Our suppliers
Processes and systems
Boral has strategic sourcing managers for all key supply categories at a corporate level.
Boral's Strategic Sourcing group integrates the corporate level plans with each of Boral's divisional strategic sourcing plans annually. The divisional plans incorporate clearly identified sustainability objectives and performance metrics. Performance metrics specifically address capability improvement initiatives identified through the Boral Strategic Sourcing Capability Assessment Tool. This tool qualitatively addresses the level of business capability in strategic sourcing areas.
Sustainability is entrenched in the supplier selection criteria, and the procurement process now includes the issuing of a Supply Chain Sustainability Survey to strategically critical suppliers. The sustainability survey for selecting key suppliers addresses governance and ethics, policies, risk management, systems, reporting and key areas including safety, labour standards, stakeholder engagement and environment (as applicable).
Monitoring performance
Boral undertakes formal performance reviews of its prioritised suppliers, which includes social and environmental performance where relevant and compliance with Boral policies.
To achieve an Industry Best Practice BSDT score of 3.0, Boral's businesses taken together should be able to demonstrate that the following goals have been achieved:
| BSDT element | Our goals |
| Strategic sourcing and supply chain |
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| Sales and marketing |
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Working with our suppliers
Boral's application of its procurement process specifically aims to engage with suppliers to continuously improve Boral's sustainability through the supply chain.
Working with our suppliers of heavy transport vehicles has enabled continued sustainability improvements in a variety of areas. Boral's new compressed natural gas (CNG) concrete agitator vehicles produce 7% less GHG emissions per cubic metre of concrete delivered. In addition, the vehicles have world leading vehicular emission levels exceeding current requirements and even those planned for 2016 and beyond. Compared with current Australian legislative requirements these new vehicles, developed by Mack, are able to reduce particulates by 92% and nitrous oxides by 90%.
All of Boral's heavy transport prime movers have been specified with fuel consumption reduction as a key factor and incorporate several fuel saving design options including roof mounted air conditioners and automatic tyre inflation systems. These reduce the need to run the main engine just for cab cooling, and minimise rolling resistance by ensuring that all tyres are at correct pressures at all times. Driver safety and comfort has also been enhanced with up-rated seats, high visibility seat belts and reversing cameras now standard on all vehicles.
The accelerated replacement of the NSW heavy transport fleet over the next four years will deliver trucks that meet the latest emission regulations and reduce nitrous oxides by over 40% and particulates by 18%. Boral's leadership role in encouraging suppliers to integrate these changes with their normal production processes provides the heavy vehicle manufacturing industry with production capability and opportunities to offer safer, more sustainable vehicles to other industry participants.
US Tile's clay roof products are the first roof tiles to have achieved Cradle to Cradle certification. To successfully achieve Silver level certification criteria, Boral worked with material suppliers to phase out or replace problematic substances to optimise raw materials.
Our contractors
The use and development of contractors is a critical component of Boral's success. Engaging in the order of $800 million of contractor related services annually, Boral has, over a number of years, placed an increasing focus on initiatives to enhance the value of contractor relationships. Recent programs include ongoing development and implementation of sustainable contractor management processes across its business units. The outcomes of these programs includes risk mitigation, cost management and alignment of contractors' sustainability capability with Boral's requirements.
Our customers
We work closely with our customers to understand their needs and the challenges they face so that we can deliver the best solutions. To understand what is important we hold focus groups, conduct quantitative studies and undertake annual customer surveys.
We also undertake perception studies to help us better understand how the Boral brand is viewed in the marketplace and whether we are meeting our objectives. During the year, 619 consumers and 300 builders participated in perception studies. These studies provide valuable information as to how we perform against a range of important measures of our brand. These include being innovative, contemporary and environmentally responsible. The findings are used to help develop our improvement plans for the following year. The findings this year have identified a need to better communicate successful initiatives.
Over the last few years, we have improved the sustainability features of a number of our products in response to feedback from our customers. Examples of Boral products and their sustainability criteria are included on this page.
During the year, Boral continued to develop appropriate and consistent methodologies for undertaking product lifecycle assessments both internally and through various industry groups including the Building Products Innovation Council.
Customer experience
We aim to provide the best service to our customers. However, in the event that dissatisfaction occurs, all of Boral's businesses have systems in place for dealing with customer complaints.
Feedback from annual customer satisfaction surveys is used to improve service.
Product performance and safety
Boral's businesses have processes in place to manage product performance and health and safety risks, including appropriate product labelling and training and Material Safety Data Sheets. Material Safety Data Sheets advise users of our products on safe use and handling and optimal application procedures.
Examples of Boral products and their sustainable features.
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Boral Envirocrete™
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Boral Timber
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ENVIRO™ Plasterboard range
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US Tile
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Industry sustainability initiatives
Since 2005, Boral has been a National Leader of the Housing Industry of Australia (HIA) GreenSmart initiative. Boral continues to sponsor the HIA Boral GreenSmart Awards, which recognise excellence in environmentally sustainable housing construction. GreenSmart is a practical approach to building which focuses on educating builders, designers, product manufacturers and consumers about the benefits of environmentally responsible housing.
Boral is also a Foundation Partner with the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) in its EnviroDevelopment project in Queensland. Following the success of the Queensland project, Boral has also become a Foundation Partner in Victoria and Western Australia. EnviroDevelopment is a scientifically-based branding system designed to make it easier for purchasers to recognise and select more environmentally sustainable homes and lifestyles.
In 2008 Midland Brick, Think Brick, Jade Projects and other industry participants were involved in the development and construction of an 8-star display home (based on the Building Energy Rating Services System). The double-brick house design reduces energy use by nearly 50% relative to a 5-star house, which is the current minimum standard for homes constructed in Western Australia. The house is readily available in Western Australia at an affordable price range of $210,000 to $250,000. Boral is also providing materials into Australia's first 9-star house being built by Mirvac Designs in Victoria. Refer to case study in Our Environment section for further information.
Compliance and ethics
From trade practices compliance to product labelling, we aim to ensure that our marketing and sales activities meet both the spirit and the letter of the law. Marketing and sales people are provided with information on trade practices and other requirements related to acceptable standards for marketplace behaviour. All managers and sales staff are required to complete an online, regularly updated Trade Practices Compliance training program and a biennial refresher course. During 2008/09, a total of 616 Boral employees completed online compliance training in Australia, while 460 employees attended trade practices training seminars. In the USA, Boral's legal department conducted 19 face-to-face training sessions to 505 employees, largely managers and sales staff, which concentrated on antitrust and Code of Conduct.
Customer privacy
With the increasing migration to electronic data management, we maintain extensive and robust security systems and procedures, and give continued priority to customer data protection and privacy. Boral's Privacy Policy is available on Boral's website.
