Shell Foundation business principles, ethics and compliance
These business principles govern how Shell Foundation conducts its activities
Shell Foundation’s commitments
Shell Foundation is committed to inclusive, transparent and impactful solutions that empower millions of people.
We are committed to transparency in our financial, legal, and charitable activities, ensuring that every contribution and expenditure is accessible for our beneficiaries and regulators. Integrity, openness, respect and safeguarding is paramount.
Our commitment to these principles is embedded in all our work. We believe they are essential for making a positive and lasting impact for the people we seek to serve.
Who Shell Foundation is responsible to
To the people we aim to support
We undertake to respect their rights, to listen to their wishes and to remember at all times that we exist to support and serve them.
To our partners
We undertake to work together to achieve mutually agreed outcomes that benefit society.
To our staff
We undertake to respect the human rights of our staff; to promote the best use of their talents; to create an inclusive work environment where every staff member has an equal opportunity to develop his or her skills and talents; to encourage the involvement of staff in the planning and direction of their work; and to provide them with channels to report concerns. We recognise that Shell Foundation’s success depends on the full commitment of all staff.
To our funders
We undertake to responsibly invest and deploy all charitable funding and all other resources made available to us in pursuit of our mission and vision.
To society
We undertake to conduct our affairs as responsible members of society, to comply with applicable laws and regulations, to support fundamental human rights, and to give proper regard to health, safety and the environment.
Shell Foundation’s business principles
Shell Foundation firmly believes in the fundamental importance of trust, openness, teamwork, professionalism and a solution mindset. These Business Principles approved by the Board of trustees govern how Shell Foundation conducts its activities. We promote these Business Principles to our partners.
Integrity
We insist on honesty, integrity and fairness in all aspects of our activities and expect the same in our relationships with all those with whom we work.
Ethics and compliance
We will comply with all laws and regulations applicable to us as a registered charity and English company. We maintain policies and procedures that minimise the risk of us or our partners being involved in money laundering, financing of terrorism or other corrupt activities. If it is suspected that breaches of these standards have occurred, we help people report these by providing whistle-blowers with methods of reporting through their Shell Foundation line management, or anonymously through a whistleblowing helpline. We will not tolerate any form of retaliation directed against anyone who raises a concern in good faith about a possible breach of Ethics and Compliance standards. Shell Foundation has a conflicts of Interest policy and employees must avoid conflicts of interest between their private financial activities and their part in the conduct of Shell Foundation activities. Staff must also declare to Shell Foundation any potential conflict of interest. The direct or indirect offer, payment, soliciting and acceptance of bribes or other inducements in any form is unacceptable to Shell Foundation. All of Shell Foundation’s financial transactions must be reflected accurately and fairly in the Shell Foundation accounts in accordance with established procedures and are subject to audit and disclosure.
Non-discrimination
We offer equal opportunities to everyone; this helps us ensure we always draw on the widest possible talent pool and attract the very best people. When making employment decisions, including hiring, evaluation, promotion, training, development, discipline, and termination, we base them solely on objective factors, including merit, qualifications, performance and business considerations. We are committed to diversity inclusion and do not discriminate in any way based on race, colour, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, ethnic origin or nationality. We do not tolerate discrimination and harassment of individuals in Shell Foundation or our partner organisations.
Health, safety, security and the environment
We require our partners to demonstrate compliance with relevant national Health, Safety Security and Environmental (HSSE) regulations and standards. We expect partners to go beyond minimum HSSE standards by identifying and minimising risks faced by their employees, customers and stakeholders in delivering or using their products or services. All partners are required to demonstrate that they have a comprehensive understanding of relevant HSSE issues and can evidence how they implement their HSSE controls, policies and procedures in order to minimise the risk of harm to all. We are committed to protect the environment, manage the emissions of greenhouse gases and support the transition to a lower carbon future. We are committed to help create and grow environmentally sustainable organisations that act as sustainable pioneers in this low-carbon transition. Where appropriate, Shell Foundation helps partners to ensure continuous improvement with respect to HSSE.
Safeguarding vulnerable adults and children
Shell Foundation has zero tolerance of sexual or other harassment, exploitation and abuse in our organisation or the partners’ it funds and works with. Shell Foundation will take all possible steps to protect all of its stakeholders from harm. Shell Foundation will only engage with and finance organisations that can demonstrate a similar duty to prevent harm or the risk of harm to individuals that it affects.
Labour and human rights
Shell Foundation’s employment, procurement and funding policies enshrine the human rights set out in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the core conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and applicable legislation, including no use of child labour and no use of forced or compulsory labour or modern-day slavery.
Transparency
We operate on a presumption of openness, transparency and accountability to our stakeholders, whilst respecting the law and the confidentiality of organisations we support. We share what we learn from the successes or failures of our work, or that of our partners. We believe that our transparency and readiness to share our experience and learnings with the market and policy makers helps deepen the impact that we make.
Data privacy
We protect the privacy of our staff, partners and other stakeholders. We are committed to managing personal data in a professional, lawful and ethical way, in accordance with all applicable legislation. We expect our partners to demonstrate similar policies and practices with regard to data privacy. We do not support the collecting and sharing of personal or commercial data with third parties without the owners informed and express consent.
Political activity
We act in a socially responsible manner within the laws of the countries in which we operate in pursuit of our charitable objectives. We do not make payments to political parties, organisations or their representatives. We do not take part in party politics.
Anti-bribery and corruption
Shell Foundation’s (SF) mission is to catalyse sustainable, enterprise-based solutions to global development challenges. To do this effectively, SF partners with many different types of organisations in many different locations around the world and requires that these partners adhere to the Shell Foundation Business Principles which govern how SF conducts its activities. One of these Principles is Integrity which states inter alia that “the direct or indirect offer, payment, soliciting and acceptance of bribes in any form is unacceptable”. Bribery is unethical and distorts market forces. It is also illegal in many countries. This document contains supporting information to assist SF partners to comply with this core requirement in the spirit of working together to combat bribery and corruption.
Shell Foundation’s financials
In this section, you will find all our financial reports. All the links on this page are to PDF documents. If the document you need is not accessible to you for any reason, please email: info@shellfoundation.org.
Our annual report provides an accurate summary of our activities, income, and expenditure each year.
Shell Foundation releases its financials to the public annually. Please find those below: