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Pay revolts?

NO, this is about companies whose annual meetings always attract some form of protest, due to the nature of their business. Commodities trader Glencore yesterday faced calls at its AGM for an independent inquiry into its African mining deals.

Any more?

BAe Systems makes armaments used in some of the world’s bloodiest conflicts. At the British defence firm’s AGM this month, a member of the Campaign Against Arms Trade tried to pour whitewash over chairman Dick Olver. BAe’s burly security men were successfully deployed.

Who else?

The oil business has never been that popular, but BP has become a magnet for colourful protests since the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. At the 2011 AGM, shrimp farmer Diane Wilson smeared herself in oil to highlight the damage done to the Gulf ecosystem. Outside a member of the Cree native American tribe chanted a mantra to protest against the exploitation of tar sands.

Successful?

For the most part, companies tend to ignore protests to the best of their ability. If you’re on the board of BP or BAe Systems, chances are you’ve already come to terms with any moral implications of your trade. But the reactions of ordinary shareholders can be interesting. Mostly AGM protests are met with scorn, but some find support among private investors.