RESPONSIBLE LOBBYING & POLITICAL ACTIVITY POLICY
Purpose
Essential Oxygen is committed to conducting business with integrity, transparency, and accountability. This policy outlines our approach to lobbying and public policy engagement in alignment with our mission, values, and B Corp commitments.
Our Commitments
Essential Oxygen does not support or oppose political candidates or political parties and does not make partisan political contributions. Any public policy engagement is issue-focused and non-partisan.
If Essential Oxygen engages in lobbying or advocacy, we commit to acting ethically, transparently, and in compliance with applicable laws. Our engagement is guided by evidence, collaboration, and respect for democratic processes.
Any public policy engagement must align with Essential Oxygen's purpose, values, and commitment to creating positive outcomes for our stakeholders, including workers, customers, suppliers, communities, and the environment.
All lobbying or political engagement activities must be reviewed and approved by senior leadership. Decisions are evaluated for consistency with this policy and documented internally.
When appropriate, Essential Oxygen may participate in collective advocacy efforts aligned with our mission, such as B Corp or sustainability-focused initiatives. We maintain internal records of any public policy engagement and are committed to transparency if such activities occur.
Kate Linforth, Founder and CEO, is accountable for enforcing this policy. All lobbying and political engagement activities must be reviewed and approved by the CEO before they occur.
How We Implement This Policy
This policy is embedded through employee onboarding training, where all new team members are introduced to our approach to responsible lobbying and political engagement. Onboarding makes clear that employees may not represent Essential Oxygen in any lobbying or political activity without the prior approval of the CEO.
As a small company, Essential Oxygen manages the risk of non-compliance primarily by controlling who may act on the company's behalf. During onboarding, employees are informed that they may not engage in lobbying or political activity on behalf of Essential Oxygen without the CEO's approval. Because all such activity flows through a single approval point and the company's small size keeps engagement easily visible, potential issues can be identified and addressed before they arise. The policy is reinforced through periodic reminders to staff.
The CEO conducts an annual review of any lobbying or political engagement undertaken during the year, assessing each activity for consistency with this policy. This annual review confirms that the company's governance and control practices are being followed and identifies any adjustments needed.
Raising Concerns
Stakeholders, including workers, customers, suppliers, communities, and investors, can raise concerns about Essential Oxygen's business conduct or lobbying practices through our grievance procedure, available at essentialoxygen.com/pages/share-a-concern. Concerns may be raised without fear of retaliation.
