Non-Government Organisations
Who are They?
Non-government organisations (NGOs) with which we typically engage include environmental, social and human rights organisations at local, national and international levels.
Interests and Concerns
NGOs have a broad-ranging interest in our operations and their performance. This may include the social and environmental performance of existing, proposed or closed operations. Additionally there is increasing interest in our broader policy positions on such issues as climate change and human rights.
Dialogue
Each of our operations is required to identify its relevant local NGOs and include mechanisms for engagement with them within the site's community relations plan.
At the Corporate level, we regularly engage with relevant national and international organisations. A number of major international NGOs are represented on our Forum on Corporate Responsibility.
Dialogue on Sustainability Challenges
We conduct an annual dialogue session on key sustainability issues relevant to our Company. In 2006 we discussed our approach to uranium stewardship and biodiversity. NGOs played a key role in this process, alongside representatives from the investment community, academia, government and employees.
Read more:
- Dialogue in 2006 for further details on the stakeholder engagement process
- Biodiversity>Our Approach and Product Stewardship>Uranium for our response to the dialogue messages.
Forum on Corporate Responsibility
The BHP Billiton Forum on Corporate Responsibility brings together representatives of our senior management team, the leaders of several key NGOs, and community opinion leaders to discuss and debate social and environmental matters relevant to the Company.
Forum members have an opportunity to provide advice and to challenge the views of our senior management on broad sustainable development issues of mutual interest. The Company is not bound by the advice of the Forum, and the Forum does not necessarily endorse the Company's decisions. The Forum provides a means for direct and open dialogue about issues of interest to the wider community.
The Forum meets twice a year. Mike Salamon, Executive President, BHP Billiton, is Chairman; and Holly Lindsay, BHP Billiton's Vice President Public Policy and Business Conduct, is Secretary.
During the year the Forum discussed a range of diverse topics, including the Company’s approach to uranium stewardship, climate change and energy efficiency, and community programs in countries such as India and Colombia. The Forum also reviewed our approach to identifying and managing our Key Sustainability Challenges. The Forum’s comments included the suggestions to:
- strengthen Company policy on climate change, water and biodiversity management
- better define the global context when describing the BHP Billiton Sustainability challenges.
Forum members were briefed on the Company’s approach to the management of its involvement in the Australian Government’s Commission of Inquiry into the UN Oil-for-Food Programme. Views of the external members on this issue were sought in formal feedback sessions in May and July 2006.
Over the course of the year, the Forum benefited from a number of distinguished guest speakers including Tim Flannery, the author of ‘The Weather Makers’ and a well-known scientist, explorer and conservationist, as well as Kevin Ball, BP's Director of Energy Efficiency, responsible for the design and implementation of BP’s Energy Efficiency program.
There were a number of changes in both the external and internal membership of the Forum during the year. Sir Ninian Stephen and Michael Rae resigned after years of highly active membership. New external members include Malini Mehra, founder and Director of the Centre for Social Markets, and Andrew Rouse, Program Manager - Resource Conservation, WWF-Australia. Tony Lennox took up interests outside the Company while Nick Allen joined the group in his acting capacity as VP Health, Safety and Environment. Also joining from BHP Billiton were Marius Kloppers, Group President Non Ferrous Materials and Executive Director; Chris Lynch, Group President, Carbon Steel Materials and Executive Director; and Karen Wood, Head of Group Secretariat and Special Advisor to the CEO. Our Chairman, Don Argus, also attended part of each meeting.
