In a telephone interview,Bill Hartnett,stewardship director at Aberdeen Standard,said BHP had shown climate leadership in many ways,but that stance was contradicted by its membership of some industry groups.
"Failure to implement effective governance of its industry group lobbying activities serves to undermine the integrity of BHP's climate leadership position and causes damage to its reputation,"Hartnett said. He did not specify which lobby groups.
Aberdeen Standard Investments,part of Standard Life Aberdeen,is a top-five shareholder,Refinitiv data shows.
Minerals Council
Shareholders are intensifying pressure on resource companies because of the urgency of preventing potentially catastrophic climate change. But in Australia,where many of dual-listed BHP's shareholders are based,there is strong support for coal as a historic provider of jobs and wealth.
Industry groups such as Minerals Council of Australia have repeatedly called for coal friendly policies.