BKW Foremost Transport B.V. aims to create value for all our stakeholders and society. For us, sustainability – or our approach to responsible business conduct – is about caring for people, planet and profit. We enable factories to operate and companies to manufacture products that we use in our daily lives. We realize that our long-term success depends on our ability to innovate and respond to changing demands from both the market and society. Today, the vital products we store are chemicals, oil, gases, biofuels and edible oils; in future, we may well store products like hydrogen and CO2. While the products in our tanks are crucial to people’s daily lives and the economy, they can endanger their health and the environment if stored or handled inappropriately. This comes with a huge responsibility; our role is to ensure safe, clean and efficient storage. Our commitment to care extends to all our stakeholders, including our own people, our customers and the communities in which we operate.

Sustainability Policy

We contribute to a more sustainable economy by introducing more sustainable technologies, processes and products, and facilitating the energy transition. Our choices today must contribute to our long-term relevance in society and the well-being and development of future generations. Our ambition is to be the sustainability leader in our industry and to be as good as the safest and most sustainable customers.We are committed to minimizing the negative effects of our business activities on people’s safety, health and well-being. We do this by maximizing personal and operational safety, and working hard to reduce our environmental footprint, including our carbon footprint. We invest in training, talent development and a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Safety and health

We provide rigorous safety training to those working at BKW Foremost Transport B.V. locations. BKW Foremost Transport B.V. safety fundamentals include guidelines on transferring products, on permits, motorized vehicles, ‘lock-out, tag-out’, managing change and working in confined spaces and at heights, a common cause of accidents in the industry. As a minimum, we comply with laws and regulations.We systematically discuss and report work-related injuries, fatalities and illnesses, as well as safety incidents like spills and fires. We are currently rolling out our Trust & Verify program. The aim of this program is to improve our overall Safety, Health & Environment (SHE) performance, to further increase awareness of safety issues, and to encourage a culture of personal accountability throughout the company.

Environment

Our Environmental Management System is included in BKW Foremost Transport B.V. internal standards (as part of our Environmental Impact Assessment and Soil & Groundwater Management). As with safety, we go often beyond legal compliance. We have put in place a program of improvements at our terminals – to further reduce emissions of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). VOCs can cause air pollution – and may pose a health risk, which is why we assess not only the emissions themselves, but also their overall ‘social impact’ – which we aim to reduce by at least 20%.We work to minimize damage to the environment through harmful emissions, for example, or accidental spills. We have a clear responsibility, in this respect, to the communities in which we operate. BKW Foremost Transport B.V. has a robust environmental management process. We use API RP 754 –the American Petroleum Institute’s recommended practice for the refinery and petrochemical industries.

Human & labor rights.

We respect international human and labor rights. We screen all major investments for potential human rights issues. With regard to labor rights, we have identified locations most at risk of violations – in these locations, we verify that at least minimum conditions are being met. We also support the ‘living wage’ principle, and work directly with contractors on health & safety standards, human rights, ethics and integrity.We also provide regular safety and operational training to contractors; their obligations are set out clearly in our Supplier Code. Contractors and suppliers must comply with this Code, as well as with BKW Foremost Transport B.V. Sustainability Policy, living wage approach and international human and labor rights standards.