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Employee health
Successful businesses rely on a healthy workforce. At ExxonMobil, we provide support programs and services to help our employees live healthier lives. By incorporating workforce and community health considerations into project planning, we play a constructive role in addressing the broader economic and social development of the communities in which we operate.
Our Environmental, Socioeconomic, and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) process helps us identify opportunities to manage potential health impacts associated with our projects. We strategically track employee health and develop prevention programs and health care services to respond to emerging health issues in a timely manner.
For example, in locations such as Papua New Guinea, our employees face particular health challenges due to tropical diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, lymphatic filariasis, Japanese encephalitis, and scrub typhus. ExxonMobil Development Company requires that all personnel working in malaria-prone environments take malaria prevention medications and use long-lasting insecticide-treated clothing and skin repellents. We also use control services to effectively identify and reduce disease vectors (the means by which diseases are transmitted to humans such as biting insects). We use a variety of methods, including breeding source reduction, mechanical barriers, and education of the worker. Insecticide use is kept to a minimum to protect the health of our workers and to minimize environmental impacts.
Workplace Malaria Control Program
Malaria is a life-threatening disease affecting more than 100 countries in four regions of the world. ExxonMobil’s comprehensive Malaria Control Program covers both employees and contractors working in malaria-prone areas. The program combats malaria through awareness, mosquito bite prevention, anti-malaria medication, and early diagnosis and treatment. We track employee and contractor incidences of malaria in 10 countries with upstream operations. In 2009, we recorded our first case of malaria among our nonimmune (expatriate) employees since 2005. As a result, we emphasized the need for employees to report symptoms early and to be diligent in the use of insect repellent and insecticide-treated clothing. There were no serious cases of malaria reported among our national (semi-immune) employees. While we have successfully implemented consistent malaria prevention and control measures for our employees in all sites located in endemic areas, we continue to work with contractors to help them adopt controls similar to our own.
In 2009, ExxonMobil celebrated World Malaria Day in Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria both in the workplace and in local communities to raise malaria awareness and increase compliance with protective measures.
To reduce the burden of malaria, ExxonMobil works on several fronts within our fenceline, with surrounding communities, and with national health care systems, including project partnerships with governments and agencies, local and international nongovernmental organizations, and community leaders. While these investments may be outside our core business, we know that keeping the population healthy creates value for shareholders and for society over the long term by building healthy communities and prosperous operating environments.
Employee StopAIDS
Our workplace HIV/AIDS program, StopAIDS, combines risk mitigation education with access to community-based care and treatment to keep healthy workers disease-free and to educate HIV-positive workers on how to live safely with the illness. ExxonMobil does not test for HIV, and HIV status is not a factor in determining an employee’s ability to work.
In relevant operations, we analyze existing population data on the prevalence of HIV to understand local risk factors for HIV transmission in the general population. In addition, we assess the capacity of local and national health services infrastructure to support the diagnosis, treatment, and care of HIV/AIDS. Based on our findings, we determine the level of access to care provided to employees and families via company health plans.
For example, in 2009, ExxonMobil affiliates in Angola provided multiple HIV/AIDS awareness opportunities to employees and contractors, including safety moments; brochures; calendars; condom distribution; HIV/AIDS Walk for Life; and a collection of food, toys, and clothing for an HIV/AIDS orphanage. The StopAIDS committee in Equatorial Guinea organized an employee awareness session and a community training session. In Papua New Guinea, we conducted initial HIV/AIDS prevalence studies, developed relationships with local organizations to better understand their needs and existing prevention programs, and developed employee-focused educational materials.
Up close:
Building a Culture of Health
The rapidly increasing number of individuals with chronic health conditions related to lifestyle choices, such as poor nutrition and lack of physical activity, is a concern for businesses, governments, and individuals. In 2003, we added Partners in Health components to the ExxonMobil U.S. medical plan to put a greater emphasis on disease management, prevention, and lifestyle change. Building on this, we are exploring ways to create a Culture of Health by promoting and reinforcing healthy behavior within the work environment.
In 2009, we implemented a two-year, U.S. pilot program at the Joliet refinery in Illinois and the Brookhollow office complex in Texas. The program includes on-site biometric screenings, a health assessment, individualized lifestyle coaching, work site programs, and fun health challenges. The initial response has been encouraging, with hundreds of employees participating in one or more of the program offerings. Additional efforts in 2010 will be directed toward increasing healthy dining and vending options, and addressing fitness and weight-loss challenges.
