British Petroleum Hit with Race Discrimination Lawsuit: DAG Petroleum.

WASHINGTON -- A racial discrimination lawsuit has been filed in the United States against the United Kingdoms largest oil company, British Petroleum (BP). The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Washington, D.C. based, DAG Petroleum Companies, a company owned and operated by African-Americans, cites multiple violations of the Civil Rights Act. The suit seeks both monetary damages and a mandate that BP be required to implement and follow meaningful diversity policies, treat African-Americans equally with whites and train their employees in fair contracting practices.

The claim arises following a speech by BP Group Chief Executive Officer Lord John Browne in which he admitted that BP has a history of engaging in racially discriminatory practices. Browne stated that during his tenure with BP he had personally heard the following racially derogatory statements as explanations for why minorities, including African-Americans, have not received equal treatment by BP:

--"We don't want to be politically correct."

--The investors would think we'd got religion if we started talking about diversity."

--"Promotion wouldn't be in their own best interests."

--"Ok, let's appoint one and see how they get on."

--"They're not qualified..."

--"We can't relax our performance standards."

--"We need a common culture."

--"Our people won't tolerate quotas."

Browne also stated these remarks are the "corrosive litany of prejudice and discrimination. And of course it has been very effective."

DAG's complaint goes on to state that despite Browne's speech, and while under his continuous leadership, BP has failed to remedy the discriminatory practices Browne described. These include, despite its having over 14,000 stations in the United States, a substantial portion of which are located in predominantly African-American communities, since Browne's speech in 1999, BP has not entered into any automotive fuel distributorship agreement with any African-Americans. In 1999 it had zero, and six years later it continues to have zero. Also, since the speech BP has not increased the number of African- Americans within its management ranks.

The complaint alleges that although DAG had the support of Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams and Virginia Governor Mark Warner, knew of DAG's interest, experience and financial capability to distribute petroleum products to BP's 181 stations in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, because DAG is owned and operated by African-Americans, BP entered into a bogus bidding process through which it funneled the distributor rights to two white-owned companies.

"The world's third largest publicly traded oil company has one of the worst records when it comes to diversity in its employment and supplier and distribution chain. Out of the thousands of stations they operate there is not one African-American distributor, not one. The record speaks for itself," stated Billy Martin, DAG's chief counsel.

DAG reports it is in the process of gathering other African- Americans who have experienced racial discrimination by BP in order to mount a class action lawsuit on behalf of all African Americans. This includes establishing a toll free number, which is 877-258-4507.

For more information or to get a copy of the lawsuit, please contact Judy Smith of Impact Strategies at 202-347-1952 or [e-mail]