EHSS Management Systems
Clear and comprehensive EHSS risk management systems are necessary to ensure that everyone understands and consistently implements the actions and procedures necessary to achieve EHSS excellence. To this end, SABIC has developed an environmental health, safety and security management system for all SABIC and affiliate manufacturing and commercial facilities and operations. The goal of SABIC’s EHSS management system, through our Safety, Security, Health and Environmental Management Standards (SHEMS), is to establish a world-class EHSS risk and performance framework, focused on the significant aspects we determine through our risk identification processes. The foundation and core principles of SHEMS are to:
- Go beyond compliance
- Identify and appropriately manage risks
- Provide safe, stable, and compliant operation
- Minimize environmental impact
- Protect the safety and well-being of our employees
- Ensure rigorous, comprehensive security and crisis management systems
- Deliver good relationships with the communities in which we operate
- Drive continual improvement
These programs are required by, and support, SABIC's strong governance and Code of Ethics and our EHSS policy. All SABIC and affiliate manufacturing sites are required to perform regular self-assessments and are periodically audited by off-site teams. Our individual facilities must then develop corrective and preventive actions for any potential issues identified in these self-assessment or audits, which are tracked to completion. A continuous improvement drive is central to our thinking and so each year we set new, more stringent goals and objectives to enhance EHSS performance. These efforts are evident from the recognition received from industry peers.
In addition to complying with our internal EHSS management standard, our programs are certified to comply with key external standards:
- Responsible Care® 14001 certification at all chemical manufacturing locations around the world.
- ISO 14001 certification at all chemical manufacturing plants globally plus many of our other locations.
Management Accountability
Ultimately, SABIC and affiliate senior leaders are accountable for the EHSS performance of their organizations. Consistent with this accountability, leaders take responsibility to ensure compliance with EHSS regulations in all regions and countries in which we operate our business. Our leaders are supported by EHSS specialists at our manufacturing sites, our regions, our business units, and our headquarters.
Management reviews of EHSS performance are conducted periodically by senior leaders and across all levels of the organization and are key to program success for both compliance and performance. The following items, amongst others, are reviewed periodically:
- Progress in meeting goals and site-specific objectives and targets
- Audit results
- Completion of corrective actions
- Changes in risks and opportunities
- Other significant changes or issues