
Who we are
We aim to meet the energy needs of society in ways that are economically, socially and environmentally viable, now and in the future. Learn about our business and people, which grew from a small shop in London nearly 200 years ago to become a major energy company.
Shell worldwide
Royal Dutch Shell was formed in 1907, although our history dates back to the early 19th century, to a small shop in London where the Samuel family sold sea shells.
Today, Shell is one of the world’s major energy companies, employing an average of 93,000 people and operating in more than 70 countries. Our headquarters are in The Hague, the Netherlands, and our Chief Executive Officer is Ben van Beurden. The parent company of the Shell group is Royal Dutch Shell plc, which is incorporated in England and Wales.
Our strategy seeks to reinforce our position as a leader in the oil and gas industry, while helping to meet global energy demand in a responsible way. Safety and environmental and social responsibility are at the heart of our activities.
Read about our history from 1833 to the present
Our purpose
We believe that oil and gas will remain a vital part of the global energy mix for many decades to come. Our role is to ensure that we extract and deliver these energy resources profitably and in environmentally and socially responsible ways.
We aim to work closely with our customers, our partners and policymakers to advance a more efficient and sustainable use of energy and natural resources.
Our people
Our people work together on some of the most innovative and exciting energy projects in the world. A diverse workforce and an inclusive work environment are vital to our success, leading to greater innovation and better solutions.
Professional training, development programmes and ongoing support mean that our people are given every opportunity to reach their potential. And our leadership programmes enable talented individuals to become the energy industry leaders of tomorrow.
Shell at a glance in 2018
70+ countries we operate in
82,000 employees on average
71 million tonnes of LNG sold during the year
21 refineries we have interests in
3.7 million barrels of oil equivalent we produce per day
Download our projects brochure “Create”
Financial performance in 2018
Revenue: $388.4 billion
Income: $23.9 billion
Capital investment: $24.8 billion
Investment in research and development: $986 million
Fast facts for sustainable development in 2018
$113 million was spent on voluntary social investment worldwide. Of this:
- $47 million was spent on local programmes for community development, disaster relief, education, road safety, health and biodiversity.
- $66 million was in line with our global themes – access to energy, community skills, enterprise development and science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) education.
We estimate that around $102 million of our total social investment spend in 2017 was in countries that are part of the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Index 2016. These countries have a gross domestic product of less than $15,000 a year per person. Significant support is also provided in the form of voluntary work by Shell employees and donations of equipment.
Life at Shell
At Shell you shape your own career
Shell at a glance in 2016
70+ countries we operate in
92,000 employees on average
57.1 million tonnes of LNG sold during the year
22 refineries we have interests in
3.7 million barrels of oil equivalent we produce per day
Download our projects brochure “Create”
Financial performance in 2016
Revenue: $233.6 billion
Income: $4.8 billion
Capital investment: $79.9 billion (including acquisition of BG Group plc)
Investment in research and development: $1.0 billion
Fast facts for sustainable development in 2016
$102 million spent on voluntary social investment worldwide. Of this:
- around $44 million spent on local programmes for community development, disaster relief, education, health and biodiversity; and
- around $58 million spent on our global themes - energy access, boosting local skills and enterprise, and STEM education.
We estimate that almost $96 million of our total spend in 2016 was in countries that are part of the United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index 2015, that is, those defined as having a gross domestic product of less than $15,000 a year per person. In 2016, Shell spent $45 billion on goods and services from 43,000 suppliers globally.
More in about us
The Shell brand
The Shell brand promotes our values and the quality of our products and services all over the world.
Our values
Our General Business Principles, Code of Conduct and Code of Ethics help everyone at Shell act in line with our values.
Reports and publications
Download Shell annual reports and our other publications, or view them online.
You may also be interested in
The energy future
We are using our know-how, technology and innovation to deliver more and cleaner energy for the world's growing population.
Sustainability
Sustainability at Shell is about delivering energy in a responsible way to meet the world’s growing needs.