Respecting the Rights of All
We believe all humans deserve respect and dignity and have the right to live free of social and political abuse and discrimination of all kinds. While governments play a significant role in protecting and policing human rights, corporations can also help safeguard the most vulnerable.
As a U.S. company that adheres to federal laws with respect to human rights, we believe one of our best opportunities to encourage positive change is through our suppliers. By adopting a Human Rights Policy and incorporating it into our Supplier Code of Conduct, we can use our purchasing power for good.
Human Rights Policy
Our Human Rights Policy clearly defines the high standards we have for our operations and our supply chain materials produced globally. The policy follows the guidance and intentions of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, upholds the UN’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and provides common language and action steps to protect these rights. Our Code of Business Conduct also defines the responsibilities that all Chesapeake employees share in protecting human rights and reporting violations through our ethics helpline.
Layers of Human Rights Protection
- Federal and local law compliance
- Human Rights Policy applicable to employees, contractors and suppliers
- Ethics helpline available to report human rights violations
- Commitment to investigate and act upon human rights reports and potential violations
We apply our Human Rights Policy consistently across our operations, holding all suppliers to the same thorough criteria. We include our human rights standards as part of our supplier qualification program and any supplier that violates our Code or Human Rights Policy may be removed as an approved supplier.
Our Board’s ESG Committee has ultimate oversight over the management of our Human Rights Policy. All relevant reports of unethical business conduct — including any perceived violations or investigations into human rights abuses — are shared with the Audit Committee and, if appropriate, the ESG Committee.
In 2023, we had no reports of human rights violations through our ethics helpline.
Indigenous Rights
Our Human Rights Policy applies to our treatment of Indigenous peoples. We recognize that Indigenous peoples have unique rights and needs, and we respect their traditional culture and values.
While we don’t have any active operations on tribal lands, we recognize the potential for future partnerships if our asset base expands to certain locations across the country. Should this occur, we’re committed to mutually beneficial relationships focused on economic development, community investment and cultural preservation. We’ll develop these relationships through early engagement with tribal representatives, transparent business interactions and by following applicable laws and policies.
