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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 are we doing?
1. Core business activities
Not needing to gather fuel or water allows children to be more productive at school
Producing and delivering modern energy for development, see Millennium Development Goal 1.
Tackling child labour: Our Business Principles prohibit us from using 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.
2. Social investment
Providing support to local schools and education: For example:
- Globally, the Shell Centenary Scholarship Fund - opens in new window offers postgraduate students from developing countries the opportunity to study in the UK or the Netherlands.
- In Pakistan, Shell provides textbooks for under-resourced schools and supports ‘SOS Children’s villages’ providing education to destitute children. Visit the Shell Pakistan website and read about community initiatives in the country.
- 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 Malampaya website - 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) - opens in new window
- ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy - opens in new window.
- UN Declaration on Human Rights - opens in new window
- UN Global Compact
