This is Johnson Matthey’s ninth report – produced annually – covering environmental, social, governance and ethical performance. Published in July 2011, it covers the financial year from 1st April 2010 to 31st March 2011. Our previous Sustainability Report was published on 30th July 2010.
Sustainability is at the heart of our business strategy. In December 2007 we launched Sustainability 2017, a long term vision for the whole group that is playing an important role in helping Johnson Matthey to set out the direction and aspirations for what we want to achieve in the future.
Sustainability 2017 was defined following an assessment of the risks, major impacts and future commercial opportunities (i.e. the material issues) open to the business as described in our 2007/08 Sustainability Report.
In developing our vision, two strategic business drivers (one internally focused and one externally focused) and five elements of sustainability (financial, governance, social, health and safety and environment) were identified. In defining the scope and content of this report we have focused on these two business drivers and five elements of sustainability, the aspirations outlined in our Sustainability 2017 Vision and the key performance indicators (KPIs) we use to monitor progress.
A major review of our sustainability strategy, conducted within Johnson Matthey in February 2011, has also shaped our views, assessment and reporting of material issues to our business.
In reporting, due consideration has been given to new international standards such as the International Organization for Standardization’s voluntary standard on ‘social responsibility’, ISO 26000, which was launched in November 2010.
Johnson Matthey has also adopted a framework based upon the GRI G3 sustainability reporting guidelines and applied them in an appropriate context to the group by examination of the definition, explanation notes and self diagnosis tests to ensure a comprehensive, accurate and complete account when assessed against the reporting criteria. In addition, feedback received on the 2009/10 Sustainability Report, recommendations on that report arising from the assurance process and a well structured management approach early in 2011 have shaped the report content and context.
The report has been developed to incorporate the group’s significant economic, environmental and social impacts and set within the context of the United Nations Brundtland definition of sustainability (1987) and our own Sustainability 2017 goals. Understanding the relevance of local, national, regional and global issues, regulation and legislation is taken into account when considering reporting. The AA1000AS principles of inclusivity, materiality and responsiveness are central to the structure of the report and in setting priorities for reporting.
There are no limitations on the scope or boundary of the report. The information presented in the report covers the sustainability activities and performance of Johnson Matthey’s global operations and includes the parent company and its subsidiaries. Financial performance data, social performance data (including community investment data) and health and safety performance data cover the parent company and its subsidiaries. Environmental performance data covers manufacturing, research and warehousing operations of the parent company and its subsidiaries (environmental performance data from new facilities is included from the point at which the facility is fully operational). The report also explains how we are continuing to build sustainability into our business planning and decision making processes and how through our governance processes, we manage social, environmental and ethical matters across the group.
Data measurement techniques, including calculations for social, environmental and health and safety performance, have used internationally recognised protocols such as the greenhouse gas protocol and the GRI indicator protocols as appropriate. Any exceptions are noted in the report.
All performance data is reported on a financial year basis from 1st April 2010 to 31st March 2011. Where necessary data has been restated, for example to reflect changes in the business (e.g. divestments and site closure), to take account of changes in best practice methodologies for reporting, changes in calculating emissions or in response to recommendations made by our assurance provider.
Further details of our data collection and verification processes can be found in the Performance Summary and Verification and Assurance sections of this report.