Health and safety A dedication to employee wellbeing We are committed to providing a safe working environment for all our employees and contractors and have a Group goal of zero accidents. Our work to protect and maintain employees’ occupational health is part of our commitment to employees’ physical, mental and social wellbeing. We have a Group Health & Safety Policy that aims to apply the best international standards of practice relating to the health and safety of employees at work and non-company personnel on company premises and to give a high priority to these activities. The Policy applies across all our activities. It requires our companies – as well as complying with all applicable laws and regulations – to commit to the prevention of employee injury and ill-health and strive for continual improvement in our health and safety management and performance. This is done through setting clear objectives, including the monitoring and measurement of key performance indicators. Health and Safety Policy (36 kb) The Policy is backed by detailed specific requirements for all our sites as part of our Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) management system. Our EHS system has been in place for many years and is based on international standards. Safety Our approach is focused on risk management and reducing the main causes of accidents and serious injuries. We have a number of focused initiatives in place, such as a programme to reduce vehicle-related injuries in our Trade Marketing & Distribution teams. We also carry out risk assessments and root cause analyses in our manufacturing sites to help find engineering solutions to safety hazards, including entrapment accidents. We’re a diverse company, operating across a huge range of different environments, from city offices to remote farms. Our goal of zero accidents reflects our commitment to providing a safe place to work for all employees and contractors. We achieved zero accidents at 72% of our reporting sites in 2013, up from 60% in 2012. In 2013, we achieved a 15% reduction in the number of injuries in our factory operations as a result of an ongoing focus on safer working conditions and behaviour. However, there was an 11% increase in the total number of reported injuries across the Group, as a result of employing a higher number of sales and distribution personnel who are out on the road and so exposed to more risks. Ongoing programmes to address the risks to our employees and contractors in the most challenging operating environments saw fatalities across our business reduced to six, from 12 in 2012. We deeply regret this loss of life and the suffering caused to friends, family and colleagues as a result. We have carried out detailed reviews of each fatality to learn lessons and identify actions to make sure they don’t happen again. We are committed to keeping all our employees and contractors as safe as possible and will continue to work across our business to get closer to our goal of zero accidents. Full details of our safety performance can be viewed in our sustainability data centre . Occupational health We aim to be among the leaders in occupational health management. We focus on identifying hazards, assessing risks to people’s health at work and introducing appropriate controls. Our companies have programmes to protect and promote health and wellbeing for employees, their families and, in some cases, local communities. These are particularly valuable in those parts of the world where local health services struggle to provide an adequate service and those that have higher risk of communicable diseases. Our Significant Endemic Disease programme aims to reduce the impacts of diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS and hepatitis on employees, their families and communities. It includes a range of interventions such as vaccination, peer education, water purification, nutrition and personal hygiene. While we do not directly employ tobacco farmers or farm workers, tobacco growing is a significant part of our supply chain for which green tobacco sickness (GTS) is a risk. GTS is a type of nicotine poisoning caused when nicotine is absorbed through the skin from wet tobacco leaves. It’s a real risk to farmers and their workers if they harvest tobacco when it’s wet. Raising awareness of GTS has become a major priority for us and we’ve been working with farmers to explain some of the ways they can reduce the risk of developing GTS, such as only handling dry leaves. We also encourage more farmers to make Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available to their workers. PPE includes gloves, trousers and clothes made from impermeable cloth. In addition, we’re also helping farmers to recognise the symptoms of GTS and how to treat it. How we measure up Environmental management Education is key Green tobacco sickness A robust process How we report External links Our sustainability data centre About us Who we are A sustainable approach People and culture Our Guiding Principles Career development Culture and values Health and safety Safety standards in leaf processing How we manage human rights Corporate social investment Meet the Board Corporate governance Policies, principles and standards Search BATS: LSE GBp 3637.50 (+30.50) About us Sustainable business Our industry Challenges and opportunities How we work From crop to consumer Our products Putting consumers first Innovation Tobacco and beyond Sustainability Investors Media Reporting Careers Contact us Worldwide Home About us People and culture Health and safety Explore our world We are one of the world’s most international businesses and many of our Group companies have their own websites. @BATPress BAT Press Office @BATPress The farmers we work with are valued business partners. We want them to feel confident about their future ➜ ow.ly/B2n26 05 Nov Reply Retweet Favorite BAT Press Office @BATPress Our support for our contracted farmers: 1000+ leaf technicians worldwide; 100,000+ farmers directly supported; £65m+ spent each year 04 Nov Reply Retweet Favorite Investors Current UK share price 3637.50p +30.50p 11/11/2014 19:45 Our reporting Contact us +44 (0) 20 7845 1000 British American Tobacco p.l.c. Globe House 4 Temple Place London WC2R 2PG Accessibility Conditions of use Site map © British American Tobacco