BHP Investors Call for Split From Lobby Groups on Climate

By Rhiannon Hoyle

SYDNEY--Several BHP Group Ltd. (BHP.AU) investors have backed a call for the world's biggest listed miner by value to suspend its membership of industry lobby groups that advocate for policies at odds with the Paris climate change agreement.

The resolution was filed Tuesday by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility, a nonprofit group that promotes ethical investment. The group said backers include the Church of England Pensions Board, which has been vocal on the safety of mine-waste dams, and Grok Ventures, the private investment company of Mike Cannon-Brookes, co-founder and co-CEO of Atlassian Corp., and his wife Annie.

"Until BHP stops funding for coal lobbyists, we're extremely skeptical of their environmental or green credentials," Mr. Cannon-Brookes was cited as saying in a statement emailed by the group. Neither he nor the Church of England Pensions Board could be immediately reached for further comment.

It is expected the resolution will be put to BHP shareholders at upcoming investor meetings in London and Sydney in October and November, the group said.

A BHP spokesman declined to comment.

Write to Rhiannon Hoyle at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

September 04, 2019 00:24 ET (04:24 GMT)

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