Hierarchy of Systems and Documents

At BHP Billiton, our conviction is that our business goals can be best attained through honesty, fairness and integrity in everything that we do. In addition to the corporate governance processes that manage the broader affairs of the Company, we have a number of systems and supporting documents to implement our commitment to sustainable development. These systems are also aligned to the International Council of Mining and Metals (ICMM) Sustainable Development Framework. This framework comprises three elements – a set of 10 Principles (including a set of supporting position statements), public reporting and independent assurance. Read more.

Company Charter

Central to our business is our Charter, which states our 'overriding commitment to health, safety, environmental responsibility and sustainable development'.

Sustainable Development Policy

Supporting the values of our Charter is our Sustainable Development Policy (PDF 28 KB). The Policy creates the context for our management systems and sets the foundation from which we operate.

While we strive to deliver strong financial returns to shareholders, we fully recognise and deliver on our wider responsibilities to our stakeholders: as the Policy states 'our objective is to be the company of choice – creating sustainable value for our shareholders, employees, contractors, suppliers, customers, business partners and host communities.' The Policy requires that we meet or, where less stringent than our standards, exceed applicable legal and other requirements.

See our Policy Guide (PDF 468 KB) for a detailed explanation on the rationale behind our Policy objectives.

HSEC Management Standards

The BHP Billiton HSEC Management Standards (PDF 148 KB) form the basis for the development and application of HSEC management systems at all levels in the Company and represent a key process through which we drive our contribution to sustainable development.

The Standards cover the entire life cycle of operations and all operational aspects and activities with the potential to affect our health, safety, environmental and community performance. They apply to all BHP Billiton sites and operations, including facilities and activities that are owned or operated by BHP Billiton, development projects, mergers, acquisitions, divestments and major activities by contractors on our sites or under our management. Where the Company has no operational responsibility but has an equity stake, or where significant Company assets are involved, the Standards are made available to the operator so that comparable HSEC standards can be applied.

The Standards support the implementation of the Charter, the Sustainable Development Policy and the Code of Business Conduct across BHP Billiton and provide a risk-based HSEC management system framework, consistent with the BHP Billiton Risk Management Policy; ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and SA 8000. The Standards also incorporate elements from other international policies, standards and management practices, such as the ICMM Sustainable Development Framework, to which BHP Billiton has committed.

Expectations for the progressive development and implementation of HSEC management systems at all levels of BHP Billiton are defined by the Standards, and they provide auditable criteria against which HSEC management systems across BHP Billiton can be measured.

Operations are audited to check the level of conformance with the Standards and their effectiveness in meeting the needs of the Group and the business being audited. The Standards are also reviewed at least every three years. The next scheduled review will conclude by December 2008. The outcome of this review will be in 2009.

Sustainability Training and Awareness

Our approach to training and awareness for sustainability issues is guided by our HSEC Management Standards:.

Standard 5 (Awareness, Competence and Behaviour) requires that employees, contractors and visitors are aware of relevant HSEC requirements, hazards and controls and are competent to conduct their activities and behave in a responsible manner.
Standard 8 (Business Conduct, Human Rights and Community Development) requires that systems are in place to ensure that the Articles of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights are assessed, prioritised and implemented as they apply to the organisation’s sphere of influence. Employees and contractors receive training to ensure they are familiar with and abide by the Articles relevant to their activities. Where security personnel are required, systems are in place to ensure they are familiar with and operate in accordance with the US-UK Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights.

The HSEC Management Standards are further complemented by the Company’s Human Resources Strategy, which provides additional guidance on training and awareness for sustainability issues related to labor practices and decent work. Read more: Our People.

Monitoring and Follow-up

Our HSEC Management Standards guide our approach to monitoring and follow-up on sustainability issues. Specifically, Management Standard 13 (Incident Reporting and Investigation) requires that HSEC incidents, including near misses, are reported, investigated and analysed. Corrective and preventative actions are taken, and learnings are shared.

The Company's Code of Business Conduct also provides additional guidance on monitoring, reporting and follow-up on such issues as business conduct, bribery and corruption, which affect the sustainability of our business.

Procedures and Guidelines

Company-wide procedures are mandatory to all BHP Billiton sites, operations and controlled activities. These documents address specific areas where it is important that activities are conducted consistently across the Company and cover such areas as corporate performance reporting, Fatal Risk Control Protocols and incident reporting and investigation.

Guidelines are advisory only and are designed to guide our businesses on how to meet the requirements of HSEC Management Standards and the Company-wide procedures.