Message From
BlueScope STeel Leaders
Executive Leadership Team (left to right): Kathryn Fagg, Ian Cummin, Kirby Adams, Paul O'Malley, Noel Cornish, Brian Kruger, Lance Hockridge.
Left to right: Kathryn Fagg, Ian Cummin, Kirby Adams, Paul O'Malley, Noel Cornish, Brian Kruger, Lance Hockridge.
Dear neighbours and colleagues,
Our world is facing a number of environmental challenges from climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, to air pollution and drought.
BlueScope Steel is well aware of these issues and is taking action to progressively reduce our effect on the environment. During the year, we have undertaken a number of significant environment initiatives.
Water shortages and water quality are a major concern for many of the communities in which we operate. We have taken a leadership role in water conservation and recycling. This year, we partnered with Sydney Water to reduce our fresh water usage by more than 50 per cent.
This initiative is complemented by water reduction programs at our Port Kembla Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS) and CRM Service Centre operations. At our Western Port facility, we are investigating ways to further reduce our water consumption in Victoria.
In addition to these programs, through our fast-growing BlueScope Water business, we manufacture and sell rainwater harvesting products, tanks for urban, rural and commercial use, and storm water, culvert and irrigation infrastructure systems.
In November, we announced the signing of a landmark agreement with the New South Wales government. This agreement allows the Company to begin plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the Illawarra by recycling the waste gases from steelmaking for possible use in electricity production.
OUR WORLD IS FACING A NUMBER OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES FROM CLIMATE CHANGE AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS TO AIR POLLUTION AND DROUGHT. BLUESCOPE STEEL IS SENSITIVE TO THESE ISSUES AND TO OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PLAY A ROLE IN MINIMISING OUR EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. DURING THE YEAR, WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENT INITIATIVES.
BlueScope Steel is undertaking a feasibility study on building a co-generation plant at our Port Kembla site that would make this possible. It is estimated the co-generation plant would save about 800,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere every year – equivalent to taking 185,000 cars off the road.
In 2005/06, we further improved our safety record and set new benchmarks. For the first four months of this year (2006/07), the Company’s Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) is 0.4 lost time injuries per million hours worked. We are very proud of this accomplishment, particularly when compared to the International Iron and Steel Institute average LTIFR of around 10.0.
In the community, we have a long-term commitment to the environment and education, and have community partnerships supporting the arts, culture and youth. In Asia, we have a history of supporting emergency relief projects including providing emergency houses, schools and medical clinics.
Our communities are our homes. All of us who work at BlueScope Steel embrace this responsibility. Our community, safety and environment responsibilities are integral to the way we do business.
We thank you for your support over this past year and look forward to developing new opportunities together in the coming year.
