UK ports outperform targets

The 2008 Associated British Ports (ABP) Corporate Responsibility Report has revealed that performance in term of safety, emission and community investment at UK ports has improved.

The new report reveals how ABP performed against the 26 corporate responsibility targets the group set itself for the 2008 calendar year.

Some 6.2 employees per thousand suffered reportable injuries, better than the target set for 2008, and the group met its long-term target in relation to the provision of accredited safety training to employees.

Performance in relation to carbon emissions and water consumption also bettered its target and resource efficiency groups generated savings of £500,000 per annum.

ABP implemented an e-learning package; as a result, participation in training increased by 18 per cent.

Community investment exceeded its target, and an employee-led initiative raised £200,000 for charities associated with the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Zafar Khan, chief financial officer and chairman of ABP’s Corporate Responsibility Steering Committee, said: “It has now been six years since we committed to the formal external reporting of our performance in relation to corporate responsibility and it is pleasing to note that 2008 was another year of progress.

“We achieved 24 of our 26 targets for the year and, despite the economic climate, we remain committed to further improving our performance in this area during the current year.”

ABP’s Corporate Responsibility framework follows Business in the Community’s (BITC) model for reporting on Corporate Responsibility. The full report is available on the association’s website.