OMAHA, Nebraska, May 6 (Portal) – Shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N) on Saturday overwhelmingly rejected six proposals for environmental, social and governance changes at Warren Buffett’s conglomerate, which the billionaire investor and his Board all declined.
By a margin of at least 3 to 1, shareholders voted against three proposals that Berkshire should disclose more about its climate-related risks or greenhouse gas emissions and its efforts to address them, as well as its efforts to promote diversity.
They also voted by a nearly 10-to-1 majority against a renewed call for an independent director to replace Buffett as chairman.
And a suggestion that Berkshire and its operating entities refrain from taking positions on controversial social and political issues unless necessary for the business garnered less than 1% support.
The proponent of the proposal for an independent chairman said Berkshire will “identify less with Buffett’s ‘political activities’.”
He also drew boos from the audience by talking about Bill Gates, whose foundation is a big recipient of Buffett’s wealth, and his once alleged relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and sex offender.
Buffett said dozens of Berkshire operating companies are realizing they don’t have a “piggy bank to further their own views on politics,” even though company-level political input “is unfortunately part of the way the world works in some industries.”
“In general,” he added, “we’ve had a fairly satisfying experience at Berkshire.”
The votes weren’t surprising since Buffett owns special stock that gives him a nearly 32% voting stake in Berkshire, making it difficult to accept proposals he opposes.
One of the climate disclosure proposals was endorsed by the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), the largest U.S. public pension fund, and rejected for a third straight year.
CalPERS also withheld votes to re-elect the three directors of Berkshire’s Audit Committee for allowing under-disclosure of environmental risks.
Berkshire shareholders also re-elected the company’s 15-member board of directors.
Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in Omaha, Nebraska, Editing by Franklin Paul
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