The overall accountability for sustainability within Shell lies with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Executive Committee. Our standards are established by our Health, Safety, Security, Environment and Social Performance (HSSE & SP) Executive team, chaired by our CEO, which shapes, drives and assesses how we manage our performance in these areas.
The HSSE & SP Executive team includes members of the Executive Committee and the HSSE & SP leaders across the business. The full committee meets twice a year, while the leaders meet regularly throughout the year to review performance, agree plans and to discuss specific issues. This includes the review and approval of any changes proposed to our standards.
Our standards are set out in our HSSE & SP Control Framework and are supported by a number of guidance documents. They apply to every Shell company, including all employees and contractors, and to Shell operated joint ventures (JVs). The Control Framework defines standards and accountabilities at each level of the organisation, and sets out the processes and procedures that people should follow.
HSSE & SP assurance
The process safety and HSSE & SP assurance team, with a mandate from the CSRC, provides independent assurance on the effectiveness of HSSE & SP controls. This includes testing the compliance with the HSSE & SP Control Framework and reviewing the effectiveness of other assurance activities operating within Shell.
This assurance is provided against Shell’s broad mandatory requirements which are outlined in the HSSE & SP Control Framework. It applies to all operated JVs and non-operated JVs where agreed. The mandated requirements cover risk areas within health, personal safety, process safety, environment, security and social performance.
The process safety and HSSE & SP assurance team develops and executes an assurance programme of compliance audits that covers a variety of risks identified at assets and projects. In 2014, the team conducted 105 audits.
Outcomes from these audits and the response from Shell’s management are shared with the relevant parts of Shell and the CSRC. The actions taken to address the audits’ findings are also monitored within Shell.
