ACCR Company Engagement Rio Tinto Ltd

Rio Tinto Ltd, an Australian multinational company, is one of the world's largest metals and mining corporations.

ACCR engages regularly with Rio Tinto, a significant emitter of greenhouse gas emissions, on its decarbonisation commitments and lobbying-related climate and energy policy.


In 2021, 99% of Rio Tinto’s shareholders voted in support of two shareholder resolutions, including an ACCR-filed resolution to immediately review the advocacy of Rio Tinto’s industry associations and suspend membership of groups found to be lobbying inconsistently with the Paris Agreement.


Following this, in 2022, Rio Tinto withdrew its membership of the Queensland Resources Council, and in 2023, Rio Tinto commenced more proactive disclosures around the positive climate policies and technology pathways required to successfully decarbonise its assets.


Details of Rio Tinto’s announced steel and iron decarbonisation projects, which feature in ACCR’s global coverage of the steel sector’s emission reduction efforts, can be found here.

Updates

  1. Insights

    Investor Bulletin: Rio Tinto’s anti-climate advocacy prompts ACCR to disengage from policy collaboration

    While ACCR welcomes constructive company engagement, we will not participate in engagements that could rightly be perceived as greenwashing

  2. Media release

    Rio Tinto climate hypocrisy: ACCR to disengage following revelation of lobbying the Prime Minister on climate trigger

    ACCR is now stepping away from an agreement to support climate and decarbonisation related engagement with Rio Tinto.

  3. Research

    Ahead of the game: investor sentiment on steel decarbonisation

    ACCR commissioned a survey of investor sentiment - surveying 500 investors based in Australia, the United States, as well as countries across Asia and Europe, each with investments in steelmaking, iron ore and/or metallurgical coal mining.

  4. Insights

    ACCR Presentation on the green steel transformation

    Webinar to discuss insights from ACCR's recently published report, Forging pathways: Insights for the green steel transformation.

  5. Research

    Investor handbook: Engaging with the steel sector

    This handbook aims to support investors in company engagement, a key tool to drive value and enable emissions reductions in the steel sector.

  6. Media release

    Setting a new standard: Rio Tinto commits to improved disclosure of plans to rein in emissions from iron ore processing

    Following engagement with ACCR and other investors, Rio Tinto has committed to significantly enhancing its disclosures prior to the 2025 AGM.

  7. Research

    Forging pathways: insights for the green steel transformation

    Across every stage of the value chain, companies are taking advantage of advancements in technology to enable less carbon intensive steelmaking.

  8. Research

    Benchmarking for change: corporate political expenditure and climate lobbying in Australia

    ACCR investigates how major public companies in Australia disclose and govern their political expenditures and climate lobbying.

  9. Media release

    “Extremely welcome”: Rio Tinto commits to enhancing its advocacy for effective climate policy

    ACCR is commenting upon Rio Tinto’s commitment to enhance its approach to climate advocacy by disclosing the policy settings it needs to meet its 2030 climate target of 50% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions.

  10. Media release

    BHP and Rio Tinto-funded advocacy continues to subvert democracy

    ACCR is commenting on the Minerals Council of Australia’s recent threat to fund an anti-Labor advertising.

  11. Media release

    Rio Tinto under pressure over QMM debacle and climate

    ACCR is commenting on on the Rio Tinto AGM where questions were raised about issues at its QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM) minerals sands mine in Madagascar and its approach to climate change.

  12. Media release

    Finally, Rio Tinto exits the Queensland Resources Council

    ACCR is commenting on Rio Tinto’s exit from the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) as triggered by ACCR’s shareholder resolution.

  13. Media release

    Rio Tinto’s decision on Queensland Alumina welcome; Origin Energy still to act

    ACCR is welcoming Rio Tinto’s decision to take on the capacity and governance of Queensland Alumina.

  14. Media release

    Origin Energy & Rio Tinto must act on sanctions

    ACCR is calling on Origin Energy (ASX:ORG) and Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) to take immediate action to quarantine the interests of both Oleg Deripaska and Viktor Vekselberg in their respective joint ventures.

  15. Media release

    Origin Energy & Rio Tinto must take immediate action on Deripaska and Vekselberg interests

    ACCR welcomes the Federal government’s decision to sanction Russian oligarchs Oleg Deripaska and Viktor Vekselberg.

  16. Media release

    Rio finally breaks ranks with WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy

    ACCR welcomes Rio Tinto breaking ranks with the WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy by throwing its support behind the Commonwealth cultural heritage protection law reform process.

  17. Media release

    Rio Tinto and Worley’s exits from Russia welcomed

    ACCR is welcoming the announcements by Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) and Worley (ASX:WOR) today, confirming their severing of ties with Russia.

  18. Research

    Rio Tinto Group Ltd/Plc Assessment of 2021 Climate Change Action Plan

    ACCR believes Rio Tinto’s 2030 Scope 1 and 2 target, strategy and capital allocation commitments are significant and worthy of conditional investor support.

  19. Shareholder Resolution

    ACCR Shareholder Resolution to Rio Tinto Limited on climate-related lobbying

    The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) has withdrawn the shareholder resolution asking Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) to suspend membership of industry associations that continue to advocate for the development of new and expanded coal mines.

  20. Media release

    Australian companies must urgently review ties with Russian oligarchs

    ACCR is calling on Australian companies to immediately review their relationships with companies linked to the oligarchs aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

  21. Media release

    Rio Tinto board fails to deliver on 2021 lobbying commitment

    ACCR is commenting on Rio Tinto’s (ASX:RIO) Industry Association Disclosure.

  22. Media release

    Rio harassment report: disturbing findings, transparency welcome

    ACCR welcomes the publication of the Report into Workplace Culture at Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) conducted by former Australian sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick.

  23. Media release

    Rio Tinto shows BHP how it’s done

    ACCR comment on Rio Tinto’s (ASX:RIO) newly announced emissions reduction targets and strategy.

  24. Media release

    Progress welcome in resolving Bougainville mine grievances

    The parties should be commended for their progress. It is also an encouraging sign of practical progress from Rio Tinto under its new leadership.

  25. Media release

    Rio Tinto board delivers final warning to climate blockers

    “For the first time, the board of an Australian company has supported a shareholder resolution. Rio Tinto should be commended for this."

  26. Media release

    Rio Tinto must stop funding climate blockers

    “Despite Rio Tinto’s Chairman and new CEO proclaiming their commitment to climate action, the company’s paid lobbyists continue to stand in the way of climate action.”

  27. Shareholder Resolution

    ACCR Shareholder Resolutions to Rio Tinto Ltd on climate-related lobbying

    The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) has filed a shareholder resolution asking Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) to immediately review the advocacy of its industry associations and suspend membership of groups found to be lobbying inconsistently with the Paris Agreement.

  28. Media release

    The clean out continues at Rio Tinto

    There is no realistic prospect of Rio Tinto rebuilding relationships, trust and reputation while those responsible for the degradation of its culture and social performance remain on the board.

  29. Media release

    Rio Tinto becomes first Australian company to commit to climate vote

    This commitment by Rio Tinto heaps further pressure on Santos and Woodside to support ACCR’s resolutions, which will allow shareholders a vote on their climate plans.

  30. Media release

    ‘An afterthought’: Investors must hold Rio Chair to account

    “This is an elementary and entirely avoidable blunder by Thompson, reasonably interpreted by the PKKP as evidence that Rio still views its relationship with traditional owners as ‘an afterthought’.”

  31. Media release

    Juukan Gorge Caves Inquiry—serial and cumulative failings

    “The Inquiry’s diligent work has thrown a long-overdue light on the atrocious treatment of First Nations Australians by governments and mining companies. No one has escaped censure.”

  32. Media release

    Rio Tinto takes the first step to recovery

    ACCR has welcomed the exit of Rio CEO, Jean-Sébastien Jacques, head of Corporate Relations Simone Niven and Head of Iron Ore Chris Salisbury, but remains concerned at the lack of cultural understanding displayed by the company and its board — specifically in the length of time it took to address this destruction of heritage.

  33. Media release

    Rio board review: financial penalties completely off the mark of damage caused; CEO must go

    “Rio Tinto’s board review is highly disappointing. It amounts to little more than a public relations exercise that still attempts to blame the PKKP; previous Rio Tinto administrations; and anyone else, rather than the company’s current senior management.”

  34. Research

    Submission: Parliamentary Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge

    Submission by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) to the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia, Parliamentary Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

  35. Media release

    Rio Tinto rebukes MCA on thermal coal, does not support use of Kyoto carryover credits, but keeps funding climate wreckers

  36. Media release

    Rio Tinto Industry Association commitment

  37. Media release

    Rio Tinto: 18% vote against coal lobby

  38. Media release

    Rio Tinto decision not to allow the resolution to be heard at the UK AGM