April 8, 2025 – An agreement has been reached with NextEra Energy, Inc., leading to the withdrawal of the 2025 shareholder proposal filed on behalf of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany, NY. The proposal, filed for the first time this year, requested a third-party Environmental Justice Audit to assess the heightened racial impacts of NextEra’s operations and investments, including recommendations for improvement.

Over the past several months, Investor Advocates for Social Justice (IASJ), alongside representatives from the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany NY, and co-filers Trinity Health and Sisters of Saint Joseph of Peace, engaged in multiple discussions with NextEra to emphasize the importance of this assessment. Through good-faith negotiations, both parties reached an agreement that reflects progress toward greater transparency and accountability.

As part of this agreement, NextEra has committed to publicly disclose information about how and in which circumstances the company conducts environmental and community impact due diligence for its large-scale projects. Additionally, NextEra will publish a human rights policy applicable to all employees at all global locations by the end of 2025. The company has also agreed to engage with our team on an ongoing basis. 

While this agreement represents a meaningful step forward, there is still work to be done. We appreciate NextEra’s willingness to engage and look forward to continued dialogue to ensure these commitments translate into meaningful action for communities impacted by its operations.

If you’re interested in covering this story, we’d be happy to provide additional insights. Please feel free to contact Caitlin Seznec, Program Director, at cseznec@iasj.org for further details.