Conoco Inc. has developed guidelines for forming citizen advisory councils and establishing environmental fellowships, key elements of the company's nine point program of environmental initiatives.
That program also commits the company to build double hulled oil tankers, provide double wall tank construction at new or refurbished fuel outlets, steadily cut emissions and discharges to levels well below those prescribed by law, and include environmental performance among criteria determining management compensation (OGJ, Apr. 16, p. 89).
COUNCILS
Conoco will form the citizen advisory councils at its major locations worldwide to help it make operational decisions in an environmentally sound manner that considers effects on the community or region.
The councils also will have the ability to "blow the whistle" on substandard environmental performance.
The first five councils are being formed at Conoco refineries at Denver, Lake Charles, La., Billings, Mont., Ponca City, Okla., and South Killingholme, England.
Councils will consist of no more than 10 persons selected from government, the general public, and environmental groups.
Conoco will seek concurrence of elected officials in the councils' final makeup and in determining councils' functions.
FELLOWSHIPS
Conoco's environmental fellowship program is designed to enlist aid of outside experts in improving the company's environmental performance.
In building relationships through the fellowship program, Conoco also hopes to be able to find opportunities for appropriate employees to work within environmental groups and other organizations.
Conoco environmental fellow$ will be selected by a committee of two noncompany persons and one Conoco representative.
They will make their selections from applicants solicited from qualified organizations or fields of endeavor.
Some fellowships could be for as long as 1 year, depending on the focus of the individual fellowship.
"I have long favored consensus building as the preferred way to solve the difficulties inherent in operating manufacturing facilities without detriment to the environment," said Constantine S. Nicandros, Conoco president and chief executive officer.
"The establishment of these two programs will take Conoco a long way down this productive road. In a sense, we are opening our doors to the public and asking them to help us do our jobs to the best of our collective abilities."
Copyright 1990 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.