Sustainability Planning
One of the underlying features of Sustainability 2017 is the emphasis on local action. Given the diversity of Johnson Matthey’s businesses, every effort has been made to identify how best to harness local enthusiasm and innovation in a way that both supports local business characteristics and objectives whilst contributing to the group’s broader Sustainability 2017 aspirations.
The principle of fully embedding sustainability into our routine business processes and planning activities was established at an early stage. As with other management functions, the emphasis was on planning, measurement and the empowerment of individuals and management through training and awareness programmes.
Every business includes sustainability in its annual budget setting process and defines the nature of the programmes and projects to be undertaken, together with capital expenditure requirements and value generated. Target metrics that are meaningful in a local business context are requested as part of the plan, together with details of the contribution that the programme will make towards reaching the group’s overall objectives. The plans include the contribution to sustainability stemming from improvements in operations together with benefits derived from the development of new and improved products.
These plans are discussed with the Chief Executive’s Committee as part of the annual budget discussions, are reviewed by the Audit Committee and are formally approved by the board.
From 2009/10 the planning process will be extended to cover the three year business planning cycle. As part of the process, progress against the Sustainability 2017 targets is assessed on a group basis to establish if additional management action is required.
Supporting the Plans
During 2008/09, work continued to raise the general level of sustainability awareness across the group. In addition, workshops have been held for a number of functional areas including Research and Development, Purchasing, Human Resources and Environment, Health and Safety. Multidisciplinary meetings on carbon management covering trading systems and the implications for product manufacture and in-use product characteristics have also been held.
Pilot projects have been undertaken on product and process carbon footprinting and streamlined life cycle assessment. This has allowed a common set of tools and methodologies to be established for use in understanding the more demanding applications where carbon intensity and the environmental fate of products is important.
