At Coles AGM today, nearly 40% of shareholders rallied against the board’s recommendation and supported a world-first resolution that calls on the company to address the impacts their farmed seafood, such as Macquarie Harbour salmon, has on endangered species like the Maugean Skate. 

This follows the Woolworths AGM two weeks ago, where shareholders gave one of the highest votes ever on a nature resolution, with over one in three shareholders voting in favour of the resolution. 

This has now been surpassed by the even higher vote at Coles, supported by the biggest Australian super funds representing millions of members. 

The resolution was led by activist share trading platform SIX together with leading NGOs Environment Tasmania, Neighbours of Fish Farming, and Ēko, as well as leading ethical advice groups Ethinvest, Ethical Investment Advisers and Tasethical. 

Kelly Roebuck, Sustainable Seafood Campaign Director at Living Oceans Society and Vice Chair of Environment Tasmania, said “Not one but two high votes at the big supermarkets’ AGMs show that shareholders are losing patience with companies failing to act on nature-related risks. Tasmanians have had to go as far as becoming shareholders and traveling interstate to this AGM to get a message to the board: don’t be associated with the potential extinction of a unique Australian animal.” 

Jess Coughlan, Environmental Campaigner at Neighbours of Fish Farming, also attended the AGM and said “What this vote shows is overwhelming support for change. Nature needs it, and shareholders and superfunds are here for it. It is time that Coles and Woolworths step up in this space and help to save the Skate.”

Adam Verwey, CEO and co-founder of SIX, said “This is the largest vote for a shareholder resolution anywhere in the world this year. It sends a big message to the boards of the big supermarkets. While the board makes excuses, a species is going extinct. Stopping foreseeable extinctions is the very least shareholders expect when it comes to managing nature risks.” 

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For further comment: 

Kelly Roebuck: 0432 660 064 [email protected] 

Jess Coughlan: 0431 684 741 [email protected] 

Adam Verwey: 0400 290 762 [email protected]