Deals with Gazprom, dependence on fossil gas, deficits in climate protection and double standards regarding pesticides: Our countermotions

Re agenda item 3: Adoption of a resolution giving formal approval to the actions of the members of the Supervisory Board

The Association of Ethical Shareholders Germany proposes that the actions of the members of the Supervisory Board for the 2021 financial year not be approved.

Rationale:

The Supervisory Board is still unable to credibly fulfil its role as the controlling body of the Board of Executive Directors in order to supervise BASF’s realignment independently, critically and constructively.

Shareholders’ dissatisfaction with the Supervisory Board remains high: At the 2021 Annual Shareholders’ Meeting, almost 20 percent refused to approve the actions of the Supervisory Board under the new leadership of Dr. Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/basf-se/deals-with-gazprom-dependence-on-fossil-gas-deficits-in-climate-protection-and-double-standards-regarding-pesticides-our-countermotions/

Fossil fuels from Russia and environmental and human rights due diligence: Our questions on matters to be considered at the Fortum AGM 2022

Fortum’s answers to our questions are published here: https://www.fortum.com/files/answers-shareholders-questions-fortum-agm-2022/download

1) Fossil and nuclear fuel imports are the biggest source for financing Russia’s war against Ukraine, which includes uncounted war crimes like arbitrary shelling of civilian infrastructure, hospitals and nursery schools, the siege of entire cities and summary executions of civilians. Will Fortum and Uniper use their economic leverage and stop all imports of gas, coal and nuclear fuel from Russia immediately?

2) How much fossil or nuclear fuels did Fortum and Uniper import in 2021 from Russia? Who were the Russian counterparts? Please specify for gas, coal and nuclear fuels.

How much fossil or nuclear fuels did Fortum and Uniper import between January 1st of 2022 and February 23rd of 2022 from Russia? Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/fortum-en/fossil-fuels-from-russia-and-environmental-and-human-rights-due-diligence-our-questions-on-matters-to-be-considered-at-the-fortum-agm-2022/

Draft law on virtual Annual General Meetings restricts shareholders’ rights

  • Restricted right to speak and ask questions would create second-class shareholder meetings
  • Investors warn of negative consequences for shareholder engagement and fewer opportunities to exert influence for more sustainable business practices
  • Detailed statement with proposals for strengthening shareholder rights submitted

Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Florence. The Association of Ethical Shareholders Germany, Shareholders for Change (SfC) and CRIC, an association promoting ethics and sustainability in investment, view the draft law of the Federal Ministry of Justice on virtual general meetings with concern. The three networks, which represent institutional investors and small shareholders, criticise the planned far-reaching restrictions on the right to speak and ask questions as counterproductive for a lively culture of debate. Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/virtual-agms/draft-law-on-virtual-general-meetings-restricts-shareholders-rights/

Poor climate performance due to supplies to coal and gas projects, wind farms in occupied Western Sahara: Our countermotions

Regarding Agenda Item 3: To ratify the acts of the members of the Executive Board

The Association of Ethical Shareholders Germany requests that the acts of the members of the Executive Board not be ratified.

Rationale:

The Executive Board of Siemens Energy AG is not living up to its responsibility to comply with the goals of the Paris Agreement because the company continues to participate in energy projects that are particularly harmful to the climate. It has no concrete plans to withdraw from all fossil energies.

Contract for a new coal-fired power plant is responsible for an abysmal climate footprint

Siemens Energy is actively involved in expanding the use of energies that are harmful to the climate. Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/siemens-energy-2/poor-climate-performance-due-to-supplies-to-coal-and-gas-projects-wind-farms-in-violation-of-international-law-our-countermotions/

Civil Society Position Statement on the proposed EU regulation on deforestation-free products

We, the undersigned organisations, welcome the European Commission’s proposalfor a new EU regulation on deforestation-free products. This proposal represents an essential step forward in global environmental governance and a huge opportunity to minimise the EU’s impacts on people and planet in line with its commitments on climate, biodiversity and human rights. It is now up to the European Parliament and Member States to preserve and improve the essential elements of the Commission’s proposal and deliver a strong and ambitious law that meets the high expectations of EU citizens. To that end, we call on the European Parliament and Member States to ensure the current proposal is strengthened to include:

  1. Strong sustainability requirements based on objective criteria that ensure no goods linked to deforestation or forest degradation, as foreseen in the Commission’s proposal, but also to the conversion of other natural ecosystems or human rights violations, may be placed on or exported from the EU market.
Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/human-rights-due-diligence/civil-society-position-statement-on-the-proposed-eu-regulation-on-deforestation-free-products/

Siemens finances new fossil fuel projects: Our countermotion

Protest at Siemens AGM 2020. Photo: SumOfUs/Zack Helwa CC BY 2.0

Regarding Agenda Item 3: To ratify the acts of the members of the Managing Board

The Association of Ethical Shareholders Germany requests that the acts of the members of the Managing Board not be ratified.

Rationale:

The Managing Board of Siemens AG declines to withdraw from financing fossil energy projects and is therefore not living up to its responsibility to comply with the targets defined in the Paris Agreement.

 Rising emissions in the supply chain

The impact of Siemens’ economic activities on climate change does not come from the direct greenhouse gas emissions caused by Siemens, but mainly from upstream and downstream emissions in the value chain (Scope 3 emissions). Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/siemens-2/siemens-finances-new-fossil-fuel-projects-our-countermotion/

Open Letter To EU Institutions On The IEA Net Zero Report And The Implications For Fossil Gas In The EU Climate Taxonomy

The publication of the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Net Zero by 2050 Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector in May 2021 was a watershed moment for global climate action. The report maps out concrete milestones that need to be met to enable a 2050 world with net zero emissions and limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 °C.

The IEA report finds that in order to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5oC, we must ensure:

  • No investment in new fossil fuel supply beyond projects committed in 2021: As the Executive Director of the IEA stated: “there is no need for new oil, gas and coal development, which includes no need for oil and gas exploration investments.”
Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/greenwashing-en/open-letter-to-eu-institutions-on-the-iea-net-zero-report-and-the-implications-for-fossil-gas-in-the-eu-climate-taxonomy/

Irresponsible Implementation of Arms Export Principles by Heckler & Koch

  • Heckler & Koch continues to supply regions of conflict and human rights abusing regimes
  • The arms manufacturer still carries the name of deadly Nazi-henchman Heckler & Koch
  • Countermotions on the non-release of the board of directors and supervisory board
  • Ethical shareholders submit 103 questions concerning worrying company developments

On the occasion of the Annual General Meeting of the Heckler & Koch AG on August 31st, 2021, the coalition of ethical shareholders demands that the small arms maker finally credibly and consistently implements its “Green-Countries-Strategy”. According to the strategy, the company was only going to export to democratic and non-corrupt countries such as the EU and NATO, as well as countries deemed NATO-equivalent. Weiterlesen

Permanent link to this article: https://www.kritischeaktionaere.de/en/heckler-koch-en/irresponsible-implementation-of-arms-export-principles-by-heckler-koch/