Under the leadership of Brynn O'Brien, the Australian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) continued its push for positive action on climate over the last year at some of the region's largest companies, including Nippon Steel and Rio Tinto.

This included delivering the largest ever vote in support of a climate lobbying resolution in Japan – 28% of Nippon Steel shareholders – for a resolution co-filed with Legal & General Investment Management that asked for improved disclosure of climate-related lobbying activities.

The resolution, along with two others voted on at the company's AGM in June, was supported by investors including Amundi, Nordea and Storebrand.

Also last year, ACCR worked with London- and Sydney-listed mining giant Rio Tinto to support the company in meeting a public commitment it had made to advocate for policy action to decarbonise.

ACCR gained the commitment after it filed a shareholder resolution – which it subsequently withdrew following agreement with the company – asking it to suspend membership of industry associations that continue to advocate for the development of new and expanded coal mines.

While ACCR ended the year-long engagement in July, after it said Rio Tinto showed "climate hypocrisy" by this year lobbying Australia's federal government to weaken climate change requirements, ACCR said the company apologised, and a Rio Tinto spokesperson said the company hoped to resume engagement with ACCR.

O'Brien, who is executive director of ACCR, said the association will continue to push for better governance at major greenhouse gas emitters.

"The incredible work undertaken by the ACCR team over the last year demonstrates that climate-focused stewardship, when done effectively, delivers positive results for shareholders and the climate - and we will continue with this critical work over the coming year," O'Brien tells Environmental Finance.

"Governance is going to be an ongoing focus for ACCR. Climate change is a material strategic governance issue for heavy-emitting companies, one overseen directly by the board and its committees.

"We think in many cases board renewal is required. Directors with the right skillsets and fresh thinking to manage the risks and opportunities of the energy transition are needed, and we think this is an appropriate focus of investors' stewardship."

ACCR also filed members' statements against the re-election of board members at Santos and Woodside in the last year – illustrating its continued focus on ensuring top-level management implements a credible climate strategy.

O'Brien said the energy transition in Australia, "as elsewhere, is undoubtedly too slow" and called on companies and investors to recognise the imperative for urgent action.

"We are in a critical moment, with the latest climate science pointing to a high probability the world will overshoot 1.5°C of warming within the next decade. This breach will cost the world dearly, physically and financially," she said.

Asked what she expects will occupy most of her work time in coming months, O'Brien said the ACCR will continue its push to "expose the political influence tactics being used by heavy emitting companies to delay decarbonisation, and the huge negative impacts of that delay on shareholder value".