Corporate Citizenship: Statoil

Abstract

Open markets alone do not guarantee equitable and sustainable development. Income disparities are growing both within and between countries to the extent that the marginalization of the poor has become a key challenge of globalization. To meet this challenge, the global community must address the governance gap between global finance/economics and local or national politics in world affairs. This article discusses how globalization is shaping Statoil's approach to corporate citizenship. The Norwegian firm, with 17,000 workers in some 25 countries, is one of the major net sellers of crude oil and supplies Europe with natural gas. Statoil maintains that corporations can contribute to global governance by conducting business in a manner that is ethical, economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially responsible. This contribution can be achieved through development partnerships with national governments, multilateral institutions, and nongovernmental organizations.