this happens a bit. I recall their was an article in the AFR...

this happens a bit. I recall their was an article in the AFR article with a male employee in BHPs O&G division sueing BHP on discrimination. This may not fit everyone’s definition of woke, but it’s in mine. I see examples of unfair discrimination based on race and gender in the consulting world.

I don’t have a problem with the demerger of O&G to WPL, as it creates circa $US400mpa in synergies. I see value. However I don’t agree where decisions like this are made by woke superfunds such as Hesta for example who are even advertising their wokeness to attract the young and naive. I can bet BHP would have had pressure from pension funds to demerge O&G. You just have to look at Enron and what the pension funds did. When in reality, just don’t invest in BHP instead of pushing a boards agenda on behalf of 10s of thousands of members who probably don’t want this done.

Examples of going woke hurting companies are Gillette. It took a US$12bn writedown after telling men they are all misogynists then finishing itself off having a 12 year old transgender shave. This is a little different to BHP whereby we don’t rely on brand name and image to differentiate ourself. Nevertheless a good example. I’ve never bought Gillette since. Or take a look at American sports viewership. The NBA is down around 70% off the top of my head since a few years ago, the kneeling and vocal political statements didn’t resonate with viewers.. we want to be entertained by sport, not your social justice warrior antics or on issues that we have no part in.