Assurance system

Ensuring robust performance data

To ensure the performance data we build around Bettercoal Producers is as robust and accurate as possible, we have developed a rigorous assurance system.

The backbone of our assurance system are the Lead Assessors - independent specialists trained in our Standard. They assess coal producers against the 144 provisions of our Standard and build the tailored Continual Improvement Plans (CIP) that each of the producers work through.

Throughout the four-year CIP cycle, assessors review performance evidence submitted by producers and report on the progress, verifying whether specific goals of the CIP have been met - in order to do this, on-site verification is sometime required.

After four years, the process beings again: producers are re-assessed, a new tailored CIP is put in place and regular evidence submissions and reviews start again.

 
 

  • [ 1 ] Commitment

    The coal mining company signs a Letter of Commitment to work towards the expectations of the Bettercoal Code and agrees to indicative costs.

    The Bettercoal Programme undertakes initial due diligence screening ahead of the letter being signed to ensure there are no ‘red flag’ issues and the producer will be able to onboard to the Bettercoal assessment process.

  • [ 2 ] Questionnaire and Assessment Planning

    Producers complete our detailed, information-gathering questionnaire. Using the responses from this, a ‘request for proposals’ is sent out to our pool of lead assessors. Proposals are assessed on technical and commercial requirements.

    A proposed Lead Assessor is appointed and collects information necessary to plan for the on-site assessment.

  • [ 3 ] On-site assessment and assessment report

    An on-site assessment is conducted, benchmarking operations against all 144 provisions of the Code.

    Information gathered both prior to assessment and during the on-site assessment is combined into one single report and is used to create a tailored, 4-year Continuous Improvement Plan, supporting the producer in meeting the expectations of all 144 provisions of the Code.

    Once the Continuous Improvement Plan has been agreed, the company now becomes a Bettercoal Producer.

  • [ 4 ] Continuous Improvement

    Once the Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP) is in place, the producer regularly submits information to their lead assessor, to evidence the changes being implemented to meet the requirements set out in the CIP. Follow-up meetings are held and on-site visits may be required to verify specific changes.

    After four years, the producer is re-assessed and the CIP process starts again, with a new, tailored CIP created based on the new assessment findings.

Lead Assessors

 

The robustness of the Bettercoal assessment process relies on the quality and independence of our third-party assessors. The Bettercoal Programme approves lead assessors who are trained in our standard and are then responsible for verifying whether producers meet the requirements of our standard, the Bettercoal Code.

Approved Lead Assessors

Trevor Harraway, Endiligence

James McNally, WSP

Julija Menise, TDi Sustainability

Soledad Mills, TDi Sustainability

Lucinda Kuys, Independent

Assessor Allocation Procedures

 

If you would like to understand how Lead Assessors are allocated to the assessment of a specific coal producer, please read our document: ‘Lead Assessor Allocation Procedures’ by clicking on the link below.

Become a Lead Assessor

 

The Bettercoal Programme welcomes individuals to become Bettercoal Lead Assessors, conduct assessments and review Continuous Improvement Plan evidence submissions and verify when changes have been implemented sufficiently to meet the expectations of the Bettercoal standard, the Bettercoal Code.

If you are interested in becoming a Bettercoal Lead Assessor, please complete the Application Form linked below. The accompanying document ‘Lead Assessor Approval Process and Criteria’ gives guidance to the application process. Please read this before applying. We look forward to hearing from you.

ASSESSMENT MANUAL

This manual provides instruction and guidance on the overall assessment process, including how approved assessors conduct a desktop review and site assessment of producers, and how they verify improvement plans.

Use the links below to download the Bettercoal Assessment Manual.

Learn more about our framework for continuous improvement

If you’d like to know more about how our Continuous Improvement Plan framework operates and the performance data we collect, please click here.