Rio Tinto shareholders push for stricter carbon disclosures

Rio Tinto could be forced to increase its disclosure on carbon emissions and climate issues if a motion demanded by a group of UK shareholders is successful at shareholder meetings over the next two months. The 'Aiming for A' coalition has forced the board to put a resolution to a shareholder vote that, if successful, would compel the company to disclose its resilience to a range of climate scenarios beyond 2035 and improve management of its own emissions. The coalition is led by the Church Investors Group, a collection of institutional investors from a range of denominations. The group has already succeeded in having similar proposals approved by shareholders of oil and gas companies Shell and BP. 

Rio Tinto could be forced to ramp-up its disclosure on carbon emissions and climate issues, if a motion demanded by a group of UK shareholders is successful at shareholder meetings over the next two months.

A shareholder group calling itself the 'Aiming for A' coalition has forced the Rio board to put a resolution to a shareholder vote that, if successful, would compel the company to disclose its resilience to a range of climate scenarios beyond 2035 and improve management of its own emissions.

Sam Walsh has been chief executive of Rio Tinto since January 2013. Credit: Julian Andrews

The coalition seized on a UK law that enables shareholders to force a resolution upon the board so long as their ranks contain 100 shareholders with at least 100,000 shares in the company.

The coalition, which is lead by Britain's Church Investors Group, have already succeeded in having similar proposals approved by shareholders of oil and gas companies Shell and BP.