The environment

Protection of the environment is a core value of the Leighton Group, which has established standards of operational practices, ensuring that even on the largest of projects, environmental impacts are kept to a minimum.

The Leighton Group has an Environmental and Health & Safety Policy, which aims to maintain high standards and encourage continual improvement of our Environmental Management Systems. All subsidiaries within the Group are obliged to adopt policies and Environmental Management Systems (EMS) that facilitate the least possible disruption to the environment and a project's surroundings. Environmental Management Systems are fully integrated with project management and reporting systems and play a vital role in ensuring our projects meet all the necessary environmental objectives and regulations. The Leighton Holdings Limited Environmental Framework report outlines the guidelines and expectations for the Group.

Quarterly environmental reports to the Leighton Holdings Board detail any reportable incidents and the corrective action taken. Regular training programs and initiatives ensure staff are fully aware of the Group’s environmental policies and principles. Group companies continue to maintain certification to the international management system standard ISO 14001, and regular audits of projects help ensure that both legislative and contractual standards are met.

As part of the Group’s internal reporting processes, operating management is required to report the number of environmental incidents occurring and what has happened to resolve such incidents, regardless of whether they infringe any regulations. The Group’s environmental performance is disclosed in the ‘Directors’ Report’ of the Leighton Concise Annual Report 2011.

More sustainability reports are available in the right column.