BHP-Billiton

 

Environment

We acknowledge that the nature of our operations can have significant environmental impacts. Additionally, we depend on obtaining and maintaining access to environmental resources such as land and water.

Competition for environmental resources is growing, with climate change amplifying the sensitivities of our natural systems. Through our Climate Change Position Statement and Water Stewardship Position Statement, we recognise that BHP has a responsibility to play a leadership role in responding to these global challenges.

Our environment approach

BHP’s approach to environment is embedded in our Purpose, Our Charter value of Sustainability and key company Position Statements and standards. In line with Our Charter, we acknowledge that we have a role in minimising adverse environmental impacts through every stage of our operational activities and contributing more broadly to the resilience of the natural environment. We also recognise that our environmental performance and management of environmental impacts on our host communities is an important part of our contribution to social value.

Our approach to environmental management is based on the identification, assessment and management of risks (both threats and opportunities) across all phases of our operational activities, including exploration, development, operation and closure. BHP applies a Group-wide Risk Framework to identify and manage risks, including environmental risks, and we engage with stakeholders and take their perspectives and knowledge into account in our decision-making.

As well as commitments in our Position Statements for Climate Change and Water Stewardship, we have Group-wide public environmental targets and longer term goals for water, biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions. In September 2020, we announced our medium-term target to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions. Our Group-wide environmental targets include reducing emissions, sustainable use of resources and contributing to the achievement of collective goals, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). We monitor and report our Group performance on a range of environmental indicators and metrics in line with external reporting frameworks, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Annual performance data, progress on public targets and key initiatives, as well as certain environmental monitoring information and environmental social impact assessments are publicly available on our website.

Minimising environmental impacts

We seek to avoid, minimise and mitigate adverse environmental impacts at every stage in the life cycle of our operational activities in line with our Risk Appetite Statement and have comprehensive frameworks, policies and processes (including on governance and risk management) that apply to environmental risks and set the basis for how we manage those risks and achieve our environmental objectives.

The Our Requirements for Environment and Climate Change standard (OR E&CC) outlines Group-wide mandatory minimum performance requirements to deliver on our commitments and to manage risk. It requires us to take an integrated, risk-based approach to the management of any actual or reasonably foreseeable operational impacts (which include direct, indirect and cumulative impacts) on land, biodiversity, water and air. We establish and implement monitoring and review practices designed to ensure continued management of environment-related risk within our risk appetite through business planning and project evaluation cycles.

An updated version of the OR E&CC was issued in FY2020, to reflect changes in BHP’s Risk Framework and other Our Requirements standards, our current public targets for water, climate change and biodiversity, our Water Stewardship Position Statement and new technical standards for water. For new requirements contained in the updated version, our operated assets are required to have a plan in place to implement those requirements. 

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