Excellence Refined - 30 Years - Valero

The heartbeat
of valero
There’s no question Valero is a different
kind of company. Some say it’s because the
company beat the odds to become one of
the most successful and respected refining
and marketing companies in the country. But most Valero
employees believe the corporate culture and special
company spirit truly set them apart. Thanks to a wellconnected
Valero Volunteer Council network, employees
touch thousands of lives and help hundreds of nonprofit
agencies in all major Valero communities.
Since the first Volunteer Council program was launched
in 1983, employee volunteer hours have remained
strong, without regard to the ups and downs of the
energy industry, changes in the company’s structure or
size of the work force. Today, hundreds of thousands of
hours continue to be logged by dedicated, hard-working
employees who help because they want to, not because
they must. Volunteer Councils assemble on their own
time to discuss the needs of each community and tackle
what they can. Mentorships, shelter support, holiday
events and emergency relief are merely a piece of the
vast network of help available to the residents of Valero
communities. The result of this work is a positive and
palpable feeling among employees that they have made
a difference beyond their skill sets at the refinery or at
the office. Particularly in challenging times, the Valero
Volunteer Councils illustrate an important distinction
in the world of corporate philanthropy – money doesn’t
solve problems; people do.
United Way
In late 1979, Valero marked its arrival in the Alamo City
in a big way when the company committed to supporting
the San Antonio United Way campaign. Determined to
make a positive difference in the community – though
still at odds with the city over a gas-supply contract –
Valero put its heart and soul into its first campaign. As a
result, employees had the highest per capita contribution
of any local company – $139.49 – and nearly all 486
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