Health, Safety and Environment Policies
Health, safety and environment
Good Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) standards and practice go hand in hand with excellent business results. High standards in HSE are essential to ensure that Smith & Nephew employees, the public, and any other people affected by our work, are adequately protected. Moreover, good HSE practices contribute to business performance by protecting and developing human and physical resources and by reducing costs.
Our vision is to create and sustain a level of HSE performance which is consistent with our brand values and standing as a leading medical device company. Through the continuous improvement of HSE management systems, and the tools and techniques we use, we will manage our HSE risks to the lowest levels reasonably practicable.
Aim
It is our aim to carry out our business in a way which is sustainable and socially responsible with regard to the environment, the health and safety of our employees, others who may be affected by our operations and the communities in which we operate.
The Group's health safety and environment ("HSE") policy is reviewed annually. This policy sets out the Group’s vision, aim, commitment and operating principles with respect to HSE. The Group’s commitment is to:
- Give due regard to the effects of its operations on the environment and community to create a sustainable business.
- Provide and maintain a safe and healthy work environment for employees, contractors and visitors.
- Provide for the participation of employees in securing good HSE performance.
- Seek to improve HSE performance through continuous evaluation and development of measures to control risk, conserve resources and minimise waste.
- Recognise, promote and reinforce the responsibility of employees, contractors and visitors to work safely and follow procedures.
Operating Principles
To meet this commitment:
- Each Global Business Unit (GBU) and Operating Company (which means our subsidiary operating companies in both our Direct and Indirect markets) is responsible for its own HSE performance.
- Each GBU and Operating Company should:
- Identify responsibility for compliance with HSE standards at each level throughout the organisation
- Allocate appropriate resources and establish and support HSE standards
- Provide for the participation of employees in securing good HSE performance.
- Each GBU and Operating Company will submit quarterly data relating to its HSE performance and progress so that Smith & Nephew can review the effectiveness of control measures. This is reviewed by the Board twice per year.
- We will seek to eliminate or reduce risks at the design stage of processes.
- We will develop and implement programmes which identify and minimise risks to the environment, the health and safety of our employees, and others who may be affected by our operations and our business.
- We will take into account environmental implications during the product design process.
- We will provide employees with the equipment, information, instruction, training and supervision needed to minimise risks to themselves and others.
- We will develop appropriate contingency plans to minimise the risk to the environment, employees, the public and our Business in the event of a major incident.