At BHP, we are committed to a high level of sustainability performance at our operated assets, as well as seeking to encourage the sustainability performance of our downstream customers in the value chain. We support industry association programs and other initiatives that bring together participants in a product’s lifecycle to improve sustainability performance. Our participation in these programs is aimed at ensuring the standards and thresholds are meaningful and support improvement in the industry.  

During FY2025, our Chilean operations, Escondida and Spence, were reaccredited against The Copper Mark Criteria Guide (reference 24 January 2020) to recognise their responsible production and sourcing practices. The Copper Mark is a voluntary assurance framework for responsible minerals production that independently assesses participants against a comprehensive set of performance criteria across environmental, social and governance dimensions. For more information on The Copper Mark assurance framework refer to The Copper Mark website. To view our current Copper Mark assurance statements, refer to the Disclosure section below. 

The ICMM’s Mining Principles require member companies to conduct a prioritisation process to determine which assets will be subject to third-party validation across a three-year cycle. All of BHP’s operated assets (excluding New South Wales Energy Coal (NSWEC), legacy assets and the former OZ Minerals assets acquired by BHP on 2 May 2023) have completed self-assessments against ICMM’s Mining Principles and associated Performance Expectations during the last three years. The external validation sequence has been determined in consideration of commitments made by BHP with respect to the five standards.  

During FY2025, our operated assets across Minerals Australia (except NSWEC and Western Australia Nickel) progressed assessing against and obtaining external validation over the TSM’s applicable Protocols and Frameworks, which is a condition of our membership of the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA). The MCA has set a deadline of the end of December 2025 for public disclosure of the results of the TSM assessments for its members and BHP is working towards this milestone. Completion of assessment and external verification against the relevant TSM Protocols and Frameworks for all in-scope BHP operated assets is an FY2026 milestone under our social value scorecard.  

In addition, we are working on external validation of corporate-level TSM and ICMM Performance Expectations (PE) self-assessments and some of our operated assets will begin their three-yearly ICMM PE assessment cycles again in FY2026.  

And finally, our Jansen potash project in Canada is preparing for its first TSM self-assessment after production commences, estimated in mid-CY2027.  

For more information on the ICMM Mining Principles and the associated PEs and the Assurance and Validation requirements refer to the ICMM website. To view our current assurance statements, refer to the Disclosure section below. 

We disclose aspects of our sustainability performance through the LMEpassport, which is the LME’s digital credentials register to enable companies that trade LME-listed brands to disclose their sustainability metrics and certifications at corporate, asset and brand levels. BHP has added information related to our copper and nickel LME-registered products from Olympic Dam, Escondida, Pampa Norte and Nickel West.  

To support continuous improvement in environmental performance, each of our operated assets is required to have an Environmental Management System (EMS) that aligns with ISO14001 standards and set target environmental outcomes for land, biodiversity, air and water resources that are consistent with the assessed risks and potential impacts. Target environmental outcomes are required to be approved by the relevant Asset President or equivalent and included in the life of asset plan. Verification of the EMS is either via ISO14001 certification, for those sites that currently hold ISO14001 certification, or internal assurance processes. For more information refer to the Nature and environmental performance webpage. 

In FY2025, we also continued to actively contribute to the development of globally consistent sustainability performance standards working together with the multi-stakeholder ecosystem. In particular, we continued work under the Consolidated Mining Standard Initiative (CMSI), which has the objective of consolidating major sustainability performance standards in a manner that reduces complexity, and improves clarity and performance through the scale of adoption across the industry, agnostic of commodity and geography.  

BHP encourages the responsible design, use, reuse, recycling and disposal of our products throughout our value chain, in line with the ICMM Mining Principles. 

For our marketed products, our Sales and Marketing team works to maintain compliance with all applicable product regulatory requirements in relevant markets. This includes assessing the hazards of the products of mining according to the United Nations Globally Harmonised System of Hazard Classification and Labelling or equivalent relevant regulatory systems and communicating through safety data sheets and labelling as appropriate. 

Where possible, BHP works directly with those involved in the processing and use of our products to improve environmental performance throughout the value chain and to promote the sustainable use of our products. For example, we work with individual customers to design and test raw material blends that optimise environmental performance. We also collaborate on research with customers, industry bodies and academia to identify sustainable product and process improvements.  

Against a backdrop of emerging sustainability-related classification and reporting regulations and standards globally, we see product transparency as increasingly important. 

Circular economy principles are an increasingly critical consideration for building sustainable supply chains in relation to our commodities that meet growing demand for our products, support goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and minimise the impact of mining and downstream processing on the environments and communities where we operate. We are working to identify opportunities that leverage our capabilities to create solutions that can contribute towards a circular economy. 

We recognise the importance of supporting the climate transition in our value chain. In 2020, BHP set Scope 3 emissions goals for 2030 to support decarbonisation for processing of our steelmaking products and maritime transportation of our products. In 2021, we added to these goals with a long-term goal and targets for Scope 3 emissions, supported by actions to work with industry, including our customers and suppliers, to progress sectoral decarbonisation. For more information on our goals and targets for Scope 3 emissions refer to the Climate change webpage. 

Our interest in the value chain also extends to water use. BHP has potential exposure to water-related risks across the value chain and climate change may increase our future exposure. Customers and suppliers may be exposed to areas of ‘high’ to ‘extremely high’ water stress and we must understand these factors and respond to the challenges, working with our customers and suppliers. 

1. Establishing strong company management systems  
2. Identifying and assessing risk in the minerals and metals supply chain  
3. Designing and implementing a strategy to respond to identified risks  
4. Carrying out independent audits at identified points in the supply chain, where applicable  
5. Reporting on minerals and metals supply chain due diligence   

The risks BHP considers in this due diligence include the Annex II risks under the OECD Guidance, together with other risks identified by BHP. Annex II risks include any form of forced or compulsory labour, the worst forms of child labour and other severe human rights violations, such as widespread sexual violence. Our due diligence program also includes prioritised environmental risks based on their potential significance for our minerals and metals supply chain as guided by the OECD Environment Handbook. 

We commenced implementation of the Responsible Minerals Program in FY2023, including the publication of our Responsible Minerals Policy, which was updated again in FY2025. Aligned with the due diligence requirements set out under the LME Policy on Responsible Sourcing of LME-Listed Brands, in FY2024, we achieved Track A compliance against the Joint Due Diligence Standard (JDDS) for all BHP LME metal brands, covering Escondida, Spence, Olympic Dam and Nickel West. The JDDS was established by The Copper Mark in collaboration with relevant metals associations to promote responsible minerals and metals supply chains for these commodities, aligned with the OECD Guidance. We have also published the BHP Responsible Minerals Program 2025 report (per step 5 under the OECD Guidance), our third of these reports. 

For more information on our activities and current accreditations refer to the BHP ESG Standards and Databook 2025 and the BHP Annual Report 2025, Operating and Financial Review 9.1 – Our sustainability approach. 

More information about our involvement in The Copper Mark is available here – The Copper Mark.  

BHP Copper Mark Assurance Statement – Olympic Dam 

BHP ICMM PEs Assurance Statement – Olympic Dam 

BHP ICMM PEs Assurance Statement – Nickel West  

BHP ICMM PEs Assurance Statement – Western Australia Iron Ore 

BHP ICMM PEs Assurance Statement – BMA  

BHP CM ICMM Copper Mark Reasonable Assurance Statement - Escondida

BHP CM ICMM - ICMM Limited Assurance Statement - Escondida

BHP CM ICMM Copper Mark Reasonable Assurance Statement - Spence

BHP CM ICMM - ICMM Limited Assurance Statement - Spence