Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble, Nike and Ikea are among dozens of global companies that have signed a White House-sponsored pledge to take more aggressive action on climate change, as part of a broad push by President Barack Obama to corral corporate support for a global climate deal this year in Paris. The White House on Monday announced that 68 companies had joined the 13 original signatories to the “American Business Act on Climate Pledge”. Mr Obama later hosted the chief executives of five companies — Johnson & Johnson, Intel, Hershey’s, California-based utility PG&E and Berkshire Hathaway Energy — and some of their suppliers for a discussion about how companies can cut carbon emissions around the world. Although the 81 companies included a handful of energy companies, large oil and gas companies such as ExxonMobil and Chevron were notably absent. Mr Obama hopes that support from companies with a combined market capitalisation of more than $5tn will boost the chances that the delegates from almost 200 countries can reach a climate accord in Paris. It comes as the president tries to craft a legacy on climate change during his final 15 months in office. The push to secure backing from corporate America comes as the issue of climate change remains politically divisive in the US. Republicans, including many of the GOP presidential contenders, are highly critical of the way Mr Obama is forging ahead on climate change.