Commitments, policies and standards
Information about the Shell General Business Principles, our Code of Conduct and our Code of Ethics.
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Shell General Business Principles
The Shell General Business Principles set out our responsibilities to shareholders, customers, employees, business partners and society. They make it clear that we always do business with integrity and respect for the environment and local communities.
All Shell employees, contractors, and those working in joint ventures that we operate, are expected to understand and work in line with the principles. We encourage suppliers and our partners in joint ventures that we do not operate to apply equivalent principles.
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Shell Code of Conduct
Our Code of Conduct supports every employee, contract staff and contractor who works for or on behalf of Shell. It sets out expected behaviours of our employees and how they relate to our Business Principles and Core Values.
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Ethics and Compliance Manual
Our Ethics and Compliance Manual builds on the Shell General Business Principles and the Shell Code of Conduct to provide practical advice on how to comply with laws and regulations and how to relate to customers, communities and colleagues. The Ethics and Compliance Manual offers detailed guidance on being compliant, helping our staff do the right thing every day.
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Code of Ethics for Executive Directors and Senior Financial Officers
The Shell General Business Principles, amongst other things, provides that all persons must avoid conflicts of interest between their private financial activities and their part in the conduct of company business. This Code is specifically intended to meet the requirements of Section 406 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act and the listing requirements of the New York Stock Exchange by providing for a number of implementing requirements in the area of disclosure controls and the avoidance of conflicts of interest.
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Shell Supplier Principles
In line with our Shell General Business Principles and Group Code of Conduct, we seek to work with contractors and suppliers who contribute to sustainable development and are economically, environmentally and socially responsible.
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Health, Safety, Security, Environment & Social Performance commitment and policy
The Shell commitment and policy on Health, Security, Safety, Environment and Social Performance (HSSE & SP) applies across Shell. It is designed to help protect people, their communities and the environment wherever we operate.
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Health, Safety, Security, Environment & Social Performance Control Framework
Our HSSE & SP Control Framework contains our mandatory standards, and accompanying manuals support these goals. The framework covers 11 areas:
- contractor HSSE management
- environment
- health
- HSSE & SP management systems
- personal safety
- process safety
- transport
- product stewardship
- projects
- security
- social performance
The Control Framework applies to every Shell entity, including all employees and contract staff, and to Shell-operated ventures. It defines standards and accountabilities at each level of the organisation and sets out the procedures and processes people are required to follow. We expect joint ventures not operated by Shell to apply standards and principles similar to our own.
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Health, Safety, Security, Environment & Social Performance assurance
The Process Safety and HSSE & SP Assurance team provides assurance on the effectiveness of HSSE & SP controls to the Board.It is independent from the business and mandated at Board level by our Safety, Environment and Sustainability Committee (SESCo). The team develops and carries out compliance audits that cover a variety of possible risks in assets and projects. Outcomes from these audits and the response from Shell’s management are shared with the relevant parts of Shell and SESCo. The actions taken to address the audits’ findings are also monitored within Shell.
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Human Rights
Shell is committed to respecting human rights as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization core conventions. Our approach to implementing our responsibility is informed by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
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Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights
Since their development in 2000, companies in Shell have actively implemented the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights which guide companies in assessing human rights risks when working with public and private security.
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Shell’s ambition to be a net-zero emissions energy business
Shell is aiming to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050 or sooner. We intend to meet our customers’ demand for cleaner energy, keeping in pace with society. This supports the most ambitious goal to tackle climate change laid out in the Paris Agreement: to limit the rise in average global warming to 1.5°Celsius.
It is going to take a lot of work. And, today, Shell’s business plans will not get us to where we want to be. We are on a journey and recognise the need to change. We must also work with our customers as they make changes too.
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Biodiversity commitments
Back in 2003, Shell made a number of commitments, including that we will not explore for, or develop, oil and gas resources in natural World Heritage areas.
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Purchasing statement: Sustainable sourcing of biocomponents
Shell is a major purchaser of biofuels for blending into fuel. We support rigorous sustainability standards to help ensure that our biofuels come from sustainable sources: in 2007 we introduced a policy that governs the way we work with our suppliers on sustainability.
Purchasing policy statement – sustainable sourcing of biocomponents
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United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations' (UN) 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) seek to address the world’s biggest challenges. We welcome the SDGs and aim to play our part in helping governments and societies to achieve them.
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Corporate Political Engagement
The nature of Shell’s business means we have direct and indirect interactions with governments, regulators, policymakers and other political stakeholders. These interactions range from the practical requirements of obtaining new permits so that our business can operate safely and in line with regulations, to broad public policy discussions.