Climate in the Boardroom
The 2020s are a critical decade for climate action, with further delays leading to an “emissions cliff edge” that would put a 1.5°C pathway out of reach. With extreme weather events on the rise and a fossil fuel-allied administration jettisoning the United States’ climate commitments, it is more important than ever for investors to use their proxy voting power to shepherd an orderly transition by holding companies and their boards accountable for climate inaction.
The Climate in the Boardroom Proxy Voting Dashboard complements the 2024 report. This interactive toolkit provides a comprehensive breakdown of the climate proxy voting records of the 22 largest asset managers with respect to key climate shareholder proposals and key directors at climate-critical companies.
The sixth edition of Climate in the Boardroom examines the climate proxy voting of the four largest asset managers during the 2024 shareholder season. The report examines how the Big Four asset managers voted on climate shareholder proposals and key climate director elections, takes a deeper dive into the climate voting performance of their ESG-marketed funds, and looks at the divergence between the ten largest public pension plans and the two largest asset managers of defined benefit assets.
The Climate in the Boardroom Stewardship Checklists for Investors detail the steps that asset owners and asset managers can take to mitigate climate risk, especially via their proxy voting: all investors should be active owners, and asset owners should also be active clients.
Past Climate Priorites
Review Proxy Voting Guide & Sample Language
This guide is for investors on proxy voting practices to promote a just and sustainable world, focusing on shareholder proposals that address key environmental, social, and governance issues. It offers practical strategies for aligning proxy voting with global justice and sustainability goals, essential for fostering long-term value creation and accountability.
VOTE NO CAMPAIGN AT EXXONMOBIL
Learn how Majority Action examines Exxon’s approach to climate action and shareholder engagement, highlighting how its current practices fall short in addressing critical climate risks. It provides an in-depth analysis of Exxon’s climate-related disclosures and the effectiveness of investor pressure for meaningful environmental improvements.
Wall Street Journal - The Exxon Directors and the Proxy Abusers
Bloomberg - Exxon Feels the Heat as More Investors Assail Climate Conduct
Webinar: 2024 PROXY SEASON WEBINAR ON CLIMATE DIRECTOR ACCOUNTABILITY
In this webinar, we deep dive into the methodology that we uses to select companies and recommend votes against directors on the basis of climate performance. We will also discuss why director accountability is a critical mechanism for addressing the systemic risk climate change poses to the portfolios of long-term diversified investors.
Climate in the Boardroom: How Asset Manager Voting Shaped Corporate Climate Action in 2023
This report reveals that, despite witnessing one of the hottest years on record and $165.1 billion in climate-related economic losses in 2022, the largest asset managers have largely failed to hold climate-critical companies accountable for transitioning to a sustainable economy. The report analyzes the proxy voting behavior of these asset managers in 2023, highlighting their ongoing reluctance to address climate risks effectively.
Fulfilling the Promise 2023: How Climate Action 100+ Investor-Signatories can Mitigate Systemic Climate Risk
This report assesses how major asset managers are engaging with high-emission companies to drive necessary climate action. It evaluates their effectiveness in pushing for meaningful corporate transitions towards sustainability amidst growing climate risks.