ChevronTexaco was honored by The Trust for the Americas, the nonprofit arm of the Organization of American States (OAS), for "exemplary corporate programs aimed at alleviating poverty in Latin America." OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria presented ChevronTexaco Latin America Upstream with an Honorable Mention award in the 2004 Corporate Citizen of the Americas competition for its Western Venezuela Development Program, a community partnership initiative that improves health and education opportunities for children in the region.
ChevronTexaco's Western Venezuela Development Program has partnered with local governments, community leaders and professionals to:
- Create the first regional reconstructive surgery program for cleft lip, palate and other facial deformities; ChevronTexaco worked with the Boscan Rotary Club and local physicians to change the lives of 60 children last year
- Construct the first high school in the Boscan region serving 1,500 students – a facility with science labs, sports fields, a library and administration buildings
- Refurbish 11 schools in four locations of the Zulia state that benefit nearly 6,000 students
- Construct computer rooms in three local schools that benefit 1,600 students during the day and are open to the community in the evenings
- Provide the first medical and dental clinic serving a community of 7,000 people, including an ambulance, several treatment areas, maternity ward, emergency room and a community meeting room
In addition to The Trust's award, ChevronTexaco has been recognized for several other corporate responsibility initiatives. In October 2003, the company received the U.S. State Department's Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) commending Chevron Nigeria Limited's efforts to improve medical treatment, AIDS prevention education, school facilities, and the local power infrastructure in the Niger Delta. The ACE award also recognized a March 2003 airlift of 2,000 villagers to safety who were fleeing civil strife after their homes were destroyed. In 2002, Chevron Nigeria Limited received the Award for Excellence by the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS for its awareness and prevention programs, which were cited as a best practice by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.