I have been with this company since 2009. I started when it was HES and watched it transition into HSE (because someone's favorite thought it sounded better). I have worked across multiple parts of the function, including remediation and operations. At the lower levels, the work was solid and the mission was clear. As I moved up over the last 15 plus years, the reality became impossible to ignore.
For years, I dismissed the posts on this site as noise from disgruntled employees or people upset after layoffs. I genuinely believed the dysfunction being described could not reflect the Chevron I knew. I was wrong, and I am disappointed in myself for not listening sooner.
What I have seen at the senior levels is staggering. A function led by people who have never worked in the field. Leaders who talk endlessly to sound informed but contribute nothing of substance. Leaders who take credit for the work of others and present it as their own. A culture where competence is optional but connections are everything.
And yes, the nepotism is real. If you are tied to the right executive by blood or marriage, you are untouchable. I have personally seen performance ratings overridden because someone was someone’s daughter. That is not leadership. That is not integrity. That is not the Chevron many of us committed our careers to.
Everything I once dismissed as exaggeration has turned out to be true.
After more than 15 years of service, I am planning my exit. I will stay until I secure my next role, but it is clear this is no longer the organization it once was and no longer the place for me.
It is time to go.