WCC invites churches, communities to support call for responsible finance, climate justice – World Council of Churches

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is inviting churches, ecumenical partners, and faith-based organizations worldwide to support an open letter backing an OECD complaint submitted by Methodist churches in Colombia, Great Britain, Ireland, and partners concerning HSBC’s financial relationship with Glencore and the Cerrejón coal mine in Colombia.
Vast spoil heaps tower over the landscape around the Cerrejón coal mine in La Guajira, Colombia. The waste material excavated to expose the coal seams has reshaped the terrain across tens of thousands of hectares, smothering vegetation, contaminating groundwater and generating clouds of fine toxic dust that carry across surrounding Wayúu communities — communities that have never consented to, nor benefited from, the mine’s operations.
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Signed by WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay and sent to HSBC, the open letter expresses solidarity with communities affected by the Cerrejón coal mine in La Guajira, Colombia, and calls for accountability in the financial sector regarding environmental, human rights, and climate impacts.
The OECD complaint was submitted through the UK National Contact Point under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct by Methodist Church of Colombia, Methodist Church of Great Britain, Methodist Church in Ireland, Epworth Investment Management Ltd, and CEPALC (Ecumenical Centre for Communication in Latin America) on 5 June. The complaint raises concerns about the role of financing in supporting activities linked to environmental harm, displacement of communities, water scarcity, and health impacts associated with the Cerrejón mine in Colombia.
In the letter, Pillay underlined both the important role played by financial institutions and the responsibility that comes with it.
“We recognise that banks do not set out to cause harm. Financial institutions play a vital role in supporting economies and enabling development. But no one expects their savings to be used, even indirectly, to finance environmental destruction or human rights abuses, or to harm children,” wrote Pillay.
He continued: “Where financing remains connected to such activities, there is a clear need for scrutiny, and an imperative to reconcile this with urgent corrective action. The OECD complaint mechanism provides an important opportunity for this.”
The open letter notes that communities in La Guajira have experienced displacement, water insecurity, and health impacts linked to mining activities, while the continued extraction and use of thermal coal contributes to the global climate crisis. The letter also highlights concerns about the effects of climate emergency on vulnerable communities, particularly children and future generations.
Addressed to HSBC, the letter calls on the bank to respond in good faith to the concerns raised by the Methodist churches, commit to immediate cessation of financing new and existing thermal coal mining operations, and engage with affected communities in the La Guajira region regarding fair remediation for the harms caused.
The WCC is encouraging churches and faith-based organizations to add their support to the initiative and to reflect on the role financial institutions play in shaping environmental and social outcomes. “As a response to our faith, we encourage Christians to apply scrutiny to the actions of their banks, to seek clarity on how their money is being used, and to ensure their assets are not invested in ways that harm children and human rights, and the ecosystems that sustain them,” reads the letter.
As a global fellowship representing more than 580 million Christians worldwide, the WCC has a longstanding commitment to care for creation, climate justice, and human dignity. Supporting this initiative, the WCC affirms the shared commitment to a financial system that serves life, upholds dignity, and safeguards creation for generations to come.
Churches, ecumenical partners, and other organizations wishing to endorse the initiative are invited to contact the WCC at [email protected]. 
Open Letter to the HSBC bank in support to the OECD complaint by the Methodist Churches
Faith-based groups submit OECD complaint concerning HSBC financing linked to Cerrejón coal mine in Colombia (WCC news release, 5 June 2026)
Andrew Harper: Why more faith investors are advocating for sustainable finance (WCC interview, 03 June 2026)
Learn more about the Churches’ Commitments to Children and Climate-Responsible Banking
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