ACCR Company Engagement BHP Group Ltd

BHP Group Ltd (BHP) is a diversified natural resources company and among the world’s top producers of major commodities.

Focusing heavily on minerals like iron ore and coal, BHP is a significant emitter, and since 2016, its fossil fuel business alone has produced 22 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.


ACCR has engaged regularly with BHP Group since 2017, focusing on its decarbonisation commitments and climate and energy policy lobbying. In 2023, ACCR published an assessment of BHP’s FY2023 Industry Association Review, which found:

  • no substantial improvement in transparency or accountability for BHP’s climate lobbying activities
  • does not systematically align BHP with the Global Standard on Responsible Climate Lobbying


In 2024, BHP, alongside Rio Tinto and BlueScope, announced Australia’s first electric smelting furnace (ESF) pilot project for ironmaking. If successful, it would hasten the decarbonisation of the local steel sector.


Details of BHP’s announced steel and iron decarbonisation projects, which feature in ACCR’s global coverage of the steel sector’s emission reduction efforts, can be found here.

Updates

  1. Research

    Forging pathways: insights for the green steel transformation

    Across every stage of the value chain, companies are taking advantage of advancements in technology to enable less carbon intensive steelmaking.

  2. Media release

    Once again, BHP plays pass the parcel on emissions

    ACCR is commenting on BHP’s announcement that Whitehaven Coal will acquire its two Queensland coal mines, Daunia and Blackwater

  3. Research

    Benchmarking for change: corporate political expenditure and climate lobbying in Australia

    ACCR investigates how major public companies in Australia disclose and govern their political expenditures and climate lobbying.

  4. Insights

    Investor Bulletin: BHP’s 2023 Industry Association Review

    BHP’s governance of industry associations continues to limit its potential as a driver of positive climate policy engagement.

  5. Media release

    BHP and Rio Tinto-funded advocacy continues to subvert democracy

    ACCR is commenting on the Minerals Council of Australia’s recent threat to fund an anti-Labor advertising.

  6. Media release

    BHP no longer leading and not even following on climate

    ACCR is commenting on the results of the 2022 BHP Annual General Meeting, where our shareholder resolutions on positive advocacy and climate accounting received 12.73% and 18.67% support respectively.

  7. Research

    Investor briefing: Shareholder Resolutions to BHP Group Ltd on climate advocacy and accounting

    Supporting brief to our shareholder resolutions to BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP) on climate policy advocacy and climate accounting and audit

  8. Media release

    BHP ‘delusional’, seeks coal mine extension to 2116

    BHP's (ASX: BHP) move to extend the Peak Downs coal mine for 93 years to 2116 is delusional.

  9. Media release

    ACCR calls on BHP to lead on climate advocacy, reflect climate risk in financial statements

    BHP is Australia’s largest company (ASX: BHP) with huge political influence and a massive opportunity to align business interests and policy with a safe climate.

  10. Shareholder Resolution

    ACCR Shareholder Resolutions to BHP Group Ltd on climate advocacy, accounting and audit

    ACCR has filed Shareholder Resolutions to BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) on climate policy advocacy and the inclusion of climate sensitivity analysis in financial statements.

  11. Media release

    BHP’s coal business cashes in despite its climate claims

    ACCR is commenting on BHP’s results for the year ended 30 June 2022. Climate leaders don’t develop new coal mines.

  12. Media release

    BHP finally listens to investors and commits to wind down Australia’s biggest thermal coal mine

    ACCR is commenting on BHP abandoning its pursuit of the Mt Arthur thermal coal mine extension to 2045 and its plans to divest the mine.

  13. Media release

    BHP climate plan a greenwash

    This vote suggests institutional investors are easily cowed by big companies like BHP and they’re unwilling to force them to adhere to the Paris Agreement.

  14. Media release

    BHP offloads coal assets to a climate laggard

    ACCR is commenting on BHP’s divestment of 80% interest in BHP Mitsui Coal (BMC) to Stanmore SMC Holdings Pty Ltd.

  15. Media release

    BHP shareholders support coal mining beyond 2050

    Despite its claims of climate leadership, BHP’s climate plan isn’t even close to what is required to prevent runaway climate change.

  16. Research

    BHP Climate Transition Action Plan Analysis

    ACCR believes there is sufficient reason to vote against the approval of BHP’s Climate Transition Action Plan.

  17. Media release

    BHP must end support for fossil fuel expansion

    ACCR welcomes BHP’s support for the shareholder resolution on climate-related lobbying. BHP must use its unique position of leadership to push for more ambitious emissions reductions before 2030.

  18. Research

    Investor briefing: Shareholder Resolution to BHP Group Ltd/Plc on climate-related lobbying

    Supporting brief to our Shareholder Resolution to BHP Group Ltd/Plc on lobbying related to climate and energy policy.

  19. Briefing note

    Investor briefing: Shareholder Resolution to BHP Group Ltd/Plc on climate-related lobbying

    Supporting brief to our Shareholder Resolution to BHP Group Ltd/Plc on lobbying related to climate and energy policy.

  20. Media release

    BHP-Woodside merger a disaster for shareholders and climate

    Commenting on the sale of BHP’s Petroleum division (ASX:BHP) to Woodside Petroleum (ASX:WPL).

  21. Media release

    BHP must cease lobbying efforts which are inconsistent with Paris targets

    Concerned shareholders will persist in holding BHP to account for the obstructive lobbying of its industry associations.

  22. Shareholder Resolution

    ACCR Shareholder Resolution to BHP Group Ltd on climate-related lobbying.

    ACCR has filed a Shareholder Resolution to BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) on industry association memberships and climate-related lobbying.

  23. Media release

    Woodside and BHP Scarborough project conflicts with a net zero future

    The Woodside and BHP Scarborough project is at odds with the expectations of investors for companies to align their capital expenditure and decarbonisation strategies with the Paris Agreement.

  24. Media release

    BHP investors remain focused on lobby groups

    “With this vote, investors have demonstrated to BHP that they remain focused on the impact of its industry associations on both Australian democracy and on climate action.”

  25. Media release

    BHP resolution withdrawn: First Nations Alliance reaches outcome with BHP

    “The measures the First Nations Alliance have secured with BHP could not have happened without the interest of the investment sector and the communication of their expectations about companies’ cultural heritage management.”

  26. Media release

    BHP dumps QRC; Origin and Santos should do the same

    “BHP has proven the value of ACCR’s shareholder resolution—some industry associations simply won’t change unless there are financial consequences”.

  27. Briefing note

    Investor briefing: Shareholder Resolutions to BHP Group on cultural heritage and lobbying

    Read the background and reasoning behind upcoming shareholder resolutions to BHP Group on cultural heritage protection and on lobbying relating to COVID-19 Recovery, and ACCR's recommendation that shareholders vote against the re-election of BHP board member Malcolm Broomhead.

  28. Media release

    Gas lobby secures taxpayer funding from Federal government for a failing industry

    “The Federal government may have finally given up on thermal coal but the carbon lobby won’t be deterred, by pushing gas, another dirty fossil fuel - which is proven to have the same, if not worse emissions than coal once fugitive methane emissions are factored in.”

  29. Media release

    BHP must commit to cutting fossil fuel production

  30. Media release

    BHP, Origin Energy, Santos & Woodside aiming to destroy the Clean Energy Finance Corporation

    BHP, Origin Energy, Santos and Woodside are behind efforts to dirty up the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) by allowing it to invest in gas projects.

  31. Shareholder Resolution

    ACCR Shareholder Resolutions to BHP on cultural heritage and lobbying

    ACCR has filed Shareholder Resolutions to BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP) requesting the a moratorium on the damage, removal or destruction of cultural heritage sites until laws are strengthened, remove gag orders on traditional owners and cease lobbying efforts on COVID-19 recovery which are inconsistent with Paris targets.