BOC Report and accounts 2005 - Alle jaarverslagen

Social, environmental and ethical performance 31
Non-compliances
(violation of laws, complaints and spillages)
No. sites reporting incidents
100
75
50
25
0 01 02 03 04 05
Hazardous waste
(variability in national legal classification)
Tonnes x 1,000
12
9
6
3
0 01 02 03 04 05
Ozone depleting potential
substance release
(solvents and refrigerants)
Tonnes (ODP) released
10
8
6
4
2
0 01 02 03 04 05
The Group continues to work actively with its stakeholders to ensure that environmental issues are approached
responsibly. BOC is a signatory to the UN Global Compact and abides by its environment principles. In the US and
Australia BOC supports the chemical industry’s Responsible Care programme. BOC participates in Business in the
Community’s Environment Index and this year scored 88.86 per cent, ranking it 48th out of 168 participating
companies and number one in the chemicals sector.
BOC aims to comply fully with all material environmental laws and regulations. No prosecutions for breaches
of environmental regulations were incurred in 2005.
Management of environmental issues that are relevant to the Group’s businesses is overseen by the safety,
health, environment and quality (SHEQ) department and implemented through a worldwide environmental
management system.This includes operating instructions, training, performance tracking and auditing.The sharing of
best practice is achieved through the Group’s integrated management systems and standards (IMSS).
BOC has operated a comprehensive environmental survey of its sites for more than ten years.The annual
web-based survey, which covers approximately 550 sites around the world, highlights issues relevant to the
businesses and identifies opportunities for the development and sharing of best environmental practice.The results
are reviewed by the executive management board, business unit management teams and the Group SHEQ
director.Annual environment action plans are integrated into business unit management processes and included in
business and individual performance contracts.
Many BOC business units have programmes to achieve ISO 14001 environmental certification. Our welding
product consumables business in Germiston, South Africa, and our special gases site at Morden, UK, both achieved
ISO 14001 certification this year.Thirty key industrial sites around the world are now accredited. However, all BOC
sites operate in accordance with ISO standards even if not specifically accredited, because IMSS, containing the
Group’s global operating systems and standards, is aligned to ISO 14001.
Selecting the right supplier for BOC is fundamental to conducting business effectively and ethically.Throughout
its businesses, BOC has adopted its proprietary supplier evaluation, selection and performance appraisal (SESPA)
process, together with an ethical purchasing policy stating that suppliers must place a high regard on safety and
adhere to local legislation concerning pollution.
This year BOC appointed a manager to identify, develop, share and support the implementation of
environmental best practice.The benefits will include improvements in cost-efficiency and productivity, as well as a
reduction in emissions, waste and water consumption.
It is now widely recognised that carbon dioxide (CO2), released into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels for
heat and power, is the main greenhouse gas that has an impact on climate change. BOC’s climate impact comes
from intensive use in air separation units (ASUs) of electric power, which is still generated largely from coal-based
technologies. Improving energy efficiency is a high priority at BOC. Reductions in energy consumption benefit
everyone in terms of lower CO2 emissions, lower production and purchase costs and lower product prices.
BOC manages the purchase and use of power extremely carefully. Its ASUs are run at optimal efficiency levels
required to meet regulatory and competitive requirements. Long-established efficiency programmes anticipate
power price movements wherever possible.To assure the highest levels of efficiency, state-of-the-art operating
centres in each global region control BOC’s production plants. Over the last four years, for example, Process Gas
Solutions has undertaken more than one thousand plant and distribution efficiency projects, delivering significant
annual savings. Managing climate change issues effectively and responsibly is a matter of business and environmental
necessity for the Group.
Carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from BOC production plants this year are estimated to be 7.9 million
tonnes (2004: 7.5 million tonnes); 7.4 million tonnes relate to emissions from using electricity and 480,000 tonnes
as a by-product of producing hydrogen by steam methane reforming.The hydrogen-related emissions are reported
for the first time this year. BOC’s electricity consumption for its production plants was approximately 11.9 Terawatt
hours (2004: 11.8 Terawatt hours).The two gases businesses, Process Gas Solutions and Industrial and Special
Products, account for 99 per cent of these emissions and in 2005 they produced 2,442 tonnes (2004: 2,521
tonnes (1) ) of carbon dioxide equivalents from electricity usage for each £1 million of turnover.
BOC’s methodology for emission estimation and addressing emission factors (2) has been independently
assessed and confirmed to be appropriate.The Group uses energy data to help improve its energy efficiency with
resultant improvements in carbon dioxide emissions.
During 2005 BOC undertook a number of pilot projects, with the assistance of the Carbon Trust, to improve
energy efficiency at several UK sites. For example at BOC Edwards’ Burgess Hill manufacturing facility a site energy
assessment identified potentially 340 tonnes of CO2 equivalent savings and at ISP’s Worsley site a similar survey
identified 420 tonnes of CO2 savings.These results will be used to develop best practice in energy management
next year.
1. Adjusted for the US packaged gas business divested in 2004.
2. The methodology is consistent with all major mobile and point sources of carbon dioxide emissions within scope 1 of the Greenhouse Gas
Protocol (World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the World Resources Institute, March 2004), all major sources of carbon
dioxide emissions under scope 2 of the protocol and major mobile sources of emissions under scope 3 of the protocol. The figure does not
include non-carbon dioxide global warming gases (N2O, SF6,CH4, PFCs and HFCs) or minor sources such as business travel, office electricity at
small sites and decomposition of wastes and carbon dioxide emissions associated with heat and/or steam imported to BOC plants.