Issues and indicators

A critical step in publishing this report is ensuring that the content accurately reflects the most current and emerging topics of relevance to our company and to our industry. Therefore, the report must focus on our most significant or material issues. As such, material issues are those that may have a significant current or potential impact on our company and expand beyond purely financial issues.

Materiality analysis
To identify the social, economic, and environmental challenges, opportunities, and issues of particular concern to our stakeholders, we utilize a materiality analysis. This analysis combines external engagement and internal strategic alignment to help us prioritize the content of our Corporate Citizenship Report and ensures that the report is useful to readers.

This process also promotes internal under-standing of corporate citizenship and sustainability issues, and shapes our ongoing approach by aligning high-priority issues with our business strategies. We discuss these material issues within the context of ExxonMobil operations specifically. 

Amy Augustine

Manager, Diversity and International Labor Relations
Calvert Group, Ltd.

Elizabeth McGeveran

Senior Vice President, Governance and Sustainable Investment
F&C Management Limited

Richard Newell

Professor, Nicholas School of the Environment, Fuqua School of Business
Duke University

Tim Smith

Director, Senior Vice President, Environment, Social, and
Governance Group
Walden Asset Management

External Assessment Panel
In 2008, we established our first independent External Assessment Panel to serve an advisory role in ExxonMobil’s reporting process. The panelists provided feedback on what we did well and areas for future improvement. The 2008 panel consisted of four members, each with recognized expertise in nonfinancial reporting and/or our corporate citizenship focus areas. Panelists were external to ExxonMobil and conducted an independent and impartial review of the materiality analysis process and draft 2008 Corporate Citizenship Report.

Panelists gave input on ExxonMobil’s reporting process via two conference calls and a half-day, face-to-face meeting where they offered page-by-page feedback on a draft version of the report.