BOC Report and accounts 2005 - Alle jaarverslagen
BOC Report and accounts 2005 - Alle jaarverslagen
BOC Report and accounts 2005 - Alle jaarverslagen
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Social, environmental <strong>and</strong> ethical performance 27<br />
<strong>BOC</strong>’s global management system (IMSS)<br />
IMSS (integrated management systems <strong>and</strong> st<strong>and</strong>ards) is a system developed by <strong>BOC</strong>. It has three distinct parts:<br />
the IMSS Library,Traccess <strong>and</strong> Audit Manager.The IMSS Library houses electronic copies of <strong>BOC</strong>’s reference<br />
material, work instructions, operating procedures <strong>and</strong> management systems <strong>and</strong> st<strong>and</strong>ards.Traccess is <strong>BOC</strong>’s online<br />
training <strong>and</strong> competency tracking system, storing individual learning profiles <strong>and</strong> employee training histories.Audit<br />
Manager houses all stages of the audit cycle <strong>and</strong> verifies site performance <strong>and</strong> compliance against best practice <strong>and</strong><br />
minimum st<strong>and</strong>ards defined in the IMSS Library. IMSS documents Group knowledge from high level policies to<br />
detailed work instructions, enabling all employees to be trained <strong>and</strong> assessed in the skills required by their roles.<br />
IMSS outlines the correct protocols <strong>and</strong> minimum st<strong>and</strong>ards, <strong>and</strong> tracks the performance of actions needed to<br />
ensure the safe, environmentally sound <strong>and</strong> efficient management of <strong>BOC</strong> businesses worldwide. IMSS <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Code of Conduct are mutually supportive.<br />
Stakeholders<br />
<strong>BOC</strong>’s Code of Conduct is segmented into key stakeholder groups, each of which is addressed by specific code<br />
st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>and</strong> management structures <strong>and</strong> procedures. Details are posted under the corporate responsibility<br />
section of boc.com. For example, <strong>BOC</strong> works with its suppliers through a supplier evaluation, selection <strong>and</strong><br />
performance appraisal (SESPA) system, which assures minimum st<strong>and</strong>ards of supplier performance, quality<br />
assurance <strong>and</strong> legal, ethical, social <strong>and</strong> environmental compliance. <strong>BOC</strong>’s ethical purchasing policy, an integral part of<br />
SESPA, is managed by the Group supply management function, underpinned by the Code of Conduct <strong>and</strong><br />
supported by IMSS <strong>and</strong> a number of other web-based platforms. Suppliers are segmented according to a<br />
combination of two matrices: supplier risk profile <strong>and</strong> product risk profile.The highest risk category requires the<br />
ethical purchasing policy to be included in the supplier’s signed contract with <strong>BOC</strong>, with <strong>BOC</strong> reserving the right to<br />
terminate the contract in the event of a breach.Any employee can raise concerns about supplier ethics via the<br />
Code of Conduct helpline <strong>and</strong> data is captured <strong>and</strong> reported as a specific category.<br />
Identifying <strong>and</strong> prioritising SEE risks<br />
In 2004 <strong>BOC</strong> introduced a formal process to identify <strong>and</strong> manage its SEE risks <strong>and</strong> to identify potential<br />
opportunities. EMB directors, business unit heads <strong>and</strong> other key managers around the world submitted potential<br />
SEE risks which were consolidated by the Group risk management function <strong>and</strong> rated using predetermined scoring<br />
criteria. Each risk was rated according to its potential impact, the adequacy of plans to mitigate the risk, <strong>and</strong> its<br />
urgency.<br />
The broad areas identified by the SEE risk <strong>and</strong> mitigation process are: managing the safety of people associated<br />
with <strong>BOC</strong>; managing major operational hazards; minimisation of greenhouse gas emissions; energy efficiency; water<br />
conservation; global adherence to <strong>and</strong> the effective working of the Code of Conduct; managing an ethical supply<br />
chain; <strong>and</strong> continuing enhancement of product stewardship procedures.<br />
The Group’s SEE review found that management systems <strong>and</strong> mitigations already exist for identified risks, but<br />
in some minor instances enhanced measures have been, or are being, put in place. One example is a screening<br />
process to ensure that customers have the capability to h<strong>and</strong>le hazardous products safely. Piloted this year in the<br />
UK for the packaged chemicals business, the process will be rolled out to the wider Industrial <strong>and</strong> Special Products<br />
business in 2006.<br />
Corporate social investment strategy<br />
<strong>BOC</strong> strives to be a good corporate citizen by: operating safely <strong>and</strong> minimising the environmental impact of its<br />
activities; enhancing the wellbeing of local economies through employment on the bases of diversity, equal<br />
opportunity <strong>and</strong> merit, <strong>and</strong>; fostering strong community relations.<br />
<strong>BOC</strong> is committed to all the communities in which it operates, wherever they are in the world, <strong>and</strong> its<br />
contribution takes on a number of forms.At the Group level <strong>BOC</strong> supports a variety of programmes broadly<br />
aligned with the nature of the business. Key themes are the environment, education, medical research <strong>and</strong> the arts.<br />
At the local level <strong>BOC</strong> encourages a range of volunteering, donation <strong>and</strong> sponsorship programmes, guided<br />
from the centre but ultimately decided <strong>and</strong> implemented at country, business unit <strong>and</strong> site levels.The choice of<br />
charitable donations is devolved through matched giving schemes.<br />
Managing corporate responsibility performance<br />
This year the Group continued to participate in the UK’s Business in the Community (BiTC) corporate<br />
responsibility (CR) index.The index assesses companies’ performance against a wide range of environmental, social<br />
<strong>and</strong> ethical measures. <strong>BOC</strong> has participated in the index’s sister survey, the Business in the Environment (BiE) index,<br />
since 1995. <strong>BOC</strong> scored 89 per cent in BiTC’s CR index, ranking it 39th out of 144 participating companies,<br />
including 57 from the FTSE100.The average score among participants from <strong>BOC</strong>’s comparator group was 88 per<br />
cent. Completing the index demonstrates the Group’s commitment to managing, measuring <strong>and</strong> reporting its<br />
corporate responsibility performance in an open <strong>and</strong> transparent way. <strong>BOC</strong>’s completed survey <strong>and</strong> BiTC’s<br />
independent assessment of the Group’s performance are published on boc.com.The BiTC index is the Group’s<br />
common measure <strong>and</strong> st<strong>and</strong>ard response to corporate responsibility <strong>and</strong> SEE enquiries.