CONOCOPHILLIPS | Report on Lobbying Activities at CONOCOPHILLIPS

Status
19.70% votes in favour
AGM date
Resolution details
Company ticker
COP
Resolution ask
Report on or disclose
ESG theme
  • Governance
ESG sub-theme
  • Lobbying / political engagement
Type of vote
Shareholder proposal
Filer type
Shareholder
Company sector
Energy
Company HQ country
United States
Resolved clause
National Legal and Policy Center has filed the following resolution. This will be updated in the lead filer field as soon as possible.

The shareholders request that ConocoPhillips Company provide a full, detailed disclosure of our company’s direct and indirect lobbying activities and expenditures to assess whether our lobbying is consistent with ConocoPhillips’s expressed goals and in shareholders’ best interests.

Shareholders request the Board prepare a report, updated annually disclosing:

1.
Company policy and procedures governing lobbying, both direct and indirect, and grassroots lobbying communications;

2.
Payments by ConocoPhillips used for (a) direct or indirect lobbying or (b) grassroots lobbying communications, in each case including the amount of the payment and the recipient;

3.
Description of the decision-making process and oversight by management and the Board for making payments described in section 2 above.

For purposes of this proposal, a “grassroots lobbying communication” is a communication directed to the general public that (a) refers to specific legislation or regulation; (b) reflects a view on the legislation or regulation; and (c) encourages the recipient of the communication to take action with respect to the legislation or regulation.

“Indirect lobbying” is lobbying engaged in by trade association or other organization of which ConocoPhillips is a member.

Both “direct and indirect lobbying” and “grassroots lobbying communications” include lobbying at the local, state and federal levels.

The report shall be presented to the Audit Committee or other relevant oversight committees of the Board and full details posted on the company’s website.
Supporting statement
As shareholders we encourage transparency and accountability regarding staff time and corporate funds to influence legislation and regulation, both directly and indirectly.

ConocoPhillips’s lobbying expenditures may not include grassroots lobbying to directly influence legislation by mobilizing public support or opposition, nor lobbying expenditures in states that do not require disclosure.

We appreciate the information on the company website and proxy on both political spending and lobbying, but the website disclosure is incomplete.

ConocoPhillips is a member of the Business Roundtable and the United Stated Chamber of Commerce, as well as several other industry groups, but does not disclose with specificity how much it contributes to each, nor portions each entity spends for lobbying.

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