As global temperatures rise and climate-fuelled disasters are impacting communities from Austria to Appalachia, it is becoming increasingly difficult to understand the rationale for remaining invested in companies aggressively expanding coal production, such as Whitehaven Coal.
With two-thirds of the top 30 super funds by combined assets under management (AUM) having seen the writing on the wall and restricted investments in thermal coal companies like Whitehaven, the funds that remain invested have some explaining to do.
For years, super funds have been telling their members they can influence corporate change as ‘active owners,’ pushing for greater climate action by engaging with companies and using their voting power at company annual general meetings (AGMs).
Despite this supposed engagement, Whitehaven:
- Reduced its emissions reduction target from 42% in 2023 to 32% this year, walking back its ambition to the bare minimum required under Australian climate legislation;
- Has not published a Climate Action Plan, transition plan, or made a commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050. The company claims to support the Paris Agreement, yet also expects “the transition to a low-carbon economy will take decades”; and
- Has the largest and most advanced coal expansion plans of any coal miner in Australia. Despite its comparatively small size, the emissions from Whitehaven’s expansion plans dwarf even those of BHP and Glencore.
Take action!
Demand your super fund votes for climate action, not coal expansion!

Meanwhile, some major super funds have consistently failed to use their leverage to push for change at Whitehaven, raising questions about why they still invest their members’ retirement savings in this climate wrecker. AustralianSuper, Hostplus, and CareSuper did not hold Whitehaven accountable for its coal-expanding, climate-wrecking ways at the company’s 2023 AGM – all three of these super funds voted against a crucial shareholder proposal seeking to align Whitehaven’s business plans with the very climate goals those funds claim to support.
Super funds must justify their climate and active ownership claims to their members with action, or risk scrutiny for greenwashing.
This year, we are asking investors to ensure Whitehaven ends its practice of rewarding executives for pursuing new or expanded coal projects.
With Whitehaven’s AGM just around the corner, super funds have a crucial opportunity and responsibility to demonstrate their climate commitments aren’t just greenwash by holding the company’s board accountable for its unacceptable coal expansion plans, and immediately divesting if Whitehaven fails to rapidly change course.
Whitehaven has repeatedly demonstrated it only cares about one thing: digging up and selling more coal. Any super fund still invested in Whitehaven must urgently and significantly increase pressure on the company to end its dangerous expansion plans, and publicly divest if this fails.