_________________________________________________________________________________
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
_______________
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the Date of 30 September
2003
BHP Billiton Plc
Registration Number 3196209
Neathouse Place
London SW1V 1BH
United Kingdom
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
 

      
      Form 20-F
      X
       
      Form 40-F
       
    
  
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 

      
      Yes
       
       
      No
      X
    
  
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the
registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):







 








Date         30 September 2003






BHP BILLITON HEALTH, SAFETY, ENVIRONMENT & COMMUNITY REPORT 2003


Please find attached the 2003 Health, Safety, Environment and Community Report
of the BHP Billiton Group. A more expansive, pdf version of that Report will be
posted on the Group’s website www.bhpbilliton.com.



Karen Wood — Company Secretary



 

 







 








Our New Approach to Reporting


In early 2003, we commissioned an independent
survey to find out in which formats our
stakeholders would prefer to receive our Health,
Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) Report.


The object of the exercise was to enable us to
report in a way that would allow stakeholders to
quickly review our performance, while also
having the opportunity to easily access greater
amounts of detail as required.


In response to this feedback, we are providing
expanded information on our website while
reducing our printed report to this smaller
summary version. This is the mix preferred by
the great majority of our stakeholders. A brief
summary of our HSEC performance is also included
in the Company’s Annual Report.


This printed
Summary Report provides an overview of our HSEC
performance. The adjacent diagram shows where
you can access all the available information on
the website.


Global Reporting Initiative


The full HSEC Report on our website has been
prepared in accordance with the Global
Reporting Initiative (GRI) 2002 Sustainability
Reporting Guidelines. It should be recognised
that, due to the size and complexity of our
business, judgements have had to be made
regarding the extent of information that can be
presented in relation to each GRI indicator.
Please contact the Company if you would like
further information.


A GRI content index has been independently
prepared by URS Corporate Sustainable
Solutions, outlining how each specific
indicator of Part C of the GRI Guidelines has
been addressed.


Both the full HSEC Report and
the GRI index are available in PDF format.


About this Report


BHP Billiton is a Dual Listed Company
comprising BHP Billiton Limited and BHP
Billiton Plc and their subsidiaries. The two
entities continue to exist as separate
companies but operate as a combined group
known as BHP Billiton.


Throughout this Report, the terms BHP Billiton,
the Company and the Group refer to the combined
group. The statistics in this report cover the
facilities owned and operated by BHP Billiton
during the 12-month period to 30 June 2003.
Joint venture projects where we are not the
operator are excluded unless expressly stated.
The Report identifies where information has been
provided to facilitate year-to-year comparison
of our performance without BHP Steel, which
commenced trading on the Australian Stock
Exchange as a separate listed company in July
2002.


All dollar figures in the Report are US unless otherwise indicated.






For the full version of our Health, Safety,

Environment and Community Report 2003,

log onto www.bhpbilliton.com






 


4 Front cover main photo: Marcelino Melo Jr, Casthouse crew member, Mozal
Aluminium Smelter, Mozambique

The supporting images reflect our journey towards sustainable development — our
products, our people, our stakeholders, our future


 



Message from the Chief Executive Officer






4 Chip Goodyear, Chief Executive Officer


At BHP Billiton, we take a long-term view of our
business. A key aspect of our strategic
framework is our health, safety, environment and
community (HSEC) performance — because we value
our people, we respect our host communities and
we believe that excellence in HSEC is good for
our business.


I am very pleased to advise that
we have made steady progress against many of the
targets in our HSEC scorecard. However, we also
recognise that there is much work to be done,
and this report outlines a number of our key
work programs.


While pleased about our achievements, I am deeply
saddened to report that three people lost their
lives in our controlled operations during the
year. These people lost their lives in the course
of earning a living and helping our operations
achieve their objectives. But none of our
achievements is worth the loss of a life, and we
will continue to seek opportunities to improve
our safety performance and eliminate fatalities
from the workplace.


Environmental performance
across the company continued to be sound,
reflecting our systematic approach to managing
environmental risk. Management plans focusing
upon driving eco-efficiency gains have been
developed in the areas of energy usage,
greenhouse gas emissions, water and waste.


In line with our HSEC Policy, efforts have
continued towards improving our engagement with
our host communities. Our community
contributions, supporting community programs
and capacity building, this year amounted to
US$42 million or 1.4 per cent of our pre-tax profit, which once
again exceeded the target of 1 per cent. In
addition, US$12.5 billion was contributed to
regional economies from expenditure associated
with sustaining our operations.


During the year, we have been active in the
International Council on Mining and Metals
(ICMM) work program, contributing to the
formulation of the Sustainable Development
Framework, a guiding set of principles now
endorsed by all member companies. We have also
committed to implement the World Bank Guidelines
on Involuntary Resettlement and the US-UK
Voluntary Principles on Security and Human
Rights.


We have been pleased over the past year to
receive external recognition of our performance
in the areas of community partnerships,
sustainable development and public reporting.
Internally, our Employee HSEC Awards program
has been highly successful in recognising
excellence in HSEC performance and transferring
those improvement ideas across the
organisation.


The full HSEC Report on our
website has been prepared in accordance with
the Global Reporting Initiative 2002
Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, and
represents a balanced and reasonable
presentation of our organisation’s economic,
environmental and social performance.


The leadership team at BHP Billiton is committed
to our journey towards sustainable development
and Zero Harm. We understand that our leadership
efforts are fundamental for success, and we will
support and drive this relentlessly. This
journey, however, is not ours alone. It is all
about partnerships with our stakeholders — our
employees, contractors, shareholders, business
partners, suppliers, customers, government and
non-government organisations and host
communities.


Together, we have the will, the resources and
the skills to be successful.





Chip Goodyear


Chief Executive Officer





     
     
     
     
     


    
HSEC Targets and Scorecard
     
     
    2
     



    
HSEC Governance
     
     
    4
     



    
Part of the Global Community
     
     
    5
     



    
Performance Summaries
     
     
    6
     



    
Auditor’s Verification Statement
     
     
    15
     



    
Case Studies
     
     
    16
     



    
Our Resources at Work
     
     
    23
     



    
BHP Billiton Locations
     
     
    24
     



    
BHP Billiton Employee HSEC Awards Program
     
    IBC



    
External Recognition (2002/03)
     
    IBC



    
BHP Billiton Charter
     
    BC



    
BHP Billiton HSEC Policy
     
    BC



    
About BHP Billiton
     
    BC



    
Contact Us
     
    BC



We are continuously improving our reporting
systems and endeavour to present useful and
accurate information. While every effort has
been made to ensure the accuracy of the
information, including the figures, in this
Report, the data are derived from our many
operations around the world and, in some cases,
grouped data are not strictly comparable.


Anyone seeking to rely on information in this
Report or seeking to draw detailed conclusions
from the data should contact the Company for
verification and assistance.


Your comments on the contents of our HSEC Report
would be greatly appreciated. A Feedback Form is
available as part of the full HSEC Report on our
website at www.bhpbilliton.com



BHP Billiton Limited. ABN 49 004 028 077.

Registered in Australia. Registered Office (from 6 October 2003):

BHP Billiton Centre, 180 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000

Australia.



BHP Billiton Plc. Registration Number 3196209.

Registered in England and Wales. Registered Office:

Neathouse Place, London SW1V 1LH United Kingdom.









     
     
     


    BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003 4
     
    
1




 





HSEC Targets and Scorecard



BHP Billiton HSEC Targets (Baseline 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2002)


Legend:
= Target
exceeded or ahead of schedule
= Target
achieved (> 95%) or
on track = Target behind schedule = Target not achieved



MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS





     
     
     
     
     


    All sites1 to undertake annual self-assessments against the BHP
Billiton HSEC Management Standards.
     
    
=

     
    Systems in place and audits or self-assessments completed
at 99 per cent of required sites in FY03. Audits were also
conducted at three non-operated sites (not required by
the target).



     
     
     
     
     



    All sites1 to achieve
and maintain ISO 14001 Certification.
     
    
=

     
    All sites requiring ISO 14001 are accredited or have been
recommended for accreditation by their ISO auditor.



     
     
     
     
     



    Legal Compliance
     
     
     
     



    Zero fines and prosecutions.
     
    
=

     
    Nine fines in FY03 totalling US$166 944.



     
     
     
     
     



    Risk Management
     
     
     
     



    Risk registers to be in place at all sites and within BHP Billiton
businesses and Corporate.
     
    
=

     
    Risk registers in place at all required sites, and Customer
Sector Group and Corporate levels. HSEC risk incorporated
in Enterprise-Wide Risk Management framework.



     
     
     
     
     



    SAFETY
     
     
     
     



    Zero fatalities
     
    
=

     
    Three fatalities in controlled activities.2



     
     
     
     
     



    50 per cent reduction in Classified Injury Frequency Rate3
(excluding First Aid treatments) at sites by 30 June 2007.
     
    
=

     
    20 per cent reduction in Classified Injury Frequency Rate
in FY03.



     
     
     
     
     



    HEALTH
     
     
     
     



    All sites1 to implement a baseline survey on occupational exposure
hazards and establish occupational hygiene monitoring and
health surveillance programs.
     
    
=

     
    97 per cent of required sites implemented baseline surveys.
In addition, 91 per cent of employees requiring medical
health surveillance completed the medical examination.



     
     
     
     
     



    Annual reduction in percentage of people potentially exposed
above occupational exposure limits.4
     
    
=

     
    FY03 was the baseline year in determining exposure data.



     
     
     
     
     



    20 per cent reduction in incidence of occupational disease by
30 June 2007.
     
    
=

     
    FY03 was the baseline year in determining incidence rates.



     
     
     
     
     



    COMMUNITY
     
     
     
     



    All sites5 to prepare public HSEC reports at a local level
(including incidents, community complaints, and relevant
site-specific emissions) on an annual basis.
     
    
=

     
    HSEC reporting initiatives are in place at 97 per cent of
required sites or businesses.



     
     
     
     
     



    All sites5 to have a
community relations plan in place.
     
    
=

     
    Community relations plans in place at 95 per cent of
required sites and at 21 sites that were not required to
meet this target.



     
     
     
     
     



    No transgressions within the Group’s activities of the principles
embodied within the United Nations Universal Declaration of
Human Rights.
     
    
=

     
    None reported.



     
     
     
     
     



    Aggregate contribution to community programs, including in-kind
support, of a target of 1 per cent pre-tax profits, calculated
on a three-year rolling average.
     
    
=

     
    Expenditure totalled US$42 million, being 1.4 per cent of
pre-tax profits on a three-year rolling average.






     
     
     


    2
     
    
4 BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003



 

BHP Billiton HSEC Targets (Baseline 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2002) continued


Legend:
= Target
exceeded or ahead of schedule
= Target
achieved (>95%) or
on track = Target behind schedule = Target not achieved





     
     
     
     
     


    ENVIRONMENT
     
     
     
     



    Zero significant incidents (i.e., rated 3 and above on the
BHP Billiton Consequence Severity Table).
     
    
=

     
    Zero significant environmental incidents.



     
     
     
     
     



    Energy and Greenhouse
     
     
     
     



    All sites with emissions greater than 100 000 tonnes per year of
carbon dioxide equivalent6 are required to have energy
conservation plans with specific targets in place.
     
    
=

     
    Energy conservation plans in place at 88 per cent of
required sites and at nine sites that were below the
emissions threshold.



     
     
     
     
     



    All sites with emissions greater than 100 000 tonnes per year of
carbon dioxide equivalent 6 are required to have greenhouse gas
management programs.
     
    
=

     
    Greenhouse gas management programs in place at
85 per cent of required sites and at eight sites that
were below the emissions threshold.



     
     
     
     
     



    Aggregate Group target for reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions per unit of production of 5 per cent by 30 June 2007.
     
    
=

     
    FY03 intensity reduction achieved was 6 per cent, which
exceeded the long-range target (although data can
fluctuate on an annual basis).



     
     
     
     
     



    Water
     
     
     
     



    All sites with fresh water consumption greater than 500 ML
per annum7 to have water management plans in place.
     
    
=

     
    Water management plans in place at 98 per cent of
required sites and at 24 sites that were below the
threshold.



     
     
     
     
     



    Aggregate Group target of 10 per cent reduction in fresh water
consumption per unit of production by 30 June 2007.
     
    
=

     
    FY03 intensity reduction achieved was 1 per cent.



     
     
     
     
     



    Waste
     
     
     
     



    All sites1 to have
waste minimisation programs in place.
     
    
=

     
    Waste minimisation programs in place at 100 per cent of
required sites and at 18 sites that were not required to
meet this target.



     
     
     
     
     



    Aggregate Group target of 20 per cent reduction in waste
(excluding recycled and mining-related materials, such as
waste rock, tailings, coal reject and slag) per unit of production
by 30 June 2007.
     
    
=

     
    Increases in waste intensity reported in both general waste
and hazardous waste categories. The level of new project
development impacted the amount of general waste
generated.



     
     
     
     
     



    Land Management
     
     
     
     



    All sites5 to have land management plans in place to protect and
enhance agreed beneficial uses.
     
    
=

     
    Land management plans in place at 96 per cent of
required sites and at 21 sites that were not required to
meet this target.



     
     
     
     
     



    Product Stewardship
     
     
     
     



    Life cycle assessments prepared for all major BHP Billiton minerals
products by 30 June 2004 (incorporating participation in industry
programs as appropriate).
     
    
=

     
    This target is being monitored at the commodity level
and is on track.




Notes







    1.
     
    Excludes exploration and development projects, sites being divested,
closed sites and offices (numbering 57 sites in total).


     


    2.
     
    Controlled activities are work-related activities where BHP Billiton
directly supervises and enforces HSEC standards.


     


    3.
     
    A classified injury is any workplace injury that has resulted in the
person not returning to their unrestricted normal duties after the day on
which the injury was received.


     


    4.
     
    Target modified to reflect adoption of BHP Billiton exposure standards
(see Health Performance Summary in the full HSEC Report).


     


    5.
     
    Excludes petroleum platforms, exploration and development projects,
closed sites, and offices with no significant community or land management
issues.


     


    6.
     
    Forty sites have emissions greater than 100 000 tpa carbon dioxide
equivalent and, combined, account for 98 per cent of the Group’s
greenhouse gas emissions.


     


    7.
     
    Forty-one sites have freshwater consumption greater than 500 ML per annum
and, combined, account for greater than 91 per cent of the Group’s
consumption.





     
     
     


    BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003 4
     
    
3




 






HSEC Governance



Introduction


Clearly, strong governance in both the financial
and non-financial arenas is a critical aspect of
running a successful corporation. Our approach to
corporate governance is outlined in our Annual
Report and on our website at www.bhpbilliton.com/bb/investorCentre/annualReports.jsp


This section outlines our approach to HSEC governance.


Structure and responsibilities


At every level of the organisation, our line
managers, supported by functional personnel who
provide specialist advice, are responsible for
HSEC matters. Executive remuneration is directly
linked to the financial and non-financial
performance of the Company.


As shown in Figure 1, the Company’s peak HSE
governance body is the HSE Committee, which is a
subcommittee of the Board. Further details on
the HSE Committee can be found on our website at
www.bhpbilliton.com/bb/aboutUs/governance.jsp


HSEC standards across the Company are
coordinated and monitored through the BHP
Billiton Executive Committee.


The peak
functional group is the HSEC Forum, which is
involved in setting direction for the HSEC
function, identifying priority issues,
monitoring HSEC performance and building
consensus for the way forward.


Figure 1. HSEC Organisation Structure






Policy, Standards and Systems


The Company has combined health, safety,
environment and community matters in one policy
and one set of management standards. The
Standards cover the entire life cycle of our
assets, from exploration through to
construction, commissioning, operation,
decommissioning, closure and rehabilitation. Wherever we operate, HSEC aspects are addressed
in our decision-making processes, alongside
other business considerations. This means that,
while we strive to deliver strong financial
returns to shareholders, we fully recognise and
deliver on our wider responsibilities to our
stakeholders.


The BHP Billiton Charter, HSEC Policy and HSEC
Management Standards are mandatory at all our
sites and operations, under a hierarchical
management system where systems and documents
must meet and support the requirements of those
of higher levels, as shown in Figure 2. Where we
have no operational responsibility but have an
equity stake or significant BHP Billiton assets
involved, the Standards are made available to
the operator so that comparable HSEC management
standards can be applied. In addition, the
Standards require operations to evaluate the
social and environmental performance of our
contractors and
suppliers.


Figure 2. Hierarchy of Systems and Documents






Our HSEC Management Standards include a
requirement for an auditing process to ensure
that our Charter, HSEC Policy and Standards are
being applied and to verify performance. The
audit program is a triennial peer review process,
with audit teams drawn from operations personnel,
line management and external sources. During any
year, those sites not audited complete a
self-assessment against the Standards. Both the
formal audits and self-assessments result in the
development of performance improvement plans that
facilitate progress to full compliance with the
Standards. Conformance against the HSEC
Management Standards is reported in the Audit and
Self-Assessment section on page 14.


The full HSEC Management Standards and
performance requirements are available on
our website at
www.bhpbilliton.com/bbContentRepository/Policies/ HSECManagementStandardsIssue2.pdf


The HSEC Management Standards were revised
during the year, resulting in a consolidated,
yet more comprehensive, set of 15 standards. The
following new documents have also been prepared:






    •
     
    Fatal Risk Control Protocols


     


    •
     
    Hearing Conservation Guidelines


     


    •
     
    Health Surveillance Guidelines


     


    •
     
    Health Exposure Assessment Guidelines


     


    •
     
    Energy and Greenhouse Guideline


     


    •
     
    Energy and Greenhouse Gas Management Plan Template


     


    •
     
    Human Rights Self-Assessment Toolkit.





     
     
     


    4
     
    
4 BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003





 






Business conduct


The BHP Billiton Guide to Business
Conduct applies to all our employees and
contractors, regardless of their job or
location.


The Guide seeks to provide
direction and advice on conducting
business and interacting with
governments, communities and business
partners. It also states our position on
a wide range of ethical issues, including
conflict of interest, financial
inducements and bribery, insider trading
and political contributions. Managers and
supervisors are held accountable not only
for their own actions, but also for the
actions of their staff.


Resolution of business conduct issues is
encouraged at the local level. If this
is not possible, the issue can be raised
with regional points of contact or
helplines based in southern Africa
(Johannesburg), Europe (London),
Australasia (Melbourne) and South
America (Tintaya, Peru). For issues
related to fraud or bribery, the Fraud
Hotline is contacted. The final level of
management review is the Global Ethics
Panel.










    4
     
     The Guide to Business
Conduct is available on our
website at
www.bhpbilliton.com/bb/
peopleAndEmployment/globalBusinessConductGuide.jsp




Part of the Global Community



Our stakeholders


We are committed to maintaining and
promoting transparent dialogue with
stakeholders in the resources industry
and remaining responsive to the global
community’s concerns. We recognise the
importance of accountability to
stakeholders and are aiming for a higher
level of engagement and interaction,
particularly with the communities in
which we operate.


Our Charter, HSEC Policy, Management
Standards and Guide to Business Conduct
all promote a commitment to acting with
honesty, integrity and fairness in our
interactions with all our stakeholders.
Maintaining comprehensive stakeholder
relationships is a critical part of our
journey towards sustainable development.



Financial community


During the year, we continued to
participate in key external benchmarking
initiatives that attempt to measure BHP
Billiton’s sustainable development
performance against others in our
sector.


Over the period, we maintained our
inclusion in the UK FTSE4Good Index and
our position in the Dow Jones
Sustainability Index. One of the
leading proponents of socially
responsible investing, Storebrand in
Norway, ranked us ‘best in class’ for
our environmental and social
performance out of 21 companies
researched.



Forum on Corporate Responsibility


The BHP Billiton Forum on Corporate
Responsibility (FCR) brings together
representatives of our senior management
team, the leaders of several key
non-government organisations and
community opinion leaders to discuss and
debate social and environmental matters
relevant to the Company. Members of the
FCR have an opportunity to provide advice
and to challenge
the views of our senior management on
broader sustainable development issues.
The Company is not bound by the advice
of the FCR, and the FCR does not
necessarily endorse the Company’s
decisions.



Building global links


We are committed to proactive involvement
in a number of initiatives to contribute
to improving the sustainability of the
industry. Our individual businesses are
also actively engaged through their
sectoral organisations at national and
international levels.


The major externally developed, voluntary
initiatives1 that we are involved in or
are progressively implementing include:






     
    •
     
    Australian Minerals Industry
Code for Environmental
Management (1996)


     


     
    •
     
    Global Reporting Initiative (2002)


     


     
    •
     
    International Council on
Mining and Metals Sustainable
Development Framework (2003)


     


     
    •
     
    ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems (2002)


     


     
    •
     
    Mining Certification Evaluation
Project – Australian regional
initiative (2002)


     


     
    •
     
    United Nations Global Compact
(2002) (please refer to our
letter to the United Nations,
included on our website
www.bhpbilliton.com)


     


     
    •
     
    United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (2001)


     


     
    •
     
    US-UK Voluntary Principles on
Security and Human Rights (2003)


     


     
    •
     
    World Bank Guidelines on Involuntary
Resettlement (2003).


For further
details, see the full HSEC Report on
our website.






    1.
     
    The date in brackets indicates the
year in which we commenced our
involvement or commitment.





     
     
     


    BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003 4
     
    
5



 



Performance Summaries


The Company’s performance in the areas of health, safety, environment and
community (HSEC) is driven by our commitment
to people, the environment, our host communities, and the pursuit of
operational excellence to achieve great business outcomes for our
shareholders.


Figure 3 illustrates our ‘Road to Zero Harm’. This shows how
the things we do contribute towards creating a workplace where Zero Harm is
possible.


This section presents the key aspects of the Company’s HSEC
performance in 2002/03, with comments on performance trends and some of our
improvement activities. During the period, the organisation was recognised
with awards by external groups and organisations for its HSEC performance.
These are summarised inside the back cover of this Report.


Figure 3. Road to Zero Harm










     
     
     


    6
     
    
4 BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003



 




PERFORMANCE SUMMARIES



Health










     
     
    4 Our operations provide personal
protective equipment as a measure to
reduce potential exposure



Background


People are central to the success of our
business. Accordingly, understanding the
potential for health risks and
establishing suitable mitigation
measures are integral to our journey
towards Zero Harm.


Some of the potential health risks
present in the organisation include:






     
    •
     
    inherent occupational health risks
associated with the nature of our
operations, such as noise, dust,
hazardous materials and gases and
vibration


     


     
    •
     
    communicable diseases
present in some of the countries in
which we operate, including HIV/AIDS and
mosquito-borne diseases


     


     
    •
     
    travel-related
risks


     


     
    •
     
    ergonomic exposures relating to
work requirements


     


     
    •
     
    general suitability
for job criteria and fitness for work.



Performance


Establishing a baseline understanding of
potential health exposures and
performance across the organisation was
a focus of our health programs during
the year.






     
    •
     
    97 per cent of sites reported
undertaking a baseline survey on
occupational exposure hazards and
establishing associated monitoring
programs, 91 per cent of those
employees requiring medical health
surveillance completed the medical
examination.


     


     
    •
     
    Personal protective equipment
(PPE) compliance in the Company
was, on average, 94 per cent. This
is an area where we continually
seek improvement and are
encouraging operations to implement
formal audit programs of PPE
compliance. Currently, 70 per cent of
operations have formal audit programs.
We will endeavour to increase this over
the coming year.



Key issues


Noise is the most significant
occupational exposure in our business,
with 51 per cent of our employees
potentially exposed above the noise
exposure limit (85 dBA 8-hour
time-weighted average). Additionally,
data indicate that, without the use of
PPE, 20 per cent of our site-based
employees are potentially exposed to
hazardous substances above action levels
(50 per cent of the occupational exposure
limit) but below the occupational
exposure limit and 16 per cent of
employees are potentially exposed above
the occupational exposure limit. These
employees are protected from exposure
through our PPE programs at every site.
(See Figure 4.) While every effort is
made to protect all employees potentially
exposed to any adverse health effect
through the use of PPE, the drive is to
progressively reduce potential exposure
over time.



Figure 4.


Percentage of Employees in Potential Exposures*

2002/03






* I.e., would be exposed if not wearing PPE.


During 2003, there were 226 new cases of
occupational illnesses reported
throughout the Company. While half of
these were due to noise exposure, there
were also a significant number of new
cases of respiratory disease and
repetitive trauma diagnosed. (See Figure
5.)



Figure 5.


New Illnesses by Type

2002/03






The full year health reporting has
provided comprehensive data that
indicate the extent to which we are
potentially exposing employees to
workplace hazards.


This requires that we continue to be
vigilant in protecting employees from
these exposures while we seek ways to
reduce the exposure from our processes
and work environments. The illness data
collected provide clear baseline
information from which to measure the
success of our efforts to reduce
exposure to harm and potential
development of illness.


Our health targets will ensure that we
continue to look for opportunities –
through engineering, design and other
initiatives – to minimise the potential
adverse health effects associated with
work in our operations. (See Case Study,
page 17.)





     
     
     


    BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003 4
     
    
7



 




PERFORMANCE SUMMARIES



Safety










    4
     
     We are seeking to create a mindset
where people believe it is possible to
work injury free



Background


The safety of our employees and the
communities in which we operate is an
integral part of our business. Our goal
is Zero Harm. To this end, we are
seeking to create a mindset where people
believe it is possible to work injury
free – regardless of where they are in
the world, what role they undertake or
in which business they work. (See Case
Studies, page 18.)


Across the
organisation, we manage safety risks
through our risk-based HSEC Management
Standards and other dedicated systems.
The key risks include:






    •
     
    mobile
equipment and related interactions,
including light vehicles and surface and
underground mobile equipment


     


    •
     
    underground ground control encompassing
ground stability and ground support


     


    •
     
    hazardous materials storage, handling,
production, transport, recycling and
disposal


     


    •
     
    handling and processing of
molten materials


     


    •
     
    plant and equipment
safeguarding and isolation


     


    •
     
    working at
heights.



Performance


In 2003, we saw a significant
improvement in our overall safety
performance; however, we must remain
vigilant.






    •
     
    We deeply regret that three people
lost their lives in our controlled
operations during the year. While
this number of fatalities was
significantly lower than last year
(13), each death that occurs has a
profound impact on our people and
their families. Our resolve to
attain our goal of zero fatalities
is stronger than ever, and we will
relentlessly pursue opportunities to
achieve this. We are also
monitoring, and have established
processes to learn from, significant
incidents (including fatalities)
that result from activities related
to our business but not directly
within our management control (i.e.,
not at controlled operations). There
were 16 fatalities within this
category during the reporting
period. (The Company broadly aligns
reporting criteria with the US
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration Standards.) Figure 6
presents fatalities at controlled
operations from 2000/01 to 2002/03.


     


    •
     
    We received five health and
safety related fines totalling
US$129 372. These are detailed
in our full HSEC Report.


     


    •
     
    A 20 per cent reduction in our
Classified Injury Frequency Rate
from 6.51 in 2001/02 to 5.18 in
2002/03, was a promising achievement
during the period, reflecting
efforts
dedicated to safety improvement. (See
Figure 7.) A classified injury is any
workplace injury that has resulted in
the person not returning to their
unrestricted normal duties after the day
on which the injury was received.



Figure 6.



Fatalities (controlled operations)

2000/01 to 2002/03







Figure 7.



Classified Injury Frequency Rate*

2001/02 to 2002/03










    •
     
    The Classified Injury
Frequency Rate was introduced as
a measure in the 2001/02
reporting period. The 2001/02
Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate
was 2.24.



Key issues


Our strategies for safety improvement
focus on people and systems, with
emphasis on:






    •
     
    leadership effectiveness


     


    •
     
    behaviours and awareness


     


    •
     
    rigorous
standards and procedures for managing
key risks.




A significant step we have
taken to support our drive to eliminate
fatalities from our operations is the
development of Fatal Risk Control
Protocols in nine key areas. (See Case
Study, page 18.) The Protocols were
written by experienced teams drawn from
across the Company.


This initiative followed a review of our
fatal and high potential incidents over
the last ten years, from which we
identified a number of common risks to
our people – risks that require the
development of sound practices to
eliminate incidents that have the
potential to cause fatalities.





     
     
     


    8
     
    
4 BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003



 



Safety continued


Figure 8 provides an analysis of the
fatal and high potential incidents by
cause for the 2002/03 period.



Figure 8.



Significant Incidents

by Cause

2002/03






The Fatal Risk Control Protocols cover the following nine areas:






     
    •
     
    Light Vehicles


     


     
    •
     
    Surface Mobile Equipment


     


     
    •
     
    Underground Mobile Equipment


     


     
    •
     
    Underground Ground Control


     


     
    •
     
    Hazardous Materials Management


     


     
    •
     
    Molten Materials Management


     


     
    •
     
    Equipment Safeguarding


     


     
    •
     
    Isolation


     


     
    •
     
    Working at Heights.


These Protocols are mandatory at all
our controlled sites and operations.
They establish minimum performance
expectations for managing risk in each
of the nine areas.


The safety improvement road map (Figure
9) is our guide to safety excellence.
The diagram illustrates how, as the
maturity of our organisation increases,
our safety improvement initiatives
become all encompassing. The most mature
organisations understand that the
behaviours of their people are the key
to their success.



Figure 9.


Safety Improvement Road Map







Environment










    4
        
     
     We are focusing on increasing our understanding of environmental issues



Background


BHP Billiton owns and operates a diverse
range of businesses in different
countries and ecosystems around the
world. These businesses, by their
nature, have the potential to affect the
environment.


Potential significant environmental
impacts that we manage through our
HSEC Management Standards, HSEC risk
assessment and management programs and
other dedicated systems include:






    •
     
    greenhouse gas and other gaseous
emissions


     


    •
     
    reductions in water quality


     


    •
     
    impacts on land associated with land
disturbance


     


    •
     
    alterations to
biodiversity, either directly or
indirectly as a result of our
operations


     


    •
     
    indirect impacts
encompassing any of the above as a
result of the products and services we
purchase, lease or provide.
(See Case Studies, pages 19 and 20.)





     
     
     


    BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 20034
     
    
 9



 



PERFORMANCE SUMMARIES



Environment continued



Performance


Our focus for the past year has been on
a number of fronts:
working to establish environmental
management systems and eco-efficiency
plans at sites; increasing our
understanding and refining our
approaches to issues such as climate
change, biodiversity and eco-efficiency;
and improving our Company-wide
environmental information systems to
track performance.


A summary of our
environmental performance is presented
in Figure 10. Performance aspects of
note include the following.






    •
     
    All of the sites requiring ISO
14001 certification of their
Environmental Management Systems
either received or were notified
that they had been recommended for
certification.


     


    •
     
    Environmental management plans
(with reduction targets aimed at
driving eco-efficiencies) for land
management, water use and waste
management have been established
at over 95 per cent of required
sites. Greenhouse gas management
programs have been developed at 85
per cent of required sites, and
energy conservation programs at 88
per cent of required sites.


     


    •
     
    No significant environmental
incidents (level 3 or above in the
BHP Billiton Consequence Severity
Table) occurred.


     


    •
     
    Environmental fines during the
reporting period totalled US$37 572,
details of which are included in our
full HSEC Report.


     


    •
     
    Environmental spending for the
reporting period was US$134 million,
which includes costs for
rehabilitation, remediation,
environmental monitoring,
environmental research and
development and other
environment-related activities.
These costs exclude expenditure
associated with the operation and
maintenance of pollution control
equipment and the like.


     


    •
     
    Financial provisions for site
closure, rehabilitation and
remediation activities according to
United Kingdom Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles (UK GAAP)
amounted to US$2025 million.



Key issues

Resource use

Land


At 30 June 2003, land newly disturbed
was 3540 hectares compared to 4520
hectares for the previous year. The
reason there was less newly disturbed
land was primarily a result of our
open-cut Queensland coal operations not
needing to disturb any further land for
mining during the year. The area
rehabilitated was 1790 hectares, a
slight decrease from 2230 hectares last
year. (See Figure 11.)






Total land requiring rehabilitation
reduced from 82 910 hectares to 77 160
hectares, mainly due to a clarification
of the estimate of land requiring
rehabilitation at our Escondida
operations from the previous year.


Accidental discharges of hydrocarbons to
land and water totalled 104 600 litres
during the reporting period. This total
consisted of a number of small-volume
spills, including hydrocarbons released
from primary containment facilities but
captured in secondary containment
facilities.



Figure 10. Summary of Environmental Performance 1999/00 to 2002/03 1





     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


     
     
     
    Unit
     
    1999/00
     
    2000/01
     
    2001/02
     
    2002/03


     
     
     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    
Land Use
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



     
    
Land disturbed
     
    Hectares
     
     
    4 170
     
     
     
    4 930
     
     
     
    4 520
     
     
     
    3  540
     



     
    
Land rehabilitated
     
    Hectares
     
     
    2 090
     
     
     
    2 120
     
     
     
    2 230
     
     
     
    1 790
     



     
    
Land requiring rehabilitation 2
     
    Hectares
     
     
    77 770
     
     
     
    81 320
     
     
     
    82 910
     
     
     
    77 160
     



    
Resource Consumption
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



     
    
Fresh water
     
    Megalitres
     
     
    154 000
     
     
     
    160 300
     
     
     
    147 100
     
     
     
    132 630
     



     
    
Recycled water 3
     
    Megalitres
     
     
    64 100
     
     
     
    99 700
     
     
     
    543 000
     
     
     
    175 350
     



     
    
Energy
     
    Petajoules
     
     
    382
     
     
     
    390
     
     
     
    396
     
     
     
    292
     



    
Waste Disposal 4
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



     
    
Hazardous waste
     
    Tonnes
     
     
    103 900
     
     
     
    93 800
     
     
     
    80 700
     
     
     
    79 940
     



     
    
General waste to landfill
     
    Tonnes
     
     
    288 700
     
     
     
    213 700
     
     
     
    107 400
     
     
     
    115 280
     



    
Air Emissions
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



     
    
Oxides of sulphur (SOx) 5
     
    Tonnes
     
     
    78 500
     
     
     
    89 900
     
     
     
    56 330
     
     
     
    50 020
     



     
    
Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) 5
     
    Tonnes
     
     
    118 600
     
     
     
    112 300
     
     
     
    55 750
     
     
     
    49 640
     



     
    
Fluoride
     
    Tonnes
     
     
    1 713
     
     
     
    1 795
     
     
     
    1 680
     
     
     
    910
     



     
    
Greenhouse gases 6
     
    Tonnes CO2-e
     
     
    62 600 000
     
     
     
    57 100 000
     
     
     
    60 020 000
     
     
     
    47 070 000
     







    1.
     
    In the summary text of each performance category, information has been
provided to facilitate year-to-year comparison of performance without BHP
Steel.


     


    2.
     
    Rehabilitation requirements assuming immediate closure of all operations.
Escondida re-estimated its land area requiring rehabilitation in 2002/03.


     


    3.
     
    Recycled water: Not all sites reported recycled water in 1999/00 and
2000/01.


     


    4.
     
    Waste: Excludes recycled materials and mining-related materials such as
waste rock, tailings, coal reject and slag.


     


    5.
     
    Transport and logistics operations were divested during 2001/02.


     


    6.
     
    Greenhouse gases (1999/00 and 2000/01): Different methodologies of
reporting were used prior to the BHP Billiton merger.





     
     
     


    10
     
    
4 BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003



 



Environment continued



Energy


Total energy consumption was 292
petajoules, a decrease from 396
petajoules last year. This was primarily
due to the demerger of BHP Steel, which
contributed 131 petajoules in 2001/02.
While energy consumption rose during the
year due to production increases at a
number of our operations, this was
partially offset by improvements at our
manganese and chrome operations, and
initiatives in improving energy
efficiency such as the Energy Smart
Program at our EKATI Diamond Mine. (See
Case Study, page 19.) The trend for the
Company is shown in Figure 12.



Figure 12.

Total Energy Use

1999/00 to 2002/03






The major sources of energy use are
from purchased electricity, natural
gas, and coal and coke, as shown in
Figure 13.



Figure 13.

Energy Use by Type

2002/03






The overall energy intensity index1 for
the Company is illustrated in Figure 14.



Figure 14.

BHP Billiton

Overall Energy Intensity

2001/02 to 2002/03







Water


Availability of fresh water is an
important global environmental issue.


Total fresh water consumption for the
reporting period was 132 630
megalitres, a decrease from last
year’s total of 147 100 megalitres.
Recycled water reduced from 543 000
megalitres in the previous reporting
period to 175 350 megalitres. The reduction in the
amount of fresh water consumed and water
recycled was mainly due to the demerger
of BHP Steel, which consumed 26 300
megalitres of fresh water and recycled
415 600 megalitres of water in 2001/02.


Figure 15 presents the water consumption for the Company.






The overall fresh water intensity index1 is presented in Figure 16.



Figure 16.

BHP Billiton

Overall Fresh Water Intensity

2001/02 to 2002/03







Gaseous emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions


Our greenhouse gas emissions for the
year totalled 47.1 million tonnes of
carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e), a
reduction from last year’s 60.0 million
tonnes of CO2 equivalent. The primary
factor in the reduction of emissions
was the demerger of BHP Steel, which
contributed 13.4 million tonnes of CO2
equivalent in 2001/02.


Greenhouse gas emissions for the past
four years are presented in Figure 17.



Figure 17.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

1999/00 to 2002/03










    1.
     
    The Intensity Index has been developed as a Company-wide performance
indicator on environmental aspects such as energy use, greenhouse gas
emissions and fresh water consumption. The ‘index’ concept allows
performance from different business groups or sites, all of which may have
different operating conditions and product mixes, to be added together to
form an overall indicator per unit of production. The baseline for the
Intensity Indices is 2001/02 and, as such, has a value of 100.





     
     
     


    BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003 4
     
    
11





 







PERFORMANCE SUMMARIES



Environment continued


The sources of greenhouse gas emissions are presented in Figure 18.



Figure 18.


Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2002/03






The overall greenhouse gas intensity
index1 for
the Company is presented in Figure 19. The
intensity reduction achieved for the year was 6
per cent, however it should be noted that data
can fluctuate on an annual basis.



Figure 19.


BHP Billiton Overall Greenhouse Gas Intensity 2001/02 to 2002/03







Oxides of sulphur and nitrogen


Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions for the
reporting period were 49 640 tonnes, compared to
55 750 tonnes last year. Oxides of sulphur (SOx)
emissions totalled 50 020 tonnes, compared to 56
330 tonnes last year. The Company’s overall
performance for NOx and SOx are presented in
Figure 20 and Figure 21 respectively.


The
reduction in NOx and SOx emissions is mainly due
to the demerger of BHP Steel. The purchase of
diesel with low sulphur content by our sites
also contributed to the reduction of SOx.



Figure 20.

NOx Emissions to Air 1999/00 to 2002/03







Figure 21.


SOx Emissions to Air 1999/00 to 2002/03






Fluoride


There was a significant decrease in fluoride
emissions, from 1680 tonnes last year to 910
tonnes this year. This was due to substantial
improvements in emission control at our
aluminium smelters, including the environmental
upgrade of potrooms B and C at Bayside, South
Africa. The Company’s fluoride emissions are
presented in Figure 22.



Figure 22.


Fluoride Emissions to Air 1999/00 to 2002/03







Waste


Total general waste (consisting of domestic and
construction wastes) disposed of to landfill
during the reporting period was 115 280 tonnes,
an increase against the previous year’s total of
107 400 tonnes. The increase was mainly due to
construction associated with expansion
activities at some of our sites.


Hazardous waste (excluding recycled materials, overburden,
tailings and slags) generated in the reporting
period was 79 940 tonnes. This consisted
primarily of waste oil, chemical wastes,
hazardous baghouse dusts and other hydrocarbon
wastes.


Indicative trends of waste disposed of
by the Company are presented in Figure 23.



Figure 23.


Waste Disposal 1999/00 to 2002/03







Biodiversity


Biodiversity initiatives were undertaken in a
number of areas over the past year. We have
assessed each of our sites to determine whether
any of our operations are within protective
categories I to IV of the World Conservation
Union, formerly the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature (IUCN). We have several
sites adjacent to protected areas; and the
Minerva natural gas project, which has been
given full authorisation, has horizontally
drilled underneath the Port Campbell National
Park in Victoria, Australia (Category II
National Park Recreation).


Through the ICMM, we
also actively participate with other interested
organisations in a joint program of work in the
area of mining and biodiversity, including
development of principles and related reporting
criteria. As an ICMM member company, we have
undertaken not to explore or develop mines in
World Heritage Properties.







    1.
     
    The Intensity Index has been developed as a Company-wide performance
indicator on environmental aspects such as energy use, greenhouse gas
emissions and fresh water consumption. The ‘index’ concept allows
performance from different business groups or sites, all of which may have
different operating conditions and product mixes, to be added together to
form an overall indicator per unit of production. The baseline for the
Intensity Indices is 2001/02 and, as such, has a value of 100.





     
     
     


    12
     
    
4 BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003



 



Environment continued



Climate change


We are working on activities related to
climate change in a number of ways.


In addition to our 5 per cent greenhouse gas
intensity reduction target, we are committed to
working with customers to improve energy
efficiency in the downstream consumption of our
Energy Coal products. We are assessing
opportunities to use the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean
Development Mechanism to reduce emissions and
promote sustainable development. Carbon pricing
sensitivity analysis is considered in our
decisions for new projects and investments that
would emit more than 100 000 tonnes of CO2
equivalent per year. We are also funding research
into geological sequestration of CO2 and the
development of low-emission coal technologies.


Product stewardship


During the year, we continued our work and
participation in product stewardship
activities. For example, our Base Metals
Customer Sector Group (CSG) is conducting
Life Cycle Assessment studies for copper in
conjunction with the International Copper
Association and for zinc with the
International Zinc Association. Additionally,
they are taking a primary role in the efforts
on lead stewardship through their involvement
in the Green Lead™ project.


Our Stainless Steel Materials CSG has completed
a Life Cycle Assessment with the Nickel
Development Institute. Our manganese business,
in association with research institutes and
universities, has embarked on an initiative to
promote a selenium-free manganese product and
our Australian coal businesses have participated
in the Australian Coal Association Research
Program project, ‘Coal in a Sustainable
Society’.


Community





4 We recognise the importance of
assisting in the development of communities
wherever we operate


Background


The Company owns and operates a diverse range of
businesses in different countries and cultures
around the world. We track a range of social
issues relevant to sustainable development,
including:






    •
     
    human rights of our employees,
contractors, suppliers, and the communities in
which we operate


     


    •
     
    community development (See
Case Study, page 21.)


     


    •
     
    indigenous communities
that own the land impacted by our operations or
live nearby


     


    •
     
    ethics and business conduct


     


    •
     
    indirect social impacts incorporating issues
such as community dependency on our activities.


Performance


During the year, our community performance
continued to progress well on a number of
fronts:






    •
     
    Total community contributions of US$42
million equated to 1.4 per cent of pre-tax
profit (three-year rolling average), which
exceeded our target of 1 per cent. This
amount includes our contribution to
community programs at joint venture
operations. The main areas of focus for
community programs were community welfare
(31 per cent) and education (29 per cent).
(See Figure 24.)


Figure 24.


Contributions to Community Programs by Category 2002/03









    •
     
    97 per cent of our sites have produced
public HSEC reports, which meets our
target. These reports are available on our
website at
www.bhpbilliton.com/bb/sustainableDevelopment/operationsHSECReports.jsp


     


    •
     
    95 per cent of our sites have community
relations plans in place or were covered by
a regional development plan developed by
the business group. Complaints were
received by 62 per cent of our sites. Of
the 361 complaints, 22 per cent were
related to dust, 22 per cent to noise and
17 per cent to odour.


     


    •
     
    There were 55 substantive calls to the
Business Conduct Helpline and Fraud
Hotline. A breakdown of these calls is
included in Figure 25. Several cases
required involvement of the Global Ethics
Panel.



Figure 25.


Business Conduct Helpline and Fraud Hotline Categories of Calls 2002/03





Key issues


During the period, we adopted the World Bank
Guidelines on Involuntary Resettlement and the
US-UK Voluntary Principles on Security and Human
Rights, so that our policies and systems are in
line with the International Council on Mining
and Metal’s Sustainable Development Framework
and key stakeholder expectations. (See Case
Study, page 21.)


 






     
     
     


    4 BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003
     
    13




 



PERFORMANCE SUMMARIES



Community continued


A new employee Matched Giving Program was
piloted in South Africa, the United Kingdom and
Australia. The program aims to strengthen local
communities by supporting and encouraging
employees who volunteer, fundraise or donate to
not-for-profit organisations.


The pilot Matched Giving Program was well
received, with over US$300 000 being contributed
to 274 not-for-profit organisations. For example,
more than 36 000 hours in personal volunteering
were matched with cash donations to organisations
where the employees offered their time.


In conjunction with Oxfam Community Aid Abroad,
we ran the second Corporate Community Leadership
Program in Orissa, India. With the aim of
increasing understanding of social issues
relating to our operations, the program involved
12 employees from across our businesses.


Employee Relations


Employee profile


The average number of permanent employees across
the Company (including BHP Billiton’s owned and
operated facilities and share of unincorporated
joint ventures) was 34 800, compared to 51 000
reported in the previous period. A regional
breakdown of employees is presented in Figure 26.
The demerger of BHP Steel accounted for a
reduction in employees of 12 270, with the sale
of transport and logistics businesses accounting
for another 1380. About 98 per cent of employees
at operated sites or corporate offices work
full-time. The average turnover rate of employees
at operated sites and corporate offices was 5 per
cent. A total of about 32 000 contractors were
employed at operated sites.


Figure 26.


Regional Geographic Breakdown of Total Number of Employees 2002/03





All sites report the age of their youngest
worker and the corresponding minimum working
age in their jurisdiction. The youngest
employees were 17 years of age. All Company
employees earned greater than the stipulated
minimum wage in the countries in which they
worked.


Freedom of association


While fully recognising the right of our
employees to freely associate and join trade
unions, we have a number of sites where
we have a mix of collective and individual
arrangements. Prospective employees are made
aware of employment arrangements prior to
joining the Company. A total of 22 400
employees, or about 60 per cent of the
workforce, were covered by collective bargaining
agreements at operated sites and offices. The
Company has a policy to consult with employees
on major organisational changes.


Diversity


The Company is committed to developing a diverse
workforce and to providing a work environment in
which everyone is treated fairly and with
respect. Harassment of any form is unacceptable.
An example of the ongoing policies or programs
we undertake to address employment diversity
issues is our Employment Equity Policy in South
Africa, which ultimately aims to achieve
representation at all levels in our businesses
consistent with the demographic profile of South
Africa. (See Case Study, page 22.)


In the year
ending June 2003, about 8 per cent of full-time
employees at operated sites/offices were women.


Human rights


During the year, a Human Rights Self-Assessment
Toolkit was developed and distributed to all
Company sites to assist them in appraising their
potential exposure to human rights issues. The
self-assessment will form part of the HSEC audit
process.


Three sites reported human rights
issues during the year. At the Tintaya copper
mine in Peru, pending issues are being addressed
by the ‘Mesa de Dialogo’, a dialogue process
established with representation from the five
communities in the Espinar region. Two issues in
South Africa are currently being resolved. One
relates to squatters dwelling on a mine property
and the other to the voluntary relocation of a
person living in a house on a closed mine site.


Indigenous employment and training


Indigenous employment is an important issue at
a number of our sites. Some sites have set
specific targets for indigenous employment and
are publicly reporting their progress against
these targets.


Indigenous employment strategies are in operation
at Iron Ore, Western Australia and Groote Eylandt
Mining Company (GEMCO), Northern Territory in
Australia; New Mexico Coal in the US; and EKATI
Diamond Mine in Canada. In addition, many sites
operate training programs to increase proficiency
in general literacy or technical skills. (See our
full HSEC Report on the website.)


Audit and Self-Assessment


A total of 34 HSEC audits were conducted during
the year to assess the level of implementation
of the HSEC Management Standards. The audit
program involved 99 personnel from both HSEC
functional roles and operational roles (13 of
whom participated in audits last year) and
eight external auditors (two of whom are
members of the HSE Committee of the BHP
Billiton Board).


The average overall conformance to the
Management Standards based on the sites audited
is 3.4 out of 5. Sites not audited during the
year were required to undertake self-assessments
against the Standards. The results from these 51
self-assessments have been combined with the
audit results to give an overall conformance of
3.6 out of 5 for the organisation.





     
     
     


    14
     
    HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003



 



Economic


The data in this section deal with the economic
affairs of the BHP Billiton Group. The Company
has an annual turnover of US$17.5 billion, and an
enterprise value of US$35 billion (30 June 2003).
The Company’s diversification by operating assets
across geographic regions is illustrated in
Figure 27.


Figure 27.


Diversification by Geographic Region (Net Operating Assets) At 30 June 2003





Our shareholder base is widely diversified,
with approximately 39 per cent of shares held
in Australia, 30 per cent in Europe, 18 per
cent in North America, 8 per cent in South
Africa and 5 per cent in Asia.


Globally, the Company spent in the order of
US$12.5 billion sustaining its businesses.
The breakdown of this figure by category is
shown in Figure 28.



Figure 28.


Total Allocated Expenditure by Category 2002/03 (US$ million)






Figure 29 shows these data broken down by
region. This section helps to quantify the
regional economic contributions of the Group.


We have confirmed our support for the Extractive
Industries Transparency Initiative regarding
disclosure of payment of taxes and royalties. We
will work with our host governments that
participate in this process to ensure public
reporting of these payments. In the interim, we
have presented these data on a regional basis in
Figure 29.



Figure 29.


Expenditure by region
(US$ million)1 2002/03

—





     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


     
     
    Income Tax
     
    Employee Payments
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


     
     
    Resource Rent Tax
     
    Goods and
     
    Community
     
    Shareholder
     
    Regional


     
     
    and Royalties
     
    Services 2
     

Contributions 4
     
    Dividends 3
     
    Totals


     
     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    
Africa
     
     
    317
     
     
     
    2 036
     
     
     
    14
     
     
     
    72
     
     
     
    2 439
     


    

     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     


    
Australia and Asia
     
     
    1 241
     
     
     
    5 061
     
     
     
    10
     
     
     
    396
     
     
     
    6  708
     


    

     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     


    
Europe
     
     
    89
     
     
     
    207
     
     
     
    < 1
     
     
     
    270
     
     
     
    567
     


    

     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     


    
North America
     
     
    95
     
     
     
    913
     
     
     
    5
     
     
     
    162
     
     
     
    1  175
     


    

     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     


    
South America
     
     
    88
     
     
     
    1 476
     
     
     
    13
     
     
     
    <1
     
     
     
    1 577
     


    

     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     


    
Global total
     
     
    1 830
     
     
     
    9  693
     
     
     
    42
     
     
     
    900
     
     
     
    12 466
     


    

     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     
     
     
    

     








    1.
     
    The data in this table have been rounded and cover operated assets and the
Group’s share of unincorporated joint ventures.


     


    2.
     
    Due to the way that we currently document the sourcing of all imported
materials and services, we have not been able to allocate all expenditure on
goods and services. (note: these data have not been audited). Additional
unallocated expenditure on goods and services totalled US$1302 million
globally.


     


    3.
     
    Shareholder dividends are based on a shareholder register
analysis dated 30 June 2003 and total dividends payable FY03.


     


    4.
     
    Cover both operated assets and our share of joint ventures.




Auditor’s Verification Statement


Environmental Resources Management (ERM) was
requested by BHP Billiton Limited to assess and
comment upon the accuracy of the data used in
the full Health, Safety, Environment and
Community (HSEC) Report for the period 1 July
2002 to 31 June 2003. ERM undertook this
assessment by reviewing the on-site data
collection process, the data management and
collation process, and the synthesis of this
data into the tables, graphs and statements that
are presented in the full HSEC Report. A number
of minor errors were detected in the site data
and immediately corrected. ERM believe that the
material presented in the full HSEC Report,
which is abbreviated in this Summary Report,
is a fair and reasonable representation of
actual company performance on reported HSEC
issues across the operations managed by BHP
Billiton.


ERM’s complete verification statement is
available in the full HSEC Report on the BHP
Billiton website.





     
     
     
     
     


    
     
    

     
  



    David Snashall

Principal
     
    
Danny Ptak

Senior Auditor

     







     
     
     


    BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003 4
     
    
15



 



Case Studies


The full HSEC Report on our website contains the following case studies, which
present examples of HSEC issues, initiatives, projects and programs across the
Group. In this Summary Report, we present a selection in abbreviated form, as
highlighted below.


Health






    1.
     
    Developing a ‘hierarchy of control’
approach to managing our occupational
health exposures


     


    2.
     
    Health programs in southern Africa help
provide care for HIV/AIDS patients


     


    3.
     
    Malaria control programs in
Mozambique and Brazil are proving
effective


     


    4.
     
    Cardiovascular assessment at Tintaya
studies potential high-altitude health
risks to employees’ children


     


    5.
     
    Large-scale occupational health study at
Cerro Matoso includes a pioneering
epidemiological monitoring program



Safety






    6.
     
    In our drive to achieve zero fatalities,
new Fatal Risk Control Protocols set
minimum performance expectations for
managing critical safety risks at sites


     


    7.
     
    Taking a safety-conscious approach to
tapping the riches of the Sahara


     


    8.
     
    The road to Zero Harm at the Mozal 2 expansion project


     


    9.
     
    Construction of Dendrobium ventilation
shaft sets new safety and environment
standards


     


    10.
     
    Building safety assurances into
the construction and operation of a new
drillship underpins an excellent safety
performance in the Gulf of Mexico



Environment






    11.
     
    Developing new coal technologies to meet
the world’s energy needs in a sustainable way


     


    12.
     
    Greenhouse gas intensity reduction
strategy is producing results


     


    13.
     
    Consultative process is addressing community
concerns about mining beneath Appin township
and Marhnyes Waterhole


     


    14.
     
    Rehabilitation
program at Beenup is restoring the mine site
as a self-sustaining environment of native
vegetation, wetlands and pasture


     


    15.
     
    ‘Revive our Wetlands’ program aims to
protect and revitalise 100 of Australia’s
most important wetlands


     



    16.
     
    Waste management
program at Cerro Matoso delivers
environmental benefits and more


     


    17.
     
    Yabulu
refinery maintains an environmental
assessment and management program to preserve
local ecosystems


     


    18.
     
    Energy Smart Program
exceeds target at EKATI Diamond Mine


     







    19.
     
    Ingwe develops innovative solution to
stormwater run-off during mine site
rehabilitation



Environment continued






    20.
     
    Trials show grazing can be a sustainable
use of rehabilitated mine land in Australia’s
Bowen Basin


     


    21.
     
    Minerva development project
applies an integrated approach to managing
environment and community issues



Community






    22.
     
    Acquisition of Tabaco village in Colombia
provides lessons for future resettlement
projects


     


    23.
     
    Pakistan community program
focuses on education to improve quality of
life


     


    24.
     
    Corporate Community Leadership Program
examines impact of community development
activities in India


     


    25.
     
    Reversing resettlement in northern Peru
benefits local families


     


    26.
     
    PNG Sustainable
Development Program Company begins planning
community programs


     


    27.
     
    Pering mine – meeting the
challenges of closure


     


    28.
     
    Gag Island nickel
project remains on care and maintenance


     


    29.
     
    Cerro Matoso’s support for a central educational
resource in Montelíbano, Colombia, enhances
learning for thousands of students


     


    30.
     
    Mozal
program supports small and medium enterprises in
Mozambique


     


    31.
     
    The San Isidro Foundation
implements a Zonal Planning
System to define areas of need for
community programs


     


    32.
     
    Planned diamond
exploration in the Kalahari Game
Reserve is unrelated to relocation of
indigenous people


     


    33.
     
    At the Area C project
in Australia, an agreement with the
traditional owners has enabled unique
archaeological sites to be excavated and
relocated


     


    34.
     
    Tintaya addresses community
concerns through formal consultation
processes with stakeholders


     


    35.
     
    BMA
Community Partnerships Program is based on
extensive research of community needs



General






    36.
     
    Escondida: contributing to the progress of
Chile


     


    37.
     
    Establishing the foundations for
facilitating the black economic empowerment
process in South Africa’s resources industry


     


    38.
     
    HSEC considerations are integral
to our Enterprise-Wide Risk Management strategy


     


    39.
     
    New study indicates potential for
improving the environmental performance of
stainless steel made from our nickel and
chrome products


     


    40.
     
    Green Lead™ project aims
to achieve Zero Harm from lead exposure


     


    41.
     
    Mining industry stakeholders look at
developing a system for independent
certification of environmental and social
performance





     
     
     


    16
     
    HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003



 

 



     
     
     


    Health
     
     

 

    Developing a ‘hierarchy of control’ approach to managing our
occupational health exposures
     
    







Across our Company there are a variety of site-based exposures that have the
potential to cause long-term health effects. The most appropriate approach to
these risks is to reduce exposure to the individual. Personal protective
equipment (PPE) has been a customary form of protecting employees from adverse
exposures. However, in applying a ‘hierarchy of control’, our goal is to reduce
the potential exposures in an absolute sense.





4 Alan Emery, Engineering Manager,
conducting a safety talk 80 metres underground
at Khutala Colliery, South Africa


The target for our operations is to reduce
exposures over time through a hierarchy of
control approach. A long-term aim would be to
create a work environment where PPE is not
required.

Noise is a significant exposure in our
industry. The application of engineering
processes may significantly reduce exposure. Our
Iron Ore operation at Port Hedland, Australia,
has recently installed fibreglass insulation in
the crusher plant and fully enclosed the blower units in the beneficiation
plant, significantly reducing noise levels.


In underground coal mining, noise and dust are
constant sources of adverse exposure. At our
Khutala coal mine in South Africa, specific
attention has been given to enclosing the cabins
of operators, markedly reducing noise and dust
exposure. Another exposure is that of diesel
particulates. Our Illawarra Coal operation in
Australia has been sponsoring a study of this
exposure, and a filter mechanism to reduce
diesel particulate exposure has now been
developed.


A further example of employing the hierarchy
of control approach to reduce exposure is at
our copper oxide plant in Tintaya, Peru. By
applying world’s best practice engineering
processes, the emissions of sulphuric acid
mist have been significantly reduced.


A preventive approach to managing our health
issues will focus on the design phase of new
operations, to ensure potential health exposures
have been minimised as much as possible.





     
     
     


    Health programs in southern Africa help provide care

for HIV/AIDS patients
     
    




Many of our businesses in South Africa and Mozambique are in areas where the
incidence of HIV/AIDS is among the highest in the world. In fulfilling our
responsibility to care for our employees, we have developed support programs to
help prevent them from acquiring the disease or, in the case of patients, to
receive appropriate treatment. In line with our Charter, we are also assisting
the broader community to cope with the effects of the epidemic by participating
in a range of projects with government, community organisations, NGOs and
industry groups.





4 Ethembeni Care Centre, Zululand


In recognising the severity of this devastating
health issue, our sites have put into place
various strategies to limit the impact of
HIV/AIDS on our employees and our operations.
These include supporting educational and
awareness programs; promoting healthy
lifestyles; and, in collaboration with trade
unions, arranging anonymous testing and
counselling.


To contain and better manage the problem,
operations focus on local recruitment in
preference to intakes of migrant workers and
encourage private home ownership over
high-density accommodation.


In South Africa, the Company contributes to each
employee’s remuneration package to enable them
to become a member of a medical aid fund.
Membership has given all employees and their
families access to private health care. The
medical aid schemes to which our employees
belong now provide anti-retroviral treatment and
treatment for HIV/AIDS related illnesses. A
similar program is in development in Mozambique.


As examples of our community-based projects, our
Hillside and Bayside aluminium operations in
Zululand support the Ethembeni Care Centre,
which provides infected patients with
rehabilitation, respite and palliative care. Our
Metalloys operation, located in the Gauteng
Province of South Africa, has converted its
redundant Kotulong hostel complex into a
community support centre to enhance the quality
of life of infected people. In Mozambique, the
Mozal Community Development Trust is supporting
an HIV/AIDS prevention initiative (known as the
Total Control of the Epidemic program) and the
Government’s voluntary testing centres in Maputo
and surrounding areas.





     
     
     


    BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003 4
     
    
17





 






CASE STUDIES



Safety





     
     
     


    In our drive to achieve zero fatalities, new Fatal Risk Control
Protocols set minimum performance expectations for managing critical
safety risks at sites
     
    




Following the BHP Billiton merger, a review of safety performance over the
previous ten years was conducted across the organisation. The study identified
that, of the total fatalities that had occurred within this period, 94 per cent
were single fatality incidents. This finding has focused our attention on the
key risk areas that have historically contributed to fatalities within the
Company. Fatal Risk Control Protocols have now been developed as a key
component of our Safety Strategy. We are committed to eliminating fatalities
from our operations.







4 Molten materials management


In implementing the Safety Strategy, it is
vitally important that our people believe it is
possible to work injury free – regardless of
their role or location. Our key strategies in
working towards this goal have been in three
main areas: leadership effectiveness,
behaviours and awareness, and rigorous
standards and procedures for managing key
risks.


All three strategies focus on our people and
systems, with two key objectives:






    •
     
    ensuring that our practices, procedures,
conditions, equipment and behaviour all
contribute towards creating a workplace where it
is possible to work without adverse impact on
people, the environment or the community


     


    •
     
    developing our people to make the right
decisions as they go about their work.


Following the review of past fatal incidents,
nine key areas were identified that required
more stringent controls. These are:



1. Light Vehicles

2. Surface Mobile Equipment

3. Underground Mobile Equipment

4. Underground Ground Control

5. Hazardous Materials Management

6. Molten Materials Management

7. Equipment Safeguarding

8. Isolation

9. Working at Heights.


Protocols have been developed for each of these
risk categories. The requirements under each
Protocol are classified into three broad focus
areas – plant and equipment requirements,
procedural requirements and people requirements
– in line with our key risks. These Fatal Risk
Control Protocols are being implemented
throughout the Company, with full implementation
planned for completion by June 2005.





     
     
     


    Taking a safety-conscious approach to
tapping the riches of the Sahara
     
    




In Algeria, we are in the process of completing the Ohanet oil and gas
development, together with our joint venture partners and SONATRACH, the
state-owned production company. The sheer size and scope of the project poses a
wide variety of safety challenges. From the outset, there was senior management
commitment from all parties to applying effective safety processes and
training, and to involving the whole workforce. As the project moves into the
start-up phase, safety remains at the top of the agenda.







4 Barry Sweeting, BHP Billiton Construction Manager, Zainch Dimeta Field, Ohanet Project, Algeria


The Ohanet subsurface and drilling campaign in
the southern Sahara involved two seismic
acquisition crews and three rigs operating in
the field. Simultaneously, the EPC (Engineer/
Procure/Construct) contractor supervised some 25
subcontractor companies. The safety challenge
presented by this complex project was immense.


A safety improvement plan was introduced that
focused on:






    •
     
    raising safety awareness by
ensuring safety is at the top of all agendas


     


    •
     
    improving communication through
regular safety meetings and multi-language
communications such as posters


     


    •
     
    planning for
risk mitigation by identifying and assessing
risks and devising control measures and safe
systems


     


    •
     
    targeting training and refresher
training


     


    •
     
    audit and inspection programs that
enable management to ensure that policy is being
translated into practice


     


    •
     
    disciplinary
procedures for non-compliance balanced with
safety incentives to encourage safer behaviour
and improve performance.


At the end of June 2003, with the majority of
work completed, an excellent safety record had
been achieved. But we are aware that there is no
room for complacency – only continuous
improvement as the project moves into its
critical start-up phase.





     
     
     


    18
     
    
4 BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003







Environment





     
     
     


    Developing new coal technologies to meet the world’s
energy needs in a sustainable way
     
    




Meeting the growth needs of developing countries and sustaining living
standards in developed countries will continue to drive fossil fuel energy
demand, which is forecast to rise by more than two thirds over the next 30
years. Suppliers of fossil fuels, including coal as the largest power
generation source, face the challenge of meeting that demand while responding
to concerns about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The future path for coal must
be to continue the development of low emissions technology.


An eight-fold increase in thermal efficiency
over the last century has greatly reduced the
amount of coal required per unit of electricity
generated. Allied with ultra-low emissions
techniques – notably coal gasification and CO2
capture and storage – technology developments
currently being researched have the potential to
virtually eliminate GHG emissions from
coal-based power. Projects are in place, or are
proposed, to move the technologies towards
commercial viability in the next decade or two.


As the world’s largest coal exporter, we are
playing a leading role in realising this
potential through a range of activities, such
as:






    •
     
    GHG emissions management, including an
emissions inventory system throughout the
Company; coal-based emissions reduction
projects; and investigating collaborative GHG
reduction projects in South Africa


     


    •
     
    industry
leadership, including executive roles in the
World Coal Institute (WCI) and our foundation
role in the Australian Coal Association (ACA)
Sustainable Development Program


     


    •
     
    direct
participation in R&D, including research
projects conducted by the ACA and Cooperative
Research Centres.


In Australia, the Company contributes around
A$3.5 million per annum to coal technology R&D
projects.


These activities are contributing to long-term
global efforts to ensure environmental
sustainability in an energy-hungry world.






4 Capture and storage of CO2 from coal gasification





     
     
     


    Greenhouse gas intensity reduction strategy is producing results
     
    




In 2002, the Company committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity from
operations, per unit of production, by not less than 5 per cent between 2002
and 2007. Significant progress has been made. Initiatives by our Aluminium and
Diamonds and Specialty Products businesses reflect our commitment.







4 The Energy Smart Program at EKATI has reduced the requirement for fuel haulage to the mine


At our EKATI Diamond Mine in Canada’s Northwest
Territories, an Operating Excellence team
developed the Energy Smart Program in April last
year to tackle inefficient uses of energy.
Aiming at saving the equivalent of half a
million litres of fuel per year, they reached
their goal by October. They doubled their
target, and achieved it. One million litres of
fuel equates to about 12 per cent of the mine’s
annual power requirement.


To foster an energy
saving culture, the team invites fellow
employees to contribute ideas, and the response
has been
overwhelming. Initiatives range from installing
motion sensors on lights to recycling waste
oil. The Energy Smart Program is being extended
so new projects are designed to be
energy-efficient from the start.


Greenhouse gases emitted from aluminium smelters
derive from various sources, including fuels
used in the smelting process and carbon anodes
employed in smelting cells. Perfluorocarbons are
also emitted from smelting cells during process
disturbances called anode effects (AEs),
measured in terms of frequency (AE per cell per
day), and AE duration measured in minutes.


Our
Aluminium operations have focused on the
reduction of GHG intensity across all areas and
from all sources of evolution. Initiatives have
included reduction of process instability
through improved control systems. At our Bayside
smelter in South Africa, improving potline
systems has had a significant effect, with AE
frequency reducing from 2.6 to below 1.5 per
cell per day and AE duration improving by more
than 15 per cent to date.
Improvements have also been achieved at our
Hillside and Mozal smelters, through new
technologies and new capacity being brought
online.





     
     
     


    BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003 4
     
    
19










CASE STUDIES



Environment continued





     
     
     


    Consultative process is addressing community
concerns about mining beneath Appin township and
Marhnyes Waterhole
     
    




Our Illawarra Coal operations in Australia undertake underground longwall
mining some 500 metres below the surface. The mining can cause cracking in the
base of sandstone-bedded rivers and streams, redirecting water flow from the
surface to the substrata. Mining beneath Appin and the Georges River has caused
concern to some local residents, which is being addressed through a
comprehensive consultative process with key stakeholders.





     
     
     


    

4 Geologists at Marhnyes Waterhole, New South Wales
     
    
 



A consultation program was initiated in 1998
and expanded in mid 2001. Meetings with more
than 100 stakeholders were conducted.
Government and environmental groups raised
concerns about mining beneath Marhnyes
Waterhole on the Georges River, which was
scheduled to be commenced by our West Cliff
mine in September 2002. The mining was planned
several years in advance and the longwall
location could not have been modified without
significant risk to the viability of West Cliff
mine.


A strain-relieving slot was drilled ahead of
mining to reduce cracking of the rock bar that
creates the waterhole. The slot was successful
in limiting fracturing at the waterhole.
However, some cracking did occur, with surface
water redirected to the shallow substrata.
Environmental flows were provided to supplement
the river during the period of mining effects
and to provide water for aquatic life.


Mining beneath Marhnyes Waterhole is now
complete and remediation works are being
undertaken. The results to date have been
encouraging. Positive feedback has been
received from stakeholders, indicating that the
community consultation program has helped to
build constructive relationships.


However, some
concerns remain. Proposed mining areas
intersect rivers and creeks across the
Illawarra region, and stakeholders have
expressed a desire for more input into the mine
planning process. Illawarra Coal is reviewing
its approach to mine planning and will continue
to work closely with stakeholders to address
issues relating to mining in the area, within
the context of sustainable mining plans.





     
     
     


    Rehabilitation program at Beenup is restoring the
mine site as a self-sustaining environment of
native vegetation, wetlands and pasture
     
    




Our Beenup titanium minerals mine in south-west Western Australia closed in
1999. A rehabilitation plan was developed in consultation with the government
and the local Augusta-Margaret River community. Restoration works under way
include retention of the dredge pond as a permanent water body, the creation of
seasonal wetlands, recontouring of the site and an extensive revegetation
program.





     
     
     


    

4 Beenup rehabilitation program manager
Jocelyn Bird checks revegetation progress
at the site
     
    
 



The area to be rehabilitated included 336
hectares of disturbed land, a 50-hectare dredge
pond, a large storage area containing material
that had been excavated from the pond, and two
ponds for storing clay fines.


Several options for rehabilitation were
submitted to government and the local community.
A key environmental issue was pyrite, a
naturally occurring sulphide mineral that, if
exposed, can oxidise and form acid.


Following extensive consultation, implementation
of the agreed plan commenced in late 1999. The
plan allowed the clay fines to be retained in
the former dredge pond, which has been
established as a permanent water body. Seasonal
wetlands have been developed, which encourage
the creation of diverse flora and fauna habitat
and support functioning ecosystems. The pond and
wetlands, together with the extensive use of
lime sand, also facilitate long-term management
of the pyrite.


A major component of the project
has been the reinstatement of surface water
drainage across the site. The recontoured pond
and the wetlands have been designed to manage
drainage and minimise flooding. The revegetation
program involves the planting or broadcasting of
over 110 million native seeds, representing over
110 plant species, including declared rare flora
species.


With rehabilitation nearing completion, the
Beenup site has potential for flora and fauna
research, environmental education and
eco-tourism.





     
     
     


    20
     
    
4 BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003



 



Community





     
     
     


    Acquisition of Tabaco village in Colombia provides
lessons for future resettlement projects
     
    




BHP Billiton and its joint venture partners, Anglo American and Glencore,
became equal owners of the Cerrejon Zona Norte (CZN) coal mine in Colombia in
February 2002, when they acquired International Colombia Resources Corporation
(Intercor) from ExxonMobil, which held the mine’s remaining 50 percent
ownership and operational interests. A new company, Cerrejon Coal Company, was
formed, combining CZN and Carbones del Cerrejon. Situated within the mining
lease is the village of Tabaco. In 1997, prior to the involvement of BHP
Billiton, acquisition of the village commenced to enable future expansion of
the mine’s operations.


In accordance with Colombian law, a survey was
conducted to determine whether the people of
Tabaco wanted to sell their possession rights
or be relocated. The survey established that
there were 213 possession rights, of which 8
were municipal public properties, 151 were
unoccupied lands or houses and 54 were occupied
dwellings.


Of the possessors, 95 per cent said they did not
want resettlement and wanted to negotiate
directly. Subsequently, 200 out of 213
possession rights were settled and in August
2001 the remaining 13 possession rights were
acquired in accordance with the Mining Law.


In May 2002, the Colombian Supreme Court ordered
that the municipality of Hatonuevo provide
primary education and housing infrastructure
support for children of this group. While
schooling is provided free to students, there
are associated expenses for items such as
educational materials.


Some months earlier,
Cerrejon had approached the municipality and
offered to assist with the education of these
children.


An assistance program was implemented, and,
during 2002, Cerrejon helped meet the schooling
expenses of 21 children of former Tabaco
residents.


Following a review at the end of 2002, it was
decided the funding should be provided
directly to the schools attended by the
children. During 2003, this has enabled the
schools to construct additional facilities and
purchase educational materials.


In May 2003, Cerrejon offered land for
community use, and it has been indicated that
this may also benefit the affected Tabaco
families.


Cerrejon has reviewed the processes that it
follows when the relocation of a community
becomes necessary, to ensure that they are
consistent with best practice and focused on the
maintenance of sustainable livelihoods. To this
end, Cerrejon will adopt relevant World Bank
Guidelines for future resettlements. The US-UK
Voluntary Principles on Security and Human
Rights have also been adopted to guide
interactions with communities.





     
     
     


    Pakistan community program focuses on
education to improve quality of life
     
    




Our Zamzama gas project in Pakistan is located in the district of Dadu,
approximately 500 kilometres north of the coastal city of Karachi in Sindh
Province. The area suffers from very low rainfall, lacks basic infrastructure
and has limited educational facilities or opportunities. Our community
development program is aiming to facilitate the empowerment process and improve
the quality of life for the disadvantaged people living in the areas where we
operate. Education is considered to be a vital part of this process.


Initially, a series of consultative workshops
were organised to ensure community participation
and to assess the critical needs in the area.
These revealed that access to quality education,
particularly for girls and women, was the
primary concern.


Further research in Dadu showed
that there were clear opportunities to improve
school infrastructure, enhance teaching
methodologies and increase the motivation of
teachers, children and parents towards
education.


As part of its program, the Zamzama community
development team has implemented a two-phase
project. Two local NGOs were selected to develop
an education program, which led to
the establishment of five primary schools in the
area. With support from the Company, the schools
have been provided with infrastructure,
furniture and equipment, and trained teachers.


The project has included a number of key
components: capacity building (training of local
NGOs and school teachers); livelihood
opportunities (ensuring that jobs are filled by
local people); and participation and partnership
(through regular multi-stakeholder
consultations).


The benefits are now being realised. The
children, especially girls, have been provided
with education opportunities. The teachers have
benefited from their training, and the parents
feel empowered to make an effective contribution
to decision-making processes.


The involvement of the community, the government
and NGOs is seen as a prerequisite to achieving
sustainability of the project, by instilling a
sense of ownership and the motivation to take
responsibility for maintaining the education
program.





     
     
     
     
     


    
Key achievements
     
     
     
     



    
Schools operational
     
     
    5
     



    
Teachers employed and trained
     
     
    13
     



    
Children enrolled
     
     
    477
     



    
Villages benefiting from the schools
     
     
    60
     



    
Partner NGOs engaged
     
     
    2
     



    
Community-based organisations formed
     
     
    5
     



    
School management committees formed
     
     
    5
     



    
People directly involved in the project
     
     
    23
     






     
     
     


    BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003 4
     
    
21



 



CASE STUDIES



General






     
     
     


    Escondida: contributing to the progress of Chile
     
    





The Escondida copper mine in northern Chile is the world’s largest source of
copper. The mine plays a significant role in the country’s economy, accounting
for 20 per cent of the country’s copper production. Since mining began in 1990,
the Company has contributed to the economy through employment, the payment of
taxes and the purchase of goods and services. In addition, the Company has
supported local communities through health and education programs and other
initiatives.




4 Township of Antofagasta


BHP Billiton is the major shareholder and
operator of Escondida, which is located in the
Atacama Desert, 170 kilometres southeast of the
coastal city of Antofagasta. Our efforts to
become a valued citizen commenced at the
pre-operational stages of the mine in 1983. An
important decision was taken to structure the
Company in a way that favoured payment of taxes
in Chile, rather than back to the countries of
earnings consolidation. It was also considered
essential that the community should benefit
immediately.


Accommodation for employees was built in
Antofagasta and there was an emphasis on
recruiting local people and purchasing local
goods and services.


A community assistance program was developed,
which has primarily been implemented by the
Escondida Foundation. Areas supported include
education, health and indigenous development,
with an emphasis on young people. In 2002, the
Foundation expanded the program to support
employees in their own social responsibility
initiatives. Projects have involved over 450
employees and around 3500 beneficiaries. In line
with our Group-wide policy of contributing one
per cent of pre-tax profit to community
development programs, the Foundation has spent
US$13 million over the last six years.


After 13 years of operation, the Company has
invested a total of US$4 billion in the mine
and paid US$1.7 billion in taxes. US$475
million is spent annually on the purchase of
goods and services, mostly in Antofagasta and
the Second Region. Production of copper at
Escondida is expected to continue for another
40 years.





     
     
     


    Establishing the foundations for facilitating
the black economic empowerment process in South
Africa’s resources industry
     
    




South Africa is a changing nation, as historical and social imbalances are
redressed in accord with the Government’s Employment Equity Act and, specific
to the resources industry, the Minerals Bill and Broad-Based Socio-Economic
Empowerment Charter for the Mining Industry. Our South African operations have
been playing an ongoing role in facilitating the transformation process through
a wide range of black economic empowerment (BEE) programs and initiatives.


A significant step occurred in July 1998 when we
announced our commitment to establish, with
other resources companies, a company known as
NewCoal, ownership of which would be transferred
to a BEE group. This was realised in November
2000, with the sale of 80 per cent of the
company to Eyesizwe Coal. NewCoal is now the
country’s fourth-largest coal producer.


In September 2002, we entered into a further
empowerment project with the sale of one of our
collieries to Kuyasa Mining, providing the
junior miner with a solid base for future
development. In addition, we have made
significant reserves available to another BEE
junior miner, Endulweni Resources.


Our operations are also introducing initiatives to
help develop smaller companies, such as the
Small and Medium Enterprise Empowerment Program
in place at our Hillside and Bayside aluminium
operations. The program encourages the
participation of local enterprises in Company
projects, supported by training and mentorship.


In April 2003, we developed a BEE Procurement
Policy for implementation throughout our South
African operations, in line with our goal of
identifying, developing and promoting the
sustainability of BEE business through
procurement.


Within our businesses, our Employment Equity
Policy is in place at all operations. Our goal
is to achieve representation at all levels
consistent with the demographic profile of South
Africa. This is in accord with the Employment
Equity Act, which is aimed at assisting people
in designated groups – black people (Africans,
Coloureds and Indians), women, and people with
disabilities.


Our ultimate target is to achieve designated
group representation across top, senior and
middle management levels of 40 per cent. Since
last year, steady increases have been occurring
across all levels and at 30 June 2003, total
representation had reached 26.45 per cent.
Further increases are expected as a result of
accelerated development schemes and dedicated
training and education programs.





     
     
     


    22
     
    
4 BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003



 




Our Resources at Work





     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


    Customer Sector Group
     
    Petroleum
     
    Aluminium
     
    Base Metals


    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    Commodity
     
    Oil and
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


     
     
    Natural Gas
     
    Aluminium
     
    Copper
     
    Gold
     
    Zinc
     
    Silver
     
    Lead


    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    Energy


     
    
Fuel, heating,

electricity

generation

     
    High-tension
power lines,
wires and cables

     
    Wire and cables,
electrical wiring
in buildings,
electrical
generators
and motors

     
     
     
    Zinc carbon

batteries

     
     
     
    Lead-acid

storage

batteries

(car batteries),

remote area

power storage



     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



    Construction


     
    
Carpets, paints,

plastics

     
    Door and
window frames,
wall cladding,
roofing,
awnings

     
    Electrical wiring,
plumbing pipes
and tanks,
roofing,
light fixtures,
treated timbers

     
    Gold leaf for

decoration

     
    Roofing,
fences, doors,
handles, paints,
plumbing, nuts
and bolts

     
    Solder

     
    Roofing,

plumbing,

soundproofing,

stained glass

windows



     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



    Industry


     
    
Electricity

generation,

transport,

furnace fuel

     
    Propellers,

body sheet

(for ships,

aeroplanes,

vehicles),

gearboxes,

motor parts,

wires, cables,

packaging

     
    Wires and
cables,
electrical wiring
in buildings
and vehicles,
robotics,
airconditioning
and refrigeration
units, scientific
instruments

     
    Electronics for

computers,

industrial

equipment,

aerospace

technology,

tinted-glass

windows

     
    Galvanising
and corrosion
protection,
car bodies,
carburettors,
tyres

     
    Photographic
paper and film,
medicines, super
conductors

     
    Lead foil,

radiation

shields, toxic

waste storage

containers,

dyes, solder



     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



    Household appliances


     
    
Plastic

components,

packaging

     
    Components
for TV sets,
radios,
refrigerators
and
airconditioners

     
    Electrical
appliances,
telephone
cables,
microwave
equipment,
radio and
TV sets

     
    Electronic

technology

     
    Door handles
and other
household
components,
brass fittings

     
     
     
    Electronic
and electrical
appliances such
as radios and
TV sets
(soldered
connections)



     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



    Personal use


     
    
Electricity,
fuel for vehicles,
fuel for cooking
and heating,
clothing fabric,
plastic toys,
pens

     
    Beverage cans,
bottle tops, foil
wrap, foil semi-
rigid containers,
kettles and
saucepans,
cutlery, tennis
racquets, softball
bats, indoor and
outdoor
furniture,
bicycles

     
    Ornaments,

telephones,

cooking

utensils,

home heating

systems,

decorative

applications,

coins

     
    Jewellery,
watches,
currency,
dentistry,
decoration
for dinnerware
and ornaments

     
    Medications,

zinc cream,

TV sets,

computer

parts, toys

     
    Jewellery,
watches,
dinnerware and
ornaments,
mirrors, cutlery,
currency,
medallions
(e.g., Sydney
Olympics
medals)

     
    Computers,
leadlight
windows,
glass in TV
and computer
screens for
radiation
protection




[Additional columns below]



[Continued from above table, first column(s) repeated]





     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


    Customer Sector Group
     
    Carbon Steel Materials
     
    Diamonds and Specialty Products
     
    Energy Coal
     
    Stainless Steel Materials


    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    Commodity
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


     
     
    Manganese
     
    Iron Ore
     
    Coking Coal
     
    Diamonds
     
    Titanium
     
    Thermal Coal
     
    Chrome
     
    Nickel
     
    Cobalt


    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    Energy


     
    
Dry cell

batteries

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Electricity

generation,

heating

     
     
     
    Electricity

generation

turbines,

batteries

     
    Rechargeable
lithium batteries
for mobile
telephones
and laptop
computers, jet
engine turbines



     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



    Construction


     
     
     
    Steelmaking,

buildings,

bridges, tools,

cranes

     
     
     
    Diamond grit
and powder
impregnated
rock drilling bits,
masonry drilling,
machine tool
tips and cutting
discs

     
    Pigment for

paints, fabric,

plastics, paper

     
     
     
    Treated timbers,

street furniture,

building

cladding,

stainless steel

     
    Street furniture,

building

cladding,

stainless steel

     
    Tyre adhesives,

magnets,

carbide cutting

tools



     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



    Industry


     
    
Steel alloys

     
    Steelmaking,

transport

equipment,

motor vehicles,

farm machinery

     
    Steelmaking

     
    Polishing

compounds

in fine optical

surfaces, jewel

bearings, wire

drawing dies

     
    Titanium metal

for aerospace

equipment,

engines,

abrasives,

ceramics,

robotics

     
    Electricity

generation,

heating, cement

     
    Pigments for
paints, food
and beverage
equipment,
vehicles

     
    Computer hard
disks, surgical
implements and
implants, jet
engines, food
and beverage
equipment,
pharmaceutical
equipment,
vehicles, metal
hardening

     
    Paints, enamels,

glazes



     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



    Household appliances


     
     
     
    Refrigerators,

washing

machines,

ovens

     
     
     
    Knife

‘sharpeners’

     
    Paper products,
computer and
TV screens

     
     
     
    Electrical

appliances

     
    Colour TV tubes,

kitchen sinks,

whitegoods

     
    Videotape

coatings,

heating

elements on

electric stoves



     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     



    Personal use


     
    
Glass,

ceramics,

dry cell

batteries

     
    Food cans, cars,

tools, cutlery,

jewellery,

watches

     
     
     
    Jewellery

     
    Cosmetics and
sunscreens,
fabric, clothing,
jewellery, heart
pacemakers, hip
replacements,
food colouring

     
     
     
    Bathroom and
kitchen fittings

     
    Kitchen utensils,
coins, mobile
telephones,
bathroom and
kitchen fittings
and fixtures
     
     






     
     
     


    BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003 4
     
    
23





 







BHP Billiton Locations







Corporate Centres





     
     
     
     
     


    Ref
     
    Continent
     
    Location


    

     
    

     
    



    1
     
    
Africa

     
    Johannesburg



    2
     
    
Australia

     
    Melbourne (Global Headquarters)



    3
     
    
Australia

     
    Adelaide



    4
     
    
Europe

     
    London



    5
     
    
North America

     
    Houston



    6
     
    
South America

     
    Santiago




Marketing Offices





     
     
     
     
     


    Ref
     
    Continent
     
    Location


    

     
    

     
    



    7
     
    
Asia

     
    Beijing



    8
     
    
Asia

     
    Jakarta



    9
     
    
Asia

     
    New Delhi



    10
     
    
Asia

     
    Seoul



    11
     
    
Asia

     
    Shanghai



    12
     
    
Asia

     
    Singapore



    13
     
    
Asia

     
    Tokyo



    14
     
    
Europe

     
    Baar



    15
     
    
Europe

     
    Essen



    16
     
    
Europe

     
    The Hague



    17
     
    
Europe

     
    Moscow



    18
     
    
North America

     
    Pittsburgh



    19
     
    
South America

     
    Rio de Janeiro




Aluminium





     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


    Ref
     
    Continent
     
    Site/Asset
     
    Description
     
    Ownership


    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    20
     
    
Africa

     
    Hillside/Bayside,

South Africa

     
    Two aluminium smelters

     
     
    100
    %



    21
     
    
Africa

     
    Mozal,

Mozambique

     
    Aluminium smelter

     
     
    47
    %



    22
     
    
Australia

     
    Worsley, Australia

     
    Integrated alumina refinery/bauxite mine

     
     
    86
    %



    23
     
    
South America

     
    Alumar, Brazil

     
    Alumina refinery and aluminium smelter 
     
     
    36–46
    %



    24
     
    
South America

     
    MRN, Brazil

     
    Bauxite mine

     
     
    14.8
    %



    25
     
    
South America

     
    Paranam, Suriname

     
    Alumina refinery and
Lelydorp bauxite mine

     
     
    45–76
    %



    26
     
    
South America

     
    Valesul Aluminio, Brazil

     
    Aluminium smelter

     
     
    46
    %




Base Metals





     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


    Ref
     
    Continent
     
    Site/Asset
     
    Description
     
    Ownership


    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    27
     
    
Australia

     
    Cannington,

Australia

     
    Silver, lead and zinc mine
in north-west Queensland

     
     
    100
    %



    28
     
    
North America

     
    Highland Valley

Copper, Canada

     
    Highland Valley Copper

mine in British Columbia

     
     
    33.6
    %



    29
     
    
North America

     
    Selbaie,

Canada

     
    Open pit operation producing
zinc and copper concentrate and
by-products including gold and silver.
Due to close in January 2004.

     
     
    100
    %



    30
     
    
South America

     
    Escondida,

Chile

     
    One of the largest copper
mines in the world

     
     
    57.5
    %



    31
     
    
South America

     
    Antamina, Peru

     
    Large copper-zinc mine

     
     
    33.75
    %



    32
     
    
South America

     
    Cerro Colorado,

Chile

     
    Copper mine in northern Chile, producing

cathode copper through a SXEW

leach operation

     
     
    100
    %



    33
     
    
South America

     
    Tintaya,

Peru

     
    Produces copper concentrate and
copper cathode within the ‘Skarn Belt’
of south-eastern Peru

     
     
    100
    %




Carbon Steel Materials





     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


    Ref
     
    Continent
     
    Site/Asset
     
    Description
     
    Ownership


    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    34
     
    
Africa

     
    Samancor

Manganese,

South Africa

     
    Integrated producer of
manganese alloys and
ferroalloys

     
     
    60
    %



    35
     
    
Australia

     
    Queensland Coal,

Australia

     
    World’s largest supplier of
high-quality metallurgical coal
for steel production

     
     
    50–80
    %



    36
     
    
Australia

     
    Boodarie Iron,

Australia

     
    Hot briquetted iron plant

     
     
    100
    %



    37
     
    
Australia

     
    GEMCO

Australia

     
    Producer of manganese ore
(part of Samancor)

     
     
    60
    %



    38
     
    
Australia

     
    Illawarra Coal,

Australia

     
    Four underground coal mines

     
     
    100
    %



    39
     
    
Australia

     
    WA Iron Ore,

Australia

     
    The Pilbara iron ore mines rank
among the world’s best
long-life iron ore assets

     
     
    85–100
    %



    40
     
    
Australia

     
    TEMCO,

Australia

     
    Producer of manganese alloys
(part of Samancor)

     
     
    60
    %



    41
     
    
South America

     
    Samarco,

Brazil

     
    An efficient low-cost producer
of iron ore pellets

     
     
    50
    %




Diamonds and Specialty Products





     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


    Ref
     
    Continent
     
    Site/Asset
     
    Description
     
    Ownership


    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    42
     
    
Africa

     
    Johannesburg,

South Africa

     
    Technology Centre

     
     
    100
    %



    43
     
    
Africa

     
    Richards Bay

Minerals,

South Africa

     
    World’s largest producer
of titanium slag

     
     
    50
    %



    44
     
    
Australia

     
    Brisbane,

Australia

     
    Mineral Exploration Office

     
     
    –
     



    45
     
    
Australia

     
    Melbourne,

Australia

     
    Mineral Exploration Office

     
     
    –
     



    46
     
    
Australia

     
    Newcastle,

Australia

     
    Technology Centre

     
     
    100
    %



    47
     
    
Europe

     
    Antwerp, Belgium

     
    Diamonds marketing

     
     
    100
    %



    48
     
    
North America

     
    EKATI,

Canada

     
    Diamond mine in the Northwest
Territories of Canada

     
     
    80
    %



    49
     
    
North America

     
    Integris Metals,

US

     
    Metals distribution

     
     
    50
    %



    50
     
    
North America

     
    Vancouver,

Canada

     
    Mineral Exploration Office

     
     
    –
     




Energy Coal





     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


    Ref
     
    Continent
     
    Site/Asset
     
    Description
     
    Ownership


    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    35
     
    
Australia

     
    Queensland Coal,

Australia

     
    Marketing agent for energy coal

output

     
    –



    38
     
    
Australia

     
    Illawarra Coal,

Australia

     
    Marketing agent for energy coal

output

     
    –



    51
     
    
Africa

     
    Ingwe,

South Africa

     
    Largest coal producer in

South Africa

     
    100%



    52
     
    
Australia

     
    Hunter Valley

Energy Coal,

Australia

     
    New 12-Mt/a mine (Mount

Arthur North) being developed

     
    100%



    53
     
    
Asia

     
    PT Arutmin,

Indonesia

     
    Marketing agent for 75% of
coal output

     
    –



    54
     
    
Asia

     
    PT Kendilo,

Indonesia

     
    Infrastructure for third party trading

     
    100%



    55
     
    
North America

     
    New Mexico Coal,

US

     
    Mine-mouth operations including

new underground mine

     
    100%



    56
     
    
South America

     
    Cerrejon Coal,

Colombia

     
    Largest coal producer in Colombia

     
    33%




Petroleum





     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


    Ref
     
    Continent
     
    Site/Asset
     
    Description
     
    Ownership


    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    57
     
    
Africa

     
    Algeria

     
    ROD and Ohanet developments

     
    36.04–45%



    58
     
    
Asia

     
    Zamzama,

     
    Operator of gas development

     
    38.5%



     
     
     
     
    Pakistan
     
     
     
     



    59
     
    
Australia

     
    North West Shelf

     
    One of Australia’s largest
resource projects, producing
liquids, LNG and domestic gas

     
    8.33–16.67%



    60
     
    
Australia

     
    Bass Strait

     
    The Bass Strait operations produce
oil, condensate, LPG, natural gas
and ethane

     
    50%



    61
     
    
Australia

     
    Griffin

     
    Operator of oil and gas project
offshore WA

     
    45%



    62
     
    
Australia

     
    Minerva

     
    Gas field under development

in the Otway Basin

     
    90%



    63
     
    
Australia

     
    Laminaria/

Corallina

     
    Oil production in the Timor Sea

     
    25–32.6%



    64
     
    
Europe

     
    Liverpool Bay

     
    Operator of oil and gas
development in the Irish Sea

     
    46.1%



    65
     
    
Europe

     
    Bruce/Keith

     
    Oil and gas production in the
UK North Sea

     
    16–31.83%



    66
     
    
North America

     
    Gulf of Mexico

     
    Interests in five producing assets
in the Gulf of Mexico; development
activities and exploration interests

     
    4.95–50%



    67
     
    
South America

     
    Bolivia

     
    Oil and gas production

     
    50%



    68
     
    
South America

     
    Trinidad

     
    Operator of the Angostura oil field
development

     
    45%



    –
     
    
Various

     
    Exploration

     
    Exploration interests in South Africa, Brunei,
Brazil, Australia, US, Trinidad and the UK

     
    –




Stainless Steel Materials





     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     


    Ref
     
    Continent
     
    Site/Asset
     
    Description
     
    Ownership


    

     
    

     
    

     
    

     
    



    69
     
    
Africa

     
    Samancor

Chrome,

South Africa

     
    Integrated producer of chrome ores
and ferrochrome comprising mines
and chrome alloy plants at three
major sites in South Africa

     
     
    60
    %



    70
     
    
Australia

     
    QNI Yabulu

Refinery,

Australia

     
    The Yabulu refinery is one of the
world’s major laterite nickel-cobalt
processing plants

     
     
    100
    %



    71
     
    
South America

     
    Cerro Matoso,

Colombia

     
    Integrated ferronickel mining and
smelting complex in north Colombia

     
     
    99.8
    %




4 BHP BILLITON HSEC SUMMARY REPORT 2003




 







BHP Billiton Employee HSEC Awards Program


The BHP Billiton HSEC Awards recognise those employees who openly embody the
values expressed in our Charter and go beyond what is required in their
day-to-day jobs to care for their fellow employees, the community and the
environment. For details of all recipients, see our full HSEC Report on the
website.



Individual


Excellence – Personally selected by the Chairman of the Judging Panel, the Rt
Hon Sir Ninian Stephen



Boet du Plessis, Middelburg Mine, Mpumalanga, South Africa


Boet is involved in helping disadvantaged people in the local communities. He
presently runs 15 projects that support physically and mentally disabled people
and destitute groups.



Health



Excellence


Penelope Taylor (team representative),
Boodarie Iron, Port Hedland, Western
Australia


Penelope and an Operating Excellence team
developed a solution to a significant dust
problem in the briquetting press area of the
Boodarie Iron plant.



Highly Commended






    •
     
    Anselmo Gregorio (team representative),
Mozal Aluminium smelter, Maputo Province, Mozambique


     


    •
     
    Manuel Muro (team
representative), Tintaya
Copper Mine, Espinar, Peru


     


    •
     
    Avril Robson (team representative),
Samancor Manganese, Mpumalanga, South Africa



Environment



Excellence


James Keenan (team representative), EKATI
Diamond Mine, Northwest Territories, Canada


James is sponsor of an Operating Excellence
team that developed the Energy Smart Program,
which helped save a million litres of diesel
fuel per year.



Highly Commended






    •
     
    Márcia Sanna Moreira Neves (team
representative), Mineração Rio do
Norte SA (MRN), Pará, Brazil


     


    •
     
    Maurício Macedo Santos (team
representative), Alumar Smelter and
Refinery, Maranhão, Brazil


     


    •
     
    Albert van der Westhuizen (team
representative), Bayside Aluminium
Smelter, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa



Safety



Excellence


Scott Lowe, BHP Billiton Energy
Coal, Melbourne, Australia


Scott developed and implemented a Fatal Risk
Peer Review Program for the Energy Coal
Customer Sector Group, which is to be
implemented on an annual basis.



Highly Commended






    •
     
    Chris Faure (team representative),
Samancor Manganese, Gauteng, South Africa


     


    •
     
    Philip Forster (team representative),
BMA Blackwater Mine, New South Wales, Australia


     


    •
     
    Ian Long (team representative),
Mozal Aluminium Smelter, Maputo Province, Mozambique



Community



Excellence


Bongani Mqaise (team representative), Bayside
and Hillside Aluminium Smelters, Kwa-Zulu Natal,
South Africa


Bongani and his colleagues were instrumental in
developing Ethembeni Care Centre to provide care
to people with HIV/AIDS in Zululand.



Highly Commended






    •
     
    Humera Malik (team
representative), Zamzama Gas
Field, Islamabad, Pakistan


     


    •
     
    Rick Peters (team
representative), GEMCO,
Groote Eylandt, Australia


     


    •
     
    Norah Segoati (team representative),
Johannesburg Head Office, Gauteng, South Africa




External Recognition (2002/03)






    •
     
    Banksia Environmental Foundation Award for Leadership in Sustainability in the Australian Minerals Industry


     


    •
     
    Australian Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Community and Business Partnerships


     


    •
     
    The Australian Financial Review Magazine Award for Corporate Partnership of the Year


     


    •
     
    Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (Australasia) Award (joint) for Best Environment Reporting


     


    •
     
    Australasian Reporting Awards Award for Best Environmental Report


     


    •
     
    Australasian Reporting Awards Commendation Award in OHS Reporting


     


    •
     
    KPMG South African Reporting Award for Best Sustainability Report


 








     
     
    BHP BILLITON CHARTER


     


     
     
    WE ARE BHP BILLITON, A LEADING GLOBAL RESOURCES COMPANY.


     


     
     
    Our purpose is to create value through the
discovery, development and conversion of
natural resources, and the provision of
innovative customer and market-focused
solutions.


     


     
     
    To prosper and achieve real growth, we must:


     


    •
     
    actively manage and build our portfolio of high-quality assets and services,


     


    •
     
    continue the drive towards a
high-performance organisation in which every
individual accepts responsibility and is
rewarded for results,


     


    •
     
    earn the trust of
employees, customers, suppliers, communities
and shareholders by being forthright in our
communications and consistently delivering on
commitments.


     


     
     
    We value:


     


    •
     
    Safety and the Environment – An
overriding commitment to health, safety,
environmental responsibility and
sustainable development.


     


    •
     
    Integrity – Doing what we say we will do.


     


    •
     
    High Performance – The excitement and fulfilment of achieving superior business results and stretching our capabilities.


     


    •
     
    Win-Win Relationships – Having relationships which focus on the creation of value for all parties.


     


    •
     
    The Courage to Lead Change – Accepting the responsibility to inspire and deliver positive change in the face of adversity.


     


    •
     
    Respect for Each Other – The embracing of diversity, enriched by openness, sharing, trust, teamwork and involvement.


     


     
     
    We are successful in creating value when:


     


    •
     
    our shareholders are realising a
superior return on their investment


     


    •
     
    our customers and suppliers are
benefiting from our business
relationships


     


    •
     
    the communities in
which we operate value our citizenship


     


    •
     
    every employee starts each day with a sense
of purpose and ends each day with a sense of
accomplishment.




Chip Goodyear

Chief Executive Officer


January 2003






     
     
    WORKING RESPONSIBLY AT BHP BILLITON:







     
     
    OUR
HEALTH, SAFETY, ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY
POLICY


     


     
     
    At BHP Billiton, we are committed to
sustainable development. Health, safety,
environment and community responsibilities
are integral to the way we do business.


     


     
     
    We commit to continual improvement in our
performance, efficient use of natural
resources and aspire to zero harm to people
and the environment.


     


     
     
    Wherever we operate we will:


     


     
     
    Develop, implement and maintain management
systems for health, safety, environment and
the community that are consistent with
internationally recognised standards and
enable us to:


     


    •
     
    identify, assess and manage risks to
employees, contractors, the environment and
communities


     


    •
     
    strive to achieve leading
industry practice


     


    •
     
    meet and, where
appropriate, exceed applicable legal and
other requirements


     


    •
     
    set and achieve targets
that include reducing and preventing
pollution


     


    •
     
    develop our people and provide
resources to meet our targets


     


    •
     
    support the
fundamental human rights of employees,
contractors and the communities in which we
operate


     


    •
     
    respect the traditional rights of
indigenous peoples


     


    •
     
    care for the environment
and value cultural heritage


     


    •
     
    advise on the
responsible use of our products.


     


     
     
    Seek opportunities to share our success by:


     


    •
     
    working with communities to contribute to
social infrastructure needs through the
development and use of appropriate skills and
technologies


     


    •
     
    developing partnerships that
focus on creating sustainable value for
everyone.


     


     
     
    Communicate with, and engage, employees,
contractors, business partners, suppliers,
customers, visitors and communities to:


     


    •
     
    build relationships based on honesty,
openness, mutual trust and involvement


     


    •
     
    share responsibility for meeting the
requirements of this Policy.


     


     
     
    We will review regularly and report
publicly our progress and ensure this
Policy remains relevant to the needs of
our stakeholders. We will be successful
when we achieve our targets towards our
goal of zero harm and we are valued by the
communities in which we work.




Chip Goodyear

Chief Executive Officer


January 2003




About BHP Billiton


BHP Billiton is the world’s largest diversified resources
company, with a portfolio of high-quality, long-life assets
and a significant pipeline of growth projects. The Company has
some 34 800 employees, working in more than 100 operations and
offices in 26 countries.


Headquartered in Melbourne Australia,
the Group has primary listings on the Australian and London
Stock Exchanges, and has a business model created around seven
Customer Sector Groups (CSGs). These are based on
customer-oriented groupings of commodities.


Each of the CSGs is a substantial business in its own right,
and several are leaders in their respective fields. The CSGs
are Aluminium, Base Metals, Carbon Steel Materials, Diamonds
and Specialty Products, Energy Coal, Petroleum, and Stainless
Steel Materials.


Our key markets include downstream refiners and processors of
raw materials, such as steelworks, smelters, petroleum
refiners, thermal power stations and diamond cutters.


A key
aspect of the Company’s strategic framework is our health,
safety, environment and community (HSEC) performance – we are
committed to the journey towards sustainable development and
Zero Harm.



Contact Us

Ian Wood

Vice President Sustainable Development

BHP Billiton

BHP Billiton Centre

180 Lonsdale Street

Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia

Phone: +61 1300 554 757

Fax: +61 3 9609 3015

Email: hsec@bhpbilliton.com

Website: www.bhpbilliton.com

This Report was printed with
soy-based inks on paper that is
elemental chlorine free, acid free,
recyclable and biodegradable, and
made at a mill that has ISO 14001
environmental management system
certification.




 




__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
BHP BILLITON
 Plc


/s/ KAREN WOOD

_____________________
Karen Wood

Title: Company Secretary

Date: 30 September
2003