Sustainability
Shell views sustainability as providing essential energy for a growing population in a responsible way. Over the past 100 years, Shell has continued to help preserve and protect our communities through hundreds of conservation projects and initiatives.
Shell Sustainability Report 2020
View the report onlineCorporate Social Responsibility
For Shell, sustainability means providing essential energy for a growing population in a responsible way. This means being a careful and good neighbor by contributing to the well-being of communities where we work and live, which falls into Shell’s commitment to corporate social responsibility. Environmental Stewardship is one way Shell has continued to share benefits with communities over the past 100 years.
Environmental Stewardship
Shell strategically invests in conservation initiatives that are guided by scientific understanding and research of the environmental impact of our operations and address community-specific challenges and needs generated by our presence. In the last two decades, Shell Oil Company has helped restore and protect more than 13 million acres of wetlands, installed nature-based infrastructure solutions to mitigate flooding and slow coastal erosion, created artificial reefs to promote wildlife and support local economies, cleaned miles of shoreline with Shell volunteers removing 600,000 pounds of debris, and conserved more than 1.8 million acres of land. We also have shared much of the data we have collected so that others can learn from and leverage our efforts.
Conservation Project Map
View our interactive map that highlights some of Shell’s key conservation activities in the United States.
Gretchen Watkins: "The USA is destined to play a central role in navigating the energy transition while meeting global energy demand. I am excited about tackling these challenges as President of Shell Oil Company."
"Shell supports the direct regulation of methane – here’s why"
Our Conservation Partners
No organization can do it alone; Shell believes that by working together, we can win. That is why we partner and engage with citizens and responsible organizations to leverage their expertise and ensure our investments make the most impact. Our partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), and several others is one of the many ways we collaborate to help make a better future. Visit our interactive project map to learn about Shell supported environmental projects near you, and learn more about all the vital environmental conservation partners we support below.
Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)
Shell has partnered with CCA, a non-profit marine resource conservation organization comprised of 18 state chapters spanning the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic and Pacific seaboards, since 2005 to complete many key conservation and restoration projects through habitat creation, marine science and advocacy, across the Gulf Coast and beyond.
Building Conservation Trust (BCT)
In 2013, the Building Conservation Trust (BCT) was officially created as CCA’s national habitat program. BCT has created a model for the successful collaboration of businesses, non-profit organizations, and government agencies to revitalize critical habitat and establish a vibrant foundation for the marine ecosystem.
Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited is the world's leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. Since 1983, Shell and DU have partnered through the Gulf Coast Initiative, in which projects focus on increasing quality habitat for waterfowl, fish, and wildlife, improving protection against storm surges, helping to slow the coastal erosion rate, and improving the quality of life for all residents.
Houston Wilderness
Shell proudly partners with Houston Wilderness, who works with a broad-based alliance of business, environmental, and government interests to protect and promote the 10 diverse ecoregions of the 13+ county area around Houston, Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, including coastal prairies, forests, wetlands and waterways.
National Wild Turkey Federation
Shell has a history of supporting the Energy for Wildlife partnership program with the National Wild Turkey Federation, which works to educate landowners on habitat enhancements techniques to help restore habitat on energy rights of way. This ensures that replanted grounds are optimal for both people and pollinators, birds, and other wildlife species.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)
NFWF was created by Congress in 1984 and has become one of the world’s largest conservation grant-makers. They work with both the public and private sectors to protect and restore our nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Shell’s partnership with NFWF was initiated in 1990 and to this day, fosters the health of the Gulf of Mexico’s marine ecosystems and much more.
Texan By Nature
Texan By Nature was established in 2011 by Laura Bush to bring conservation and business together. The organization amplifies projects and activates new investment in conservation which returns real benefits for people, prosperity, and natural resources. This partnership contributes to building a legacy of conservation in the Permian Basin and across Texas.
Texas Parks and Wildlife
Founded in 1991, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF) provides private funding for transformational projects supported by sound science with measurable results and meaningful impact. Shell has worked with TPFW since 2006, supporting efforts to improve and expand state parks and wildlife management areas, address critical conservation needs, and enhance opportunities to enjoy the abundance of natural beauty throughout Texas.
The Nature Conservancy
A leading conservation organization in the United States and globally, The Nature Conservancy works with public and private partners to ensure our lands and waters are protected for future generations. Shell began our partnership with The Nature Conservancy in 1990 and is now a Global partner working to protect habitats and address threats to conservation, involving climate change, fresh water, oceans, urban strategies and conservation lands.
The Water Institute of the Gulf
The Water Institute of the Gulf is a not-for-profit, independent research and technical services institution with a mission to support resilient coasts and sustainable water systems worldwide. Shell and the Institute began a partnership in 2017, aiming to help coastal and deltaic communities we operate in thoughtfully prepare for an uncertain future regarding storms.
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) is a non-profit organization founded in 2002 with a strong reputation for providing non-partisan policy advocacy in Washington DC and across the nation. Shell works with TRCP to engage diverse voices around climate, energy, and infrastructure, the main goal being increased federal funding for conservation while preserving access for hunters and fishers.
Tri-State Bird Rescue
The mission of Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research is to provide professional, compassionate rehabilitation to native injured and orphaned wild birds and contaminated wildlife, and to promote their stewardship through education and humane research. Shell has worked with Tri-State since 1993 to train volunteers in the oil industry through workshops.
Wildlife Center of Texas
The Wildlife Center of Texas goals are to provide short term and long term care and rehabilitation to animals affected by oil spills, to increase public awareness and education on responsible environmental stewardship, and to help conserve threatened and endangered species. Shell supports this mission through workshops to train employees to help.
Wildlife Habitat Council
Since 1988, Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) has certified more than 1,000 habitat and education programs worldwide. A WHC member since 2002, Shell has developed and maintained a WHC certified wildlife habitat at the company’s Shell Houston Woodcreek Campus, helping support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them.