Millennium Development Goals

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education

Modern energy services can play a critical role in improving education. Not needing to gather fuel or water frees children’s (especially girls’) time and allows them to be more productive at school, hence boost their learning. Electric lighting enables study in the evenings, and, together with telecommunications, can help improve teachers’ lives in rural areas.

What is Shell doing?

1. Core business activities

Producing and delivering modern energy for development, see Millennium Development Goal 1.

Tackling child labour: We have made a commitment not to exploit children, either through direct employment or indirectly through joint ventures, contractors or suppliers. We have procedures to prevent use of child labour, including screening of contractors and suppliers. Our Management primer (PDF, size 267Kb) - opens in new window provides practical guidance on this issue to Shell managers. Our progress can be found in the latest Shell Sustainability Report.

2. Social investment

Providing support to local schools and education: For example:

Globally, the Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund offers postgraduate students from developing countries the opportunity to study in the UK or the Netherlands. Visit www.shellscholar.org - opens in new window.
In Pakistan, Shell provides textbooks for under-resourced schools and supports ‘SOS Children’s villages’ providing education to destitute children.
Shell Gabon runs a scholarship scheme for students to attend European universities. Since 1992, 30 Gabonese have benefited, with 40% now working for Shell Gabon. In Nigeria, Shell’s Secondary School Scholarship Scheme helps, on average 2,600 students a year.
In Venezuela, Shell contributes to educational activities in the neighbouring community of Barranquitas, including help to build a school and establish an educational programme for children and adults.
Shell Philippines provides educational assistance and scholarships. Visit the Sustainable Development - Social section at www.malampaya.com - opens in new window.

3. Partnerships, policy dialogue and advocacy

Supporting international codes:

We support the following codes that cover education and child labour:
International Labor Office (ILO) Declaration on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998)
ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy
UN Declaration on Human Rights
UN Global Compact