Data Collection and Basis
Our aim is to provide a balanced and reasonable presentation of the Company's health, safety, environmental, community and socio-economic performance.
The statistics in this Report cover the facilities owned and operated by BHP Billiton during the 12-month period to 30 June 2005. Data is reported on a 100 per cent basis for facilities operated by BHP Billiton irrespective of our equity share, unless otherwise stated. Joint venture projects where we are not the operator are excluded unless expressly stated. All dollar figures in the Report are US unless otherwise indicated. Throughout the report, tabulated figures in italics indicate that this figure has been adjusted since it was previously reported.
BHP Steel began trading on the Australian Stock Exchange as a separate listed company in July 2002 and was subsequently renamed BlueScope Steel. The data in this report have been restated to facilitate year-to-year comparison of our performance without BHP Steel.
BHP Billiton took control of WMC Resources Ltd (WMC), effective 3 June 2005. Due to the timing of this transaction in the 2005 reporting year and variations between the two companies' data collection and reporting systems, our 2005 Sustainability Report does not reflect data from WMC. This data will be integrated into our 2006 reporting cycle. In the interim, historic WMC sustainability data can be viewed online in the WMC sustainability reports.
Effective 1 June, we sold our Samancor Chrome business (South Africa). For the purposes of this Report, performance data for these interests is included to the point of divestment. In addition, during the reporting period, our Boodarie Iron facility (Australia) was placed under care and maintenance; data continues however to be collected.
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 is derived from our many operations around the world and, in some cases, grouped data is not strictly comparable. In addition, as we seek to improve our data collection processes, data may not be strictly comparable year on year. To date, this is particularly the case within our Socio-Economic section, as we are still refining processes for employee relations and supply data.
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.
Explanation of Company terms
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.
The headquarters of BHP Billiton Limited and the global headquarters of the combined BHP Billiton Group are located in Melbourne, Australia. BHP Billiton Plc is located in London, UK. Both companies have identical Boards of Directors and are run by a unified management team. Throughout this Report, the Boards are referred to collectively as the Board. The terms BHP Billiton, the Company and the Group refer to the combined group, including both BHP Billiton Limited and subsidiary companies and BHP Billiton Plc and subsidiary companies.
For further explanation of the terms used throughout this Report, refer to our Glossary.
BHP Billiton Limited. ABN 49 004 028 077.
Registered in Australia.
Registered Office:
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 1BH, United Kingdom.
