Management system

During 2007, we developed our Sustainable Development Management System (SDMS), a comprehensive mechanism which helps us ensure strong governance.

The SDMS is owned at a Group level and is applicable to all sites, operations and activities throughout the world. The SDMS comprises the following elements:

• the SD policy, which outlines our overall strategy and key areas of focus, and is supported by seven sector policies;
• ten management standards, which provide both the governance requirements to which we are committed and the link to our corporate governance structures;
• ten operating standards, developed for each of our policy areas, which define the minimum requirements for good management and control at operational level. They also provide guidance on the corporate expectations and implementation of each element of the SDMS at all three levels of the business – the Group, the divisions and the operations;
• a set of detailed and comprehensive performance requirements, which give our operations personnel a detailed and practical set of guidelines for implementing the SDMS;
• a set of specific, quantifiable short, medium and long-term SD commitments

We have also developed an audit tool that is based on our standards and reflects the details described in our performance requirements. The audit tool will assist us in achieving our commitment of full compliance with the SDMS throughout the Group by 2010.

Last change: 27/03/2008