Sustainability

JOURNEY TO ZERO HARM

Murray & Roberts has embarked on a comprehensive initiative to evaluate the health and safety management in its South African operations against global best practice standards – and has appointed DuPont Sustainable Solutions as its partner on this ‘Journey to Zero Harm’.

Murray & Roberts group CE, Brian Bruce says that strong leadership, continuous motivation and education of the Group’s employees to take responsibility for themselves, their colleagues and the environment are key elements of the Group’s aspiration to achieve Zero Harm. “We are proud to partner DuPont Sustainable Solutions to undertake a comprehensive evaluation of the Group’s South African operations against best practice standards and to develop a set of continuous improvement recommendations.”

DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

Aspiring to Zero Harm in everything we do

Carlman Moyo, managing director of DuPont Sub-Saharan Africa, comments that while Murray & Roberts has already made significant strides towards creating a positive health and safety culture, the DuPont appointment will assist the company to achieve its goal of Zero Harm in all aspects of business – people, partners and clients, the natural environment in which it operates and society in general.

According to Moyo, DuPont will gather data through a Safety Perception Survey (SPS) which gives the organisation a view of health and safety from the employees’ perspective.

A Safety Management Evaluation (SME) will also be conducted by DuPont to give an independent view on the health and safety culture based on international best practice. Based on these, DuPont and Murray & Roberts will then develop best-practice recommendations across all activities of the organisation. This rigorous process will provide a complete picture of the Murray & Roberts culture and risks and will form the basis for the strategic review of what the company needs to do to improve its health and safety performance.

Moyo says that all of the industrial accidents that happen in organisations can be avoided, and that improving health and safety depends largely on how leadership is able to influence behaviour. It is encouraging, he adds, to see industry leaders like Murray & Roberts take proactive steps to go beyond the minimum requirements of health and safety standards in the workplace. 

TAKING A STAND

Murray & Roberts is determined to foster ethical behaviour throughout the organisation. Robust explores the actions it has taken over the past decade to achieve this.

The construction industry has recently been implicated in collusive behaviour. While Murray & Roberts cannot rule out the possibility that some individuals within the organisation may act collusively, the Group is adamant that its board and management is clear of conscience and absent of guilt. These are the actions Murray & Roberts has applied in the past decade to eliminate collusive behaviour and ensure compliance with competition legislation.

Murray & Roberts was a founding member of the Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI) which was launched at the 2004 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum to counter bribery in business. In terms of its membership of PACI, Murray & Roberts undertakes to counter corruption and bribery in its business and markets. The Group hosted the first PACI conference on African soil.

In 2009, Murray & Roberts was one of only two construction companies that participated in the Ethics Institute of South Africa’s Corporate Ethics Indicator (2009). The benchmark study which is in line with the recommendations of the King III, provides the Group with independent and statistically reliable information on the ethics management practice within the organisation.

Murray & Roberts has worked with the Competition Commission since 2007. The Group continues to support the Commission’s process and has made a commitment to assist with any of its current and future investigations.

This is not a statement of new beliefs or a codification of new rules of conduct, but a reaffirmation of enduring values and practices developed over more than 109 years.

In recent years, senior corporate executives and operating entity executives have undergone advanced training on the legislation covering anti-competitive behaviour and the Group has reviewed all operating entities to identify potential competition law risks. Where there is any possibility that such risks might exist, the competition authorities have been informed and appropriate actions taken to protect the company and its shareholders.

The group chief executive hosts “Ask Brian” on the Interchange and the CE Discussion Forum on the website to promote transparent direct communication on matters of importance to employees and broader society. He is also the direct point of contact for “Tip-offs Anonymous”, an independent hotline service that supports reporting of workplace dishonesty, including fraud and corruption. The Group also employs a professional firm of forensic consultants and investigators to investigate all reported cases. Appropriate disciplinary and legal action is taken for dishonest conduct.

This year, Murray & Roberts will distribute a Statement of Business Principles throughout the Group to promote and encourage ethical behaviour. The Statement of Business Principles assists employees in all geographic locations to recognise and deal with areas of ethical risk and to foster honest and ethical conduct.

“It is not intended to be a statement of new beliefs or a codification of new rules of conduct,” says group CE Brian Bruce, “but as reaffirmation of our enduring values and practices developed over more than 109 years.”

This is not a statement of new beliefs or a codification of new rules of conduct, but a reaffirmation of enduring values and practices developed over more than 109 years.