Early vote count at BHP AGM suggests call to exit coal lobby groups fails

BHP Group’s Australian shareholders voted against a resolution to axe the global miner’s membership of industry groups that advocate for coal, backing the board’s call and echoing the stance taken by BHP investors in London, a preliminary tally showed on Thursday.

Votes cast ahead of BHP’s annual general meeting in Sydney showed 68.08% rejected a resolution proposing suspension of BHP membership of industry groups advocating policies counter to Paris climate change treaty targets, BHP said. The full result tallying all votes will be declared later on Thursday.