According to people familiar with the situation and internal documents, some of oilfield service company Schlumberger’s more than 9,000 Russian employees have started receiving military draught notices at work. The company is not allowing remote employment to avoid mobilisation.
According to the sources, there has been blowback against Schlumberger since it cooperated with authorities by providing the military call-ups and because it forbade its Russian employees from working abroad. They interpret Schlumberger’s activities as tacit support for the conflict in Ukraine. Human rights organisations are keeping an eye on the company’s response to the issues.
According to the advocacy group Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, which monitors corporate behaviour on human rights issues, if at least one of a company’s employees is liable for service, Russian law requires companies to assist with delivering a summons to employees and to conduct a military registration.
Olivier Le Peuch, chief executive of Schlumberger, stated in April that his company was closely following developments in Ukraine and that it was ‘hopeful for a swift end of hostilities.’ Unlike several of its competitors and clients, Schlumberger decided to stay in Russia despite the suspension of fresh investments and technology deployment.
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