All divisions within the Group continue to operate an environmental management system certified to ISO 14001 and a health and safety management system certified to OHSAS 18001. The Group has a dedicated Safety, Health and Environment (‘SHE’) team, which is independent of the management of the operating divisions, to monitor both systems. Safety, Health and Environmental monitoring of all developments are undertaken by the team at least once per month and processes are modified as required as we seek continually to improve our performance. A total of 4,755 monitoring visits were undertaken by our SHE team during the last financial year, achieving an average compliance level to statutory and Group standards of 96.1%. Comprehensive internal SHE audits were also undertaken at 21 of our operating divisions and an average compliance to the SHE Management System of 92.4% was recorded, which is in line with our 2010 targets.

Performance is reviewed by the Safety, Health and Environment Committee which meets quarterly. The Committee consists of Executive Directors for North and South, the Group General Counsel and Company Secretary and SHE Director, together with Regional Managing Directors. Each month, health and safety reports are cascaded by each division, for review by the Executive Committee and Board, which also receives a direct report every six months from the SHE Director.

During the year ending 30 June 2011 a further three of our SHE managers became members of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (‘IEMA’), and only two remain to complete the membership process.

As part of a campaign to promote health and safety in the workplace we have also developed a series of bespoke posters aimed at providing strong messages to the workforce on reasons to look after their health and safety at work. These have been displayed in prominent locations such as welfare facilities and have had a positive effect on the behaviours and attitudes of our workforce.

During the year ending 30 June 2011 our Injury Incidence Rate reduced to 539 per 100,000 persons employed (2010: 582), a reduction of 7%, achieving our 2010 target of 5% reduction to 553. We have worked hard to minimise the risk of injury by working with suppliers, partners and local communities. In November 2010, Barratt entered into a partnership with Pristine Condition to integrate their innovative manual handling techniques with our own management system. This bespoke training programme includes a DVD based induction (which was filmed on location at Barratt East Scotland’s, Willowburn Development) as well as a bespoke Safe System of Work and Risk Assessment register.

We have also worked very closely with Pristine Condition to provide training that addresses the differing manual handling risks that are present across our industry. The flexibility of the programme and this external support has enabled us to train employees to deliver the Pristine Condition techniques. The results to date have been excellent and through continued close co-operation we are confident that we can sustain the momentum and continue to reduce the impact of manual handling injuries. This has been a very worthwhile programme which reinforces our commitment to protect the welfare of all our people.

We also held a series of seminars with scaffold contractors in all regions in January and February 2011 in conjunction with launching our revised specification for the provision of scaffold. These sessions were attended by representatives of over eighty scaffold contractors and have resulted in a collaborative working relationship where improvements in standards and systems of scaffold are openly discussed and reviewed.

As part our commitment to engage with the local community, Barratt has introduced a mascot called ‘Barry Barratt’ and other safety material including a book aimed at providing a message to children on the potential dangers of playing on a construction site. A short presentation and film is provided which highlights incidents that can occur and the potential consequences if children play on construction sites. This session was recently provided to the two schools adjacent to our Bryn Emrallt development in South Wales by our Senior SHE Manager, Rhodri Stephens.

During the year ending 30 June 2011 the Group received no prohibition notices and one improvement enforcement notice as part of the HSE’s ‘Good Order’ campaign due to waste materials not being moved effectively from site.

47% of our developments are registered with the Considerate Constructors Scheme, with 67% of sites registered achieving the Group target of 32 points or more. This is slightly below the 2010 target of 70% of participating sites to achieve the Group target and is due to a more stringent marking scheme during the year. For the year ending 30 June 2011, 97% (2010: 97%) of the Group’s workforce (including subcontractors) audited in March 2011, held competency cards issued by the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (‘CSCS’).

The NHBC awards are in their second year and Barratt Site Managers have been recognised for high levels of health and safety performance. Seven site managers received commended awards, a further seven received highly commended awards and Tony Bird, Site Manager from our Bristol Division, was awarded the Regional award for the West region.