Overview
During 2003, ABB strongly focused on health and safety performance and on developing a "people strategy" encompassing the labor principles of ABB’s social policy. An ABB executive committee member chairs a steering group responsible for supervising the group-wide implementation of the social policy.

Implementation of the 13 principles of the ABB social policy are
covered by group function heads according to their areas of expertise. For example, health and safety is covered by the group function for sustainability affairs, business ethics by legal and compliance, ABB in society by corporate communications, suppliers by supply management, and labor principles by human resources.

ABB has developed its own occupational health and safety management system, based on the internationally recognized OHSAS 18001 standard and the International Labour Organization Guidelines on Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. ABB has set a goal for all business units to implement the system by the end of 2004. This will cover all activities including manufacturing, office work, construction projects and service.

Social management within the supply chain has been integrated through ABB’s supplier qualification procedure.

Business ethics compliance programs continued throughout the year, targeting all employees involved in business transactions. Stakeholder dialogues were conducted in 19 out of 48 countries to guide ABB’s role in society.

In 2004, Amnesty International will start training ABB managers about human rights issues, while a working team will address the broader issues of equal opportunity, and encourage the promotion of women and minority groups to positions of greater responsibility.

The report on our social performance has been expanded to include
more of the indicators proposed by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The GRI reference numbers are shown against each indicator.

Items without reference numbers cover areas beyond the scope of the GRI which we reported last year, and which we again document in this latest report.