Dear Colleagues,  

From time to time, I’ve reached out to our workforce on matters that I deem are of significant social and cultural importance to our company and our world. This note addresses such a matter.  

As you know, many cities in the U.S. and around the world are now in the throes of protests, some of them violent, arising from several incidents of senseless minority deaths. At a time when nerves are already frayed due to COVID-19, these incidents — and the fallout — serve as a stark reminder that our journey toward racial equality and justice for all is not complete.  

Recently, I had the opportunity to weigh in on a statement condemning racial injustice that was released over the weekend from the Business Roundtable, an association of chief executive officers of America’s leading companies. The statement is as follows:  

“We share the anger and pain felt by so many Americans at the recent killings of unarmed black men and women. Racism and brutality have no place in America. We grieve for the families, friends and communities of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others. These tragedies reflect longstanding racial injustice in our country. As the employers of more than 15 million individuals of all backgrounds, whose diversity strengthens our institutions, Business Roundtable CEOs are deeply concerned about the racial bias that continues to plague our society. At a time of great uncertainty, when communities of color are facing deep inequities, now is a time for unity and justice. We call on national, local and civic leaders to take urgent, thoughtful action to prevent future tragedies and to help our communities heal.”  

I support this statement by the Business Roundtable and believe it also reflects our position at ConocoPhillips. We still have a way to go on our D&I journey, but we have an opportunity to learn from this moment and make our “Who We Are” culture even stronger. Thank you for your commitment to eliminate bias and injustice in all its forms.  

Stay safe,  
Ryan