Oxy
Earning trust. Enhancing an international energy company’s reputation as a key corporate citizen.
Situation
How can the fourth-largest U.S. oil and gas company effectively and credibly communicate its deep commitment to social responsibility?
Although Occidental Petroleum Corporation (Oxy) had managed its health, environmental and safety performance through its HES system for decades, it evaluated and documented its social responsibility performance separately. In response to the demand for greater transparency and accountability, Oxy integrated HES and its social responsibility programs. Doing so allowed the company to use consistent performance standards, adhering to the sustainability reporting indicators of three prominent industry guidance agencies: the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and the American Petroleum Institute and International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (API/IPIECA). Oxy now needed to describe its social responsibility performance within this new framework — and demonstrate value to stakeholders and sustainable corporate growth.
Solution
For over a decade, Baker had partnered with Oxy to shape and tell the company’s story through its corporate communications. In this latest challenge, Baker used its insights about Oxy’s culture and business to ensure continuity, while showcasing its corporate citizenship. After auditing the reporting practices and communications of Oxy’s competitors, Baker created a robust social responsibility report that provided a level of transparency, rigor and depth not seen in its previous reports. The new report effectively demonstrated the ways in which social responsibility was embedded in Oxy’s core values and business practices. Using clear, factual information, the report also presented performance results in relation to business and social issues most important to stakeholders.
Results
Oxy’s report set the precedent for a new breed of corporate social responsibility communications — one that reflected the company’s deep commitment to high — and measurable — performance standards. Since the adoption of these standards, Oxy improved its sustainability ratings. It also received recognition within the corporate social responsibility arena for its comprehensive measurement and reporting methods. In evolving Oxy’s story in a meaningful way, Baker helped Oxy build its credibility and reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.