Oil & gas
BP has operated in Australia since 1920 and today makes money from oil and gas exploration, developing, production, refining, transporting and selling. BP supplies fuel to about 1400 service stations. Around 1000 of these are independently owned, but sell fuel under the BP brand. In 2019 Australian property company Charter Hall Group bought a 49 per cent stake in a portfolio of 225 BP sites. The remainder are company owned and operated.
Company Ownership
BP Australia Pty Ltd
AUS
BP PLC
owns 100% of BP Australia Pty Ltd
UK
Oil and gas producers
One of the world's largest oil and gas companies.
Company Assessment
(Last updated Oct 2024)
Praise
Criticism
Information
BP Australia Pty Ltd
Praise
Criticism
Information
APCO member
Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. Each year, APCO Members are required to submit an APCO Annual Report and Action Plan, which includes an overall performance level from 1 (Getting Started) to 5 (Beyond Best Practice). This company received a packaging performance level of 2 (Good Progress) in its 2024 APCO Annual Report.
Source: APCO
(2024)
Fairtrade products
100% Fairtrade Certified coffee and hot chocolate is available in all Wild Bean Cafes in Australia.
Source: Fairtrade ANZ
(2015)
BP PLC
Praise
Criticism
Information
CDP Climate Change score of A-
In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change score of A-.
Source: CDP
(2023)
40.9% in Human Rights Benchmark
The 2023 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 55 companies in the extractives sector on their human rights performance. This company received a score of 40.9%. The overall average score was 23.4% and the highest score was 65.9%.
31.1% in Oil and Gas Benchmark
The 2023 Oil and Gas Benchmark ranks 100 oil and gas companies on their climate strategy and performance together with social performance. This company ranked #12/100, with a total score of 31.1/100.
US$4b in criminal fines
In Nov 2012 BP agreed to plead guilty to felony manslaughter, environmental crimes and obstruction of Congress and pay a record US$4 billion in criminal fines and penalties for its conduct leading to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster that killed 11 people and caused the largest environmental disaster in US history.
Source: US Dept of Justice
(2012)
Carbon reserves
This company ranked 6th on the list of 100 oil & gas companies in the 2016 Carbon Underground 200, a ranking of fossil fuel companies being targeted for divestment. Companies are ranked by the potential carbon emissions content of their proven reserves. The reserves of these companies total almost five times more than can be burned for the world to have an 80% chance of limiting global temperature rise to 2°C.
Source: Fossil Free Indexes
(2016)
US$7.8b Gulf Oil settlement
BP reached a $7.8b settlement in March 2012 with lawyers representing thousands of plaintiffs who were affected by the worst oil spill in US history in April 2010, which killed 11 workers and poured millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. BP continues to face civil charges from five Gulf Coast state governments.
Source: news article
(2012)
Fracking impacts disclosure
As You Sow's 2019 report, 'Disclosing the Facts: Transparency and Risk in Hydraulic Fracturing Operations', benchmarks 28 companies engaged in hydraulic fracturing ('fracking') against investor needs for disclosure of operational impacts and mitigation efforts. This company only succeeded in disclosing information on 5 of the 43 indicators related to management of toxic chemicals, water and waste, air emissions, methane leakage and community impacts.
Source: As You Sow
(2019)
US$20.8b Gulf Oil settlement
In 2015 BP settled all remaining federal, state and local civil claims related to the Deepwater Horizon disaster for a total of $20.8 billion. The largest portions of that amount were a $5.5 billion Clean Water Act penalty, $8.1 billion in natural resources damages and $4.9 billion in economic damages to state and local governments.
Source: news article
(2015)
Blocking climate action
InfluenceMap's 2021 Climate Policy Footprint report identifies the world's most obstructive corporate and industry association holding back Paris Agreement-aligned climate policy. This company is named in the report as one of the 25 most negatively influential corporations. "Highly strategic promotion of gas in the
energy mix, opposition to climate-motivated policy to phase out fossil fuels in Europe. Dense network of industry associations actively opposing climate policy."
Source: Influence Map
(2021)
"Net zero" greenwash
'The Big Con' is a 2021 report by Corporate Accountability, Friends of the Earth and others that makes clear that Big Polluters' idea of "net zero" is part of their continued plan to protect deeply unjust global systems, distract from taking the real action needed, and to evade responsibility for the climate crisis and to continue to pollute. This company was named in the report as one whose "net zero" climate commitments are anything but real action.
Source: Corporate Accountability
(2021)
Tax avoidance
Platform's 2013 report 'Making a Killing: Oil Companies, Tax Avoidance and Subsidies' accuses BP of large scale UK tax avoidance. BP receives major government support including direct subsidies and military and diplomatic services, but seem to pay very small amounts of UK tax in comparison to their global profits. BP and Shell are particularly committed to tax havens, with more tax-dodging subsidiaries than their competitors: 605 and 523 high-secrecy subsidiaries respectively.
Source: Platform
(2013)
Fraud penalty
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged BP plc on 15.11.12 with misleading investors while its Deepwater Horizons oil rig was gushing into the Gulf of Mexico by significantly understating the rate in multiple reports filed with the SEC. BP agreed to settle the SEC's charges by paying US$525m, the third largest penalty in the agency's history. The SEC will establish a Fair Fund to provide compensation to investors who sustained losses in the fraud.
Source: US SEC
(2012)
Greenwashing
In public, BP talks about its commitment to renewable energy and its tree-planting carbon offset schemes, but in 2009 the company has pulled out of several major renewable projects and reduced its investment in renewable energy substantially, while continuing to invest heavily in fossil fuels. Consumers International think a greenwash award is most definitely in order. [Listed under Information due to age of award]
Source: Consumers International
(2009)
Fines for safety breaches
BP has received a number of multi-million dollar fines for safety breaches following an explosion at a Texas oil refinery in 2005 which killed 15 people. In court cases related to the incident BP were fined $13m in 2012, $51m in 2010, $87m in 2009, $373m in 2007, and $21.3m in 2005. [Listed under Information due to age of court findings]
Source: news article
(2010)
Most controversial companies of 2010
This company appeared second on RepRisk's top ten "most environmentally and socially controversial companies of 2010". Companies on the list were severely criticised during 2010 by the world's media, governments and NGOs. Criticisms of BP include involvement in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Canadian tar sands, fracking, human rights abuses in Angola, and ongoing violent persecution of unionized workers at its operations in Colombia. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
Source: RepRisk
(2010)
Multinational Monitor's '10 Worst Corporations of 2007'
Named one of Multinational Monitor's '10 Worst Corporations of 2007' [listed under information due to age of report].
Source: Multinational Monitor
(2007)
Tax havens
This company has been criticised by ActionAid for having subsidiaries in tax havens. One of the main reasons companies have subsidiaries in tax havens is to dodge their taxes. Developing countries lose more to tax dodging than they receive in aid each year.
Source: ActionAid
(2011)
Fines for misconduct
BP is listed on the Federal Contractor Misconduct Database as having 63 instances of misconduct since 1995 amounting to almost US$15 billion in penalties. Instances include underpayment of royalties, safety violations, and pollution.
UN Global Compact participant
The United Nations Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of 10 values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption. However it's non-binding nature has been widely criticised, and many signatory corporations continue to violate the Compact's values.
Source: UN Global Compact
(2020)
69.5% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017
This company received a score of 69.5/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
Source: Newsweek
(2017)
Bonsucro member
This company is a member of Bonsucro - Better Sugar Cane Initiative, a global non-profit, multi-stakeholder organisation fostering the sustainability of the sugarcane sector through its leading metric-based certification scheme and its support for continuous improvement for members.
Source: Bonsucro
(2019)
Modern Slavery statement
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: company website
(2017)
BHRRC company profile
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre digital platform presents news and allegations relating to the human rights impact of over 20,000 companies. Their enhanced Company Dashboards also include financial information, key data points based on corporate policies, and scores from prominent civil society benchmarks. Follow the link and use the search function to view this company's dashboard.
Source: BHRRC
(2022)
9.5/20 in Social Benchmark
The 2024 Social Benchmark assesses the world's 2,000 most influential companies on their responsibility in meeting society's fundamental expectations towards three measurement areas: respecting human rights, providing decent work, and acting ethically. This company was assessed in 2023 and received a score of 9.5/20. The average score was an alarmingly low 4.6/20 and the highest score was 15.5/20.
OpenSecrets.org profile
OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.
Source: Open Secrets
(2024)
Climate Accountability Scorecard
In 2018 the Union of Concerned Scientists published their Climate Accountability Scorecard, which measures the progress of major fossil fuel companies to stop spreading climate disinformation and to fix their business plans to achieve dramatic reductions in global warming emissions. This company rated Poor for disinformation, and Fair for business planning, policy and disclosure.
46/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 46/100 in the Oil & Gas - Upstream & Integrated category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 18 Nov 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global
(2022)
Corporate Rap Sheet
The Corporate Research Project's Corporate Rap Sheets are dossiers summarising the most significant crimes, violations and other questionable activities of the world's largest and most controversial companies. Follow link to see this company's Corporate Rap Sheet. "The company has been the target of intense criticism for its role in the April 2010 explosion at a drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico that killed 11 workers and caused an underwater leak that spewed millions of gallons of crude oil into the ocean, creating the most serious environmental disaster in U.S. history. The company later paid a record $4 billion in fines and penalties while pleading guilty to manslaughter and other criminal charges. This incident in the Gulf occurred while BP was still contending with the legal and public relations fallout from a deadly explosion at a refinery in Texas, oil spills in the Alaskan tundra, and charges of manipulating energy commodities markets. BP has also faced human rights charges in countries such as Indonesia, Turkey, and Colombia."
Company Details
Type:
Wholly-owned subsidiary
Revenue:
18.6 billion AUD
(2018)
Employees:
5,700
(2018)