“People are our competitive advantage,” said Todd Denton, Senior Vice President of HSE & Field Operations. “We want to encourage them to think big, think boldly and bring their ideas to the table.”

The Reuters conference featured a 30-minute conversation between Denton and Brenda Brinson, General Manager of Culture & People Strategy and Chief Diversity Officer, in which the two discussed the evolution and importance of I&D across the workplace. At Phillips 66, I&D has been a major point of focus, resulting in a more diverse executive leadership team and Board, among other things.

While inclusion and diversity have different monikers at other companies such as DEI, the ordering at Phillips 66 is intentional. “Without inclusion, diversity can’t thrive,” Brinson said.

Brinson said belonging is the top engagement driver at Phillips 66, ensuring employees feel valued and connected. To help build that sense of value and connectivity, Phillips 66 has 10 employee resource groups with nearly 70 chapters across the globe, including the newest group, the Diverse Abilities Network, Denton said.

Denton said I&D is critical to operational excellence, citing an example of the company stopping operations at a Phillips 66 refinery because one worker alone identified a safety issue. “Inclusion is about feeling safe to speak our minds,” he said.

Listening to employees is important in the I&D effort, Brinson said. “Listening creates a foundation of trust and collaboration,” Brinson said. “It’s easier to get better business outcomes and ultimately a sense of belonging.”

Said Denton, “If we can get everyone with their unique perspectives and backgrounds having those conversations, then that’s going to take us as a company to the next level in terms of building a sustainable energy future.”

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Brenda Brinson, General Manager of Culture & People Strategy and Chief Diversity Officer at Phillips 66, asked that question to Mark Lashier and Bruce Chinn, the respective leaders of Phillips 66 and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, in a moderated discussion at Phillips 66 headquarters Tuesday. CPChem is jointly owned by Phillips 66 and Chevron.

Here are five takeaways:

Find ways to add value. Neither Lashier nor Chinn actively set out to be a chief executive. Rather, they looked for ways they could contribute in various roles, including helping others in their careers as mentors. “I never really aspired to be CEO, “said Phillips 66 President and CEO Lashier. “I aspired to create value for the company, to do things they wanted me to do, to help people make great careers for themselves.”

Be a good listener. Listening skills helped both CEOs become better versions of themselves and ultimately climb the corporate ladder. “Feedback is a gift,” said CPChem President and CEO Chinn, for whom a mentor stressed listening. “But you have to be willing to listen.” Said Lashier, “Listening made me a better CEO. It made me a better husband. It made me a better father.”

Build relationships. Leadership and mentorship hinge on relationships. For Chinn, relationships allowed him to overcome workplace bias. “That’s why I believe in it,” said Chinn. “Not only with your immediate boss, but also your peers, your subordinates and folks in other functions. That’s how people see the real you.” Lashier recalled a manager in Sweeny, Texas, who as a mentor helped him win credibility with plant workers.

Don’t force it. Mentorship, like leadership, cannot be willed. “There’s some sort of organic chemistry that takes place,” said Lashier. But that doesn’t mean you should just wait for it to happen, said Chinn. “I would tell folks, especially young folks, to never be afraid of engaging,” he said. “You never know where your mentor might be.”

Look for lessons. Lashier said a mentor once helped him better understand how organizational decisions are made. “Sometimes decision makers have access to information or experiences you don’t have,” he said. Lashier also learned to see decisions as an opportunity to gain insight on the decision-making process. “It’s an opportunity to understand the why,” he said.

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The company donated $5 million to Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas to help build a nearly 40,000-square-foot experimental learning center — the largest gift to a single nonprofit in the history of Phillips 66.  

The Phillips 66 JA Discovery Center will replace existing facilities and enable the organization to expand programming, with a focus on serving under-resourced communities.  

“The new center will enable young minds to be prepared for the future, opening a world of opportunities,” said Phillips 66 President and CEO Mark Lashier, who serves on the board of Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas. “We invest in the Junior Achievement mission because an educated workforce will drive our economic future and that of the community overall.”  

The new facility will house Junior Achievement’s administrative offices and JA BizTown and JA Finance Park experiences. The concept is powerful — connect what children learn in school with the realities of the business world and everyday life, with a focus on critical-thinking skills and student engagement.  

JA Finance Park includes a classroom-based program that helps build a foundation to guide intelligent financial decisions and correlates educational performance with future earnings power. 

Nearly half a million students have participated in JA’s marquee learning experiences since 1999, when Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas launched the second JA BizTown facility (then Exchange City) in the United States. 

“We are grateful for the commitment of Phillips 66 to enable us to provide deeper and more interactive learning experiences, integrate modern technology and promote greater student engagement,” said Joe Burke, President of Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas. “These programs will equip young people with the foundational skills and mindsets needed for the dynamic labor market of tomorrow.” 

Phillips 66 has a long relationship with Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas, and the $5 million donation is the latest effort to support its innovative mission, said Claudia Kreisle, Manager of Social Impact for Phillips 66. 

“The Phillips 66 JA Discovery Center will help inspire future business and community leaders,” she said. “Education is the key, and we want to help open the door.”  

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Phillips 66’s relationships with diversity and STEM organizations help withtalent acquisition and provide networking and development opportunities for current employees.

“Seeking different perspectives comes in a variety of ways,” said Sonya Reed, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. “We practice it internally every day through our interactions with each other, but it’s so important that we seek it outside our company, too. Our participation in diversity events is vital to our ability to learn, meet new people and appreciate different points of view.”

Six Pride Network leaders and two Human Resource team members attended the 2022 Out & Equal Workplace Summit in Las Vegas. It offered professional development and provided opportunities to learn best practices from other companies on LGBTQ+ issues in the workplace.

“It was exciting to see how the companies we look up to in this space are creating new ways to be more inclusive and diverse,” said Aaron Galloway, data and reporting coordinator, CMLS and Houston Pride Network co-lead. “It’s a reminder that we can always do better, and I feel empowered to share what I learned with other ERG leads, too.”

The Society of Women Engineers held its 2022 national conference in Houston with the theme, “A world of opportunity awaits.” With more than 15,000 attendees, it is the world’s largest conference for women in engineering and technology.

In addition to learning and networking, Phillips 66 employees and executive leadership were speakers and presenters. Zhanna Golodryga, Executive Vice President of Emerging Energy and Sustainability, introduced the closing keynote, adding, “As a woman, mother, engineer, immigrant and energy executive, I have seen my share of challenges and learned to embrace them as opportunities. This is also the mindset that we have at Phillips 66.”

Phillips 66 employees also led several panel discussions and breakout sessions, including “Check Your Engines: A 12-point Inspection for Mental Hygiene,” “Energy Transformation: Concept to Commercialization,” and “Managing Motherhood: Resilience Strategies and Life Hacks for Working Parents.”

More than 30 employees and Houston Women’s Network members headed to Austin for the 2022 Texas Conference for Women. This one-day event provides connection, motivation, networking, inspiration and skill-building opportunities for thousands of Texas women each year. Sessions range from personal finance to health and wellness to career advancement. Keynote speakers included award-winning authors, news correspondents and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion professionals.

Phillips 66 also supports and engages with the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, the National Society of Black Engineers and the National Association of Black Accountants.

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“It’s time to throw the stigma out the window,” said Senior Global Compliance Analyst Adriana Herrera, one of the group’s founders.

DAN is focused on creating a welcoming and accommodating environment for disabled employees, as well as giving support to employees who are caregivers and advocates.  

DAN became the 10th official employee resource group after a year-long pilot program. The group currently has 367 members.  

Herrera said the group focuses on four areas: supporting employees who have physical disabilities, those with invisible disabilities such as learning disorders, a focus on mental health, and caregiver support.

“It’s a super exciting time for us,” she said after DAN received the official ERG status in August. “We are looking forward to finding ways to reach more and more people and to foster an environment as a company where it’s OK to talk about these things.”  

Senior Advisor of Inclusion and Diversity Yeni Ortega said the addition of the Diverse Abilities Network as an official Phillips 66 employee resource group is an important milestone. “We become a stronger company when all employees feel safe, seen, heard and respected,” she said.  

Todd Denton, Senior Vice President of Health, Safety, Environment (HSE) and Field Operations Support, is the new Executive Champion of DAN, and Alex Shabet, General Manager of Total Rewards, is Global Sponsor. 

“We are both very excited to assume these roles for DAN,” Denton said in a message to the group. “Over time, we aim to learn from the members and their experiences so that together we can make Phillips 66 an even better place to work.” 

DAN has already sponsored several events, including the “In Their Shoes” series, where employees discuss perspectives on how they are personally impacted by disability.  

DAN Lead Erica Dalluge said she is hoping the group can have a lasting influence, including in the hiring process and in recruiting.   

“I’m so proud of the fact that we got here,” said Dalluge, a Lab Chemist Network Lead in Bartlesville. “Where we go from here will speak volumes.” 

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“Today, Phillips 66 made a difference in providing crucial financial support for those suffering losses due to Hurricane Ian’s impacts,” said Charles Blake Jr., CEO of the Texas Gulf Coast Region, American Red Cross. “We are proud to count on partners like Phillips 66 as we work together to provide much-needed comfort and care to help people in need.”

The hurricane made landfall on September 28 as a powerful Category 4 storm, damaging communities, knocking out power across the region and bringing devastating floodwaters throughout Florida, the Carolinas and Georgia.

“Our contribution will lend a helping hand to recovery efforts,” said Todd Denton, Senior Vice President, Health, Safety and Environment and Projects. “We know through our longstanding partnership with the American Red Cross that they are best positioned to help those most in need.”

“Phillips 66 has been a strong partner of the American Red Cross for many years in the face of disasters, and we’re grateful once again to count on their philanthropic support to help the response efforts for Hurricane Ian,” said Reihaneh Hajibeigi, Chief Development Officer at the Houston Chapter, American Red Cross.

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These are some words Phillips 66 President and CEO Mark Lashier used to describe employee resource groups at a candid and upbeat discussion at Houston Headquarters hosted by the Black Employee Network.  

Inclusion and diversity are increasingly becoming part of the fabric of Phillips 66, but the company still has a way to go, he said. “We’ve got to make sure that the intentionality is there, that it becomes like living and breathing, just part of who we are,” Lashier said.  

The meeting included members of five ERGs, including the Black Employee Network, Asian American Network, Hispanic Network, Native American Network and Women’s Network. 

The discussion focused on career development and keeping inclusion and diversity at the forefront amid other projects and initiatives.  

Lashier told the panel about his own inclusion and diversity experience when his family moved from Oklahoma to Singapore in 1999 — moving from a small community to a multicultural island with about 4 million people, where less than 3 percent of the population looked like them or had the same background. “We were a little bewildered,” he said.  

Lashier said he sees ERGs as key advisers and “keepers of the flame” in efforts to promote diversity through mentoring and professional development.  

Rametha Nair, a member of the Asian American Network, said all employees, regardless of background, are welcome to become members of ERGs and “come to the table” to learn and support each other. Her hope is that someday all 1,200 or so employees at Houston Headquarters will join the Asian American Network.  

Krystal Braden, who is the steering committee chair for the Black Employee Network, said that Phillips 66 is serious about inclusion and diversity. “It is not a box that needs to be checked off,” she said. “It is truly wanting to understand different perspectives through different voices and different experiences.” 

Lashier said that ERGs create a strong fabric that makes Phillips 66 a better company and a better place to work.  

“If you feel like you belong somewhere, you’re a lot less likely to leave,” he said. “That’s a good thing for us and a good thing for our future.”  

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The funds will support Port Wonder, a lakefront venue that will serve as an educational and entertaining space for families, where the children’s museum will be relocated and upgraded with an interactive Phillips 66 STEM education exhibit. Museum staff, city officials and Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex (LCMC) employees and their families celebrated the donation at a July 26 event at the refinery. 

“We’ve been a community partner in southwest Louisiana for almost 80 years, and this is just another step in that journey,” said LCMC General Manager Scot Tyler. “Our exhibit will stimulate curiosity and cultivate learning about the energy industry — a field that is ever-evolving.” 

The distillation exhibit will feature STEM activities where children can learn about how refineries convert crude oil into finished products and don proper Phillips 66 personal protective equipment. The Port Wonder complex will also house a science and nature center administered by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 

“Phillips 66 has been an incredible supporter to the city of Lake Charles, “said Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter at the event. “Their financial support of Port Wonder will help ensure a world-class attraction on our lakefront and a state-of-the-art educational experience for generations to come.”  

Construction of Port Wonder is underway and should be complete in late 2023. 

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When a nearby utility substation flooded, forcing the city’s water treatment plant to run on generator power and risk disrupting supply, Emergency Response Team Lead Ben Adelman, I&E Superintendent Adam McAbee and Metalworkers/Craftsmen JT Sannon, Jim Hoiland and Andrew Reiter wasted no time answering the call to assist. They leveraged refinery equipment and set up a pumping system to remove water from the area and flow it back into the Yellowstone River.

Their actions allowed the water treatment plant to return to its main source of power and remain operational, even as the Yellowstone River, which winds through Billings and is a stone throw’s away from the refinery, reached record-high levels from the 500-year flooding event.

“We responded to the call and showed up ready to work. We did what we needed to do to keep 150,000 people from losing their water supply,” Adelman said of the response.

Record rainfall in June and rapid snowmelt caused rivers in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho to rise, washing away roads, bridges and other infrastructure and causing widespread flooding in the region. The floods forced Yellowstone National Park to close for over a week because of washed-out roads.

The City of Billings escaped with minimal damage, unlike other towns in the region. The Billings Refinery sustained operations throughout the flooding event in part thanks to the action from the Phillips 66 employees coming to the aid of the local public works department to ensure reliable water supply to the community and site.

“The Billings Refinery has a long history of outstanding relations with the City of Billings and the community in general,” Maintenance Manager Mike Baker said. “We are proud of the partnership we have with our neighbors and are pleased that some of our skilled craftsmen and talented emergency response personnel were able to help the city avert a potential water supply disruption.”

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That question was posed by author and diversity-training expert Jess Pettitt, speaking at Sweeny Refinery during one of several events for Phillips 66’s Inclusion and Diversity Week.

Pettitt encouraged employees to think of conversations as invitations and give people — even the most annoying or frustrating — “grace in the moment.”

The goal is “to remain at least a cracked window instead of a closed door,” she said.

The speech, attended by about 275 people in person and online, was a partnership with the Pride Network. Brian Mandell, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Commercial and executive champion of the Pride Network, introduced Pettitt at the Sweeny event.

‘Safe, seen, heard and respected’

Phillips 66’s Inclusion and Diversity week presents an opportunity to understand and learn through the experience of others, said Senior Advisor of Inclusion and Diversity Yeni Ortega. “It supports the company mission to build an environment where all employees feel safe, seen, heard and respected.”

Sonya Reed, Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Communications, said Phillips 66 is making good progress. Nearly half of the 156 interns this summer are women. And of the roughly 400 new employees hired in 2022 through the end of May, 49% are from racial or ethnic minority groups.

“There is no one business or one segment or one location that is seeing these kinds of results; we’re seeing it across the entire company,” she said at a kickoff event for the week’s activities. 

The kickoff event featured a presentation by April Rinne, an in-demand keynote speaker who regularly contributes to major news outlets about the new economy and the future of work. She focused her remarks on leveraging change as a strength and embracing a “flux mindset.”

“Your relationship to change can improve,” she said as she offered up what she called the eight “superpowers” that make people better fit for a world in flux. “What exactly needs to improve varies from person to person, but we can all use some help.” 

Learning our values in four languages

At Houston headquarters, Employee Resource Groups joined forces for a fun language mixer where employees learned to say words and phrases — including the company’s core values of safety, honor and commitment — in Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese.

In Bartlesville, a panel featuring representatives from the Pride Network, Women’s Network, Veterans Network and Black Employee Network discussed topics including the benefits of joining an ERG, the challenges in seeking different perspectives and the meaning of inclusion and diversity.

At the Sweeny event, Pettitt said employees should be open to learning about someone else’s life experience and “lean in” to that ability to connect.

“It’s really hard to shut that door when you enter it from a curious place,” she said.

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