"Activists want BHP to quit industry groups", 4 September 2019

The Church of England's pension body and Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes are among shareholders asking mining giant BHP to suspend its membership of industry associations whose actions oppose effective action on climate change.

The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility and its co-filing shareholders, who between them have about $140 billion in funds under management, want a resolution on the issue up for vote at this year's annual meetings.

"While BHP positions itself as a climate champion, it continues to fund aggressive and effective lobbying to block climate policy, including via the Minerals Council of Australia and Coal 21," ACCR executive director Brynn O'Brien said.

...Ms O'Brien said BHP helped fund groups such as the Minerals Council of Australia, APPEA, the Business Council of Australia, the Queensland Resources Council, the Resource Industry Network, and the NSW Minerals Council.

She said they obstructed effective climate policy in Australia.

The five shareholder groups filing the resolution with ACCR are Vision Super; Grok Ventures, the private investment company of Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes and wife Annie; the Church of England Pensions Board; Danish fund MP Pension, and Dutch fund ACTIAM.

They want the shareholder resolution voted on at BHP's annual meetings in London in October and Sydney in November....