BBA Group Annual Report 2004 - BBA Aviation

CORPORATE
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Our Group CSR Steering Committee undertook a number of important
initiatives during 2004 to broaden the reach of Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) within BBA’s family of businesses and their
employees. These initiatives included increasing the visibility of
CSR principles within BBA’s business operations through awareness
communications and training, and the development and promotion of
Group-wide policies that encourage responsible business and social
conduct. We also examined metrics to measure the Group’s
performance against various CSR performance standards and
prepared questionnaires for our major suppliers regarding their own
CSR practices. The Steering Committee also guided the development
of BBA’s 2003 Annual CSR Report, the text of which can be found on the
BBA Group web site. The Steering Committee regularly reports on its
activities to Richard Stillwell, a member of the BBA Group Board of
Directors who oversees CSR within the Group.
The Group’s Executive Committee also embraced important CSR
initiatives during 2004. Specifically, in May the Executive Committee
reviewed and approved for release guidance notes on Product/Process
Stewardship and Supply Chain Management. These notes, which are
being implemented through the Group’s HS&E management function,
emphasise responsibility in the creation, marketing and sales of our
products and services while encouraging our suppliers to employ
sound environmental practices. It is intended that the practices
detailed in these guidance notes will become embedded in the way
BBA Group companies conduct business.
During 2004 the Group issued its Corporate Social Responsibility
and Code of Business Ethics, consolidating CSR into a single
comprehensive directive to all members of Group management.
As an integral part of the mandatory practices of our management,
this policy embraces social and ethical principles that promote the
BBA GROUP
ANNUAL REPORT
2004
42
best interests of BBA employees as well as those of all persons who
affect or are affected by our businesses. As a complement to this
Policy, the Group also issued its Disclosure of Unethical Conduct
Policy, encouraging all employees to report any conduct that may
be incompatible with any Group policy.
Health and safety remain integral components of the Group’s
overall CSR strategy. During 2004 we recognised that Recordable
Incident Rate (RIR) data gathered from each of our businesses reflects
the frequency, but not the severity of workplace accidents. Although
our businesses have shown significant improvements in their RIR
performance, a single severe accident can result in lengthy employee
absences as well as direct and indirect costs to the affected business.
The Group now tracks accident severity alongside monthly RIR data.
This information allows a sharper focus on our root-cause analysis
and return-to-work programmes.
We are engaged in a continuing effort to improve the
environmental performance of all of our businesses. This is not just
a matter of legal and regulatory compliance. It is a social obligation to
the communities in which we work. All of our businesses must commit
to annual environmental improvement objectives that move beyond
compliance. Performance against these goals is scrutinised by our
Group HS&E Managers. Performance results are reported to the
Group’s senior management.
In November, BBA Group submitted its response to Business
in the Community’s (BitC) 2004 Corporate Responsibility Index. The
Index has been expanded by BitC to measure corporate performance
on a number of CSR issues. The Group’s response reflects material
improvements in its performance over prior years. We look forward to
the announcement of BitC’s survey results in early 2005 as a significant
measure of the Group’s progress in this important topic.