Hess 2011 Annual Report Download - page 20

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Company and Helix Well Containment Group,
giving us access to rapidly deployable state of the
art containment response systems. In addition,
Hess participated in industry working groups and
task forces focusing on emergency preparedness
and response capabilities in the United States
and globally. At the same time, we confirmed the
integrity of our deepwater drilling operating methods
and adherence to worldwide drilling standards.
With respect to climate change, Hess has taken
measures to assess, monitor and reduce our carbon
footprint at existing and future operations. We made
considerable progress toward our 2013 goal of a
20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
intensity based on a 2008 baseline. We decreased
flaring from operations in Algeria and Equatorial
Guinea by more than 50 percent during the past
several years, achieving our flare reduction target
ahead of schedule. Our climate change strategy
also includes the purchase of certified renewable
energy certificates equivalent to at least 10 percent
of our annual net purchased electricity, along with
the purchase of certified carbon offsets to ensure
that the impact of our commercial air travel is
carbon neutral. For the third consecutive year, Hess
was included in the Carbon Disclosure Project’s
Global 500 and S&P 500 leadership indexes for
the quality of our climate change disclosure.
Hess is an active supporter of several international
multi-stakeholder frameworks that seek to protect
the environment, promote transparency and advance
human rights, including the Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative, the United Nations Global
Compact, the Voluntary Principles on Security
and Human Rights and the International Labour
Organization’s Fundamental Principles and Rights
at Work.
We are committed to effective stakeholder
engagement and strategic social investments in
our host communities that lead to sustainable and
measurable improvements, especially in education
and health. The first five-year phase of our partnership
in Equatorial Guinea to improve primary education is
nearing completion. A second five-year program will
launch in early 2012 and will focus on strengthening
secondary education and vocational training. We will
also continue efforts to support primary education.
In North Dakota, we announced a five-year $25
million partnership with the state government to
enhance secondary, higher and vocational education
in order to better prepare students to succeed in the
workforce. The company also supported activities
in more than 20 countries in the areas of youth and
community development, education and health.
Hess volunteers help in community rebuilding, North Dakota