fairness and respect. We encourage the Congress to move expeditiously to pass this common-sense legislation," Miller said.

In April the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted in a bipartisan fashion to send ENDA to the full Senate for a vote and Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., has committed to securing a vote on this bill before the end of the session.

ENDA enjoys widespread, bipartisan support. The Senate bill's lead cosponsors are Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.; Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn. and James Jeffords, I-Vt. House lead sponsors are Reps. Christopher Shays, R-Conn.; Barney Frank, D-Mass.; Mark Foley, R-Fla. and Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif.

Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:
Senate Hearing on Workplace Equality Gets Wide Support

Hates Crimes Bill Blocked by U.S. Senate's Republicans

Americans Favor Gay Equality says New Bipartisan Poll

Related Sites:
British Petroleum

Human Rights Campaign
GayToday does not endorse related sites.

Currently, it is legal to fire someone in 38 states because of sexual orientation. The twelve states that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation are California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin. Additionally, the District of Columbia prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.