Exxon Mobil will no longer allow banners from outside organizations on its flagpoles, much to the anger of some employees who have flown rainbows in the past.
The new policy only allows government flags and representatives of Exxon Mobil and its staff groups, which are employee-led affinity organizations generally blessed by employers. Employees can display the pride flag and images of other groups such as Black Lives Matter on other areas of company property, including lawns or digital spaces.
“It is a long-standing practice at our facilities around the world that ERG flags can be flown during signature months,” Tracey Gunnlaugsson, vice president of human resources at Exxon Mobil, said in a statement. “The flags are directly related to our company and the business support of our ERGs”
The logo for the company’s LGBT employee staff group features bubbles filled with different colors around the word PRIDE. That logo has flown into offices and is used on T-shirts that employees wear at Pride parades.
Exxon’s current employees declined to comment. J. Chris Martin, a former employee who headed the resource group, said that another flag with the Exxon logo on a rainbow background “was flown at many corporate locations last year without a doubt,” but he was told that approval would showing that the flag was withdrawn “without explanation”.
“I have also been told that the workers’ staff groups have only been consulted on this matter in a perfunctory manner, based on a temporary inconvenience of showing a symbol of open-mindedness and support for long-suppressed voices,” he said.
“While they may say no one has lost anything, the symbolism is unmistakable,” he added.
The Human Rights Campaign, an organization working to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, criticized the company for its policy, saying on Twitter: “There is no such thing as ‘neutrality’ when it comes to our rights. . Our flag is not just a visual representation of our identity. It is also a staple of alliance.”
The decision, first reported by Bloomberg News, came as companies were increasingly pressured to be more outspoken on cultural and political issues. Disney, long silent on such matters, is arguing with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over a new state law known officially as “Parental Rights in Education” — or, according to his critics, “Don’t Say Gay.” The measure prohibits classroom teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity in some primary school classes. Disney opposed the law, prompting Mr. DeSantis and state lawmakers to repeal a special tax designation Disney enjoyed in the state.
Exxon has long been considered an enemy of gay rights, especially after it merged with Mobil and repealed that company’s policies that banned discrimination based on sexual orientation and offered benefits to same-sex couples. Exxon has since reintroduced that policy, and its rating in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index has risen to 85 out of 100 in 2022, from minus 25.
Clifford Krauss reporting contributed.
