April 18 (Reuters) - A leading shareholder advisory firm

recommended on Thursday that Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK/A )

shareholders withhold votes to reelect five directors at Warren

Buffett's conglomerate, citing concerns about climate change and

governance.

Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) said lead

independent director and audit committee chair Susan Decker

deserved a "withhold" vote at Berkshire's May 4 annual meeting.

It said this was because Berkshire is a significant emitter

of greenhouse gases, is not disclosing enough about climate

change-related risks and opportunities it faces, and is not

taking minimum steps needed to address those risks.

ISS also recommended withholding votes from Stephen Burke,

Kenneth Chenault, Charlotte Guyman and Thomas Murphy Jr, who

comprise Berkshire's compensation committee.

It said this reflected their "poor stewardship" over

executive pay, with top executives' compensation not linked to

Berkshire's profitability or stock price, and a share structure

that gives Buffett outsized voting power.

The 93-year-old billionaire has led Omaha, Nebraska-based

Berkshire since 1965. As of March 6, he owned about 15.1% of its

stock but controlled 31.2% of its voting power.

Berkshire did not immediately respond to a request for

comment to Buffett's assistant.

Decker is a former president of Yahoo, while Chenault was

once chief executive of American Express ( AXP ).

Berkshire's businesses including the BNSF railroad, Geico

car insurance, and dozens of energy, industrial and retail

units.

It has long defended its disclosures, and said requiring

more was often inconsistent with its decentralized culture of

letting businesses operate without interference from the top.

In 2023, Berkshire awarded Vice Chairmen Greg Abel and Ajit

Jain, who oversee day-to-day operations, $20 million each in

salary.

Berkshire does not grant stock options. Abel is expected to

eventually succeed Buffett as chief executive.

Buffett's annual salary is $100,000, but Forbes magazine

estimates his fortune at more than $130 billion.

He owns mostly Class A shares, which have greater voting

rights than the Class B shares that most Berkshire shareholders

own.

ISS separately endorsed shareholder proposals for more

disclosures about Berkshire's plans to reduce greenhouse gases

and improve diversity, equity and inclusion. Berkshire opposes

these proposals.

In 2021, ISS also recommended that shareholders withhold

votes from the directors on Berkshire's compensation committee.

All won reelection with at least 90% of the votes cast.