Is this a sign corporations are starting to fall back on pushing the woke agenda?
Exxon Mobil plans to prohibit LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter flags from being flown outside of its offices, prompting a furious backlash from Houston-based employees.
#BREAKING: Exxon Mobil plans to prohibit LGBTQ and Black Lives Matters flags from being flown outside its offices, prompting a furious backlash from Houston-based employees.https://t.co/O7r6XkBNlm
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) April 22, 2022
From Houston Chronicle:
Exxon updated company guidance on what flags can be displayed outside its offices, banning “external position flags” such as PRIDE and Black Lives Matter, according to the policy seen by Bloomberg News. In response, members of Exxon’s PRIDE Houston Chapter are refusing to represent the company at the city’s June 25 Pride celebration, according to an employee group email also seen by Bloomberg.
“Corporate leadership took exception to a rainbow flag being flown at our facilities” last year, Exxon’s PRIDE Houston employee group wrote in the email Thursday. “PRIDE was informed the justification was centered on the need for the corporation to maintain ‘neutrality.’”
The rule does permit a flag representing an LGBTQ employees’ group to be flown, but it can’t prominently display the Exxon corporate logo.
“The updated flag protocol is intended to clarify the use of the ExxonMobil branded company flag and not intended to diminish our commitment to diversity and support for employee resource groups,” Tracey Gunnlaugsson, vice president of human resources, said in a statement.
“We’re committed to keeping an open, honest, and inclusive workplace for all of our employees, and we’re saddened that any employee would think otherwise.”
Forbes noted the backlash from employees:
“It is difficult to reconcile how ExxonMobil recognizes the value of promoting our corporation as supportive of the LGBTQ+ community externally (e.g. advertisements, Pride parades, social media posts) but now believes it inappropriate to visibly show support for our LGBTQ+ employees at the workplace,” the Houston Exxon PRIDE group reportedly said.
Does this signal a change amongst American corporations?
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!