Shell Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Shell Foundation is an initiative of the oil major Royal Dutch Shell
. Launched in1997, it is a worldwide, social investment initiative to concentrate on working with external partners to promote sustainable development
. It is an independent registered charity which has three Shell executives on its board balanced by an equal number of independent non-executive directors, in line with UK Charity Commission
rules.
In 2000 Shell formalised the foundation by creating an income stream based on a notional capital set aside of $250m (£133m). This notional allocation is managed on the charity's behalf by independent advisers but the capital cannot be drawn upon until 2010. The Shell Foundation draws upon its links with Shell to "harness the knowledge, leverage and convening power of Shell companies in ways that add real and transparent value to achieving the charitable objectives of the Shell Foundation.”
In South Africa
and Uganda
, The Shell Foundation has facilitated the formation of partnerships that help small local businesses to enter the energy services market on a financially viable basis which allows them to serve the needs of the impoverished. The Shell Foundation claims on its website that it is also "Bringing down the number of deaths caused by indoor air pollution
; Easing the traffic congestion
and pollution clogging up developing country mega-cities and; Giving developing-country producers improved access to world markets." Further details about the background and activities of The Shell Foundation are contained in a Daily Telegraph article “One Shell of a fight against poverty”, which is a source of some of the above information.
"Campaigners attack Shell’s charity arm over Sakhalin talks" related to The Shell Foundation. The Charity Commission subsequently conducted an inquiry and according to an article published in The Guardian on 17 October 2006, concluded that The Shell Foundation "has fallen short of the good governance and decision-making that we expect from large charities”.
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
. Launched in1997, it is a worldwide, social investment initiative to concentrate on working with external partners to promote sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
. It is an independent registered charity which has three Shell executives on its board balanced by an equal number of independent non-executive directors, in line with UK Charity Commission
Charity Commission
The Charity Commission for England and Wales is the non-ministerial government department that regulates registered charities in England and Wales....
rules.
In 2000 Shell formalised the foundation by creating an income stream based on a notional capital set aside of $250m (£133m). This notional allocation is managed on the charity's behalf by independent advisers but the capital cannot be drawn upon until 2010. The Shell Foundation draws upon its links with Shell to "harness the knowledge, leverage and convening power of Shell companies in ways that add real and transparent value to achieving the charitable objectives of the Shell Foundation.”
In South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, The Shell Foundation has facilitated the formation of partnerships that help small local businesses to enter the energy services market on a financially viable basis which allows them to serve the needs of the impoverished. The Shell Foundation claims on its website that it is also "Bringing down the number of deaths caused by indoor air pollution
Air pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
; Easing the traffic congestion
Traffic congestion
Traffic congestion is a condition on road networks that occurs as use increases, and is characterized by slower speeds, longer trip times, and increased vehicular queueing. The most common example is the physical use of roads by vehicles. When traffic demand is great enough that the interaction...
and pollution clogging up developing country mega-cities and; Giving developing-country producers improved access to world markets." Further details about the background and activities of The Shell Foundation are contained in a Daily Telegraph article “One Shell of a fight against poverty”, which is a source of some of the above information.
Controversy
On 28 September 2006, an article published in The Guardian newspaper alleged that "An attempt by Shell to portray itself as a model of corporate social responsibility was undermined last night after Whitehall documents showed its charitable arm discussing a key commercial project with a British government minister." The article entitled"Campaigners attack Shell’s charity arm over Sakhalin talks" related to The Shell Foundation. The Charity Commission subsequently conducted an inquiry and according to an article published in The Guardian on 17 October 2006, concluded that The Shell Foundation "has fallen short of the good governance and decision-making that we expect from large charities”.