• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

2

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living

3

Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs

1

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

2

Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living

3

Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs

Exxon Turns up the Heat on Shareholders Over Climate Change Vote

By
Fortune Editors and Reuters
Fortune Editors and Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Fortune Editors and Reuters
Fortune Editors and Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 31, 2017, 8:22 AM ET
Energy companies frequently "flare" or burn off vast supplies of methane at drilling sites because it earns less money than oil.
Energy companies frequently "flare" or burn off vast supplies of methane at drilling sites because it earns less money than oil. Bloomberg via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Exxon Mobil (XOM) has stepped up efforts to persuade investors to vote against climate-related proposals at Wednesday’s annual meeting with a campaign of calling, writing and lobbying shareholders in person.

The world’s largest publicly-traded oil company opposes a proposal requiring it to report on the risks to its business from new technologies and global climate change policies, insisting it already provides the information.

Last year, the same proposal was backed by 38.1 percent of shares voted.

The stakes are higher this year. The business-impact issue is central to lawsuits by two state attorneys general alleging Exxon understated the risks to both consumers and shareholders. Wall Street support of similar measures also has convinced energy companies including Occidental Petroleum to address the Paris climate accord’s goal of keeping global temperature increases under 2-degrees Celsius. European peers such as Royal Dutch Shell, Total and BP have already done so.

Read: Exxon Has to Release Decades of Internal Climate Change Documents, a Massachusetts Judge Rules

If the proposal garners less than last year’s 38 percent support, it could endorse Exxon’s view which is that its current reporting is appropriate, said Rob Schuwerk, senior counsel for environmental think tank Carbon Tracker Initiative.

But if support this year exceeds 50 percent, the oil company likely would do more to explain potential business impacts from having to meet the Paris agreement’s temperature goal. A result in between the two, he said, would be the “the hazy middle” that would still show growing investor interest in climate issues.

Exxon took a conciliatory approach in a letter to investors on Tuesday. Vice President Jeff Woodbury wrote that on many of the shareholder proposals “the corporation agrees with the underlying objective – we just have a different view on the best means to achieve it.”

Read: Meet Exxon’s Next CEO

Prior shareholder letters insisted the proposals were misguided or ignored the company’s efforts to spell out its position that even a world intent on limiting temperature rises would still need more oil – a position shared by bodies such as the International Energy Agency, which sees oil demand rising for some years to come yet.

Anne Sheehan, head of corporate governance at California State Teachers’ Retirement System, which backs the additional climate reporting, said Exxon’s letter suggests the voting is at least very close and may be going against the company.

“You’re not going to do an eleventh-hour shareholder communication if everything was going swimmingly,” she said in an interview.

In addition to the vote on the climate-impact report, Exxon holders will consider proposals to shift spending away from oil exploration to dividends and buybacks. They’ll also vote on a proposal requiring it to report on its efforts to restrict emissions of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

Exxon opposes all these proposals and has actively lobbied shareholders. This campaign “is a lot more intense than normal,” said one investor, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “I think they’re pulling out all the stops.”

Read: World Leaders Should Ignore Trump on Climate, Says Michael Bloomberg

Climate campaigners are also active. They have organized rallies and held media briefings. In Dallas, where the meeting takes place, they have put up billboards and signs seeking to sway votes.

Any change likely will be driven by institutional holders shifting their positions. Big investors including State Street and BlackRock, which together hold about 9 percent of Exxon shares, recently have made clear they are now giving more attention to climate issues.

Bob Litterman, chairman of the risk committee at asset-management firm Kepos Capital said no matter the outcome of the votes on Wednesday, pressures on Exxon to spell out the potential impact of global warming on the value of its energy assets will only grow (Kepos holds derivatives betting that oil companies will underperform the S&P 500 index).

“Whether it’s shareholders or attorneys general or the passage of time, they’re going to have to become honest” about the potential for their assets to become uneconomic to pursue, Litterman said.

By an accidental irony, the vote as President Donald Trump nears a decision on whether to pull the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord. Trump had fallen out badly with G7 leaders over the weekend over his refusal to commit to the deal.

About the Author
By Fortune Editors and Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

r
EconomyGen Z
Gen Z was ‘jaded about employment before we ever entered the workforce’—now psychologists say the stare has hardened into something worse
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 6, 2026
2 hours ago
After a nearly 800% explosion, this AI stock’s U.S. debut could signal if the market can still boom—or is headed for a bust
AItech stocks
After a nearly 800% explosion, this AI stock’s U.S. debut could signal if the market can still boom—or is headed for a bust
By Jason MaJuly 5, 2026
10 hours ago
Meet Atlas, the humanoid robot that delivered the game ball.
InnovationSports
Meet the soccer-playing humanoid robot that just delivered the game ball at the Brazil v. Norway FIFA World Cup match
By Catherina GioinoJuly 5, 2026
12 hours ago
The supertanker tycoon making millions on Hormuz shuttle runs
EnergyShipping
The supertanker tycoon making millions on Hormuz shuttle runs
By Weilun Soon, Alex Longley, Anthony Di Paola and BloombergJuly 5, 2026
12 hours ago
FIFA allows U.S. star Balogun to play Belgium despite red card
North AmericaSoccer
FIFA allows U.S. star Balogun to play Belgium despite red card
By Yash Roy, Maria Paula Mijares Torres and BloombergJuly 5, 2026
12 hours ago
Alibaba gets reprieve on lobbying ban tied to DoD blacklist
LawChina
Alibaba gets reprieve on lobbying ban tied to DoD blacklist
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJuly 5, 2026
12 hours ago

Most Popular

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
AI
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 5, 2026
19 hours ago
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
Success
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
By Preston ForeJuly 4, 2026
2 days ago
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
Law
Egg companies made $1.22 billion in profit off a $6 carton — now they’re buying their way out of a price-fixing case with 53 million donated eggs
By Wyatte Grantham-Philips and The Associated PressJuly 2, 2026
4 days ago
The stock market is about to suffer a 'snapback' and will lose much of this year's gains as 'speculation is hitting extreme levels,' BofA warns
Investing
The stock market is about to suffer a 'snapback' and will lose much of this year's gains as 'speculation is hitting extreme levels,' BofA warns
By Jason MaJuly 5, 2026
13 hours ago
Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
AI
Meet the Zillennials: The luckiest micro-generation in the workforce, born between 1993 and 1998
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 3, 2026
3 days ago
Mark Zuckerberg takes business calls on a jet ski wearing his $800 Meta glasses—and insists 'the other person could not tell'
Big Tech
Mark Zuckerberg takes business calls on a jet ski wearing his $800 Meta glasses—and insists 'the other person could not tell'
By Sydney LakeJuly 5, 2026
21 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.