Page 17 - Annual Report 2020

1.4.6 COVID-19: Our global response 1

COVID-19 key statistics and initiatives to 30 June 2020
(2)
(1)
Total number of confirmed cases in the BHP workforce Minerals Australia (4) 4 (0)
(potentially infectious while at work) (3)
Figures for persons potentially infectious while at work are Minerals Americas (5) 455 (135) Strategic Report
included irrespective of where infection may have occurred
Petroleum 27 (0)
(6)
Asia/Europe 0 (0)
Global total 486 (135)
Established the Vital Resources Fund in Australia, providing a Minerals Australia – community A$50 million
broad range of support for regional communities Governance at BHP
Provided support to labour hire for our Australian operations 1,500 new positions created
to help them continue to operate Minerals Australia – workforce
Accelerating payments and reducing payment terms to seven Minerals Australia – suppliers US$80 million
days (from 30 days) for small local and Indigenous businesses

Assistance program to increase testing capacity and medical
treatment facilities in vulnerable areas of Santiago, Antofagasta Minerals Americas – community US$8 million
and Tarapacá Northern regions
Donations to the communities where we operate in Chile Minerals Americas – community US$3 million Remuneration Report
Supporting impacted contracting partners in Chile by
voluntarily paying a proportion of their fixed remuneration Minerals Americas – workforce US$25 million
and social security costs to 30 June 2020
Established a Community Relief Fund supporting local
and regional health and wellness programs and essential Petroleum – community US$2 million
community services in North America and Trinidad and Tobago

Supporting the Chinese Red Cross Foundation in its Global – customer community RMB10 million
response efforts Directors’ Report
27,401 critical control observations across the
Strong field leadership globally through the pandemic Global – workforce Group from 1 March 2020 to 30 June 2020,
showing 92% compliance
73% rated their wellbeing as good or very good
Employee wellbeing survey response Global – workforce 91% believed BHP was doing a good job
responding to COVID-19

COVID-19 transformed the world earlier this year, touching every corner of society and shaking the global
economy. BHP quickly recognised that our ability to continue to operate through the pandemic depended
on the steps we took to keep our people safe and healthy, and to support the communities where we have Financial Statements
a presence.
Our first priority throughout our COVID-19 response has been Employees and contractors
the health and safety of our people and communities, and to help To facilitate social distancing and reduce infection risk, we reduced
support the health and safety of the workforce across our value numbers of people at our work locations through split-shifts at our
chain. This guided us as we worked to prevent an outbreak in our offices, requirements for business-critical workers only at our
operations and communities when a pandemic was declared operated assets and flexible working from home arrangements.
in March. With strong engagement with and support from our In addition, we supported our employees at greatest risk from
workforce and union leaders within our workforce, we were able COVID-19 to work from home and, where this was not possible,
to take swift and decisive action, helping reduce the impact within access special leave.
and outside our operated assets. Additional information
When the pandemic hit, we had the financial strength and agility to We implemented screening measures at entry to our operations
and airport departure locations for our fly-in fly-out workforce,
implement our emergency plans and the rapid changes necessary including app-based questionnaires and temperature screening,
to keep our people safe and healthy and our operations running. reduced capacity on flights and buses, in support of physical
BHP’s strong balance sheet, disciplined approach and CAF, which distancing and increased hygiene practices. When people
is embedded throughout our business, positions us to weather displayed relevant symptoms, we implemented response plans and
downturns and unexpected issues such as the COVID-19 outbreak. evacuated them for testing, isolation and, where required, medical
The CAF informs the core financial decisions we make and meant care. In Chile and for our Petroleum operations in the United States,
we had already made the investments in our operated assets to due to high levels of community transmission, the screening
continue to operate safely and reliably. included testing for COVID-19 prior to travel to our remote sites
and facilities. This enabled us to safely operate, support jobs and Shareholder information
contribute to regional economic activity.
(1) A person with a laboratory confirmation of COVID-19 infection, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test methodology, irrespective of clinical signs and symptoms.
(2) Employees and contractors engaged by BHP.
(3) Figures in brackets indicate the number of people within the confirmed cases in the BHP workforce who were potentially infectious while at work, defined as being
in one of BHP’s managed locations (including camps and offices) within 48 hours before onset of symptoms and/or while symptomatic. Figures for persons potentially
infectious while at work are included irrespective of where infection may have occurred.
(4) Includes BHP offices within Australia.
(5) Includes BHP offices within South America or Canada.
(6) Includes BHP offices within the United States.

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