SHEQ

To ensure that our SHEQ policy reaches and touches all of our employees, we have translated it into more than 30 languages.

Here you can download the SHEQ policy in the most common languages spoken at Linde.

SHEQ policy

The integrated management systems deployed by our Gases, Engineering and Gist logistics Divisions provide the tools to monitor and steer SHEQ activities.

These management instruments incorporate internal SHEQ guidelines and describe in detail how they are implemented in order to meet our internal standards.

Gases Division

Our Gases Division is establishing a global system for identifying core requirements and best practices – the Linde Management Systems and Standards (LiMSS). Existing standards will therefore be replaced by these new global guidelines.

The primary aim here is to systematically improve safety and simultaneously cut the risk of third-party liability claims resulting from different safety standards within the company.

Further benefits include improved customer service, immediate, global access to information and expertise across The Linde Group and the elimination of duplicate tasks due to parallel systems at regional and local level. LiMSS also promotes environmental protection, sustainability and process efficiency throughout the Gases Division.

Information on the Integrated Management System of Linde Engineering is available here.

To improve our performance in all areas, we need to know how we are doing.

Which is why we publish our Group-wide, non-financial key indicators each year in the Linde AG Corporate Responsibility Report.

The data collected and analysed plays a key role in the internal management of our Corporate Responsibility activities. It enables us to systematically plan and steer strategies under our five key CR action items. It also gives our stakeholders a precise and meaningful source of information.

In selecting our key indicators, we are guided by stakeholder requirements as well as international recommendations and guidelines governing sustainability reporting, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

The information is honed and supplemented to reflect company and industry-specific issues. To cater to the varying informational demands of our stakeholders, the key indicators in the Corporate Responsibility Report are a mix of economic, ecological and social figures that outline our company’s performance in these areas. 

You can find further information on our HSE indicators and basic definitions in our "Corporate Responsibility Accounting - Overview of HSE Indicator Reporting" report.

We place great value on achieving certification to internationally applicable standards for our locations across the globe.

During the past year, we have significantly broadened external certification of our SHEQ management systems and successfully attained recertification.
In the future, we will continue to expand external certification to applicable standards for our SHEQ management systems, focussing on locations with a particularly high environmental, quality or safety profile.

Gases Division

The internal environmental and safety audits run by our Gases Division comply with the main internationally recognised standards. Responding to the demands of our customers, most of our local offices and companies are also certified to DIN ISO 9001. Many locations are also certified to the environmental management standard DIN ISO 14001, the Safety Certificate for Contractors (SCC) and/or the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS 18001).

Our Gases and Engineering Divisions are active members of regional and national associations representing the engineering and gases industries.

The Gases Division’s primary objective is to help establish the highest possible common safety and environmental standards among member organisations – in the production, transport, storage and use of industrial and medical gases.

Open dialogue and the exchange of experiences enable us to create training materials and Codes of Best Practice. We have also developed common position statements, which are incorporated in international standards.

Linde is a member of various associations, including EIGA (European Industrial Gases Association) and CGA (Compressed Gases Association U.S.A.). These associations actively advise legislators when new laws and regulations are being drafted and develop solutions to ensure compliance with these laws.

The international Responsible Care programme is a worldwide initiative sponsored by the chemical industry. Regardless of legal requirements, its aim is to continuously improve protection of health and the environment, and to maximise safety for workers.

As a member of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), Linde Gas Germany joined Responsible Care in the year 2000. A total of 26 Linde Group affiliates have now joined the Responsible Care programme.

Awards for safety and environmental protection

Each year, the US Compressed Gases Association (CGA) presents awards for outstanding achievements in the areas of safety and environmental protection.

Our gases subsidiary in the United States has received Environmental Excellence and Fleet Safety awards from CGA. The company received the Environmental Excellence award for developing particularly eco-friendly small gas cylinders.

Linde’s Indonesian subsidiary was named “The Most Caring Company” in the category “Basic and Chemical Industry”. In Indonesia, this title is conferred on companies that place great importance on stakeholder safety and implement the appropriate management systems.

Click here for further information on employee awards.