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CalPERS mulls voting against Exxon CEO's re-election to board, feet reports

CalPERS, the most significant public pension plan in the U.S., is thinking about voting versus ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods' re-election to the board amidst investor discontent over a. lawsuit it filed against 2 climate-focused investors, the. Financial Times reported on Friday.

Financiers led by U.S. activist investment company Arjuna. Capital and investor activist group Follow This previously this. year asked Exxon and other oil business to embrace tighter. climate targets and to set targets to minimize emissions produced. by users of its products.

In January, Exxon submitted a problem in a Texas court looking for. to avoid a climate proposal by activist investors from going. to a vote throughout the company's investor conference in May.

Arjuna Capital and Follow This consequently withdrew the. proposition but Exxon said in February it would continue to pursue. a suit against the two activist financiers.

California Public Employees' Retirement System. ( CalPERS) chief operating investment officer Michael Cohen told. Feet the pension fund was deeply concerned about the case,. including it seemed an effort to silence critical. investors.

Exxon has actually gone well beyond any other business that we're. knowledgeable about in regards to taking legal action against shareholders for trying to bring. forward a proposal, he informed the newspaper.

The fund holds a 0.2% equity stake in Exxon, based on current. regulatory filings.

We stay concerned about any action that might undermine. investors' basic rights. CalPERS encourages other financiers. to join us in voicing their opposition to this claim, which. efforts to silence financiers, a CalPERS spokesperson stated in. an e-mailed declaration.

Exxon could not be immediately grabbed comment.

When asked if CalPERS is thinking about voting versus Woods'. re-election as board chair, Cohen said right ... there are. conversations happening today, according to the feet report.

(source: Reuters)