Increased doubts surrounding the role of shareholders in Annual General Meetings (AGMs) of fossil fuel companies may signal a potential 'dark age' for their participation.

Increased doubts surrounding the role of shareholders in Annual General Meetings (AGMs) of fossil fuel companies may signal a potential 'dark age' for their participation.

In recent years, the annual general meetings (AGMs) of major London-listed fossil fuel companies have been the subject of increasing scrutiny, with concerns raised over the practices that have turned these events into spaces of surveillance, intimidation, and exclusion for shareholders.

At the forefront of these concerns is the use of facial recognition technology and opaque security measures. For instance, at BP's 2025 AGM, shareholders were placed in a makeshift holding pen outside the venue after being identified through facial recognition technology from the 2024 Shell AGM, despite never having disrupted any AGM. Similarly, at the same event, personal security guards followed shareholders to the toilet and waited outside cubicles, and Sharpie markers were confiscated as contraband.

These practices have raised eyebrows, particularly among those who value shareholder democracy and the foundational rights enshrined in corporate law. The direction of travel in AGMs is concerning, with attending these meetings involving exclusion lists, invasive physical searches, out-of-the-way locations, and guards who follow shareholders.

However, it is unclear who holds the biometric and behavioral data collected at these AGMs, for how long it is retained, and under what legal basis it is shared between clients. In the UK, personal data, including biometric data, is regulated by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Any collection, storage, and sharing of personal data must be lawful and transparent, requiring explicit consent from individuals involved.

Shell and BP, two of the companies under scrutiny, have been questioned regarding the use and handling of data collected at their AGMs. A shareholder resolution is also on foot, seeking assurance from Shell that ACCR staff will be greenlisted for entry to the upcoming AGM.

In response to questions about climate risk and the chair succession process, Dame Amanda Blanc, a climate-aware director at BP, read a bland, pre-prepared statement that never once mentioned climate change. This lack of transparency and accountability further fuels the concerns surrounding these AGMs.

It is worth noting that data collection at AGMs is usually limited to meeting registration and proxy voting information. Any collection of biometric or behavioral data would be subject to strict privacy regulations and would require explicit consent from individuals involved. Sharing such data between clients would need to comply with GDPR principles, ensuring data minimization, accuracy, and respect for individuals' rights.

As these concerns continue to mount, it is crucial for shareholders and the public to demand greater transparency and accountability from these companies. The AGMs should be spaces for open dialogue, not spaces of surveillance and exclusion.

1. The use of technology like facial recognition in Annual General Meetings (AGMs) of major London-listed fossil fuel companies, such as the one at BP's 2025 AGM, is a growing point of concern.
2. The collection, storage, and sharing of biometric and behavioral data at AGMs should be lawful and transparent, as stipulated in the UK's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
3. Questions regarding the use and handling of data collected at AGMs, particularly by Shell and BP, have been raised, and a shareholder resolution is seeking assurance from Shell regarding data privacy.
4. The lack of transparency and accountability, exemplified by Dame Amanda Blanc's statement at BP's AGM that never mentioned climate change, further fuels concerns surrounding these AGMs.
5. The industry is expected to comply with GDPR principles, ensuring data minimization, accuracy, and respect for individuals' rights, when dealing with any collected biometric or behavioral data.
6. Shareholders and the public are demanding greater transparency and accountability from these companies, as the AGMs should be spaces for open dialogue, not surveillance and exclusion.
7. The practices at these AGMs, including exclusion lists, invasive physical searches, and guards following shareholders, mimic elements of the lifestyle associated with the entertainment and criminal industries, raising eyebrows among those who value shareholder democracy.
8. As the travel industry seeks to reduce its carbon footprint and embrace environmental-science and technology, it's crucial for the fossil fuel industry to adopt similar practices and engage in open discussions about climate-change and energy solutions at their AGMs.

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