Performance highlights

This table represents a selection of global metrics that we track within Shell. These metrics have been selected because they reflect the direct impact of Shell companies’ operations on people and the environment. We used them to set our goals and measure progress in 2018 and to define priorities for 2019.

We review our metrics regularly to ensure we capture the information needed to improve our performance. For example, we introduced Goal Zero for personal safety at Shell in 2007. Since then, we have broadened the goal to aim for no harm to people and the environment. More information on our performance, definitions of the indicators and the referenced goals are provided in the environmental, social and safety data sections.

Goals, performance and plans for 2018 and beyond

Click below to see the metrics that we track

Human with check mark (Icon) (icon)

Personal safety

Personal safety

Human with check mark (Icon) (icon)

Goal 2018

TRCF ≤ 0.7

Achieve total recordable case frequency (TRCF) – the number of injuries per million working hours – of 0.7 or below for employees and contractors.

Goal Zero has been our ambition for personal safety since 2007.

Progress in 2018

Total recordable case frequency (TRCF)

Total recordable case frequency – 2014: 1.0; 2015: 0.90; 2016: 1.0; 2017: 0.8; 2018: 0.9 (line chart)

The increased slightly to 0.9 compared with 0.8 in 2017, which was our lowest ever performance (see Safety performance).

Priorities in 2019

  • Continue to focus on our three safety themes of care, dilemmas and risk normalisation in engagements with employees and contractors.
  • In road safety, continue to focus on effective implementation of proven practices across all lines of business, with an emphasis on improving management of fuel transport in high-risk countries. 
  • Support the development and implementation of common industry safety standards.
  • Improve our capabilities to learn from audit findings and investigations into incidents with the potential to cause harm.
Check mark surrounded by circle of arrows (icon)

Process safety

Process safety

Check mark surrounded by circle of arrows (icon)

Goal 2018

Leaks ≤ 125

Reduce the number of operational leaks to 125 or below (classified as “operational Tier 1 & 2 process safety events”).

Since 2011, we have extended our ambition of Goal Zero to process safety.

From 2017, we combined operational Tier 1 & 2 safety events when setting the target. Previously, we only used Tier 1 events.

Progress in 2018

Number of operational process safety Tier 1 and 2 events

Number of operational process safety Tier 1 and 2 events – 2014: 251; 2015: 220; 2016: 146; 2017: 166; 2018: 121 (line chart)

The number of Tier 1 and 2 operational process safety events fell from 166 in 2017 to 121 in 2018 (see Safety performance).

Priorities in 2019

  • Continue to focus on asset integrity and quality of operational execution by, among other things, embedding our Process Safety Fundamentals and the roll out of a group-wide asset management system.
  • Continue to improve learning from process safety events with high potential impact.
Globe (Icon) (icon)

Environment

Environment

Globe (Icon) (icon)

Goal 2018

Goal Zero extends to the environment with our goal of no operational spills.

Progress in 2018

Volume of operational spills in ‘000 tonnes

Volume of operational spills in ‘000 tonnes – 2014: 0.7; 2015: 0.8; 2016: 0.8; 2017: 0.4; 2018: 0.8 (line chart)

The number of operational spills fell from 104 in 2017 to 92 in 2018. The volume of operational spills of oil and oil products in 2018 was 0.8 thousand tonnes, an increase from 0.4 thousand tonnes in 2017 (see Environmental performance).

Priorities in 2019

  • Continue to learn from incidents with spills to improve the reliability of our facilities and further reduce the number and volume of operational spills.
  • Continue to work with the oil and gas industry to further develop effective oil-spill response capacities.
Flame with arrow pointing downwards (Icon) (icon)

GHG and Energy

GHG & Energy

Flame with arrow pointing downwards (Icon) (icon)

Goal 2018

Reduce flaring in our upstream business.

Our policy is to reduce flaring and venting to as low a level as is reasonably practical.

We are a signatory of the World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative.

Progress in 2018

Upstream flaring in million tonnes CO2 equivalent [A]

Flaring in million tonnes CO2 equivalent – 2014: 13.0; 2015: 11.8; 2016: 7.6; 2017: 8.2; 2018: 5.2 (line chart)

[A] Includes Upstream and Integrated Gas

Our upstream flaring decreased to 5.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2018 from 8.2 million tonnes in 2017 (see Flaring).

Priorities in 2019

  • Continue to link staff bonuses to the management of greenhouse gas emissions. 
  • Further embedding the guiding principles for reducing methane emissions across the natural gas value chain, which Shell and seven other energy companies signed in November 2017.
  • Continue to focus on maintenance measures to enhance the reliability of our equipment and reduce emissions through leaks.

GHG and Energy

Flame with arrow pointing downwards (Icon) (icon)

Goal 2018

Upstream and Integrated Gas GHG intensity ≤ 0.164

For our Upstream and Integrated Gas facilities, achieve a intensity of 0.164 tonnes or below of CO2 equivalent per tonne of hydrocarbon production available for sale.

Progress in 2018

Upstream and Integrated Gas: tonnes CO2e per tonne of hydrocarbon production available for sale

Upstream and Integrated Gas: tonnes CO2e per tonne of hydrocarbon production available for sale – 2016: 0.166; 2017: 0.166; 2018: 0.158 (line chart)

Our Upstream and Integrated Gas intensity was 0.158 tonnes CO2 equivalent per tonne of hydrocarbon production available for sale in 2018 compared to 0.166 in 2017.

Priorities in 2019

  • Continue to link staff bonuses to the management of greenhouse gas emissions. 
  • Further embedding the guiding principles for reducing methane emissions across the natural gas value chain, which Shell and seven other energy companies signed in November 2017.
  • Continue to focus on maintenance measures to enhance the reliability of our equipment and reduce emissions through leaks.

GHG & Energy

Cloud with arrow pointing downwards (Icon) (icon)

Goal 2018

Refinery GHG intensity ≤ 1.05

For our refineries, reduce GHG intensity to 1.05 tonnes or below of CO2 equivalent per Solomon’s Utilised Equivalent Distillation Capacity [UEDC]

Progress in 2018

Refineries: tonnes CO2e per Solomon’s Utilised Equivalent Distillation Capacity [UEDC]

Refineries: tonnes CO2e per Solomon’s Utilised Equivalent Destillation Capacity [UEDC™] – 2015: 1.16; 2016: 1.18; 2017: 1.14; 2018: 1.05 (line chart)

Refinery GHG intensity in 2018 was 1.05 tonnes CO2e per UEDC compared to 1.14 in 2017.

Priorities in 2019

  • Continue to link staff bonuses to the management of greenhouse gas emissions. 
  • Continue to focus on maintenance measures to enhance the reliability of our equipment and reduce emissions through leaks.

GHG & Energy

Cloud with arrow pointing downwards (Icon) (icon)

Goal 2018

Chemical GHG intensity ≤ 0.97

For our chemical plants, reduce GHG intensity to 0.97 tonnes or below of CO2 equivalent per tonne of high-value petrochemicals produced.

Progress in 2018

Chemicals: tonnes CO2e per tonne of petrochemicals produced

Chemicals: tonnes CO2e per tonne of petrochemicals produced – 2015: 1.04; 2016: 0.99; 2017: 0.95; 2018: 0.96 (line chart)

Chemical intensity was 0.96 tonnes CO2 equivalent per tonne of high value chemicals produced in 2018 compared to 0.95 in 2017. 

Priorities in 2019

  • Continue to link staff bonuses to the management of greenhouse gas emissions. 
  • Continue to focus on maintenance measures to enhance the reliability of our equipment and reduce emissions through leaks.
Two humans (icon)

Social performance

Social performance

Two humans (icon)

Goal 2018

Effective community feedback.

Our community feedback mechanism (CFM) has been used to address community concerns since 2012. We continue to progress the implementation of our standard online community feedback tool, which helps to strengthen tracking and reporting of concerns.

Progress in 2018

We conducted a full evaluation of our online community feedback tool to understand how it has been used across our projects and facilities.

Following the evaluation, we identified a number of areas for improvement, which are now being considered to enhance the tool.

We developed the CFM self-check to assess the effectiveness of the mechanism for implementation in all major facilities and projects. The check is based on Guiding Principles and Human Rights criteria.

(see Social performance).

Priorities in 2019

  • Enhance the online community feedback tool, based on the improvement areas we identified in 2018, such as user friendliness to ensure short response times. The improvements help to ensure we are able to effectively receive, assess and support assets and projects to respond quickly to concerns.
  • Identify further improvement opportunities from the self-check exercise for an effective implementation of CFM.
TRCF
total recordable case frequency
View complete glossary
GHG
greenhouse gas
View complete glossary
GHG
greenhouse gas
View complete glossary
UN
United Nations
View complete glossary