Our Approach To Sustainability Reporting

BHP Billiton's Sustainable Development Policy (PDF, 118kb) states that we are committed to 'regularly review our performance and publicly report our progress'. We do this as:

  • a demonstration of accountability and transparency
  • a central element of effective stakeholder engagement
  • a management tool, providing a collation of performance data and statement of key issues and related management approaches.

BHP Billiton provides information about sustainability in:

Our sustainability reporting is prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) reporting framework.

BHP Billiton, as a member of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) has committed to the ICMM Sustainable Development Framework. Our membership requires that we align our management standards and practices with the Framework and associated principles and position statements. We have made very good progress in this regard; however, there are a small number of aspects where the elements of the ICMM Framework are intended to be achieved through membership of the ICMM rather than the individual member companies' direct actions. These aspects include elements relating to biodiversity, product stewardship, aspects of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, mineral resources and economic development. We also progress some aspects, such as product stewardship, through our membership of various commodity associations or our fundamental business strategy (e.g. BHP Billiton is not involved in producing mercury).

There are two elements of the ICMM Sustainable Development Framework that are not currently covered in our Group Policies, Standards and Procedures or by our participation in industry or commodity associations. These relate to a requirement to have a formal Group program in place to help all injured or ill employees return to work as soon as possible. While we have site-based programs in place to ensure this is done, we do not currently have this element embedded in our Group-wide Policies, Standards and Procedures. The second element relates to a requirement to specifically report mercury emissions. We will implement programs to address both these issues prior to the next reporting period.

BHP Billiton has included the ICMM assurance requirements within the scope of our external assurance engagement to provide independent assurance that the ICMM commitments are met. For more information about the nature of our external assurance, please see the Limited Assurance Statements provided by our auditors Ernst & Young (PDF, 2.3MB) and KPMG (PDF, 2.3MB).

If you have any queries or comments, please contact:

HSEC
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton Centre
180 Lonsdale St
Melbourne, Victoria 3000
Australia
Phone: 1300 55 47 57 (within Australia)
+61 3 9609 3333 (outside Australia)
Facsimile: +61 3 9609 3015
Email: hsec@bhpbilliton.com