Our approach to powering lives

Shell is dedicated to making a positive impact on people around the world, and powering lives explains how we do that. It includes providing the energy people need, championing inclusion, respecting human rights and contributing to local communities.

People’s lives are better with energy. It provides warmth and light, cooked food and transport. We deliver this for millions of people around the world every day and are working to provide energy to those who do not yet have it.

We also want to help communities benefit from having us as their neighbour. We generate jobs, pay billions in tax each year and support start-ups, local businesses and education programmes. And we promote human rights in the communities, companies and organisations we work with. This includes activities such as advancing worker welfare and shaping an inclusive world so that everyone can be themselves.

Embedding a people-centred approach

Respecting people has been integral to the way we do business for many years. Shell’s HSSE & SP Control Framework [A] sets out how we identify, assess and manage our impacts on communities where we operate, including any impact on human rights. The framework also defines how we should share the benefits arising from our presence, such as by providing local employment and contractual opportunities.

[A] We are transitioning from the HSSE & SP Control Framework to our new Safety, Environment and Asset Management (SEAM) Standards as part of the Shell Performance Framework. The SEAM Standards will come into effect in mid-2024.

As part of our aim to become one of the most diverse and inclusive organisations in the world, our CEO and Executive Committee are accountable for our progress against our diversity, equity and inclusion goals.

The importance of respecting people also extends to our suppliers. Shell’s Supplier Principles outline our expectations for business integrity, including safety, security, labour and human rights, and environmental and social performance. We expect all suppliers to understand and implement the principles in their supply chains when working with Shell.

Open dialogue

Our commitment to continuous improvement means we have several mechanisms to encourage people to raise issues of concern. This includes the opportunity to report them anonymously through, for example, the Shell Global Helpline; and our community feedback mechanism and network of 148 community engagement practitioners, who act as a bridge between the communities where we operate and our activities. We also have reporting mechanisms for workers to speak freely about injustices or poor facilities. By encouraging people to raise their concerns and ideas for improvement, we hope to make a positive impact on people’s lives and livelihoods.