- Date filed
- 5 June 2026
- Keywords
- Countries of harm
- Current status
-
Filed
- Sectors
- NCP
Allegations
On 5 June 2026, Methodist churches and faith-based organisations filed a complaint against HSBC at the UK NCP. The complainants are El Centro Ecuménico para América Latina de Comunicación/The Ecumenical Center for Latin America of Communication (CEPALC), a Colombian community-based initiative, Iglesia Metodista de Colombia (Methodist Church in Colombia), Methodist Church of Great Britain, Methodist Church in Ireland, and Epworth Investment Management Ltd, a management fund dedicated to the needs of Christian churches and charities.
The complaint focuses on HSBC’s financing of Glencore’s operations at the Cerrejón mine in Colombia. The mine has faced years of criticism related to environmental degradation, impacts on water access, displacement of communities, and health impacts affecting local and Indigenous populations in La Guajira.
The complainants broadly argue that financial institutions have a responsibility to ensure that financing and investment practices are aligned with human rights, environmental standards, and their own climate commitments. The case is supported by the World Council of Churches, which states that that the complaint is not intended as a campaign regarding a single financial institution, but rather as part of a broader call for responsible finance and accountability in the context of the climate crisis.
Relevant OECD Guidelines
More details
- Defendant
- Company in violation
- Other companies involved
- Complainants
- Affected people