On behalf of communities around the world victimized by decades of irresponsible oil production, we write to express our outrage at Chevron’s selection as a finalist for the Secretary’s Award for Corporate Excellence.

The announcement for the award states that it is intended to recognize companies that are “leaders in socially responsible activities.” Chevron’s record is exactly the opposite. In communities from Ecuador to Nigeria, Kazakhstan to Angola, and even in its hometown of Richmond, California, Chevron has repeatedly proved to be an irresponsible corporate citizen, disregarding fundamental human rights, degrading the environment, and generally showing contempt for efforts at regulation, transparency, and accountability.

Even in Burma, where Chevron is being nominated for its humanitarian work, its record is shameful. For many years Chevron was the only major U.S. investor in Burma, with the Yadana gas pipeline project, which led to countless human rights abuses including rampant forced labor. A 2000 U.S. report stated: “Allegations of forced labor and other human rights abuses in the area emerged even before construction on the pipeline started. . . . evidence suggests that Burmese nationals built the majority of support facilities for the pipeline and that the army had recruited forced laborers.”

The Secretary’s Award should go to a company that has displayed best practices in its operations around the world, not to one that has thrown a few dollars at unrelated healthcare and economic development projects in order to burnish its image. For thousands of communities around the world, giving this award to Chevron would add an insult from the U.S. Government to the injury already inflicted by the oil company.

Sincerely,

Crude Accountability
Amazon Watch
Global Exchange
NorthStar Asset Management, Inc.
CT Citizen Action Group
CREDO
Food and Water Watch
Center for Environmental Health
Pachamama Alliance
Oil Change International
Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Project Maje
Rights Action
ClimateMama
Media Alliance
US Campaign for Burma
Corporate Accountability International
Earthworks
CounterCorp
Rainforest Action Network
Communities for a Better Environment
Environmental Rights Action
Green Alliance Nigeria
Host Communities Network of Nigeria
The Sierra Club
International Accountability Project
Sunflower Alliance
350.org Bay Area

EarthRights International