EnergyFactor By ExxonMobil | Pespectives has a new home

Celebrating actions that unite us

Readers: As a global company, ExxonMobil is active in programs that seek to improve lives and create opportunities in the communities where we live and work. We do this not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it helps create robust communities and stronger economies – which in turn is good for our business. I’ve invited Suzanne McCarron, president of the ExxonMobil Foundation, to talk about some of these efforts, which were recently recognized by the United Nations Foundation. – Ken

At a time when the scale of the world’s challenges may seem to divide people, a recent United Nations event provided a welcome opportunity to celebrate the actions that can unite.

On Nov. 8, the United Nations Foundation hosted its Global Leadership Awards in New York City. I had the opportunity to attend this event, which brings together leaders from government, industry, and the arts to celebrate cooperative efforts to improve global health and eradicate poverty.

This year, the Foundation gave Global Leadership Awards to a diverse group of accomplished individuals, including Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway, U.N. Undersecretary General Susana Malcorra, Pakistan’s court advocate Asma Jahangir, and the band Linkin Park.

ExxonMobil was honored to be among those receiving a Global Leadership Award at the ceremony.

In his acceptance remarks, our chairman and CEO, Rex Tillerson, spoke about how companies like ExxonMobil can work with partners to support progress and development – leading to improved business environments and strengthening communities.

He said that “strong partnerships with those who have expertise in fields such as public health, education and community development are critical. By working in a systematic way, all of us – business, governments and non-government agencies – can achieve our shared goals.”

The U.N. Foundation is a lynchpin in connecting businesses like ours with experts who can help us make a difference. We are proud to work with the U.N. Foundation on issues such as fighting the spread of malaria and in promoting economic opportunity for women all over the world.

In the fight against malaria, we work with the Foundation’s “Nothing but Nets” program, which provides life-saving bed nets to millions of people. Programs like these and others that provide anti-malarial drugs and support have helped reduce malaria deaths by 20 percent over the last decade.

We also share another goal with the U.N. Foundation: promoting economic opportunity for women. In this, too, the U.N. Foundation has provided contacts and networks that have helped our company deploy technologies that aid women as they expand their income-generating activities.

For example, we are assisting women farmers in Benin in using new irrigation technologies to extend their growing season, allowing them to farm throughout the country’s six-month dry season. We are also assisting women in Uganda by increasing their access to energy so they can work, meet, or travel at night. By empowering women with technologies that help them meet basic needs, this program helps save them time and labor. In turn, this enables them to invest more of their energies in growing their businesses and caring for their families.

The lesson of the Global Leadership Awards is that collective action between business, governments and nonprofit organizations can make a real difference. By combining our strengths, we can help change lives for the better.


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