KAUFMAN MANAGEMENT CENTER
440 WEST FOURTH STREET, SUITE 800
NEW YORK, NY 10012-1118
BHR.STERN.NYU.EDU

SARAH LABOWITZ
Co-director
Center for Business and Human Rights

 
 

NYU Stern School of Business 

Ben Soraci
President, ExxonMobil Foundation
General Manager, Public and Government Affairs
ExxonMobil
February 6, 2017
Dear Ben,
I am writing to respectfully resign my participation in ExxonMobil’s External Citizenship Advisory
Panel (ECAP). I joined the panel in 2014 because I believed that the company was committed to
good corporate citizenship and respect for civil society organizations like my own. Over the last
three years, I have appreciated the opportunity to meet with senior representatives of the company
to discuss human rights issues, often in a deep and thoughtful way. But in the past year, I’ve seen
these factors decline.
As you and I have discussed at some length, I am particularly concerned about the company’s
targeted attack on respected civil society organizations through the courts. Just last week, Exxon
filed another brief in Federal District Court in Texas advancing an argument that everyday aspects of
civil society advocacy with public officials should be treated as an illegal conspiracy. The brief argues
that having a private meeting, conducting a workshop, publishing a report, or advocating that a
public official take action are all elements of what you deem an illegal “conspiracy.”
This argument undermines the democratic principles of our society and the vital role that civil
society plays in it. In my own work in the NGO and academic sectors, I often have engaged in
planning and strategy meetings, published reports, held private conversations and emails, and
advocated with public officials. When I worked at the State Department, I regularly consulted with
NGOs and advocates seeking to influence the direction of U.S. foreign policy. I also vigorously
defended the right of organizations and individuals to conduct this kind of work in countries where
governments sought to suppress their rights to freedom of association, expression, and assembly.
Many companies face criticism and critique, but few respond with the kind of vehemence and
aggressive attack strategy that Exxon has executed over the last year. As we discussed in Dallas in
December, this approach is especially disappointing because there are much more effective and
constructive ways to respond to such criticism.

  
 

In my work at NYU Stern School of Business, I study companies that face significant human rights
challenges. In the face of public criticism, companies that demonstrate good corporate citizenship
are those that take seriously allegations of wrongdoing, assess their validity, and then adopt
recommendations to correct missteps. They are transparent about their own record and welcome
discussion with interested publics.
This is the approach I have encouraged Exxon to take. I am disappointed that instead of examining
its own record and seeking to restore a respected place for itself in the public debate, Exxon has
chosen to turn up the temperature on civil society groups.
I know you and your colleagues to be people of integrity who take science seriously. The debate
about how to address the urgent threat of climate change needs Exxon as a credible participant. It
would be against the long-term interests of the company and its shareholders if it were to win the
legal argument at the expense of its reputation and the public’s trust. I know that Exxon views itself
as a vital player in scientific and policy debates about climate change. Others should view you that
way, as well, so that we all can get on with the business of developing sound solutions to a warming
planet.
I have appreciated the opportunity to raise these and other important human rights issues in a
serious and respectful manner over the past three years. As you know, my preference has been to
remain on the ECAP to continue raising these important issues. But last week’s legal filing is a clear
demonstration that the company is choosing to double down on a strategy that I feel strongly is
counter-productive to your own interests and to the democratic values of our society. I am open to
discussing these issues with you from outside the ECAP and will continue to encourage you to seek
alternative approaches to engage your critics. I hope that you can quickly find a better way forward
that puts addressing climate change at the forefront of your agenda.
Sincerely,

Sarah Labowitz
Co-director, Center for Business and Human Rights
NYU Stern School of Business