Our Group ESG governance

The Board has overall responsibility for the general oversight of ESG factors across ABF. It reviews each business segment every year, including a review of ESG issues

In carrying out its duties, the Board is also supported by:

• our Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary who reports to the Chief Executive and has responsibility for ESG issues. He acts as the focal point for communications to the Board and shareholders on ESG matters;
• our Chief People and Performance Officer (CPPO) who reports to the Chief Executive and has responsibility for all employee matters, including safety, mental health, financial wellbeing, employee development, workforce engagement and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), as well as initiatives within procurement in our supply chains, the coordination of environmental reporting across our operations and how we ensure security for our people and assets; and
• our Group Corporate Responsibility Director who leads the Group’s Corporate Responsibility Hub team.

The Corporate Responsibility Hub is a central resource available to all our businesses, which provides support to them as required on environmental and human rights issues. It provides a network that brings together professionals across the Group working in these areas, the Corporate Responsibility (CR) Leads, so that they can share knowledge and best practices with each other.

Within the remit of the CPPO, other teams have been assigned dedicated focus areas, including DEI and health, safety and environment (HSE) and procurement.

All our businesses operate within a clear governance framework defined by the Group. However, our devolved business model gives businesses autonomy to operate in ways that aim to create enduring economic, environmental and social value. In addition to individual business leaders, divisional CEOs also have responsibility and are accountable for their ESG programmes. This covers their ESG risks, opportunities and impacts. They can draw on specialist support from the Corporate Responsibility Hub and the Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary, the CPPO as well as specialist legal advice from the team led by the Associate General Counsel for ESG

Governance structure