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Brambles
Annual Report 2012

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FY2012 Annual Report · Brambles
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Annual Report 2012

www.brambles.com

Brambles is a pooling solutions company specialising in 
the provision of reusable pallets, crates and containers and 
associated logistics services. Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, 
Brambles operates across multiple industry supply chains in more 
than 50 countries. We operate our pooling solutions business under 
two core brands, CHEP and IFCO. Brambles also operates the Recall 
business, a leading provider of information management services.

In 2012, we have upgraded our website and included an enhanced 
online Annual Review. To visit the 2012 Annual Review micro-site, 
go to www.brambles.com/2012review.

The Brambles website has 
been relaunched with improved 
shareholder experience in mind.

The new website includes an upgraded 
Investor Centre with access to key 
announcements and webcasts.

The 2012 online Annual Review contains 
an interactive Strategy Scorecard with 
highlights of our progress.

www.brambles.com

www.brambles.com/investor-centre

www.brambles.com/2012review

CONTENTS

Letter from the Chairman & the CEO  

Operational & Financial Review  

Treasury & Risk Review 

Sustainability Review  

Board & Executive Leadership Team  

Corporate Governance Statement  

Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report  

1

4

12

14

29

33

46

Directors’ Report – Other Information  

Shareholder Information  

Financial Report  

Auditors’ Independence Declaration  

Five Year Financial Performance Summary  

Glossary  

Contact Information 

63

68

71

137

138

139

141

Brambles Limited
ABN 89 118 896 021

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN & THE CEO

5 September 2012 

During the 2012 financial year, Brambles 
remained committed to generating value 
for all stakeholders, delivering further sales 
and Underlying profit growth and increasing 
momentum with the implementation of its 
long-term growth strategy. 

We reported a strong increase in sales revenue for the period amid a 
challenging economic backdrop. We drove growth by adding new 
customers and by entering new segments and regions. We 
strengthened our established operations in the Pallets segment and 
expanded our less established operations in the high-growth 
Reusable Plastic Crates (RPCs) and Containers segments, as well as 
in emerging markets. We delivered this sales growth at a stable 
Underlying profit margin for the Group while continuing to increase 
investment in business development and improvement programs to 
strengthen our business for the future. 

The Board declared dividends for the 2012 financial year 
of 26.0 Australian cents per share, comprising a final dividend 
of 13.0 Australian cents per share, payable on 11 October 2012, and 
the interim dividend of 13.0 Australian cents per share paid in April 
2012. The level of franking on the final dividend has increased to 
30% from 20%. 

Full discussion of our 2012 results and details of the dividend are 
available in the Operational & Financial Review on pages 4 to 11 of 
this report. 

ORGANISING TO DELIVER 
In October 2011, we completed the reorganisation of our Pooling 
Solutions operations into three segments: Pallets, RPCs and 
Containers. This organisation structure aligns with the way we 
engage with different customers – and enables us to operate with 
more strategic rigour as we evaluate opportunities for growth and 
development within the three segments. This new structure is 
allowing us to focus on delivering greater efficiencies while 
providing higher levels of transparency for management and 
shareholders into the performance of our specific operations. 

During the Year, we undertook a divestment process for Recall, our 
information management business. This reflected our focus on 
growing the Pooling Solutions business and our belief that we could 
obtain a sale valuation for Recall that reflected our view of its 
quality and potential. In June 2012, after a rigorous and extensive 
process and amid challenging capital markets conditions, the Board 
concluded that offers from bidders did not reflect Recall’s value or 
offer sufficient certainty. Therefore, it was in the best interests of 
Brambles’ shareholders to retain Recall, which is a profitable and 
growing business. 

BRAMBLES’ CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER TOM GORMAN  
(LEFT) AND CHAIRMAN GRAHAM KRAEHE AO (RIGHT) 

Throughout the divestment process, our employees at Recall 
performed with outstanding professionalism, continuing to deliver 
consistently high levels of customer service. We are committed to 
continuing to manage Recall to generate value for shareholders, 
customers and employees. 

As a result of the cancellation of the Recall sale, we carried out in 
June 2012 a fully underwritten, 1-for-20 pro rata accelerated 
renounceable entitlement offer, raising A$448 million. The purpose 
of the equity raising was to replace funds Brambles would have 
raised through the underwritten dividend reinvestment plan for the 
2011 final and 2012 interim dividends (which formed part of the 
IFCO acquisition funding plan but which we cancelled in August 2011 
because of our expectation at that time that we would receive funds 
from selling Recall). 

Raising equity to help fund the IFCO acquisition was necessary to 
maintain investment-grade credit ratings. These ratings are 
important for a company of Brambles’ size and global scale to retain 
the funding flexibility to execute our strategy effectively. 

STRATEGY 
Today, we are approaching strategy under four key themes: 
diversification; cost leadership; go to market; and people and 
leadership. Our 2012 online Annual Review, which is accessible via 
the Brambles website, provides an in-depth discussion of our 
progress in relation to these themes. The online review includes a 
Strategy Scorecard, a snapshot of which we provide on the inside 
front cover of this report and which is summarised in our Annual 
Review & Notice of Annual General Meeting document. 

DIVERSIFICATION 
Our growth strategy involves diversifying our global Pooling Solutions 
business, operating primarily under the CHEP and IFCO brands, by 
expanding into more customer segments, broadening our range of 
products and services, and growing geographically, including in 
emerging markets. In Recall, we continue to diversify and develop 
the way we deliver services to customers, including the delivery of 
digital document management services. 

To support diversification in Pooling Solutions, we made strong 
progress in the Year with our program to invest US$550 million over 
two years to expand our RPCs business, grow the Pallets business in 
emerging markets and develop our operations in the Containers 
business. In all, we invested US$240 million under this program in 
2012, in line with our target for the first year of the program. 

As we diversify, our three Pooling Solutions segments are achieving 
their sales growth targets. In the largest and most developed – the 
Pallets segment – we continue to deliver constant currency sales 
growth in our major markets such as the USA, Canada, Western 
Europe and Australia & New Zealand. This reflects our ability to win 
business by converting new customers to our solutions, despite poor 
economic conditions leading to a subdued environment for like-for-

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 1

 
 
LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN & THE CEO - CONTINUED

like “organic” volume and pricing growth. In the emerging markets 
of Middle East & Africa, Latin America, Central & Eastern Europe 
and Asia, which now represent 15% of our CHEP sales revenue in the 
Pallets segment, we delivered constant currency sales revenue 
growth of 20% in the 2012 financial year, in line with the target we 
set 12 months ago for each of 2012 and 2013. 

In RPCs, we are on track to deliver our target of 15% constant 
currency sales revenue growth, when normalised for the impact of 
acquisitions, in the 2013 financial year, having achieved that goal in 
2012. The acquisition in March 2011 of IFCO Systems – operator of 
the world’s largest RPC pooling business – gave a significant boost to 
Brambles in this area. Today, our RPCs segment is growing strongly 
as retailers continue to drive their suppliers of fresh produce to 
adopt reusable pooled solutions, which are more sustainable and 
efficient than disposable alternatives. We are expanding strongly by 
penetrating further into new regions, in particular in the USA. 

We are also progressing our growth strategy in the smallest of our 
three Pooling Solutions segments, Containers, through which we 
provide specialist solutions in the automotive, manufacturing, 
chemicals and aerospace sectors. Over the past 24 months, we have 
made a number of small acquisitions to support our expansion and 
continued to win new business. We formally launched the CHEP 
Aerospace Solutions brand during the 2012 financial year, and have 
strong momentum with customer growth in that sector. We are also 
making progress with our strategy of expanding our automotive and 
intermediate bulk container operations in the USA. 

Our Pallets, RPCs and Containers segments share certain 
characteristics that align with Brambles’ core pooling expertise: a 
common platform is used by multiple parties; assets (i.e. pallets, 
crates and containers) flow freely; the ownership of those assets is 
not a competitive differentiator to the user (i.e. our customer); 
pooling those assets can create a “network advantage” through 
increased efficiency; and expert management of that network can 
generate superior economic profit for the pooler. These common 
characteristics enable us to apply the unique intellectual property 
we have from our well-established operations into these newer 
operations. Each of our new initiatives offers a compelling market 
opportunity and, at scale, long-term return on capital invested in 
excess of 20%, pre-tax, in line with our pre-existing Pooling 
Solutions operations. 

We are proud of the strong return on capital profile of our company, 
but also conscious of the continuous improvement required to 
protect that return and to continue to create value for our three key 
stakeholder groups – shareholders, customers and employees. 

COST LEADERSHIP 
We have positive momentum with our growth strategy, but the 
journey has not been without challenges, not least in the context of 
the severe economic headwinds we face in many of our major 
countries of operation. While these economic conditions are beyond 
our control, they place in sharper focus the importance of 
maximising efficiency. Therefore, we continue to strengthen our 
efforts in our second area of strategic focus: cost leadership, by 
which we mean delivering a low-cost business model that leverages 
our global scale to create sustainable competitive advantage. 

In 2012, we demonstrated positive momentum in cost leadership. In 
Recall, we delivered substantial cost reduction and efficiency 
improvements, helping to drive a significant increase in Underlying 
profit margin. 

In the Pallets segment, there were continued improvements in the 
efficiency of delivery of the Better Everyday business improvement 
program in CHEP USA. Also in the Americas, we delivered the first 
tranches of savings from the integration of the IFCO acquisition, and 
best-practice standardisation in operations and logistics. 

Across the Group, we expect to deliver total IFCO integration 
synergies of US$40 million by the end of the 2014 financial year and 
total Pallets operations and logistics efficiencies of US$60 million by 
the end of 2015. 

Cost leadership is also about maximising capital efficiency. Our 
focus on asset utilisation continues to increase, in particular in 
Pallets. The three main drivers of asset cost in equipment pooling 
are loss, cycle time and damage – that is, what proportion of the 
pool leaves our network control, how quickly we can retrieve our 
assets, and the extent of wear and tear that those assets endure 
while they are under hire. 

During the Year, we continued to invest in projects aimed at 
addressing these three key issues so we can improve control of our 
assets over the long term. For example, in CHEP USA, we have 
worked with some customers in the grocery manufacturing sector to 
reduce the number of pallets sent into distribution and retail 
channels that do not participate fully in the CHEP pooling network. 
This means fewer of our pallets get lost, we are able to retrieve and 
return them more quickly and – because they spend less time in the 
field – damage rates should reduce. We are pleased to report a 
modest reduction in the size of the Irrecoverable Pooling Equipment 
Provision – which provides for non-compensated pallets that have 
leaked from our system – in the Americas region of the Pallets 
segment as a result of these initiatives. 

GO TO MARKET 
We are investing in enhancing and developing the way we go to 
market by strengthening our brand position and continuing to 
enhance the customer experience through improved quality of our 
products and services. 

Since the launch of the new organisation structure in October we 
have made significant progress building our strategy and making the 
organisational changes necessary to support that strategy. 

We have streamlined and accelerated our product development 
efforts by linking them more closely to our customer engagement 
programs and innovation processes. 

We have implemented a standardised go-to-market approach for our 
commercial teams to drive an improved quality and efficiency in our 
interaction with customers. 

We have set up a dedicated global accounts team for our largest 
customers, resulting in a significant improvement in customer 
satisfaction and the conversion of major growth opportunities. 

During the Year, we relaunched CHEP’s website, representing all our 
CHEP-branded operations. The new CHEP.com looks better, is easier 
to use and contains information that more accurately reflects the 
structure of CHEP’s operations and customer solutions. We have also 
recently relaunched the Brambles corporate website, to make 
information easier to find for shareholders. 

Ongoing improvements to the quality of our product and service 
continue. The Better Everyday program in CHEP USA – to improve 
repair standards, enhance ease of doing business for our customers 
and strengthen our sales organisation - progressed further in 2012. 
The strongest indication of this program’s success is the 
strengthening rate of new business wins we have recorded in the 
USA despite subdued economic conditions. In the USA and globally, 
we are also recording continued improvements in our Net Promoter 
Score results, which monitor customer loyalty. 

PEOPLE & LEADERSHIP 
The other of our four key themes is people and leadership: 
attracting, developing and retaining the right individuals and teams 
that can enhance our culture and bring the required capability for 
sustainable success.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 2

 
LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN & THE CEO - CONTINUED

A key aspect of this is the Board itself, which we strengthened with 
three international appointments in the 2012 financial year: Tahira 
Hassan, who has had a distinguished 26-year career with leading 
nutrition, health and wellness company Nestlé; David Gosnell, 
President of Global Supply & Procurement with leading premium 
drinks business Diageo, who previously served on the Brambles Board 
from 2006 to 2010; and Doug Duncan, who had a 30-year career in 
the transport and logistics sector, culminating in the position of 
President & CEO, FedEx Freight. 

The Board reviews best practice in corporate governance on an 
ongoing basis. More details are available in the Corporate 
Governance Statement on pages 33 to 45. 

In addition to strengthening the Board, we made three appointments 
to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) during the Year: Jean 
Holley, as Chief Information Officer; Jason Rabbino, as Group 
President, Containers; and Zlatko Todorcevski, as Chief Financial 
Officer. Jean’s and Jason’s biographies are on pages 31 to 32 of this 
report. Zlatko will join Brambles before the end of the 2012 
calendar year from Oil Search, one of the largest oil and gas 
production and exploration companies on the Australian Securities 
Exchange. He previously had a successful career with BHP Billiton, 
including as Chief Financial Officer of its energy division. Zlatko’s 
appointment follows Greg Hayes’ decision to retire. Greg came out 
of retirement to join Brambles in November 2009 and played an 
important role in the successful operations of the company during 
his tenure, in particular the development of our strategy to expand 
our Pooling Solutions operations and the IFCO acquisition. He will 
cease employment with Brambles in March 2013. 

The new appointments we have made at the Board and ELT level 
have advanced the objectives set out in the Diversity Policy that the 
Board adopted in the 2011 financial year. 

We continue to invest in developing our people. An example is our 
relationship with CEDEP (the European Centre for Executive 
Development, based on the INSEAD business school campus at 
Fontainebleau, France). Building on previous development programs 
we have run with CEDEP, in 2012 we developed and ran a program to 
support our growth efforts in emerging markets. Some 35 executives 
from around the Group attended the initial workshop, with the 
objective of sharing best practice and learning from subject matter 
experts from other companies and academia. 

SAFETY & SUSTAINABILITY 
It is with great sadness that we report two employee fatalities that 
occurred in the USA during the Year. In October 2011, Alfredo Ruiz, 
a warehouse assistant in the CHEP Catalyst & Chemical Container 
business in Houston, Texas, suffered a serious injury while at work. 
Sadly, he did not recover from his injury and passed away in June 
2012. We also suffered the loss of Roland Haggins, a Recall 
employee, as a result of structural damage at a Recall-operated 

facility in Landover, Maryland in June 2012. These events are 
unacceptable and, in line with our Zero Harm policy, we continue to 
seek to improve our overall safety performance. Full details of our 
progress during the Year are set out in the Sustainability Review on 
page 24 of this report. 

Brambles believes it makes a positive contribution to sustainable 
business practices through its operations’ unique position in the 
supply chains they serve. Brambles is committed to being a 
responsible and valuable partner in the supply chain and is focused 
on building a long-term sustainable business that serves its 
customers, employees, shareholders and the communities in which 
they live. Details of key sustainability activities in the 2012 financial 
year are set out in the Sustainability Review on pages 14 to 28. 

OUTLOOK 
We have provided guidance for the 2013 financial year to deliver 
constant currency sales revenue in each of our four segments: 
Pallets, RPCs, Containers and Recall. We expect Recall to deliver 
Underlying profit margins comparable to the 2012 financial year. 

We have given guidance for Underlying profit for the Group of 
between US$1,010 million and US$1,070 million, at 30 June 2012 
foreign exchange rates. This profit guidance represents year-on-year 
growth of 4% to 10% at those exchange rates. We expect net finance 
costs of US$125 million and an effective tax rate of approximately 
28%. All guidance is subject to unforeseen events and ongoing 
economic uncertainty. 

Brambles has entered the 2013 financial year in robust and resilient 
shape, despite the ongoing challenges created by the uncertain and 
volatile economic conditions in many of our major markets. Against 
this backdrop, we are committed to delivering on our growth 
strategy, to driving ongoing improvements in our underlying 
business, and to continuing to innovate and enhance service for 
our customers while providing a safe and stimulating workplace 
for our employees. 

We wish to thank all Brambles’ management and employees as well 
as our fellow directors for their continued commitment and support 
during the Year. 

GRAHAM KRAEHE AO 
Chairman 

TOM GORMAN 
CEO 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 3

 
 
 
 
 
 
OPERATIONAL & FINANCIAL REVIEW 

SALES & STATUTORY PROFIT SUMMARY 

US$M 

SALES REVENUE 

Pallets - Americas 

Pallets - EMEA  

Pallets - Asia-Pacific 

Total Pallets 

RPCs 

Containers 

Total Pooling Solutions 

Recall 

Total Brambles 

OPERATING PROFIT  

Pallets - Americas 

Pallets - EMEA 

Pallets - Asia-Pacific 

Total Pallets 

RPCs 

Containers 

Total Pooling Solutions 

Recall 

Brambles HQ 

Total Continuing operations 

PROFIT AFTER TAX 

Operating profit from Continuing operations 

Net finance costs 

Tax expense 

Profit from discontinued operations 

Total Brambles 

EARNINGS PER SHARE (BASIC, US CENTS) 

Weighted average number of shares (millions) 

Total Brambles EPS 

2012 

2011 

Change % 
(actual FX) 

Change % 
(constant FX)1 

2,041.3 

1,326.8 

375.8 

1,654.8 

1,318.3 

340.0 

3,743.9 

3,313.1 

759.5 

276.6 

4,780.0 

845.0 

5,625.0 

310.0 

233.8 

3,856.9 

815.3 

4,672.2 

346.4 

269.3 

75.7 

691.4 

109.3 

32.8 

833.5 

160.1 

(54.4) 

939.2 

939.2 

(152.0) 

(212.3) 

1.4 

576.3 

275.6 

299.9 

74.1 

649.6 

27.8 

37.9 

715.3 

145.8 

(51.9) 

809.2 

809.2 

(127.5) 

(209.9) 

3.6 

475.4 

23 

1 

11 

13 

145 

18 

24 

4 

20 

26 

(10) 

2 

6 

293 

(13) 

17 

10 

(5) 

16 

16 

(19) 

(1) 

(61) 

21 

25 

4 

7 

15 

149 

20 

26 

4 

22 

27 

(8) 

(3) 

8 

301 

(11) 

18 

10 

(1) 

18 

18 

(22) 

(3) 

(78) 

23 

1,482.3 

38.9 

1,445.6 

32.9 

18 

20 

1Brambles calculates constant currency by translating results for the period into US dollars at the exchange rates applicable during the prior corresponding period. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 4

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                             
OPERATIONAL & FINANCIAL REVIEW – CONTINUED 

2012 

2011 

Change % 
(actual FX) 

Change %
(constant FX) 

363.6

274.8

76.6

715.0

125.5

32.8

873.3

174.2

(37.8)

1,009.7

276.9

302.6

75.4

654.9

53.8

37.9

746.6

145.3

(34.7)

857.2

31 

(9) 

2 

9 

133 

(13) 

17 

20 

(9) 

18 

33

(6)

(3)

11

138

(11)

19

19

(5)

20

2012 

1,009.7 

2011

857.2

(2.8) 

(37.0) 

(16.2) 

(5.8) 

12.5 

(21.2) 

(70.5) 

939.2 

(19.1)

(3.4)

(25.5)

-

-

-

(48.0)

809.2

UNDERLYING PROFIT2 

US$M 

Pallets - Americas 

Pallets - EMEA 

Pallets - Asia-Pacific 

Total Pallets 

RPCs 

Containers 

Total Pooling Solutions 

Recall 

Brambles HQ 

Underlying profit 

RECONCILIATION OF UNDERLYING PROFIT TO OPERATING PROFIT 

US$M 

Underlying profit 

Significant items: 

Acquisition-related costs 

Restructuring costs 

IFCO integration costs 

Pension costs 

Foreign exchange gain on capital repatriation  

Recall transaction costs 

Total Significant items 

Operating profit 

2Underlying profit is profit from Continuing operations before finance costs, tax and Significant items. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 5

 
 
 
 
                                                             
OPERATIONAL & FINANCIAL REVIEW – CONTINUED 

GROUP REVIEW 

SALES 

Brambles’ sales revenue in the 12 months ended 30 June 2012 was 
US$5,625.0 million, up 20% (22% at constant currency) compared 
with the prior corresponding period. 

The increase reflected a full-year contribution from businesses 
acquired since the start of the prior corresponding period – primarily 
IFCO Systems, acquired in March 2011 – as well as new business wins 
across all segments and modest growth in like-for-like volumes and 
pricing. On a pro forma3 basis, adjusting for the contribution of 
acquisitions, sales revenue was up 6% (7% at constant currency). 

The Pooling Solutions segments of Pallets, Reusable Plastic Crates 
(RPCs) and Containers contributed sales revenue of 
US$4,780.0 million, up 24% (26% at constant currency). The Recall 
information management segment contributed sales revenue 
of US$845.0 million, up 4% (4% at constant currency). 

BUSINESS WINS 
The contribution to sales revenue of net new business wins4 
was US$184 million, or 3 percentage points of total constant 
currency sales revenue growth, as all segments won more business 
than they lost during the period. The Pooling Solutions segments 
contributed US$160 million of the net new business wins. Recall 
contributed US$24 million. The net annualised value of new 
business Brambles won during the period was US$314 million, 
comprising US$290 million from Pooling Solutions and US$24 million 
from Recall. 

OPERATING & UNDERLYING PROFIT 

Operating profit was US$939.2 million, up 16% (18% at constant 
currency). This included the impact of US$(70.5) million of 
Significant items, consisting of: US$(37.0) million of restructuring 
costs; US$(16.2) million of IFCO integration costs; US$(21.2) million 
of transaction costs from the unsuccessful divestment of Recall; a 
US$12.5 million gain on repatriation of capital returns from overseas 
subsidiaries; US$(5.8) million of pension costs; and US$(2.8) million 
of acquisition-related costs. 

Underlying profit was US$1,009.7 million, up 18% (20% at constant 
currency), reflecting sales revenue growth and the investment in 
expanding the Pooling Solutions operations into less developed 
segments and geographies at the same time as delivering 
efficiencies. On a pro forma basis3, Underlying profit was  
up 9% (11% at constant currency). 

RETURN ON CAPITAL 
Return on capital invested5 was 16%, down 1 percentage point, 
reflecting the inclusion for a full year of US$1,003.8 million of 
goodwill and US$164.3 million of acquired identifiable 
intangible assets from the IFCO acquisition and increased growth 
capital expenditure. 

INTEREST 

Net finance costs were US$152.0 million, up 19% (22% at constant 
currency). The increased costs were mainly attributable to the 
funding costs for the IFCO acquisition. 

3Pro forma growth assumes Brambles owned businesses acquired since 1 July 2010 for all of 
the prior corresponding and reported periods. Pro forma Underlying profit growth is 
calculated by including the results of the IFCO RPC and PMS businesses in the prior 
corresponding period adjusted for the amortisation expense arising from acquired 
identifiable intangible assets. 
4Brambles defines net new business wins as the change in sales revenue in the reporting 
period resulting from business won or lost in that period and the previous financial year. 
The revenue impact of net new business wins is included across reporting periods for a 
total of 12 months from the date of the win or loss and calculated on a constant currency 
basis. Net new business wins are based on pro forma figures. Brambles defines net 
annualised new business as the implied sales revenue in 12 months from net new business 
won during the reporting period. 
5Brambles defines return on capital invested as Underlying profit divided by Average 
capital invested. 

TAX 
Tax expense was US$212.3 million, up 1%. The effective tax rate on 
operating profit was 27%, compared with 31% the prior year. The 
decrease was principally a result of a reduction in non-deductible 
expenditure relating to the IFCO acquisition and integration, 
together with increased utilisation of prior year unrecognised tax 
losses. The effective tax rate on Underlying profit was 27%, 
compared with 28% in the prior year.  

PROFIT AFTER TAX 

Profit after tax was US$576.3 million, up 21% (23% at constant 
currency). Basic earnings per share were 38.9 US cents, up 18% (20% 
at constant currency). 

CASH FLOW 

Cash flow from operations, prior to Significant items, 
was US$591.2 million, down US$133.9 million. Higher profits were 
insufficient to offset fully a US$184.7 million increase in cash capital 
expenditure (primarily resulting from investment in growth 
programs), negative movements in working capital (primarily 
resulting from a reduction in creditors days in response to tough 
economic conditions for suppliers) and the impact on provisions of 
settlements of outstanding litigation in the Pallets segment. 

DIVIDEND 

A¢ per 
share 

Franking 

Ex date 

Record 
date 

Payment 
date 

Final 

Interim

13.0 

13.0 

30% 

20% 

17/09/12 

21/09/12

11/10/12 

5/03/12 

9/03/12

12/04/12 

Brambles’ Board has declared a final dividend per share of 
13.0 Australian cents, the same as the previous final dividend. Total 
dividends for the year are unchanged at 26.0 Australian cents per 
share. Brambles paid an interim dividend of 13.0 Australian cents 
per share on 12 April 2012. The final dividend is 30% franked, up 
from 20% previously. 

The unfranked component of the final dividend is conduit foreign 
income. Consequently, shareholders not resident in Australia will 
not pay Australian dividend withholding tax on this dividend. 

The Dividend Reinvestment Plan remains suspended. 

SEGMENT REVIEW 

PALLETS 

Sales 
Sales revenue in the Pallets segment was US$3,743.9 million, up 13% 
(15% at constant currency), driven by a full 12 months’ contribution 
from the IFCO Pallet Management Services (PMS) business in the 
USA, new business growth in particular in CHEP’s operations in the 
Americas and expansion in the emerging markets regions. 

On a pro forma basis, sales revenue in the Pallets segment was 
up 5% (6% at constant currency). Net new business wins in the 
Pallets segment were US$130 million, contributing pro forma 
constant currency sales revenue growth of 4%. Pricing and like-for-
like sales volume increases contributed the remaining growth. 

Combined sales revenue from the emerging markets regions (Asia, 
Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America and Middle East & Africa) 
of the Pallets segment was US$462.9 million, up 11 % (20% at 
constant currency), ahead of the company’s forecast of at least 15% 
constant currency growth. 

The net annualised value of new business Brambles secured in the 
Pallets segment during the year was US$228 million. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 6

 
 
                                                             
 
 
 
OPERATIONAL & FINANCIAL REVIEW – CONTINUED 

Profit 
Operating profit in the Pallets segment was US$691.4 million, 
up 6% (8% at constant currency) after Significant items 
of US$23.6 million. The operating profit margin was 18%, down 
2 percentage points. 

Underlying profit was US$715.0 million, up 9% (11% at constant 
currency). The Underlying profit margin was down 1 percentage 
point to 19%. Improvements in the Americas margin were 
insufficient to offset fully the impact of lower profitability in EMEA. 
On a pro forma basis, Underlying profit growth was 7% (9% at 
constant currency). 

During the year, the Pallets segment delivered the first US$5 million 
of IFCO integration synergies and the first US$10 million of global 
Pallets segment efficiencies. Brambles has forecast US$35 million 
total IFCO integration synergies by the end of financial year 2014 
and US$60 million global Pallets segment efficiencies by the end of 
financial year 2015. 

Return on capital invested in the Pallets segment was unchanged at 
19%, as a strong improvement in the Americas region offset the 
decline in EMEA profitability. 

Cash flow 
Cash flow from operations in Pallets was US$513.6 million, 
down US$78.9 million - despite higher profit and stable capital 
expenditure – as a result of adverse working capital movements and 
the impact of the settlement of outstanding litigation. 

PALLETS – AMERICAS 

US$M 

Change 

2012 

2011 

Actual FX  Constant FX 

Sales revenue 

2,041.3  1,654.8 

Operating profit 

346.4 

275.6 

Margin  

17% 

17% 

23% 

26% 

- 

Significant items:

Restructuring

17.2 

1.3 

Underlying profit 

363.6 

276.9 

31% 

18% 

17% 

272.3 

272.6 

1pp 

(0.3) 

Margin 

Cash flow from 
operations 

Return on capital 
invested 

25% 

27% 

- 

33% 

1pp 

CHEP Latin America’s sales revenue was US$232.2 million, up 10% 
(18% at constant currency), reflecting the continued expansion of 
CHEP’s operations in this region. 

IFCO PMS’s sales revenue of US$366.8 million was up 9% (9% at 
constant currency) on a pro forma basis, primarily reflecting net 
new business wins. 

LeanLogistics’ sales revenue was US$19.0 million, up 14% (14% at 
constant currency), as it won new business in the USA and expanded 
in other countries. 

Business wins 
The net annualised value of new business secured during the period 
was US$134 million, with strong contributions from all business 
units, in particular CHEP USA. Key wins during the period for CHEP 
included PepsiCo in the USA and Brazil, Sunny Delight and Mott’s in 
the USA, Coca-Cola in Canada, La Costeña in Mexico and Unilever in 
Chile. Business wins for IFCO PMS were also strong. 

Profit 
Operating profit, after Significant items of US$17.2 million, was 
US$346.4 million, up 26% (27% at constant currency). The operating 
profit margin was flat at 17%. 

Underlying profit was US$363.6 million, up 31% (33% at constant 
currency). On a pro forma basis, Underlying profit growth was 
25% (27% at constant currency). The Underlying profit margin was 
18%, up 1 percentage point. Excluding IFCO PMS, the Underlying 
profit margin was 20%, up 3 percentage points. 

Margin improvement reflected the delivery of US$32 million of 
efficiencies in the Better Everyday business improvement program in 
CHEP USA, and combined savings of US$15 million from the delivery 
of operations and logistics efficiencies and IFCO integration 
synergies. Total Better Everyday spending was US$53 million. 

Return on capital invested was 17%, up 2 percentage points, despite 
a full year of additional goodwill from the acquisition of IFCO PMS, 
reflecting increased profit and capital efficiencies. 

Cash flow 
Cash flow from operations was US$272.3 million, down 
US$0.3 million, as higher profits offset increased capital 
expenditure and working capital. 

PALLETS – EMEA 

US$M 

Change 

2012 

2011 

Actual FX  Constant FX

17% 

15% 

2pp 

Sales revenue 

1,326.8 

1,318.3 

1% 

Operating profit 

269.3 

299.9 

(10)% 

4% 

(8)% 

Sales 
Sales revenue in the Americas region of the Pallets segment 
was US$2,041.3 million, up 23% (25% at constant currency), as a 
result of strong new business growth in all business units plus a 
modest contribution from increases in like-for-likes volumes and 
pricing growth. On a pro forma basis, sales revenue was up 7% (7% at 
constant currency). 

The impact during the period of net new business wins 
was US$79 million, contributing 4% constant currency sales revenue 
growth. Like-for-like volumes and pricing each contributed the rest 
of the constant currency sales revenue growth. 

CHEP USA’s sales revenue was US$1,166.8 million, up 5% (5% at 
constant currency), predominantly as a result of strong new business 
growth and targeted pricing initiatives. 

CHEP Canada’s sales revenue was US$256.7 million, up 13% (14% at 
constant currency), reflecting continued business growth and the 
contribution of Paramount Pallet, acquired in November 2011. 
CHEP Canada’s pro forma sales revenue growth was 6% (6% at 
constant currency). 

Margin  

20% 

23% 

(3)pp 

(3)pp 

Significant items:
Restructuring

(0.3) 

2.7 

Pension costs

5.8 

Underlying profit 

274.8 

302.6 

(9)% 

Margin  

21% 

23% 

(2)pp 

(6)% 

(2)pp 

Cash flow from 
operations  

Return on capital 
invested 

215.4 

259.1 

(43.7) 

21% 

24% 

(3)pp 

Sales 
Sales revenue in the EMEA region of the Pallets segment was 
US$1,326.8 million, up 1% (4% at constant currency) as new business 
wins, modest pricing growth and expansion in Central & Eastern 
Europe, Middle East & Africa and under-penetrated parts of Western 
Europe offset the impact of weak economic conditions in more 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 7

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OPERATIONAL & FINANCIAL REVIEW – CONTINUED 

established markets. Net new business wins of US$41 million 
contributed constant currency sales revenue growth of 3%, while 
pricing contributed 2% growth and like-for-like sales volumes had a 
negative impact of (1)%. 

CHEP Western Europe sales revenue was US$1,137.4 million, down 
1% (up 2% in constant currency), as a relatively resilient result in the 
UK & Ireland and France and continued expansion in the under-
penetrated Mid Europe region (Germany, Italy, Benelux, Scandinavia 
and Austria & Switzerland) offset the impact of weak economic 
conditions in Iberia. 

PALLETS – ASIA-PACIFIC 

US$M 

Change 

2012 

2011 

Actual FX Constant FX

Sales revenue 

375.8 

340.0 

Operating profit 

75.7 

74.1 

11% 

2% 

7% 

(3)% 

Margin  

20% 

22% 

(2)pp 

(2)pp 

Within CHEP Western Europe: 

Significant items:

-  Mid Europe sales revenue was US$358.2 million, up 3% (6% at 

Restructuring

0.9 

1.3 

constant currency); 

-  UK & Ireland sales revenue was US$350.9 million, up 1% (1% at 

- 

- 

constant currency); 
Iberia sales revenue was US$258.8 million, down 6% (4% at 
constant currency; and 
France sales revenue was US$169.5 million, down 1% (up 2% at 
constant currency). 

CHEP Middle East & Africa sales revenue was US$135.1 million, 
up 3% (14% at constant currency), as this region continued to deliver 
growth in pricing, like-for-like sales volumes and new business. 

CHEP Central & Eastern Europe sales revenue was US$54.3 million, 
up 24% (37% at constant currency), reflecting continued expansion in 
the region, in particular in Turkey and Poland. 

Business wins 
The net annualised value of new business signed during the period 
was US$82 million. Key wins included: Kellogg’s in Scandinavia; 
Colgate-Palmolive and Henkel in Turkey; Eckes Granini in Germany 
and Horizon Tissue in Estonia. 

Profit 
Operating profit was US$269.3 million, down 10% (8% at constant 
currency), after Significant items of US$5.5 million. The operating 
profit margin was 20%, down 3 percentage points. 

Underlying profit was US$274.8 million, down 9% (6% at constant 
currency). The Underlying profit margin was 21%, 
down 2 percentage points. 

The main drivers of the decline in profit were increases in 
inflationary pressures and quality spending, as well as business 
development costs in emerging markets. Operating margins remain 
lower in emerging markets than in more developed regions of 
Europe in which costs have not come down sufficiently to offset the 
impact of reduced sales growth. In the second half, the business 
made progress in delivering targeted efficiencies and overhead 
reductions to offset these margin pressures. 

Return on capital invested was 21%, down 3 percentage points, as 
reductions in capital expenditure were unable to offset fully the 
impact of reduced profit. 

Cash flow 
Cash flow from operations was US$215.4 million, down 
US$43.7 million, primarily reflecting reduced Underlying profit. 

Underlying profit 

76.6 

75.4 

2% 

(3)% 

Margin  

20% 

22% 

(2)pp 

(2)pp 

Cash flow from 
operations  

Return on capital 
invested 

25.9 

60.8 

(34.9) 

20% 

23% 

(3)pp 

Sales 
Sales revenue in the Asia-Pacific region of the Pallets segment 
was US$375.8 million, up 11% (7% at constant currency), as Australia 
& New Zealand delivered a robust performance and new business 
growth continued throughout Asia. 

Net new business wins contributed 3% constant currency sales 
revenue growth. Like-for-like sales volume increases and 
pricing initiatives contributed the remaining sales growth. The 
total contribution during the period of net new business wins 
was US$10 million. 

Australia & New Zealand sales revenue was US$334.5 million, up 7% 
(4% at constant currency), primarily as a result of volume increases 
with existing customers in Australia. 

Asia sales revenue was US$41.3 million, up 45% (46% at constant 
currency), reflecting sales growth with new and existing customers. 

Business wins 
The net annualised value of new business secured during the period 
was US$12 million. Key business wins included:  F&N Foods in 
Malaysia; Swire Luohe, Annto Logistics and FM Logistics in China; 
and Knorr Bremse and Schenker in India. 

Profit 
Operating profit was US$75.7 million, up 2% (down 3% at constant 
currency), after Significant items of US$0.9 million. The operating 
profit margin was at 20%, down 2 percentage points. 

Underlying profit was US$76.6 million, up 2% (down 3% at constant 
currency). The Underlying profit margin was 20%, 
down 2 percentage points. 

The main drivers of the reduced margin was the continued 
investment in expansion in Asia, where margins are currently lower 
while CHEP expands its network to a more efficient scale, and the 
non-recurrence of insurance gains in Australia. 

Return on capital invested was 20%, down 3 percentage points, 
reflecting increased capital investment to support growth. 

Cash flow 
Cash flow from operations was US$25.9 million, down 
US$34.9 million, reflecting higher capital expenditure in Asia and 
the impact in the first half of a court case in Australia. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 8

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OPERATIONAL & FINANCIAL REVIEW – CONTINUED 

RPCS 

US$M 

CONTAINERS 

Change 

US$M 

Change 

2012 

2011 

Actual FX  Constant FX

2012 

2011 

Actual FX  Constant FX

Sales revenue 

759.5 

310.0 

Operating profit 

109.3 

27.8 

145% 

293% 

Margin  

14% 

9% 

5pp 

149% 

301% 

5pp 

Significant items:

IFCO integration 16.2 

25.5 

Restructuring

- 

Underlying profit 

125.5 

Margin  

17% 

0.5 

53.8 

17% 

133% 

138% 

- 

- 

Cash flow from 
operations  

Return on capital 
invested 

(40.8) 

42.8 

(83.6) 

9% 

12% 

(3)pp 

Sales 
Sales revenue in the RPCs segment was US$759.5 million, 
up 145% (149% at constant currency), reflecting a full 12 months 
contribution from IFCO and sales growth in all regions. On a pro 
forma basis, sales revenue was up 13% (15% at constant currency), in 
line with management forecasts for constant currency growth of 
15%. Sales volume increases with existing retail partners contributed 
10% pro forma constant currency sales revenue growth while net 
new business wins contributed 4% and pricing and mix improvements 
contributed 1%. On a pro forma basis: 
-  Europe sales revenue was US$489.5 million, up 14% (16% at 

constant currency); 

-  North America sales revenue was US$138.3 million, up 16% (16% at 

constant currency); and 

-  South America sales revenue was US$24.1 million, up 13% (22% at 

constant currency). 

The RPCs operations in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa 
delivered sales revenue of US$107.6 million, up 6% (6% at 
constant currency). 

Business wins 
The net annualised value of new business won during the period 
was US$42 million. Key contributors in the period included provision 
of services to the retail supply chains of Loblaw’s in Canada, Vega 
in Italy, Waitrose and Asda in the UK and Systeme U in France, and a 
contract with Coolibah Herbs in Australia. 

Profit 
Operating profit was US$109.3 million, up 293% (301% at constant 
currency), after Significant items of US$16.2 million related to IFCO 
integration. The operating profit margin was 14%, up 5 percentage 
points, reflecting the high integration costs in the prior year. 
Underlying profit was U$125.5 million, up 133% (138% at constant 
currency), including US$19.3 million of costs from the amortisation 
of identified acquired intangible assets. On a pro forma basis, 
Underlying profit growth was 16% (19% at constant currency). The 
Underlying profit margin was 17%, the same as the prior year. The 
RPCs segment delivered US$5 million in integration synergies in 
Europe in the period, in line with management forecasts. Return on 
capital invested was 9%, down 3 percentage points, including a full 
year of goodwill attributable to IFCO’s RPC business. 

Cash flow 
Cash flow from operations was US$(40.8) million, 
down US$83.6 million, primarily reflecting increased capital 
expenditure and working capital to support growth. 

Sales revenue 

276.6 

233.8 

18% 

Operating profit 

Margin  

32.8 

12% 

Underlying profit 

32.8 

12% 

29.2 

Margin  

Cash flow from 
operations  

Return on capital 
invested 

20% 

(11)% 

(4)pp 

(11)% 

(4)pp 

37.9 

16% 

37.9 

16% 

29.7 

(13)% 

(4)pp 

(13)% 

(4)pp 

(0.5) 

14% 

20% 

(6)pp 

Sales 
Sales revenue in the Containers segment was US$276.6 million, 
up 18% (20% at constant currency), reflecting the contribution of 
acquisitions, and a modest contribution from like-for-like sales 
volumes and net new business wins. 

The total sales revenue of Brambles’ new Containers operations in 
the Automotive and IBCs sectors in the USA and the global 
Aerospace Solutions business was US$57 million, up 167%, ahead of 
management forecasts that it would double on the prior year. 

By industry segment, Containers’ sales revenue was as follows: 

-  Automotive sales revenue was US$154.8 million, up 4% (6% at 

constant currency), as solid growth in Asia and Europe more than 
offset weakness in operating conditions in Australia and a slower 
than anticipated rate of growth in the USA; 

-  CHEP Catalyst & Chemical Containers (CCC) sales revenue 

was down 1% (flat at constant currency) at US$37.9 million, 
reflecting muted customer activity levels; 

-  Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) sales revenue was 

US$43.1 million, up 28% (29% at constant currency), primarily 
reflecting new business wins in the CAPS business in the USA; and 

-  CHEP Aerospace Solutions sales revenue was US$40.8 million, 
up 219% (211% at constant currency), reflecting the impact 
of acquisitions. 

On a pro forma basis, sales revenue in the Containers segment was 
up 4% (5% at constant currency). 

Business wins 
The net annualised value of new business won during the period 
was US$20 million, reflecting the strong rate of new sales growth 
in the second half of the year. Key drivers of the wins included 
expansion with white goods manufacturers in Turkey, expansion of 
the IBCs business in the USA and new contracts with United Airlines, 
Air Pacific, Air Cargo Japan, Qatar Airways and Jetstar in CHEP 
Aerospace Solutions. 

Profit 
Operating profit was US$32.8 million, down 13% (11% at constant 
currency), reflecting business development costs to support growth 
in the automotive and IBC operations in the USA and the global 
Aerospace Solutions operations. Underlying profit was the same as 
operating profit as there were no Significant items. The profit 
margin was 12%, down 4 percentage points. 

Return on capital invested was 14%, down 6 percentage points, as a 
result of the lower profit, increased capital expenditure to support 
growth, and the impact of acquired goodwill. 

Cash flow 
Cash flow from operations was US$29.2 million, down 
US$0.5 million, reflecting the reduction in Underlying profit. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 9

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OPERATIONAL & FINANCIAL REVIEW – CONTINUED 

RECALL 

US$M 

Change 

ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION 

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ON PROPERTY,  
PLANT & EQUIPMENT (ACCRUALS BASIS) 

2012 

2011 

Actual FX  Constant FX

US$M 

2012 

2011 

Change 

Sales revenue 

845.0 

815.3 

Operating profit 

160.1 

145.8 

4% 

10% 

4% 

10% 

Margin  

19% 

18% 

1pp 

1pp 

Significant items:

Restructuring

14.1 

(0.5) 

Underlying profit 

174.2 

145.3 

20% 

19% 

Pallets – Americas 

Pallets – EMEA 

Pallets - Asia-Pacific 

Total Pallets 

RPCs 

Containers 

282.9 

266.5 

(16.4)

233.5 

282.7 

84.9 

84.4 

601.3 

633.6 

227.2 

48.4 

69.7 

36.7 

49.2 

(0.5)

32.3 

(157.5)

(11.7)

Margin  

21% 

18% 

3pp 

2pp 

Total Pooling Solutions 

876.9 

740.0 

(136.9)

Recall 

Brambles HQ 

42.8 

81.8 

1.4 

0.1 

39.0 

(1.3)

Total Brambles 

921.1 

821.9 

(99.2)

Brambles’ capital expenditure (accruals basis) was US$921.1 million, 
up US$99.2 million, reflecting increased investment in expanding 
the Pooling Solutions operations. Growth capital expenditure in 
RPCs, Containers and emerging markets Pallets was US$240 million, 
in line with the US$550 million program of investment in these areas 
over the 2012 and 2013 financial years. 

Cash flow from 
operations  

Return on capital 
invested 

131.6 

92.6 

39.0 

16% 

14% 

2pp 

Sales 
Recall’s sales revenue was US$845.0 million, up 4% (4% at constant 
currency), with net new business wins of US$24 million contributing 
3% growth and like-for-like sales volume increases and pricing 
contributing a combined 1% growth. The net annualised value of 
new business was US$24 million. 

Profit 
Operating profit was US$160.1 million, up 10% (10% at constant 
currency), after US$(14.1) million of Significant items associated 
with restructuring. The operating profit margin was 19%, 
up 1 percentage point. 

Underlying profit was US$174.2 million, up 20% (19% at constant 
currency) reflecting sales growth and efficiency improvements. The 
Underlying profit margin was 21%, up 3 percentage points. 
At 30 June 2011 foreign exchange rates, Underlying profit was 
US$182.1 million, within the guidance range previously provided. 

Cash flow 
Cash flow from operations was US$131.6 million, up US$39.0 million, 
reflecting profit growth. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 10

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OPERATIONAL & FINANCIAL REVIEW – CONTINUED 

CASH FLOW 

US$M 

2012 

2011 

Change 

US$M, fixed June 2011 FX 

2012 

2011 

Change 

BRAMBLES VALUE ADDED 

Underlying profit  

1,009.7 

857.2 

152.5 

Pallets – Americas 

Depreciation and amortisation 

552.2 

479.8 

72.4 

Pallets - EMEA 

EBITDA 

1,561.9  1,337.0 

224.9

Pallets - Asia-Pacific 

134.9 

128.5 

30.8 

76.5 

58.4 

152.9 

(24.4) 

36.6 

(5.8) 

Capital expenditure 

(949.4) 

(764.7) 

(184.7)

Total Pallets 

294.2 

266.0 

28.2 

Proceeds from sale of PP&E 

93.5 

100.8 

(7.3)

Working capital movement 

(107.9) 

(14.8) 

(93.1)

Irrecoverable pooling equipment 
provision 

100.1 

104.9 

(4.8)

Provisions/other 

(107.0) 

(38.1) 

(68.9)

591.2 

725.1 

(133.9)

RPCs 

Containers 

(41.8) 

3.2 

(45.0) 

6.2 

17.8 

(11.6) 

Total Pooling Solutions 

258.6 

287.0 

(28.4) 

Recall 

45.5 

23.5 

22.0 

Brambles HQ 

(29.1) 

(29.0) 

(0.1) 

Cash flow from Continuing 
operations  

Significant items from continuing 
operations 

Cash flow from discontinued 
operations 

Cash flow from operations  
(incl. Significant items) 

(37.2) 

(30.4) 

(6.8)

Total Brambles 

275.0 

281.5 

(6.5) 

(1.0) 

(4.7) 

3.7 

553.0 

690.0 

(137.0)

Brambles Value Added (BVA), the company’s definition of economic 
profit, was US$275.0 million, down US$6.5 million. Improvements in 
the Pallets segment and Recall were insufficient to offset the 
impact of increased investment to support growth in the RPCs and 
Containers segment. 

Financing costs and tax 

(373.5) 

(386.7) 

13.2 

Free cash flow  

Dividends paid 

179.5 

303.3 

(123.8)

(397.7) 

(224.0) 

(173.7)

NET DEBT & KEY RATIOS 

US$M 

Jun 12 

Jun 11 

Change 

Free cash flow after dividends 

(218.2) 

79.3 

(297.5)

Current debt 

86.4 

325.6 

(239.2) 

Cash flow from Continuing operations was US$591.2 million, 
down US$133.9 million, reflecting increased capital expenditure to 
support growth in the Pooling Solutions segments and negative 
movements in working capital and provisions. 

Free cash flow after dividends was US$(218.2) million, down 
US$297.5 million, reflecting the lower cash flow from operations 
and the suspension of the dividend reinvestment program. 

Non-current debt 

2,777.7 

2,811.7 

(34.0) 

Gross debt 

2,864.1 

3,137.3 

(273.2) 

Less cash 

Net debt  

KEY RATIOS (X) 

(174.2) 

(138.5) 

(35.7) 

2,689.9 

2,998.8 

(308.9) 

Net debt to EBITDA 

1.7x 

2.2x 

EBITDA interest cover  

10.3x 

10.5x 

Net debt was US$2,689.9 million at 30 June 2012, down 
US$308.9 million from 30 June 2011, as a result of the receipt in 
June 2012 of proceeds of A$332.8 million before costs from the 
institutional component of the A$448.1 million rights issue. The 
retail component of the rights issue raised A$115.3 million before 
costs and was received in July 2012. 

The impact on net debt from the net US$(218.2) million negative 
free cash flow after dividends was offset by a positive translation 
effect from the stronger US dollar against Brambles’ other 
borrowing currencies. 

At 30 June 2012, Brambles had committed credit facilities including 
bonds and notes of US$4,008.8 million. The average term to 
maturity of committed credit facilities was 3.7 years. Undrawn 
committed facilities of US$1,223.1 million provide additional 
financial flexibility. 

The ratio of net debt to EBITDA at 30 June 2012 was 1.7 times, 
compared with 2.2 times at 30 June 2011, reflecting the reduction 
in net debt from the rights issue. The ratio is in line with Brambles 
financial policy to target net debt to EBITDA of less than 1.75 times. 

During the year, the Company maintained investment grade credit 
ratings of BBB+/Baa1. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 11

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TREASURY & RISK REVIEW 

CAPITAL STRUCTURE 
Brambles manages its capital structure to maintain a solid 
investment grade credit rating. During the financial year 
ended 30 June 2012, Brambles held investment-grade credit 
ratings of BBB+ from Standard & Poor’s and Baa1 from Moody’s 
Investors Service. 

In determining its capital structure, Brambles considers the 
robustness of future cash flows, potential funding requirements for 
growth opportunities and acquisitions, the cost of capital, and ease 
of access to funding sources. Initiatives available to Brambles to 
achieve its desired capital structure include adjusting the amount of 
dividends paid to shareholders, returning capital to shareholders, 
buying back share capital, issuing new shares, selling assets to 
reduce debt, and varying the maturity profile of borrowings. 

Brambles’ financial policy is to target a net debt to EBITDA ratio of 
less than 1.75 times. The ratio at 30 June 2012 was 1.7 times. 

In June 2012, Brambles announced its intention to raise additional 
equity of A$448 million through a fully underwritten, 1-for-20 pro 
rata accelerated renounceable entitlement offer. The purpose of 
the equity raising was to replace funds Brambles would have raised 
through the underwritten dividend reinvestment plan for the 2011 
final and 2012 interim dividends, which formed part of the equity 
component of the original IFCO acquisition funding plan. The 
institutional portion of the rights offer raised A$332.8 million before 
costs and was received in June 2012. The net proceeds were used to 
retire bank borrowings drawn under various revolving credit 
facilities. The retail portion of the rights issue was received in July 
2012 totalling A$115.3 million before costs. 
TREASURY POLICIES 
Brambles’ treasury function is responsible for the management of 
certain financial risks within Brambles. Key treasury activities 
include liquidity management, interest rate and foreign exchange 
risk management, and securing access to short- and long-term 
sources of debt finance at competitive rates. These activities are 
conducted on a centralised basis in accordance with Board policies 
and guidelines, through standard operating procedures and 
delegated authorities. These policies provide the framework for 
treasury to arrange and implement lines of credit from its financier, 
select and deal in approved financial derivatives for hedging 
purposes, and generally execute Brambles’ financial strategy. 

Brambles’ policies with respect to interest and exchange rate risks 
and appropriate hedging instruments are described below. Further 
information is contained in Note 30 on pages 113 to 122 of this 
report, including a sensitivity analysis (pages 116 and 118) with 
respect to these financial instruments. 

The Group uses standard financial derivatives to manage financial 
exposures in the normal course of business. It does not use 
derivatives for speculative purposes and transacts derivatives 
predominantly with relationship banks with a reasonable 
understanding of its business operations. Individual credit limits are 
assigned to those banks, thereby limiting exposure to credit-related 
losses in the event of non-performance by any counterparty. 

Treasury reports are circulated each month to the Chief Financial 
Officer and other senior finance executives. These reports include 
statistical analyses, details of funding utilisation and capacity, and 
commentary on other significant matters. 
FUNDING AND LIQUIDITY 
Brambles funded its operations during the 2012 financial year 
through equity issuance, retained cash flow and new borrowings. 
The Group generally sources debt funding from relationship banks 
and debt capital market investors on a medium-to-long-term basis. 

Brambles enters into operating leases for office and operational 
locations and certain plant and equipment. 

Bank borrowing facilities are generally structured on multi-currency, 
revolving bases and currently have maturities ranging to December 
2016. Borrowings under the facilities are floating-rate, unsecured 
obligations with covenants and undertakings typical for these types 
of arrangements. 

Net debt at 30 June 2012 was US$2.689.9 million, down 
US$308.9 million from 30 June 2011, reflecting the proceeds from 
the institutional portion of the rights issue. 

Key financial ratios continue to reflect the Company’s strong 
balance sheet position and remain well within the financial 
covenants included in Brambles’ major financing agreements, with 
net debt to EBITDA at 1.7 times (2011: 2.2 times) and EBITDA 
interest cover at 10.2 times (2011: 10.4 times). 

At 30 June 2012, Brambles had committed credit facilities including 
bonds and notes totalling US$4,008.8 million. Undrawn committed 
borrowing capacity totalled US$1,223.1 million. The average term to 
maturity of Brambles’ committed credit facilities at 30 June 2012 
was 3.7 years (2011: 4.1 years). 

The table below shows the maturity profile of the Group’s 
committed borrowing facilities and outstanding bonds, including the 
percentage due in each 12-month maturity bucket. 

MATURITY PROFILE OF COMMITTED BORROWING 
FACILITIES AND OUTSTANDING BONDS (US$B) 

1.5

1.0

0.5

26%

29%

22%

13%

9%

1%

0.0

< 1 yr 1-2yrs 2-3yrs 3-4yrs 4-5yrs > 5yrs

% = percentage of total credit facilities 

Undrawn Facilities

Bank Borrowings

Bonds / Notes

Brambles’ liquidity policy requires, among other things, that no 
more than 25% of total committed credit facilities mature in 
any rolling 12-month period. At 30 June 2012, the one-to-two- 
year maturity period had maturities totalling 26% of total 
committed facilities, which was slightly higher than the 25% 
threshold level. The Group actively manages its maturity profile 
and expects to attain full compliance with the policy as it 
refinances credit facilities. 
INTEREST RATE RISK 
Brambles’ interest rate risk policy is designed to reduce volatility in 
funding costs through prudent selection of hedging instruments. This 
policy includes maintaining a mix of fixed and floating-rate 
instruments within a target band, over a certain time horizon. In 
some cases, interest rate derivatives are used to achieve this result. 
The policy requires the level of fixed-rate debt to be within 40% to 
70% of total forecast debt arising over the immediate 12-month 
period, decreasing to a range of 20% to 60% for debt maturities of 
one to two years, a range of 10% to 50% for debt maturities of two 
to three years, and a range of 0% to 50% for debt maturities 
extending beyond three years. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 12

 
 
TREASURY & RISK REVIEW - CONTINUED 

As at 30 June 2012, Brambles had 51% of its weighted average 
interest-bearing debt over the next 12 months at fixed interest rates 
(2011: 58%). Beyond 12 months, the proportion of fixed rate debt in 
the range one to two years was 47% (2011: 50%), 45% for two to 
three years (2011: 47%) and 39% for three to four years (2011: 45%) 
with a decreasing proportion for each year thereafter. The weighted 
average maturity period was 5.1 years (2011: 5.5 years). The fair 
value of all interest rate swap instruments was US$23.5 million net 
gain (2011: US$13.9 million net gain). 
FOREIGN EXCHANGE RISK 
Foreign exchange exposures are managed from a perspective of 
reducing volatility in the value of the foreign currency cash flows 
and assets of the business. 

Exposures generally arise in either of two forms: 

-  transaction exposures affecting the value of transactions 

translated back to the functional currency of the subsidiary; and 

-  translation exposures affecting the value of assets and liabilities 

of overseas subsidiaries when translated into US dollars. 

Under Brambles’ foreign exchange policy, foreign exchange hedging 
is mainly confined to the hedging of transaction exposures where 
such exposures exceed a certain threshold, and as soon as a defined 
exposure arises. Within Brambles, exposures may arise with external 
parties or, alternatively, by way of cross-border intercompany 
transactions. Forward foreign exchange contracts are primarily used 
for these purposes. Given the nature of the Group’s operations, 
these exposures are not significant. 

Brambles mitigates translation exposures generally by raising debt in 
currencies where there are matching assets. During the Year 
Brambles maintained net investment hedge borrowings in euro of 
€350.5 million to match the euro-denominated assets. At the end of 
the financial year, the fair value of foreign exchange instruments 
was US$1.8 million net loss (2011: US$1.2 million net gain). 
SIGNIFICANT RISKS & UNCERTAINTIES 
Brambles has adopted a risk management framework which sets out 
the processes for the identification and management of risk 
throughout the Group. Full details of the objects of the framework 
and the strategies and processes applied to manage these risks are 
described in section 7 of the Corporate Governance Statement on 
pages 40 to 42. 

The risk management framework provides for a biannual production 
of a Group risk matrix, which sets out the top 10 “net” risks facing 
the Group and the steps being taken to mitigate those risks. The 
top 10 “net” risks are rated on the basis of their potential impact 
on the Group as a whole after taking into account current 
mitigating actions. 

Listed below are the top 10 net risks on the risk matrix for the Year. 
Investors should be aware that there are other risks associated with 
an investment in Brambles. Some of the principal factors that may, 
either individually or in combination, affect the future operating 
and financial performance of Brambles and the value of Brambles 
shares are set out in the Investor Presentation dated 4 June 2012, a 
copy of which can be found in the ASX Announcements section of 
the Brambles website. 

-  Business model – changing supply chain dynamics and customer 

needs could render CHEP’s existing service offering and business 
model out of date. Current market issues that, in combination or 
separately, could support competitive service offerings include: 
differing segmental needs, attributes of wood versus alternative 
materials, use of track-and-trace technology, increasing fuel 
costs, changes in retailer behaviour and the embedded cost of 
asset losses in the current model. These issues could, over time, 
have an impact on revenue, cost base, economies of scale and the 
value of CHEP’s existing assets. 

-  Competition and retention of major customers – Brambles 

operates in a competitive environment. Many of the markets in 

which Brambles operates are served by numerous competitors and 
are subject to the threat of new entrants. In addition, the 
concentration of distributors in certain areas could lead to shifts 
in market structure, bargaining position and intensity of 
competition. The above risks could have an impact on market 
penetration, revenue, profitability, economies of scale and the 
value of existing assets. 

-  Strategy and execution – Brambles is subject to the risk of not 

having effective strategies in place to guide the Group’s 
performance and to drive sales and profit growth, enable 
innovation, safety improvements and improve customer and 
employee satisfaction. Further, it is subject to the risk of not 
being able to effectively execute against agreed strategies 
resulting in loss of market and investor confidence and reduced 
share performance.  

-  Innovation – Brambles is subject to the risk of not being able to 
optimise innovations in its services, products, processes and 
commercial solutions, including capturing the full value of any 
innovations that support its growth opportunities. This could have 
an impact on revenue, profitability, economies of scale and the 
value of existing assets. 

-  Equipment losses – Brambles is subject to the risk of a lack of 
control of Pooling Solutions equipment. This could impact 
financial performance and lead to a reduction in customer 
satisfaction. 

-  Equipment quality – satisfaction of CHEP customers may fluctuate 
with the customers’ perceived views of equipment quality which, 
in turn, is influenced by the effectiveness of the quality standards 
that CHEP employs in its equipment pool. Brambles is subject to 
the risk that it may not optimise these standards, thereby 
adversely affecting customer satisfaction with the CHEP service 
offering and/or the operating and capital costs of the 
equipment pool. 

-  Market communication – Brambles is subject to risks relating to 

not effectively communicating to the market, which may lead to a 
loss of investor confidence in the business and its management 
and reduced share performance. 

-  People capability – Brambles is subject to the risk of not 

attracting, developing and retaining high-performing individuals. 
Furthermore, succession planning may not be managed 
effectively, so that talented individuals are able to be developed 
and promoted within the Group, rather than sourced externally. 
This could result in Brambles not having sufficient quality and 
quantity of people to meet its growth and business objectives. 

-  Systems and technology – Brambles relies on the continuing 
operation of its information technology and communications 
systems, including those in CHEP’s global data centre. 
Interruption, compromise or failure of these systems could impair 
Brambles’ ability to provide its services effectively. This could 
damage its reputation and, in turn, have an adverse effect on its 
ability to attract and retain customers. 

-  Zero Harm – Brambles is subject to inherent operational risks, 
including industrial hazards, road traffic or transportation 
accidents that could potentially result in serious injury or fatality 
of employees, contractors or members of the public. There is also 
a risk of prosecution of its Officers and Directors due to wilful or 
negligent breaches of safety regulations. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 13

SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW 

Brambles believes it makes a positive contribution to sustainable 
business practices through its unique position in the supply chain. 
It is a global leader in responsible and sustainable pooling 
solutions in the industries it serves. 

Brambles is committed to being a responsible and valuable 
partner in the supply chain and is focused on building a long-term 
sustainable business that serves its customers, employees and 
shareholders and the communities in which they live.  

Brambles’ success relies on its ability to optimise supply chain 
networks and make the most from the hundreds of millions of 
journeys its pallet, crate and container assets make each year. 

Brambles has a unique ability to provide an efficient and expertly 
managed network that can reduce the distances travelled by its 
assets and is engaging with key stakeholders to build long-term 
resilience within its supply chains.  

A low-cost business model that leverages global scale is 
fundamental to Brambles’ growth strategy. Brambles is applying 
best-practice standards throughout its operations and logistics 
and is continuously vigilant in reducing asset losses, cycle times 
and damage. Fundamental to these efficiency efforts are the 
principles of reduce, reuse and recycle. 

The repeated use of higher quality assets when compared to 
alternative disposable or limited-use platforms reduces material 
and energy requirements. Brambles retains ownership of its 
assets at all times, thereby ensuring that end of life management 
is controlled and recovery, re-use and recycling efforts can be 
maximised. The fundamental principles on which Brambles’ 
business models are built are inherently sustainable. 

Reporting Initiative (GRI) reporting principles for delivering 
content and quality. 

ASSURANCE 

During the Year, Brambles engaged KPMG to provide limited 
assurance on Brambles’ adherence to the GRI principles for 
defining content (being: materiality, stakeholder inclusiveness, 
sustainability context and completeness) and selected indicators, 
which include greenhouse gas emissions of pallets, lumber 
purchases subject to chain of custody and gender diversity1. 
The selected indicator data covered by KPMG’s limited 
assurance opinion contained in the review are identified by an 
asterisk. KPMG issued an unmodified opinion on 27 August 2012. 
KPMG’s statement of limited assurance can be found on 
Brambles’ website. 

KPMG will report key observations and recommendations on its 
findings to Brambles in the first quarter of FY13 for consideration 
by Brambles’ Sustainability Committee, which is a management 
committee. Brambles has developed an assurance 
implementation plan that will increase its assurance coverage to 
include more indicators and the remaining parts of the Pallets 
segment (under the IFCO Pallet Management Services (PMS) and 
Paramount Pallet brands in the Americas region), the RPCs 
segment, the Containers segment and Recall over a three-year 
period. Key observations made during this period will inform and 
shape the assurance process as it progresses. 

A description of the scope of this limited assurance is available 
on Brambles’ website. 

The intent of Brambles’ sustainability strategy and roadmap is to:  

KEY ACTIVITIES DURING THE YEAR 

–  demonstrate the inherent sustainability value that exists for 

Brambles and its stakeholders; and  

–  focus on areas in the supply chain where Brambles can improve 

its sustainability offering.  

Brambles aims to integrate sustainability into the way it does 
business so it can continuously improve and develop more 
efficient, safer and environmentally sustainable supply chains. 

BOUNDARIES 

The Sustainability Review covers Brambles’ CHEP and Recall sites 
for the financial year ended 30 June 2012 (the Year).  

The review does not include information from recent acquisitions 
made in the last two years, with the exception of information 
provided from IFCO to identify key sustainability issues, 
participation in the Brambles Employee Survey (BES) and other 
specific issues detailed throughout the review. As integration of 
the recently acquired businesses into the new organisational 
structure of the three pooling solutions segments of Pallets, 
Reusable Plastic Crates (RPCs) and Containers continues, 
Brambles expects to collect data for all owned entities in its new 
online data collection system, iCARE, in FY13. The review does 
not include data from any service centre operated by a third 
party, with the following exceptions: 

–  an estimation of emissions associated with third-party operated 
service centres operated on CHEP’s behalf and transportation 
associated with balancing its pallet pool; and 

–  CHEP’s purchase of wood pallets in Europe from suppliers that 
use chain of custody certified lumber. In all other cases CHEP 
purchases the lumber used in the manufacturing and repair of 
CHEP pallets. 

CRITERIA 

Details about the measurement techniques and methodologies 
used in this Sustainability Review are either described herein or 
can be found on Brambles’ website. The Sustainability Review 
has been prepared with reference to the G3.1 Global 

In August 2011, Brambles announced it would focus on building 
its Pooling Solutions business under a new organisation structure 
with three segments: Pallets, RPCs and Containers. This took 
effect on 1 October 2011.  

Brambles also announced in August 2011 it intended to divest the 
Recall information management business. On 4 June 2012, 
following an extensive process, Brambles announced that it 
would retain the business because offers from potential buyers 
did not reflect Recall’s value or offer sufficient certainty amid 
challenging capital markets conditions. 

Brambles also undertook the following activities: 

–  developed the assurance implementation plan outlined above; 

–  commissioned a new global Occupational Health & Safety and 

Environment reporting system (iCARE); 

–  updated the Roadmap: Five Year Plan (set out below); and 

–  reviewed sustainability targets. 

BRAMBLES’ SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY 

In 2010, Brambles announced its sustainability strategy and 
outlined its strategic objectives and initiatives over the five years 
to 2015. The strategy is available on Brambles’ website. 

ROADMAP: FIVE-YEAR PLAN 

On the following pages are the targets Brambles has set for 2015 
and beyond and commentary on progress during the Year. 
These targets are key drivers in Brambles’ efforts to improve 
continuously and deliver more efficient, safer and 
environmentally sustainable supply chains. 

1 The limited assurance engagement consisted of KPMG making inquiries, 
primarily of persons who are responsible for Brambles’ adherence to the 
GRI principles, for defining the content of this Sustainability Review and 
for the preparation of the selected indicators presented in this 
Sustainability Review, and applying analytical and other evidence 
gathering procedures to that information, as appropriate. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 14

 
 
SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW - CONTINUED 

Customer — all things begin with the customer 

Measure 

Customer 
loyalty 

Target 

Commentary 

Introduce Net Promoter Score (NPS) 
methodology into every country in 
which we operate 

Once baseline is established, achieve 
year-on-year improvements in NPS 

Pallets EMEA and Americas have achieved improvements in satisfaction and customer 
participation scores and they are tracking in line with the Group’s strategy. In the 
Pallets segment, CHEP has completed one survey cycle in every country, with the 
exception of China, which will commence later this year, and the recent acquisitions. 

Customer 
engagement 

Increased participation in relevant 
industry forums and customer 
advisory panels 

Brambles has memberships with numerous industry forums and associations. The new 
CHEP.com website lists those associations and memberships. 

Environment — working towards Zero Harm by reducing Brambles’ environmental footprint 

Target 

Commentary 

Measure 

Lumber 
sourcing 

Chain of custody certification for 
lumber purchased for CHEP pallets 
by 2015 

Greenhouse 
gas emissions 

20% reduction on 2010 emission  
levels by 20152 

During the Year, CHEP’s Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification 
(PEFC) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accreditation in Europe was expanded to 
include all European countries. Work plans and timelines for remaining countries are 
in place. Brambles is collaborating with the new global procurement function in the 
Pallets segment on this target (see page 18). 

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the Group decreased by 15% from FY10 as energy 
efficiency programs begin to take effect (see page 19). Brambles will standardise 
reporting through iCARE (integrated compliance analysis and reporting environment), 
its new online data collection system, in FY13. 

Lumber waste  Zero CHEP lumber waste to landfill  

by 2015 

Data collection processes are in place to track waste and businesses are investigating 
avenues where lumber waste can be re-used (see page 22). 

Solid waste 

Year-on-year improvements in  
service centre recycling rates 

Data collection processes are in place (see page 22); during the Year, Brambles 
worked with suppliers to improve the quality and accuracy of data. Brambles will 
standardise reporting in FY13. 

Water 
management 

Targets to be established once IFCO  
is fully integrated into Brambles  

Brambles will collect FY12 and FY13 water data from IFCO and pre-existing 
businesses. 

People — engaging our people and making sure they are safe 

Measure 

Diversity 

Target 

Commentary 

Women to represent 30% of Brambles’ 
Board and the Executive Leadership 
Team by 2015; management positions 
by 2018 

Revised target. Progress has been made in pre-existing businesses. With the addition 
of recently acquired businesses, which have lower female populations, it is apparent 
that additional time will be needed to meet part of the target. The Board and ELT 
target will remain for 2015, with management positions extended to 2018 (see 
page 38 for breakdown by position). 

Zero Harm 

25% reduction in Brambles Injury 
Frequency Rate (BIFR) on 2012 
adjusted levels (including recent 
acquisitions) by 2017 

Updated target to include recently acquired businesses. While CHEP and Recall 
recorded a BIFR rate of 9.3 events per million hours worked, Brambles suffered two 
work-related fatalities for the Year; one in the CHEP Catalyst & Chemical Container 
(CCC) business and the other in Recall. Both occurred in the USA (see page 24). 

Brambles 
Employee 
Survey (BES) 

BES overall 
engagement 
score 

Education, 
Training & 
Development 
(ETD) 

Participation rate at minimum  
of 90% by 2015 

With an overall participation rate of 86% for the 2012 survey, which includes recently 
acquired businesses for the first time, the target of 90% that was met in the previous 
year will be maintained for 2015. 

Target of 73% by 2015 

Updated target to include recently acquired businesses; an incremental increase of 
two percentage points per annum from the 2012 score of 67%, to 73% by 2015. 

25% increase in ETD days on 2012 
participation levels by 2015 

Brambles reported a total of 32,415 training days in the Year.  
The target has been restated; the 25% increase will be based on the number of 
training days recorded in FY12. 

2 Based on existing businesses and sites that have reported data since 2010; new acquisitions not included, excluding those economies defined as emerging and 

developing by the International Monetary Fund; target based on internally-projected growth assumptions. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 15

 
 
 
 
 
SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW - CONTINUED 

Community — making a positive contribution to the communities in which we operate 

Measure 

Target 

Commentary 

Restated target; in the second half of the Year, the Pallets segment appointed a head 
of global procurement to lead a team that is responsible for defining suppliers’ 
standards and monitoring supplier performance. Brambles’ supplier policy is currently 
being developed in consultation with this team, which will then be shared with the 
Group for input and review. The policy will be rolled out in FY13. 

For the Year, Brambles recorded 0.24 volunteer hours per employee. 

Supplier Policy  Develop and introduce a global  

policy and framework by the end  
of FY13 

At least one volunteer hour per 
employee during working hours  
by 2015 

Introduction of 
“volunteer” 
time for 
employees 

Introduction of 
“give as you 
earn” policies 

All businesses where legislation 
allows it by 2015 

CHEP USA, through its CHEP Cares program, is the first business to introduce the 
policy. Roll-out of the policy across Brambles is due to commence in 2013. 

KEY SUSTAINABILITY TOPICS IN THE YEAR 

The key sustainability topics process enables Brambles to identify 
and prioritise issues raised by stakeholders that will impact on 
Brambles and its stakeholders. 

The topics identified through this process are used to update and 
maintain targets and activities identified in Brambles five-year 
roadmap and monitor the relevance of its sustainability strategy. 
Brambles conducted its first formal analysis of sustainability topics 
it considers important to its stakeholders in FY11, using a third-
party provider, with AccountAbility Principles Standards AA1000 
five-part test as a guide. 

Brambles has not undertaken any specific external stakeholder 
analysis in the Year to identify sustainability issues. It has identified 
and prioritised stakeholder issues through senior management, with 
reference to employee and customer engagement tools, amongst 
others. For the Year, the key sustainability topics were:  

A survey based on the 18 topics identified in FY11 was distributed to 
the segments and key functions responsible for engagement with 
customers, employees and shareholders to test completeness of the 
topics identified and prioritise them based on their interactions with 
and understanding of their key constituents.  

The new organisation structure for the Pooling Solutions business 
(Pallets, RPCs and Containers) has resulted in some reordering of 
the key topics in comparison to the prior year. A notable movement 
in terms of increasing influence of the topic to Brambles’ corporate 
strategies was community investment, which can be attributed to a 
growing understanding of an effective strategic investment 
program, such as IFCO’s worldwide responsibility initiative.  

Another notable movement was the topic of governance, with an 
emphasis on the importance of accountability and testing 
sustainability claims through third party assessment and assurance. 

CUSTOMER 
Brambles is focused on delivering efficient, lowest total cost supply 
solutions to our customers. One of Brambles’ shared values is that 
all things begin with the customer. 

CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS 

By listening to customers and responding with innovative solutions, 
Brambles will enable its customers of today to be its customers of 
tomorrow. Brambles believes it makes a positive contribution to 
sustainable business practices and aims to integrate sustainability 
into the way it does business and the value proposition it offers. 

In June 2012, CHEP in Europe and Unilever announced the successful 
completion of a pilot carbon neutral program in Spain. Through this 
program, Unilever is able to offset the annual carbon footprint of its 
CHEP pallet movements in Spain. Unilever chose to invest the 
internationally recognised VCS-certified3 offset credits it generates 
through the program in a reforestation project in Tanzania. In the 
development of its carbon neutral service offering, CHEP in Europe 
applied recognised international standards and established 
partnerships with groups and organisations. Requirements included 
that the product’s materials come from sustainable sources (for 
more information, see page 18); a robust measurement system that 
covers all service centres, subcontracted locations, offices and 
transportation functions; a comprehensive lifecycle analysis 
developed in partnership with an independent third party, carried 
out under ISO14040 standards and peer-reviewed; and a partnership 
with a recognised leader in the carbon credit industry. The program 
is now ready to be offered to other customers in Europe. 

3 The verified carbon standard is used to quantify a project’s greenhouse gas 

emissions and issue credits in voluntary markets. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 16

 
 
 
 
SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW – CONTINUED 

During the Year, CHEP USA’s and CHEP EMEA’s dedicated value 
solutions teams continued to provide industry best practices and 
processes on issues that matter most to customers. The teams work 
in partnership with the customer to evaluate objectively their 
supply chains and develop solutions based on Lean and Six Sigma 
methodologies that deliver lower financial and environmental costs 
across the supply chain. 

For example, CHEP USA’s customer solutions team analysed a food 
service distributor’s supply chain to determine the effect of its use 
of one way pallets. The team was able to demonstrate the benefits 
that a pooled pallet solution could provide in cost savings, pallet 
procurement, platform management, transportation, material 
handling efficiency and product damage. The food service 
distributor is now looking to convert its customers from one way to 
pooled pallets. 

CHEP's Innovation Center in Orlando, Florida is a world-class product 
testing and engineering facility. CHEP collaborates with customers 
to test their packaging, new products and technologies at the 
Innovation Center, which adds value and drives innovation and 
savings for customers. CHEP also runs a pallet test track facility that 
simulates the pallet life-cycle and allows CHEP to test innovations 
quickly and bring new platforms to market. Within the controlled 
environment of the test track CHEP can generate the same amount 
of data from a 5,000 pallet field trial with customers, using 90% 
fewer pallets. 

In FY12, the Innovation Center: 

–  supported over 100 projects for internal and external customers; 

–  evaluated hundreds of customer unit loads for supply chain 

performance; 

–  tested 20 lumber species to determine their impact and strength 

characteristics; and 

–  bench-marked several automotive container suppliers and designs 

to support automotive asset procurement. 

The test track facility examined three of CHEP’s largest supply 
chains, which led to four major pallet test track programs that 
evaluated 17 platform options for several large markets. The 
programs addressed issues such as life-cycle, market needs, 
material sustainability and selection, design and repair operations.  

IFCO collaborates with customers to identify RPC value 
opportunities and to develop packaging and supply chain 
improvements through innovative product design, operational 
efficiencies and better quality control. In FY12, this included RPC 
solutions for bananas, eggs and strawberries. For these large volume 
and highly perishable products, IFCO’s innovation improved 
transport packaging performance from farm to retail. 

Product innovation is a key focus for Recall, which holds regular 
global customer forums. One example is Recall’s use of radio 
frequency identification (RFID) solutions to solve customer 
problems. Resolving filing issues as a result of human error could 
take months to fix manually in a large records centre. With RFID 
solutions, an error can be solved in minutes. In one instance of 
human error, two employees had RFID-tagged a carton on two 
separate occasions and then logged a slightly different description 
of the files. When the company tried to locate the files, they 
thought these were two unique records and were unable to access 
the specific documents they needed. However, since the company 
used RFID tagging with auditing capabilities, a search by date range 
enabled the error to be discovered and the files located. Without 
the use of this type of technology, finding these files would have 
been time consuming. 

Further details about Brambles’ innovation, research and 
development activities during the Year are set out in the Directors’ 
Report — Other Information on page 66. 

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION 

Brambles’ business units are focused on improving levels of 
customer satisfaction and making sure their products, services and 
customer relationships are a source of competitive advantage.  

Brambles is committed to improving customers’ experience of 
its products, services and people. To meet that commitment 
and to direct improvements, Brambles introduced the Net 
Promoter program in 2010. This program includes: Net Promoter 
Score (NPS) measurement; leadership practices that promote 
customer-centricity; organisational strategies to ensure the 
adoption and integration with core business processes of NPS; and 
the gearing of operational systems to identify improvements in 
customer experience. 

Detailed questionnaires generate data about customers’ views on 
processes and performance. This data is distilled into a single 
indicator, known as the NPS, which measures the weighting of 
people who use and recommend a company’s services or products, 
compared with those who are unhappy. In 2012, Pallets EMEA and 
Americas have achieved improvements in satisfaction and customer 
participation scores, which are tracking in line with Group strategy. 

The global rollout of relationship surveys for CHEP began in 
April 2011 and, to date, feedback from 5,000 individual contacts 
representing more than 1,500 companies has been collected through 
Brambles’ annual customer survey, which measured performance in 
areas such as account management, ordering, delivery and audit 
and reconciliation. Following the implementation of the new Pooling 
Solutions organisation structure, Brambles will roll out NPS programs 
in the Containers segment in FY13. The program is providing 
Brambles a snapshot of customers’ thoughts and the opportunity to 
respond quickly to operational issues. 

For example, previous surveys of customers in CHEP USA indicated 
that pallet repair quality required further improvement. Through 
the Better Everyday program, CHEP introduced a higher pallet 
repair quality specification in the USA and committed to 
ISO9001:2008 Quality Certification, an international standard for 
quality management systems. Employee training in repairs is being 
provided, along with a certification program to ensure standardised 
inspection and repair processes. Process controls are being 
implemented to ensure every facility is routinely tracked and 
audited to control pallet repair quality. Brambles monitors these 
results to detect trends and identify improvement opportunities. 

Customers have also said CHEP can do more to provide value-add 
services to better enable reductions in supply chain costs. CHEP is 
dedicated to becoming a more strategic partner for its customers 
(see Customer Solutions page 16). 

Some examples of how CHEP acted on customer responses in the 
2011 survey include: 

–  in one country, the survey indicated that some customers were 

having difficulty checking invoices. All customers who had 
expressed difficulty were provided examples on monitoring 
monthly invoices more easily and an action plan. As a result, the 
2012 survey showed an NPS improvement on this measure from 
“neutral” to “satisfied”. 

–  30% of customers surveyed in another country said on-time 

collections were an issue, resulting in a “dissatisfied” rating. 
Processes were reviewed and improved and in 2012 the survey 
showed an improvement with the rating now “neutral”. 

Brambles also uses NPS to initiate specific reviews. In 2011, CHEP 
received questions on certain product attributes in one country. 
Customers were interviewed to gather more details and 
improvement projects were undertaken and monitored.  
In the 2012 survey, the country improved in areas of question,  
from “dissatisfied” to “neutral”. 

Response to customer feedback is a high priority for IFCO, which 
monitors customer satisfaction through visit reports and internal 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 17

SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW – CONTINUED 

complaint management. Complaints and customer feedback are 
documented and handled through IFCO’s customer service, account 
management and transport departments. Recall has a strong, 
ongoing commitment to managing key satisfaction metrics through 
its Perfect Order program and security breach reports. 

CHEP, Recall and IFCO are unable to assess fully the safety risk of 
customers using the company’s products on the customers’ own 
sites, because of the many variables involved. All businesses engage 
with customers and other organisations to promote health and 
safety and responsible packaging solutions. 

PRODUCT & SERVICE QUALITY & SAFETY 

Brambles is committed to achieving Zero Harm and considers the 
health, safety and environment impacts in all its decisions: from the 
development of projects to the launch of new products and 
services. Brambles is committed to continuously improving the 
quality of its products and services. 

CHEP’s Total Pallet Management programs on customer premises are 
operated to CHEP Zero Harm standards. 

CHEP's Innovation Center is a certified testing laboratory of the 
International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) and is capable of 
performing test methods included in ISTA’s rigorous global 
packaging standards. 

Safety management systems operate at every CHEP service centre 
around the world. In addition, CHEP's Innovation Center assesses 
health and safety impacts of each product in development. 

As a result of the new management and organisation structure, 
CHEP’s Global Quality Council was replaced with a Global Quality 
team, which operates under the Global Operations function in  
the Pallets segment. The Quality team is responsible for setting 
product quality standards and audit conformance, translating 
customer needs into pallet quality standards and responding to 
customer complaints. 

During the Year, the team conducted a detailed analysis of NPS 
responses and additional customer feedback on pallet quality to 
determine what the critical to quality (CTQ) aspects were in 
customers’ processes. Interviews with customers in a variety of 
industries and size were conducted to get a better understanding of 
their feedback. The information was consolidated globally and the 
CTQ feedback prioritised. 

The top two CTQ issues were identified and CHEP now organises 
regular visits with customers that report these issues to review the 
quality of outputs. The Global Quality team is now focusing on 
providing proactive processes to improve identified CTQ criteria for 
CHEP customers globally. 

Global product rejection and complaints by customers decreased 
from 0.23% per issue in FY11 to 0.19% per issue in FY12. The Global 
Quality team will continue to work on improving pallet quality 
standards and measure and address customer satisfaction. 

CHEP USA applies a Quality Management System (QMS) across its 
supply chain. The system includes standard operating procedures to 
certify and maintain the performance of all service centres, 
corrective action for any customer complaint or rejection and a pest 
control and cleanliness program to ensure all products are clean, 
dry, odourless and free of pests or hazardous chemicals. Following 
these procedures, customer product and service rejections have 
reduced 61% since 2009 to less than 0.2% of issues. As a result, CHEP 
USA began the process of achieving ISO9001:2008 certification in 
November 2011. CHEP USA expects to complete this process in FY13. 

Recall assists customers in the safe management of their document 
storage requirements by clearly labelling its cartons with suggested 
weight restrictions and correct handling techniques, specific to the 
size of the carton (which varies from region to region) so that 
neither customers nor employees put themselves at risk from strain 
or injury of lifting heavy loads. Recall has stringent processes for 
employees managing inbound cartons (for example, correct manual 
handling techniques) to ensure adequate risk management. 

IFCO has implemented a number of safety and quality management 
processes, including hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP) 
processes for food safety in all service centres globally, the 
American Institute of Bakery (AIB) certification for all North 
American service centres and the International Organization for 
Standardization (ISO) certification for 70% of its European service 
centres. This includes ISO 9001:2008, ISO22000:2005, ISO22001 and 
ISO14001:2004. IFCO will implement Brambles Zero Harm processes 
during FY13.

CUSTOMER PRIVACY 

Recall establishes and adheres to stringent measures of physical and 
operational security to protect customers’ information. It is 
committed to securely housing, retrieving and delivering customers’ 
information when it is required. 

Recall operates global standards in relation to the security, access 
and protection of the information it manages for customers.  
These standards are detailed on Brambles’ website. All Recall sites 
are regularly measured and assessed for compliance with these 
standards. 

An internal measurement system, known as security breach or 
security incident reporting, records any incident through which 
there is a possibility that a customer’s information has gone outside 
of Recall’s control. Any report of this nature is provided within one 
day to the regional Recall President, who then passes it on to 
Recall’s Group President & Chief Operating Officer. 

Breaches and incidents are reviewed during regular business and 
operational reviews with Recall’s senior leadership team as a key 
performance metric and opportunity to implement corrective action 
processes across Recall. Information security is a core component of 
the foundation of the Recall business. All of the mechanisms listed 
ensure a higher quality service to customers. 

In the event when Recall’s security team determines that a breach 
has occurred, it alerts the affected customer and works 
cooperatively to resolve the matter (including a root-cause analysis 
of the breach and corrective action plans) to the customer’s 
satisfaction. Recall continues to make key investments in 
information technology and systems. 

ENVIRONMENT 
Through innovative logistics and operations networks Brambles 
minimises its environmental footprint in relation to the use of 
resources, emissions and waste. 

SUSTAINABLE LUMBER SOURCING 

Brambles is committed to achieving Zero Harm and considers 
environmental impacts in all decisions, including the sourcing of 
lumber. CHEP has strict lumber sourcing policies and has a target of 
achieving chain of custody certification for purchased lumber for 
pallets by 2015, which will provide further assurance of responsible 
and sustainable practices. 
Volume of lumber (m3) for the Year 

Pallets Americas

Pallets EMEA

Pallets Asia-Pacific

Total

2012

880,288

582,808

181,637

1,644,733

Brambles' sustainability strategy specifically addresses responsible 
management of forest resources for Brambles, its suppliers, 
customers and the wider community. Brambles engages with its 
suppliers to assess whether their practices are in line with Brambles' 
environmental principles and acts accordingly to help those 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 18

 
SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW – CONTINUED 

suppliers meet Brambles’ requirements and standards. CHEP 
maintains strict lumber sourcing policies that support the 
replenishment of natural resources by sourcing lumber in a 
responsible and sustainable manner. CHEP does not source from 
protected areas, parks or similar areas in which harvesting 
operations do not promote responsible forestry management. 

Under the new organisation structure for the Pooling Solutions 
business, the sourcing of lumber will be controlled centrally by the 
Pallets segment through the newly created global procurement 
team, which is part of the Global Operations function. 

During the Year, 94% of CHEP’s lumber came from certified sources, 
up from 91% the previous year. The rise was due to Europe 
increasing certification levels and Latin America purchasing from 
more certified sources. 

In the USA, CHEP is increasing its sourcing of lumber from domestic 
suppliers. While sourcing this lumber in the USA at favourable prices 
supports the local economy and reduces the environmental footprint 
with regards to transport costs and emissions, finding suitable 
supplies of chain of custody lumber is challenging as there is 
currently low demand. As CHEP USA works towards the target of 
chain of custody certification, it is partnering with its suppliers to 
secure existing sources and develop new sources of chain of custody 
lumber. Preference will be given to suppliers that can meet its 
criteria for the responsible and sustainable management of forest 
resources. In FY11, CHEP in Europe achieved PEFC and FSC chain of 
custody certification for 100% of the lumber used in pallet repair 
activities and 96% of lumber used in new pallets, which provides 
assurance that the lumber used originates from sustainable sources. 
In Europe all pallet suppliers are subject to an approval process and 
are required to purchase either FSC or PEFC certified chain of 
custody lumber. 

During the Year, CHEP Europe commissioned a comprehensive life-
cycle analysis/assessment comparing its lumber pallet pooling 
system with the use of non-pooled pallets. This was developed in 
partnership with an independent third party, carried out under 
ISO14040 standards and reviewed. The study considered lumber 
sourcing, construction and maintenance, transportation and 
recycling. CHEP Europe updated its environmental calculator  
with the results of the assessment. 

In FY10, CHEP achieved FSC accreditation for its wholly-owned tree 
plantations in South Africa. During the Year, CHEP MEA worked with 
13 suppliers in the region to improve its chain of custody 
certification process.  

In FY12, 471,060* cubic metres of chain of custody lumber was 
purchase by CHEP in the form of lumber boards or finished pallets, 
representing 28% of all lumber procured by CHEP during the Year. 
All CHEP regions have now approved and submitted plans to work 
towards the Brambles target of 100% chain of custody 
certification for purchased lumber by 2015. These plans will be 
provided to KPMG, who will provide an independent assessment of 
CHEP’s progress, which will be reported by Brambles in future 
Annual Reports. 

CHEP has identified 58 species of tree that are in or could be in its 
lumber supply as per the International Union for Conservation of 
Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. None of these species 
are defined as “endangered”, “critically endangered”, “extinct in 
the wild”, or “extinct”. Of the 58 species identified, two are 
classified as “near threatened” and one as “vulnerable”. 

The possible inclusion of Longleaf Pine (classified as “vulnerable”) 
in CHEP USA’s lumber supply was identified in 2009, and the 
possible inclusion of Virginia Pine and Sand Pine (both classified as 
“near threatened”) was identified in 2010. USA lumber suppliers do 
not always disclose the exact sub-specie of pine being supplied. 

CHEP USA is committed to working closely with its suppliers and 
continuing current supply chain auditing practices to better 

understand and minimise the potential use of Longleaf Pine, Virginia 
Pine and Sand Pine. 

CHEP USA’s activities during the Year included: 

–  declining lumber offers from suppliers when use of these sub-

species is known; and 

–  partnering with the National Forest Foundation (NFF) to fund the 
planting of Ponderosa Pine and Western Larch in an area of the 
Nez-Perce National Forest that had been subjected to a bad 
wildfire in 2007. The NFF also supports projects that replant 
Longleaf Pine. 

Lumber volume by forest source certification & segment 
(%) 

In Malaysia, CHEP Asia appointed a procurement manager during the 
Year and made good progress in raising awareness of sustainable 
lumber sourcing within CHEP’s Malaysian lumber supply base. All 
Malaysian suppliers source 100% of CHEP lumber from state forests 
with government transit documentation to ensure all lumber is 
tracked, species-checked and verified that it was legally harvested.  

EMISSIONS & ENERGY 

Brambles is committed to achieving Zero Harm. It considers the 
environment in all decisions concerning the development of 
projects, the selection of commercial partners and suppliers and the 
launch of new products and services. Brambles is committed to 
using resources more efficiently and encouraging the sustainable use 
of its products and services. 

Brambles recorded a decline in Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas 
(GHG) emissions and energy use for the Year.4 

While Brambles has a relatively light Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 
footprint, the growing interest among customers to understand the 
total cost of their supply chains has presented an opportunity to 
develop better and more accurate ways to measure emissions and 
energy (Scope 1, 2 and 3) that will demonstrate the environmental 
benefits of its product and service offerings. Brambles is also 
developing iCARE, a new online data collection system. All Pooling 
Solutions segments and Recall will begin to use the new system in 
FY13. 

4 Scope 1 emissions come from direct purchases of fuel, for company owned 

transport or heating. Scope 2 emissions are indirect purchases of energy, like 
electricity. Scope 3 emissions are generated by a third party, e.g. a 
transport company carrying a company’s freight. 

* Figure assured by KPMG. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 19

 
 
 
 
 
SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW – CONTINUED 

In FY11, Brambles reviewed its operations to determine the main 
contributors to its Scope 3 emissions, namely: 

Pallets (CHEP) FY12 CO2-e footprint estimate  
including Scope 36 

–(cid:3) supplier emissions — for leased and outsourced sites and 

subcontracted transport carriers; 

–(cid:3) purchased goods — harvesting of lumber purchased from suppliers 

and other purchased goods and services, such as paper and 
cardboard; 

–(cid:3) capital goods — particularly CHEP pallets and containers; 

–(cid:3) business travel — employee travel for business purposes; and 

–(cid:3) employee commuting. 

CHEP has an extensive network of service centres and outsources 
many to third-party providers. This provides CHEP with a great deal 
of flexibility to adjust its network to meet changing customer needs 
or to reduce or optimise transport costs. 

During the Year, for the first time, the Pallet segment (CHEP only, 
excluding IFCO PMS and Paramount Pallet) assessed the two largest 
third-party or supplier activities that generate greenhouse emissions 
on CHEP’s behalf, to provide an overall picture of CHEP’s 
environmental footprint.  

They are: 

–(cid:3) subcontracted transport carriers that move CHEP’s pallets through 

its network; and 

–(cid:3) leased and outsourced service centre sites that inspect and repair 

CHEP’s pallets. 

A specific module for CO2-e5 measurement of subcontracted 
transport carriers was developed with LeanLogistics and 
implemented in Europe and the USA. This system allows CHEP to 
estimate a baseline to measure the impact of its collaborative 
transportation, route and network optimisation, and Total Pallet 
Management initiatives (see Transport Impacts on page 21). 

The module will be rolled out globally and will also be available to 
LeanLogistics customers. The Scope 3 transportation emissions in 
regions other than Europe has been estimated through distance 
measurement where available (Americas, Australia, MEA) and 
through the quantity of product delivered (Asia). 

CHEP used its data on pallet conditioning in its own service centres 
to estimate energy consumption in leased and outsourced service 
centres. This data was then extrapolated to the network of 
subcontracted service centres, while applying country specific grid 
emissions factors. 

The graph at the top of the page represents the fundamental CO2-e 
footprint of each Pallet region and their combined total. 

The Pallets segment’s combined Scope 1 and 2 CO2-e emissions 
decreased 6% in FY12 from FY11. This reduction can be attributed to 
a number of activities in Europe and the Americas. In the Asia-
Pacific, Australian and New Zealand reduction activities offset the 
expansion of CHEP businesses in India and China. 
Recall also recorded a reduction in CO2-e emissions of 9% from 
FY11, which can be attributed to in part, improved routing in all 
service lines and the installation of motion-sensored and energy 
efficient lighting in all new facilities and those being refurbished. 
As part of Pallets EMEA’s Greenhouse gas reduction plan, CHEP Spain 
has installed a biomass boiler in its Belpuig service centre, which is 
expected to cut the site’s emissions by 36%. More examples of 
emission and energy saving activities can be viewed in the 
Sustainability section on CHEP’s website. 

In the UK, CHEP’s reduction efforts were recognised by being 
awarded the Carbon Trust Standard for measuring, managing and 
reducing its carbon emissions by 7.6% in the last three years. 

The Carbon Trust Standard recognises organisations for real carbon 
reduction. Based on a rigorous, independent assessment, it certifies 
that organisations have measured, managed and reduced their 
carbon emissions across their own operations, and are committed to 
reducing them year on year. CHEP UK achieved the award through a 
comprehensive range of carbon reduction initiatives implemented as 
part of its company-wide sustainability program, including: 

–(cid:3) training of employees on energy waste reduction, which has 

resulting in behavioural changes in the workplace; 

–(cid:3) the optimisation of the compressed air system used in all sites and 

the elimination of air leaks (see page 21);  

–(cid:3) monitoring energy consumption on a weekly basis to identify 

power and natural gas wastage. This involves measuring CO2-e 
generation for each pallet processed in CHEP service centres; 

–(cid:3) management of CHEP UK’s company car policy, including 

enforcing a limit on emissions of 140 grams of CO2-e per kilometre 
for new vehicles (the EU automotive fuel economy target); and 

–(cid:3) changing office and plant facility lighting to more efficient 

technologies. 

CHEP UK & Ireland implemented a comprehensive Environmental 
Management System (EMS) in FY12 and a team of dedicated energy 
administrators has been put in place as part of this approach.  
The EMS is being rolled out to the rest of Europe, with dedicated 
energy administrators in place in all European sites. The continued 
commitment and support of these energy administrators is key to 
reducing CO2-e emissions across these sites. 

CHEP USA is an ENERGY STAR®7 partner and is focused on analysing 
and reducing its corporate environmental footprint through targeted 
energy saving projects. CHEP USA continues to replace out-dated, 
energy inefficient lighting with energy efficient T5 Fluorescent 
lighting in 26 service centres. This project is estimated to reduce 
annual energy consumption by 4.7 million kWh, equivalent to a 
reduction of 3,800 tons of CO2-e. CHEP will also realise an operating 
cost reduction benefit of over US$400,000 annually. 

5 Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) is the universal unit of measurement to 
indicate the full global warming potential (GWP) of a particular greenhouse 
gas emission. It takes into account the GWP of each of the six Kyoto 
greenhouse gases, and expresses them in terms of the equivalent units of 
carbon dioxide. It is used for measuring and reporting different emissions 
sources on a common basis. At the corporate level, CO2-e is typically 
reported in kilotonnes (kt). 

6 Includes sites that handle and condition CHEP RPCs and Containers. Retained 

to provide like-for-like comparatives to CHEP’s reported energy and 
emissions in FY11. In FY13 sites will be extracted and included in RPCs and 
Containers segments when iCARE is rolled out. 

7 A joint program of the US environmental protection agency and US 

department of energy helping consumers and businesses to adopt energy 
efficient products and practices. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 20

 
 
 
 
SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW – CONTINUED 

Brambles’ global GHG emissions during the Year8

Brambles HQ 

Recall 

Pallets 

Total 

Scope 1 

Scope 2 

Total 

kt CO2-e 

TJ 

kt CO2-e 

- 

- 

0.12 

- 

0.12 

- 

- 

- 

- 

0.51 

- 

0.51 

30.34 

- 

32.13 

- 

62.47 

- 

TJ 

- 

462.33 

- 

242.08 

- 

kt CO2-e 

24.72* 

- 

39.98* 

- 

64.70* 

TJ 

- 

406.87 

- 

246.49 

kt CO2-e 

55.06 

- 

72.23 

- 

- 

127.29 

TJ 

- 

869.20 

- 

489.08 

- 

704.41 

- 

653.36 

- 

1,358.28 

Air compressors that run the machinery used to sort, repair and 
paint pallets are one of the largest consumers of energy in USA 
service centres. Almost 15% to 20% of a compressor’s capacity may 
be wasted due to air leaks. In FY12, CHEP worked to identify air 
leaks and develop corrective action plans. This saves energy and 
improves overall operational effectiveness. 

Air compressor leakage was also a target area for CHEP UK & 
Ireland. Every site in the UK has reduced its compressed air leaks 
during the Year, saving approximately 250 tonnes of CO2-e 
emissions. The next stage of the project in the UK was to optimise 
the network and install new compressors where necessary, with an 
expected further reduction of approximately 840 tonnes of CO2-e 
emissions annually. 

In Canada, CHEP is installing efficient ink-jet stencil equipment with 
quick drying ink in most service centres. The removal of gas 
powered radiant heat tunnels from the previous stamp pad 
technology will use significantly less energy. 

Kilotonnes (kt) of CO2-e 

Terajoules (TJ) of energy 

2012 

2011 

%

2012 

2011

%

Pallets 
Americas9 

13.31 

14.90 

(11) 

173.72 

184.81 

(6) 

Pallets EMEA 

25.49 

27.81 

(8) 

280.50 

303.57

(8)

Pallets  
Asia-Pacific 

Pallets 
(Total) 

Recall 

25.90 

26.38 

(1) 

199.14 

200.07 

- 

64.70* 

69.09 

(6) 

653.36 

688.45 

(5) 

62.47 

68.78 

(9) 

704.41 

752.92

(6)

Brambles HQ 

0.12 

0.12 

-

0.51 

0.49

4

Total 

127.29 

137.99 

(8) 

1,358.28 

1,441.86

(6)

Additionally, new T5 fluorescent lighting was installed in some of 
the Canadian service centres, with a significant reduction in energy 
use when compared to the previous metal halide lighting. The 
remaining service centres are scheduled to be refit with T5 lighting 
during 2012. 

CHEP Australia achieved a 2.2% reduction on the 2010 baseline, a 
total of 516 tonnes of CO2-e and conducted seven energy audits 
across its network to identify more energy efficiency opportunities. 
CHEP Australia was recognised by the New South Wales State 
Government’s Sustainability Advantage program for its commitment 
to sustainability, including these energy efficiency initiatives. 

Recall in North America has worked with its fleet leasing company 
to study its fuel economy and as a result, it will use more fuel 
efficient vehicles that, for some of Recall’s DMS and DPS locations, 
could reduce fuel consumption by 50%. 

Recall is also encouraging the use of its DMS digital service to scan 
and send an electronic image of a document or documents, rather 
than physically sending the document or carton to a customer. 
8 Excludes RPC and Containers segments, as well as very small CHEP pallet 

sites and offices. 

9 Excludes IFCO PMS and Paramount Pallet. 
* Figure assured by KPMG. 

In RPCs, IFCO replaced all conventional blow-dryers in the USA with 
centrifugal dryers, reducing electricity consumption by more than 
three million kWh. In Europe, IFCO replaced 75% of its conventional 
blow-dryers with centrifugal dryers. It expects to replace the 
remaining 25% within the next two years. All IFCO sites in South 
America will have centrifugal dryers within four years. In FY13, IFCO 
will investigate the use of micro heat/power plants for service 
centres in Europe, beginning with the installation of a block heat 
and power station in Germany. 

Brambles greenhouse gas generation by source  
in the Year (%) 

COMPLIANCE 
In Australia, Brambles and its CHEP and Recall operations were 
required to report their FY11 greenhouse gas emissions under the 
Australian Government’s National Greenhouse & Energy Reporting 
System (NGERS) as its energy usage was above the reporting 
threshold of 200 terajoules of energy. 

In the UK, the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency 
Scheme legislation came into force in April 2010. Brambles UK 
registered and submitted its footprint report to the UK Environment 
Agency in July 2011 and 2012. This Year, Brambles was required to 
purchase allowances for the tonnes of CO-2-e it generated.  

TRANSPORT IMPACTS 

Brambles works to reduce its environmental footprint by using its 
logistics knowhow to minimise the footprint of its customers and the 
supply chain through network optimisation, which reduces transport 
distances and associated emissions. 

CHEP’s Total Pallet Management program, available to major 
manufacturers and retailers, allows CHEP to manage all of a 
customer’s pallet needs onsite and supply CHEP pallets without the 
need for additional transport. Customers’ use of Total Pallet 
Management helps optimise the network and reduces the energy 
requirements associated with the pallet pool. Network optimisation 
focuses on the number and location of service centres based on 
sourcing requirements and locations, location of manufacturers, 
transport costs and plant capacity. 

In the RPCs segment, the CHEP and IFCO service centre networks 
were consolidated in Europe during FY12. This also involved 
amalgamating service centres by closing some down where they 
were located close together.  

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 21

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
WASTE MANAGEMENT 

Brambles is committed to using resources more efficiently and 
minimising waste. CHEP's pallet pooling system operates on the 
principles of reduce, reuse and recycle. Brambles is committed to 
improving its performance continuously to meet customers' and 
stakeholders' sustainability expectations. 

CHEP and Recall have processes to collect data on waste streams 
and have committed to improving their recycling rates each year. 

CHEP manages all waste streams related to pallet pooling activities 
including lumber, corrugate, steel and plastic. When CHEP repairs 
its pallets, lumber that is in good condition is reused to repair other 
pallets. 

LUMBER WASTE & RECYCLING 
Compared with disposable pallets, pallet pooling significantly 
reduces the use of lumber resources and waste. 

Unlike CHEP's pallet pooling system, many other types of lumber 
pallets (without a clear system of ownership and accountability) end 
up in landfill. By maintaining ownership of its assets and enforcing a 
system of controls, CHEP can maximise its ability to reuse or recycle 
materials at the end of the pallets’ useful lives.  

CHEP reclaimed at least 50,170 cubic metres of lumber for use in 
the repair and manufacture of pallets. 

In line with its target of zero lumber waste to landfill by 2015, CHEP 
is implementing a number of programs. For example, CHEP USA 
performed waste stream optimisation in FY12, which improves the 
recycling of lumber waste. Over 80% of CHEP USA’s lumber waste is 
now recycled and used in various products such as heating fuel and 
energy production. 

In Europe, lumber reclaiming has been improved in sites to include 
up to 23 usable elements per pallet. CHEP is continuously improving 
its timber reclaim capability with network projects to look at better 
technologies to dismantle pallets efficiently. 

In Australia, lumber cut-offs and lumber from damaged pallets are 
reused at CHEP service centres. Sound lumber boards are removed 
from damaged pallets and used for repair work; around 85% of this 
“waste” lumber is used for repairs or to manufacture new CHEP 
pallets, which means less raw lumber is required.  

Lower quality scrap lumber not suitable for repair is mulched and 
used for landscaping, garden projects, making compost or energy 
generation. For example, a steam-driven engineering company in 
Australia uses CHEP lumber mulch to help power their operations. 

CHEP is actively seeking alternative uses for lumber mulch through 
two Australian state government initiatives; New South Wales’ 
Sustainability Advantage and Queensland’s EcoBiz. 

SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW – CONTINUED 

IFCO monitors and analyses its service centre network to reduce the 
transportation distance per round trip. For example, during the 
Year, IFCO optimised its network in the USA by adding a new service 
centre in Portland, Oregon, reducing the annual overall 
transportation distance by 1.3 million kilometres annually, leading 
to a reduction of 836 tonnes of CO2-e emissions.  

IFCO analyses the impact of its RPCs using an environmental 
calculator for fruit and vegetable transport based on the results of a 
life-cycle analysis/assessment (LCA) on packaging systems in 2007 
(updated in 2009). The assessment was commissioned by SIM, an 
independent foundation that promotes the use of environmentally 
friendly packaging, and carried out by the Department Life Cycle 
Engineering (GaBi) at the University of Stuttgart and PE 
International. Applying this calculator to the RPC usage of IFCO's 
customers in Europe demonstrates emission savings for FY12 of 
21,863 tonnes of CO2-e. 

CHEP and LeanLogistics are both Environmental Protection Agency 
(EPA) SmartWay partners in the USA. SmartWay is a collaboration 
between the US EPA and the freight transportation industry that 
helps freight shippers, carriers and logistics companies improve  
fuel efficiency and save money. CHEP has joined the Green Freight 
Europe (formerly called the SmartWay Europe Initiative) to 
participate in the development of a standard recognised 
methodology for transport emissions measurement and  
reduction in Europe. 

In the USA, CHEP’s GreenLanes™ program helps customers increase 
productivity and eliminate unnecessary empty return truck trips by 
working with third-party transport companies to fill empty space on 
customers’ trucks, or that of a transportation provider. Since FY11, 
CHEP USA has collaborated with customers on more than 11,000 
individual movements through GreenLanes, resulting in the 
elimination of an estimated 6.7 million kilometres of transportation 
and production of 2.9 million kilograms of CO2-e emissions.  

The CHEP USA pallet business is seasonal, which drives the need for 
temporary pallet storage during certain times of the year. During 
the 2011-12 Northern Hemisphere winter, CHEP USA sent 240,000 
pallets to temporary storage under a new customer storage 
program. This program reimburses the customer for storing pallets 
on-site using seasonally available space and eliminates additional 
pallet handling and transportation to and from third party storage 
locations. The program generates revenue for customers and savings 
for CHEP, by eliminating over 250,000 truck-miles and reducing 
pallet handling and damage.  

CHEP continued the rollout of its transportation collaboration 
program in Europe and now has 25 customers participating.  
The program allows participants to benefit from logistics synergies 
by reducing empty miles and associated costs, increasing shared 
transportation or moving to using different transport solutions such 
as rail and road. This equates to the elimination of approximately 
1.6 million kilometres of empty load trips per annum and the 
reduction of 1,600 tonnes of CO2-e emissions. 

Since 2008, CHEP in Europe has been working on multimodal (train, 
sea and road) solutions to reduce CHEP’s dependence on roads for 
moving its pallets. For the Year, CHEP’s use of rail, when compared 
to moving pallets by road, saved the equivalent of 9,800 tonnes of 
CO2-e emissions and a total of 15.3 million kilometres in road trips. 

Recall is also optimising its transport operations to deliver the most 
efficient, error-free solutions to customers. This results in a reduced 
number of vehicle trips and reduced energy expenditure. 
Additionally, Recall’s Image on Request solution for urgent 
deliveries transmits documents digitally to a customer rather than 
transporting an entire physical carton. This delivers the same net 
result to the customer for less carbon expenditure. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 22

 
WATER 

Brambles recognises that water is a precious resource and in many 
areas of its operations water supply is crucial for the environment 
and the community. Brambles believes it has a responsibility to use 
water wisely. CHEP and Recall have processes to collect data on 
water usage and waste. 

The RPC segment is the largest user of water in the Group. In the 
USA and Europe, IFCO has installed centrifugal dryers, which use 
high-speed rotation to pump final rinse-water back to the washing 
line for reuse (see Emissions & Energy page 19). 

In Europe and South America, currently up to 50,000 cubic metres of 
water can be collected with the centrifuges, saving up to 50% of 
rinse-water. In addition, in the USA, Europe and South America, 
IFCO implements other water recycling devices. 

For example, in the USA, IFCO developed a water recycling 
prototype unit in its Atlanta, Georgia service centre in conjunction 
with a filtration expert. The unit captures wastewater via an inline 
filtering plant, removing solids and bacteria and enabling it to be 
reused. Previously this wastewater would have passed direct to 
waste drains. It is estimated approximately 30% of wastewater will 
be recycled by this system. The finalised design has been installed 
in the newly opened Portland, Oregon service centre and IFCO’s 
remaining North American plants will have the system installed 
during FY13. 

Water recycling units are also planned for IFCO’s service centres in 
Germany in FY13. All IFCO service centres are fully compliant with 
local wastewater regulations. 

While water data is available for IFCO’s European facilities, this will 
be reported after it is entered into iCARE, Brambles new data 
collection system. Once this is done, Brambles will set a water 
target in consultation with IFCO. 

CHEP Australia uses water recycling at several of its plants. In FY12, 
it commissioned a new recycling plant in South Australia, which will 
save four million litres of water each year. 

Some Recall sites collect rainwater. Water discharges from CHEP 
and Recall facilities are equivalent to sanitary wastewater and are 
not considered material. 

SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW – CONTINUED 

OTHER WASTE & RECYCLING 
Where possible in office locations, segregation and recycling 
programs are in place for recyclable items such as paper, bottles, 
cans, newspapers, magazines and ink cartridges. CHEP complies 
with local and federal regulations pertaining to waste handling, 
recycling, storage and disposal. 

General solid waste (for example office/sanitation) is handled by 
local solid waste management or recycling facilities. Universal 
waste and used oil (both generated in limited quantities) as well as 
cardboard, plastic and metals are generally reused or recycled 
where facilities are available. 

CHEP USA’s waste stream optimisation in FY12 meant that 
approximately 80% of CHEP’s corrugate and metal wastes were 
diverted from landfill. 

In Europe, CHEP’s Belpuig service centre changed waste providers to 
expand its plastic recycling to include plastic layers, banding and 
film. This increases plastic recycling by 54 tonnes a year. 

CHEP Australia increased general recycling (plastic and cardboard) 
by 4%, a total of 108 less tonnes of waste to landfill, and 
expanded recycling in its Head Office to include lunchroom plastics 
and cardboard. 

IFCO recycles 100% of its RPCs. IFCO regrinds all damaged containers 
and reprocesses the granulate for use in new RPCs. 

During the Year, Recall collected, shredded and sent for recycling 
more than 168,000 tonnes of paper. 

Recall assists its customers in managing their physical and digital 
documents throughout their life cycle, from creation to secure 
destruction. Recall believes that it benefits the environment by 
assisting customers to reduce material usage by providing space- 
and paper-efficient document archival and retrieval solutions. All 
the material used in the production of Recall's cartons is recyclable.  

During the Year, Brambles began collecting data on solid waste 
streams and has committed to improving its recycling rates on an 
annual basis. 

CHEP Catalyst & Chemical Containers (CCC) provides packaging 
systems, on-site management and logistics support for the storage 
and shipment of catalysts used in the petroleum refining, gas 
processing and petrochemicals manufacturing industries.  

In FY12, CCC handled hazardous wastes on behalf of its customers, 
including solid NOS (chlorine, sulphur), a class 9 waste, resulting 
from cleaning residue from its intermediate bulk container catalyst 
bins used in the packaging of petrochemical refining products.  
CCC uses a third party to dispose of its hazardous waste, where it is 
used as a fuel source, replacing coal and natural gas in cement 
kilns. This is a safe and effective method of recovering energy from 
waste and conserving natural resources. Waste is normally 
processed and destroyed within five to six days of receipt, 
confirmed by a certificate of disposal. The empty metal containers 
used to transport the waste are processed through container 
decontamination, with a certificate of recycling issued to CCC for 
the containers or volume of metal recycled.  

CCC is considered a large quantity generator and reports waste 
summaries to relevant environmental departments as required.  

Brambles had no significant spills during the Year. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 23

SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW – CONTINUED 

PEOPLE 
Brambles believes an engaging, safe, tolerant and diverse work 
environment brings out the best in its people. 

Employees by segment10 

Segment 

Pallets Americas 

Pallets EMEA 

Pallets Asia-Pacific 

Pallets (Total) 

RPCs 

Containers 

Recall 

Brambles HQ 

Total 

Employees 

5,238 

2,791 

1,421 

9,450 

1,026 

795 

4,581 

278 

16,130 

SAFETY & WELLBEING 

Brambles' Zero Harm Charter states that everyone has the right to 
be safe at work and to return home to their family and friends as 
healthy as when they started the day. Each and every person is 
expected to work safely. Brambles seeks to apply best occupational 
health, safety and environment practice for employees, contractors, 
customers and local communities. 

Brambles will update its Zero Harm Charter in FY13 to provide 
renewed focus on the importance of safety throughout the Group. 
The Zero Harm Charter will be rolled out to all IFCO sites. 

Details on Brambles’ Health & Safety Policy and the Zero Harm 
Charter are in the Directors’ Report — Other Information on 
page 65. 

In 2010, Brambles rolled out a new scorecard that is based on the 
standard practice of total recordable incident reporting of Brambles 
Injury Frequency Rate (BIFR) and takes a comprehensive view of 
safety. BIFR records fatalities and three types of injury, each at a 
rate of injury per million hours worked: 

–  work-related fatalities; 

–  loss of a full work shift due to injury; 

–  modified duties following an injury; and 

–  incidents that require medical treatment. 

BRAMBLES INJURY FREQUENCY RATE 
BIFR is the primary measure of safety performance across the 
Group.  

It is with great sadness that Brambles reports two employee 
fatalities that occurred in the USA during the Year. 

In October 2011, Alfredo Ruiz, a warehouse assistant in the CHEP 
Catalyst & Chemical Container business in Houston, Texas, suffered 
a serious injury while at work. Sadly, he did not recover from his 
injury and passed away in June 2012. 

Brambles also suffered the loss of Roland Haggins, an employee, as 
a result of structural damage at a Recall-operated facility in 
Landover, Maryland, in June 2012. These events are unacceptable 
and in line with its Zero Harm policy, Brambles will continue to seek 
to drive improvements in its overall safety performance. 

In FY12, the combined performance of CHEP in the three Pallet 
segment regions was a BIFR of 8.4 events per million hours worked. 
This was a significant reduction on rates in the previous year, with 
the Americas down 47%, Australia & New Zealand rates decreased by 
40% and EMEA was down 33%. 

10 Snapshot of permanent employees as at 30 June 2012.  

In the Year, the Group achieved a BIFR of 9.3 events and baseline 
BIFR exercises were carried by the recently acquired businesses. 
The improvement in FY12 BIFR rates can be attributed to a focus on 
risk reduction activities, the adoption of leading indicators such as 
active near-miss reporting, sharing of best practice between 
members of the newly formed Global Safety team in the Pallets 
segment and a greater emphasis on learning and preventing 
reoccurrence of incidents throughout the network. 

A new BIFR reduction target was set by the ELT during the Year. 
Brambles has set BIFR targets for new businesses for FY13 and these 
will be reported in FY13. 

The Zero Harm strategy developed in 2010 and associated internal 
structures and performance measurement processes are aimed 
specifically at the BIFR to create breakthrough performance by 
addressing the underlying cause of injury. 

Recall is currently midway through its current three-year strategic 
safety program focused on key areas such as: manual handling, fire 
safety, correct use of energised equipment (i.e. forklifts, pallet 
jacks), use of restricted-access vehicles and cranes, and motor 
vehicle and driver awareness. Each year, a Zero Harm stand down 
event is held globally, where all staff receive co-ordinated and 
consistent safety messages. 

During the summer months, CHEP UK & Ireland employees were 
encouraged to participate in its Cool Commuter initiative to travel 
to and from work, promoting sustainable commuter transport and 
healthy lifestyles. Employees walked for 1,667 miles and cycled for 
7,218 miles, as well as utilising public transport. The initiative also 
raised money for charity. 

During the Year, CHEP Australia employees attended information 
sessions that dealt with general issues such as physical activity 
and nutrition, followed by one-on-one health assessments. Almost 
600 CHEP employees undertook a health assessment. Over 80 per 
cent agreed that the seminar series was worthwhile and that they 
would use the information to improve and maintain their health 
and wellbeing. 

ATTRACTING & RETAINING TALENT: LEADERSHIP 

Brambles is committed to providing a safe, rewarding and 
challenging environment to help employees reach their potential. 
Brambles operates a competency framework which allows 
employees to understand the skills and competencies required to do 
their job, and which ones need to be developed for career 
progression. This framework is at the core of Brambles’ 
performance appraisal systems. Every employee has an annual 
appraisal with their manager. 

During the Year, Brambles focused on aligning the talent 
management strategy with its business strategy to achieve its 
objectives. A key element of this was to determine future 
organisational capability requirements compared to current and 
develop plans to address the gaps. 

As a result, Foundation 15, a three-year talent acquisition and 
development program sponsored by Brambles’ CEO, has been 
launched. The major focus of Foundation 15 will be to address the 
gaps in the leadership pipeline by targeting specific populations 
with focused development and going outside the organisation where 
necessary, to acquire the talent to fill any gaps that cannot be filled 
through internal development. An integral part of this program was 
a global development centre for 14 high potential leaders, all of 
whom now have coaching and development plans in place to 
prepare them for their next career step. Since the program, one of 
the participants has been promoted and five have changed roles for 
development purposes. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 24

 
 
SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW – CONTINUED 

Two development centres were run for managers in the Pallets 
businesses in Australia and in Asia, with a total of 26 participants. 
Development plans are currently being put into action for these 
managers as part of the strategy to build the leadership pipeline. 

Foundation 15 focuses on Brambles specific functions and markets 
and a highly interactive and practical workshop was run for all the 
leaders of countries in emerging markets. The workshop was 
conducted in partnership with CEDEP (the European Centre for 
Executive Development), on the INSEAD campus in Fontainebleau, 
France with which Brambles has had a strategic relationship since 
2009. The outputs of this program have been channelled into 
specific work streams, with program participants taking ownership 
of turning ideas into action. Brambles also has partnerships with 
business schools in Shanghai (CEIBS) and Singapore (INSEAD). This 
allows Brambles to widen its search for management talent. 

Brambles’ CEO and his team will monitor and measure the success 
of Foundation 15 on a quarterly basis, using a talent dashboard that 
will include targets for: internal promotions versus external hires; 
depth of succession into senior roles; and the number of females in 
leadership roles at all levels in the organisation. 

Brambles continues to recruit high-potential master’s degree 
graduates to build its leadership pipeline, matching the profiles of 
potential recruits to the future capabilities required in the different 
markets in which Brambles operates. 

Brambles’ succession and talent review enabled the introduction 
of a process with a greater focus on differentiated development 
plans for leaders at all levels, including very specific ownership 
by the Brambles ELT of development plans for all senior leaders 
in the organisation. This common business approach to defining 
performance and potential is being cascaded to all levels of 
the Group. 

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT 

Brambles recognises that people are its most important asset and is 
committed to providing a safe, rewarding and challenging 
environment for its employees. Ensuring its employees are engaged 
means listening to employee feedback and treating employees with 
integrity and respect. 

Employee engagement is monitored through the Brambles Employee 
Survey (BES). This is extended to all employees and is confidential. 
It surveys employees’ perceptions of their workplace. The data is 
used to track progress from previous surveys, to measure Brambles 
against internal and external best practice and to identify key 
actions for improvement. 

Over the past few years, Brambles employees have demonstrated 
a willingness to provide feedback and suggest where Brambles 
can improve. 

For the 2012 survey, four new questions relating to the customer 
and one question on work life balance were added to the 
questionnaire. For the first time, the 2012 survey included recently 
acquired businesses and participation rates continued to be world 
class, with 86% of employees responding. As Brambles was seeking 
to divest Recall at the time the survey was held, Recall employees 
did not participate. Brambles donated US$2 for each completed 
survey to UNICEF, a total of US$18,100. 
Overall, Brambles’ employee engagement index score was 67%11. In 
comparison to FY11 (excluding the newly acquired businesses and 
Recall), overall employee engagement increased from 64% to 69%.  

11 Engagement is a combination of perceptions that positively impact 

behaviour. These perceptions include satisfaction, pride, loyalty and a 
willingness to be an advocate for the organisation; engagement results are 
an average of these four items and measure to what extent employees agree 
or disagree with the statement. Those employees who agree or strongly 
agree are the most engaged.  

At the Group level, there were a number of areas where employee 
engagement levels have increased. Their understanding of the 
company’s direction and goals have strengthened, and they have a 
clear understanding of what is expected in their roles. An increasing 
number of employees have had the results of the previous survey 
shared with them.  

Overall, career growth and development and opportunities are key 
areas where employees would like Brambles to remain focused. 

All areas of the business are now addressing the results with action 
plans focused on the engagement priorities at a local level. These 
plans will be regularly reviewed and followed up by both the 
businesses and Brambles leadership teams. Employee engagement 
will remain an on-going item in internal communications across  
the Group.  

Brambles is committed to conducting the BES annually, where 
previously it was every 18 months. The next survey will be carried 
out in April 2013. 

As foreshadowed in last year’s report, Brambles has reset its targets 
for employee engagement to include IFCO. 

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT 

To meet ongoing and future needs, Brambles is committed to 
developing the skills of its people. 

One of the areas of focus for Brambles’ sustainability strategy is its 
people and the education, training and development opportunities 
available to them. Brambles is committed to ensuring that its 
people are fully trained and equipped to do their job. 

This Year, Brambles’ business units reported a total of 32,415 
employee training days in the Year. The target of 25% increase in 
ETD days will be rebased on number of training days recorded in 
the Year. 

A large number of training courses are available to employees 
through proprietary web-based systems, which enables Brambles to 
monitor the number of training days and their effectiveness. 

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION 

Brambles is committed to selecting, recruiting, developing and 
supporting people solely on the basis of their professional capability 
and qualifications, irrespective of gender and other diversity 
factors. Brambles selects, retains and develops the best people for 
the job on the basis of merit and job related competencies.  
In FY11 Brambles introduced a diversity policy that deals with 
diversity across a range of measures. This policy is available on 
Brambles’ website. Details of the policy are shown in section 3.2 of 
the Corporate Governance Statement on page 37. 

Training days for the Year 

Per 

Per male 

Per female 

Per 

Per mgt 

employee

employee  

employee 

non-mgt 

employee

employee

3.77

3.94 

2.58 

3.83

3.43

1.32

0.90 

2.29 

1.19

2.03

2.88

2.54 

4.44 

2.66

4.01

1.20

1.72

3.68

0.12

2.91

1.16 

1.46 

3.31 

0.08 

2.83 

1.26 

2.43 

4.42 

0.22 

3.16 

1.02

1.82

3.86

0.10

2.99

2.70

1.33

1.79

0.13

2.46

Pallets 
Americas 

Pallets 
EMEA 

Pallets Asia-
Pacific 

RPCs

Containers

Recall

Brambles HQ

Group

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 25

 
 
 
 
SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW – CONTINUED 

Of the 16,130 Brambles employees, 24.3%* are female. The 
reorganisation of the Pooling Solutions businesses and incorporation 
of data from the recently acquired businesses have resulted in some 
changes to the gender splits that were reported last year. For 
example, due to the incorporation of IFCO’s PMS business into the 
Pallets Americas segment, the female population is now 12%, 
compared to CHEP Americas’ population of 24% in FY11. The 
movement of Information Technology and Legal teams into Brambles 
HQ is also the explanation for Brambles gender split changes when 
compared to last year, with the female population now around 34%, 
compared to last year’s population of almost 47%. 

The Group's remuneration policy is to set pay around the median 
level of remuneration but to provide upper quartile total potential 
rewards for outstanding capability and performance (further details 
on the Remuneration Policy and structure can be found on pages 47 
to 49). Brambles rewards performance on the basis of merit and job 
related competencies without discrimination. As required by the 
ASX Corporate Governance Council Corporate Governance Principles 
& Recommendations (Principle 8), the Remuneration Committee has 
responsibility for reviewing and making recommendations to the 
Board on remuneration by gender. Brambles expects that its target 
of increasing the number of female employees in management will 
reduce the disparity in male:female salary ratios at the 
management level. 

Permanent employees by gender (total and management) as at 30 June 2012 (%) 

Male:female salary ratios 

Age distribution of employees as at 30 June 2012 (%) 

Group 

Non-management 

Management 

Male 

1.01

1.01

1.06

Female 

1.00

1.00

1.00

Brambles is committed to supporting employees throughout their 
working life and to tracking and reporting parental leave data. 

Group employees 
taking parental leave 
during the Year (%) 

  Group employees returning 

to work after parental 
leave during the Year (%) 

Group 

Male  

Female 

2.46 

1.28 

6.13 

Voluntary Turnover 

Group 

Pallets Americas 

Pallets EMEA 

Pallets Asia-Pacific 

RPCs 

Containers 

Recall 

Brambles HQ 

* Figure assured by KPMG. 

1.75

1.20

3.47

(%) 

15.0 

21.9 

12.2 

6.8 

10.7 

11.8 

15.0 

3.2 

For the Year, voluntary turnover of employees for the Group was 
15%. The reorganisation of the Pooling Solutions businesses and 
incorporation of data from the recently acquired businesses have 
resulted in some large changes to data that was reported last year. 
For example, the incorporation of IFCO PMS business, which has a 
high turnover of personnel at its service centres, into the Pallets 
Americas segment, is almost double the voluntary turnover number 
CHEP Americas reported in FY11. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 26

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW – CONTINUED 

COMMUNITY 
Brambles supports and enriches communities through responsible 
procurement, employment practices and collaborative partnerships 
that connects its people to customers and suppliers. 

SUPPLIER SUSTAINABILITY 

Brambles expects its suppliers’ practices to be in line with its 
principles. Brambles is committed to driving efficiency and 
environmental sustainability in the supply chains it serves. 

Brambles has robust management systems for maintaining 
relationships with suppliers. Responsibility for managing 
relationships with suppliers resides with the Group Presidents of 
each Brambles segment. Brambles’ policy is incorporated in the 
Code of Conduct, the expectations of which it communicates clearly 
to suppliers. For example, CHEP’s European purchasing contracts 
refer to the Code of Conduct, which is passed on to suppliers. The 
majority of CHEP’s European purchases are under such contracts. 
Elements of the Code of Conduct are also included in material 
purchasing contracts with suppliers in CHEP Asia-Pacific. CHEP 
Americas’ contracts for service providers in its plant network specify 
compliance with relevant local requirements governing labour, 
health, safety and environment. 

Brambles monitors relationships with suppliers. Brambles is 
committed to assessing supplier environmental and social standards. 
Major suppliers in sectors with a high environmental impact are 
required to provide evidence of their systems for ensuring good 
environmental performance. 

Brambles recognises that its business units need to collaborate 
closely with their third-party operators and suppliers to meet 
customers’ growing interest in understanding their environmental 
impact and in turn to demonstrate the benefits of using Brambles’ 
products and services. IFCO, for example, prefers vendors with high 
sustainability standards. Major suppliers can provide feedback to 
IFCO in regular meetings with management. Meetings with major 
suppliers occur every quarter. Issues are discussed and resolved 
during the meetings. 

CHEP Americas and CHEP EMEA have joined the international 
Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex). Sedex connects businesses 
and their suppliers in the sharing of data to measure and improve 
ethical and responsible business practices. By the end of 2012 all 
CHEP sites in Europe will report information through Sedex. 

CHEP USA applies its Quality Management System across the supply 
chain. The system has in place a number of controls for raw 
materials (particularly lumber), compliance with import and export 
regulations, nails, paint and new pallet manufacturing. This has led 
to a 114% reduction in non-compliance claims for raw materials 
since 2009.  

By working in partnership with suppliers, Brambles’ business units 
will be able to gather credible and consistent quality data and 
develop better, more sustainable and mutually beneficial outcomes. 
In the 2011 Sustainability Review, Brambles indicated it would 
develop a supplier policy that draws on best practice across the 
business units in FY12. With the creation of the Pallets’ 
procurement and operations global functions, Brambles has delayed 
the rollout of a global supplier policy so it can properly develop and 
implement a policy and supporting framework in consultation with 
its businesses and engagement with suppliers. This policy will be 
completed and communicated in FY13. 

Brambles’ Zero Harm Council is evaluating appropriate actions to 
assess whether providers are focusing on safety. In 2011, the Zero 
Harm Council assessed the most appropriate methodology to apply 
and how the information could be collected and evaluated and 
developed an evaluation tool broadly based on OSHAS18000 
methodology. In FY12, 125 third party operators have completed 
self-assessments and Brambles has engaged an external supplier to 
review and validate the assessments in FY13. 

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT 

One of Brambles' shared values is to always act with integrity and 
respect for the community and the environment. Brambles' business 
units are part of the communities in which they operate. Brambles’ 
operating businesses recognise their responsibility in making a 
positive contribution to these communities in the areas of 
environment sustainability and education. 

Brambles provides financial and other forms of support to charitable 
and community organisations around the world. 

This support is provided in four ways: 

–  contributions by Brambles’ businesses to a range of local and 

national charities; 

–  personal contributions by Brambles’ employees around the world 

to a range of fundraising events and activities; 

–  a volunteering policy that provides Brambles’ employees with 

three days of paid volunteer leave per year; and 

–  monetary donations provided by Brambles’ business units to 

support employee volunteer efforts. 

During the Year, Brambles and its businesses provided almost 
US$880,000 in donations, and sponsorship to global, regional and 
local charities and causes. This included providing US$100,000 to 
support Thai flood relief efforts. 

For the first time, Brambles asked its businesses to provide details 
on the in-kind donations of equipment to charity organisations and 
causes during the Year and report a financial value for these efforts, 
which amounted to US$848,000. In the UK, CHEP works with 
FareShare, a national charitable organisation that works with the 
food industry to take surplus food that is fit for purpose but would 
otherwise be going to landfill. CHEP UK supports FareShare across a 
wide number of initiatives, and one area is to open all of the 17 
FareShare depots to accept CHEP pallets.  

A focus of IFCO’s Worldwide Responsibility program is sharing its 
expertise in collecting and transporting fruit and vegetables with 
Foodbanks around the world. Since the program’s inception, IFCO 
has donated over 55,000 RPCs to more than 50 Foodbank sites in 
Europe, North America and South America. It has also helped co-
finance 28 refrigerated vehicles to keep fruit and vegetables fresh 
within the Foodbank network. 

In Australia, CHEP provides Foodbank warehouses with pallets, 
crates and bins to help move stock throughout the Foodbank 
networks. After a recent stock-take of its assets, CHEP Australia 
conservatively estimated it provides in-kind support of A$100,000 
per annum to Foodbank. 

Recall’s Secure Destruction Services sites hold “shredder days”, 
where members of the local community can deposit sensitive 
documents, such as bank statements, medical records or other 
personal documents, knowing Recall will securely destroy them. 

Brambles has an employee volunteering policy, which provides 
employees with three days of paid volunteer leave per year during 
usual contracted hours to provide volunteer services to community-
based not-for-profit, educational, or environmental organisations. 
During the Year, 330 employees volunteered a combined total of 
3,813 hours. 

Last year in the UK, CHEP signed an innovative sponsorship deal with 
the National Forest Company, which is leading a regeneration 
project to create a wooded landscape over 200 square miles of 
central England. The agreement will result in the planting of more 
than 12,000 new trees in a six-hectare area at Normanton, 
Leicestershire, over three years. Over 70 CHEP UK & Ireland 
employees volunteered to participate in the first two tree-planting 
sessions as part of the business’ sustainability program and 
volunteering efforts. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 27

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS 
Brambles' mission is to create superior shareholder value through its 
people and their enterprising spirit. Brambles will work with the 
businesses it acquires to identify and adopt the better practice. 
Brambles will see that these practices are shared across the Group 
and adopted in a considered and consistent manner. 

Brambles has a number of areas of strategic focus to pursue 
opportunities that target sustainable profitable growth for 
stakeholders. Details on Brambles’ growth strategy are outlined in 
the Letter from the Chairman & The CEO on page 1. 

When assessing potential acquisitions and mergers, Brambles 
undertakes a due diligence process that includes the identification 
of material risks, including risks related to sustainability. 

Brambles acquired IFCO on 31 March 2011 and Brambles and IFCO 
executives continue to work on integrating its operations into the 
Group. This includes reviewing sustainability strategies and targets, 
systems, process and the culture of each business. Brambles’ risk 
management processes were implemented in IFCO in FY12. In FY13 a 
new safety and sustainability management system called iCARE will 
be rolled out to all businesses. The RPC segment, including IFCO and 
CHEP operations, will enter its energy, waste and water data for 
FY12 and FY13 into the new system. 

IFCO’s Pallet Management Services now reports to the Americas 
region of the Pallets segment. It operates 43 service centres, a fleet 
of 240 trucks and a fleet of over 5,000 trailers. 

It focuses on the retrieval, reconditioning, and resupplying of non-
pooled “white” wood pallets in the USA.  

Since Brambles acquired IFCO in March 2011, CHEP and IFCO PMS 
have been working together and a strategy is in place to optimise 
and deliver an integrated service centre network. 

CHEP service centres have begun to process white wood pallets and 
IFCO PMS have begun to process CHEP pallets, with a total of 16 
centres now capable of processing both platforms. 

In FY13, Brambles will begin collecting IFCO PMS energy, waste and 
water data and in the process, record and measure the energy 
efficiencies that result from the optimisation of the networks. 

SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW – CONTINUED 

CHEP USA’s CHEP Cares program has implemented a number of 
initiatives to encourage employees to get involved with their 
communities. These include:  

–  an online system that tracks employee volunteering hours and a 
calendar of events that helps employees find and sign up for 
events in their local community; 

–  a matching gifts program, which provides all employees the ability 
to double their donations to recognised charitable organisations 
up to an amount of US$1,000; and  

–  a voluntary “give as you earn” program, under which employees 
can donate direct from their payroll to one or a number of CHEP 
USA’s core charitable organisations and CHEP USA then matches 
these donations. 

Through CHEP Australia’s Helping Hand program, employees 
donated A$50,000 to 27 local charity and community organisations 
across Australia and volunteering hours increased by 20 times when 
compared to FY11.  

In October 2011, CHEP Australia joined forces with The Smith Family 
to host a career day for disadvantaged teenagers from a local high 
school. Sixteen students attended along with teachers, volunteers 
from CHEP and staff from The Smith Family Learning for Life 
program. Students met with CHEP staff from across the business, 
participated in workshop activities to learn about education, career 
paths and job interview skills and gain an insight into corporate life. 
Students also visited the plant floor and watched pallet repairs. 
Feedback from The Smith Family and attending students was very 
positive. 

GOVERNANCE 
Brambles is conscious that it must have the right risk and 
governance foundations and appropriate structures in place to 
manage all impacts responsibly. Its sustainability strategy recognises 
that sustainability must be embedded into its corporate risk 
management framework. Brambles uses corporate governance 
practices and processes to oversee its performance, including its 
sustainability performance. 

The CEO, who is also a member of the Board, has operational 
responsibility for sustainability issues. The Board receives  
updates on sustainability issues, including information on 
operational activities, objectives and external feedback on 
Brambles’ performance. 

Sustainability is overseen by the Sustainability Committee, which is 
a management committee. Details of the Sustainability Committee 
members and its Charter are available on Brambles’ website. The 
Sustainability Committee meets at least three times a year. 

Brambles’ Executive Leadership Team (ELT) has oversight of 
sustainability policies and is responsible for implementing 
sustainability policies across the organisation. Further details on the 
Board and ELT are located on pages 29 to 32 and in section 1.1 of 
the Corporate Governance Statement on page 33. 

Brambles’ Code of Conduct provides an ethical and legal framework 
for all employees in the conduct of Brambles’ business. The Code of 
Conduct defines how Brambles relates to its shareholders, 
employees, customers, suppliers and the community. Brambles 
implements its Code of Conduct through a variety of training and 
induction programs. It is regularly reviewed by the Board and 
updated as necessary. Further details on the Code of Conduct are in 
section 3.1 of the Corporate Governance Statement on pages 36 to 
37. A copy of the Code of Conduct is available on Brambles’ 
website. 

Senior managers are required to either sign off on compliance with 
the Code of Conduct every six months, or to identify any exceptions. 
The sign-offs may be subject to audit testing by Internal Audit. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 28

BOARD & EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT 30 JUNE 2012 

DOUG DUNCAN NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (INDEPENDENT) 
Member of Audit Committee 

Joined Brambles as a Non-executive Director in January 2012. He is a Non-executive Director and member of 
the Audit Committee of JB Hunt Transport and Benchmark Electronics. Doug’s career in the transport and 
logistics industry spans over 30 years. From 2001 until his retirement in 2010, he was President and CEO of 
FedEx Freight. Prior to that, he spent more than 20 years with the company that ultimately became Viking 
Freight, where he held senior executive roles including President & CEO from 1998 to 2001, when FedEx 
acquired Viking. Doug holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Christopher 
Newport University, Virginia. Age: 61. 

TONY FROGGATT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (INDEPENDENT) 
Member of Audit Committee,  Remuneration Committee and Nominations Committee  

Joined Brambles as a Non-executive Director in June 2006. He is a Non-executive Director of Billabong 
International and Coca-Cola Amatil. Previously, Tony was a Non-executive Director of AXA Asia Pacific 
Holdings and was CEO of Scottish & Newcastle plc from May 2003 to October 2007. He began his career with 
the Gillette Company and has held a wide range of sales, marketing and general management positions in 
many countries with major consumer goods companies including HJ Heinz, Diageo and Seagram. He holds a 
Bachelor of Law degree from Queen Mary College, London and a Master of Business Administration degree 
from Columbia Business School, New York. Age: 64. 

TOM GORMAN CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Chairman of Executive Leadership Team 

Joined Brambles as Group President, CHEP EMEA in March 2008 and became CEO in November 2009. 
Previously, Tom had a long career with the Ford Motor Company, and served as President, Ford Australia from 
March 2004 until January 2008. Before joining Ford, he worked for the Bank of Boston. Tom holds a Bachelor 
of Arts degree in Economics & International Relations from Tufts University, Massachusetts and a Master of 
Business Administration degree with distinction from Harvard Business School, Massachusetts. Age: 52. 

DAVID GOSNELL NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (INDEPENDENT)
Member of Audit Committee 

Re-joined Brambles as a Non-executive Director in December 2011. He is Managing Director of Global Supply 
& Procurement for Diageo plc, leading a global team of 9,000 people across manufacturing, logistics and 
technical operations as well as managing Diageo's multi-billion sterling procurement budget. David was a Non-
executive Director of Brambles from June 2006 until March 2010, when he retired due to his other 
commitments at that time. Prior to joining Diageo, David spent 20 years at HJ Heinz, where he served on the 
UK board and held various European operational positions. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical 
& Electronic Engineering from Middlesex University, England. Age: 55. 

TAHIRA HASSAN NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (INDEPENDENT)
Member of Remuneration Committee  

Joined Brambles as a Non-executive Director in December 2011. Tahira is based in Toronto, Canada and had a 
long career with Nestlé. From 2003 to 2006, she was Senior Vice President & Head of Global Supply Chain. 
Based in Switzerland, this was a new role created to lead the reshaping of Nestlé’s global approach to supply 
chain management. Her other roles included Senior Vice President & Global Business Head for Nescafé Ready 
To Drink from 2006 to 2009, and Vice President, Deputy Operations, Zone Americas from 2001 to 2003. 
Previously, Tahira held various leadership positions in Nestlé Canada including President, Ice Cream and 
Executive Vice President, Consumer Demand Chain and Information Services. Tahira is a Fellow of the 
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, UK and a Certified Member of the Society of Management 
Accountants of Canada. Age: 59. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 29

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BOARD & EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM – CONTINUED 

GREG HAYES CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Joined Brambles as Chief Financial Officer in November 2009. Previously Greg was CEO & Group Managing 
Director of Tenix Pty Limited, and prior to that Chief Financial Officer and later, Interim CEO of The 
Australian Gas Light Company (AGL). He has also had senior executive roles at Westfield Holdings Limited and 
Southcorp Limited. Greg holds a Master of Applied Finance degree from Macquarie University and a Graduate 
Diploma in Accounting and Bachelor of Arts degree from Flinders University. Greg is a member of the Institute 
of Chartered Accountants in Australia and has attended the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard 
Business School, Massachusetts. Greg will retire from Brambles in March 2013. Age: 54. 

STEPHEN JOHNS NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (INDEPENDENT) 
Chairman of Audit Committee and member of Nominations Committee 

Joined Brambles as a Non-executive Director in August 2004. He is Chairman and a Non-executive Director of 
Leighton Holdings Limited and a Non-executive Director of Westfield Group and Leighton Holdings subsidiary 
John Holland Group. Previously Stephen had a long executive career with Westfield where he held a number 
of senior positions including that of Finance Director from 1985 to 2002. He has a Bachelor of Economics 
degree from the University of Sydney and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia 
and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Age: 65. 

CAROLYN KAY NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (INDEPENDENT)
Member of Audit Committee 

Joined Brambles as a Non-executive Director in June 2006. She is a Non-executive Director of Commonwealth 
Bank of Australia, Infrastructure NSW and The Sydney Institute and an External Board Member of Allens. 
Carolyn has more than 25 years’ experience in the finance sector and worked as an executive in international 
finance at Morgan Stanley in London and Melbourne, JP Morgan in New York and Melbourne and Linklaters & 
Paines in London. She holds Bachelor degrees in Law and Arts from the University of Melbourne and a 
Graduate Diploma in Management from the Australian Graduate School of Management. Carolyn is a Fellow of 
the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of Chief Executive Women and Women Corporate 
Directors and has a Centenary Medal for services to Australian society in business leadership. Age: 51.  

GRAHAM KRAEHE AO NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN (INDEPENDENT)
Chairman of Nominations Committee and member of Remuneration Committee 

Re-joined the Board in December 2005, was appointed Deputy Chairman in October 2007 and Chairman in 
February 2008. He is Chairman and a Non-executive Director of Bluescope Steel Limited and a director of 
Djerriwarrh Investments Limited. Graham was a Non-executive Director of Brambles from December 2000 
until March 2004, when he retired because of commitments in his past role as Chairman of National Australia 
Bank Limited. He has also been the CEO of Pacific BBA and Southcorp Limited, a member of the Board of the 
Reserve Bank of Australia and a non-executive director of News Corporation. Graham has a Bachelor of 
Economics degree from Adelaide University. He is an Officer of the Order of Australia. Age: 69. 

LUKE MAYHEW NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (INDEPENDENT)
Chairman of Remuneration Committee 

Joined Brambles as a Non-executive Director in August 2005. Luke is a Non-executive Director of 
InterContinental Hotels Group. He was a Non-executive Director of WH Smith until August 2010, Chairman of 
Pets at Home Group Limited until March 2010 and Chairman of the British Retail Consortium between 2009 
and 2011. Luke was a director of John Lewis Partnership from 1992 to 2004. He previously held senior 
positions at Thomas Cook, British Airways and was Chief Executive of Shandwick’s European business. He has 
a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree from Oxford University and a Master of Economics degree from the 
University of London. He is a Trustee of BBC Children in Need. Age: 59. 

BRIAN SCHWARTZ AM NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (INDEPENDENT) 
Member of Remuneration Committee 

Joined Brambles as a Non-executive Director in March 2009. He is Chairman and a Non-executive Director of 
Insurance Australia Group Limited and Deputy Chairman and a Non-executive Director of Westfield Group and 
Football Federation Australia. In March 2009, he retired as CEO of Investec Bank (Australia) Limited. Having 
joined Ernst & Young in 1979, Brian became a partner in 1985. From 1998 to 2004 he was CEO of Ernst & 
Young Australia and a member of the Ernst & Young Global Executive Board. Brian is a Fellow of the Institute 
of Chartered Accountants in Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is a 
Member of the Order of Australia. Age: 59. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 30

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BOARD & EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM – CONTINUED 

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM AT 30 JUNE 2012 

TOM GORMAN CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Chairman of Executive Leadership Team 

Joined Brambles as Group President, CHEP EMEA in March 2008 and became CEO in November 2009. 
Previously, Tom had a long career with the Ford Motor Company, and served as President, Ford Australia from 
March 2004 until January 2008. Before joining Ford, he worked for the Bank of Boston. Tom holds a Bachelor 
of Arts degree in Economics & International Relations from Tufts University, Massachusetts and a Master of 
Business Administration degree with distinction from Harvard Business School, Massachusetts. Age: 52. 

GREG HAYES CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Joined Brambles as Chief Financial Officer in November 2009. Previously Greg was CEO & Group Managing 
Director of Tenix Pty Limited, and prior to that Chief Financial Officer and later, Interim CEO of The 
Australian Gas Light Company (AGL). He has also had senior executive roles at Westfield Holdings Limited and 
Southcorp Limited. Greg holds a Master of Applied Finance degree from Macquarie University and a Graduate 
Diploma in Accounting and Bachelor of Arts degree from Flinders University. Greg is a member of the Institute 
of Chartered Accountants in Australia and has attended the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard 
Business School, Massachusetts. Greg will retire from Brambles in March 2013. Age: 54. 

JEAN HOLLEY CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
Joined Brambles in September 2011 from telecommunications services company Tellabs, Inc, where she was 
Executive Vice President & Chief Information Officer. Previously, Jean held roles including Vice President & 
Chief Information Officer at building materials group USG Corporation and senior information technology and 
information systems roles at environmental services company Waste Management Inc. Jean is also a member 
of the Board of Directors for VASCO Data Security International, Inc. She has a Master of Science degree in 
Computer Science & Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science degree in 
Computer Science & Electrical Engineering from the Missouri University of Science & Technology. Age: 53. 

PETER MACKIE GROUP PRESIDENT, PALLETS, AMERICAS
Became Group President, Pallets, Americas in October 2011, having been Group President, CHEP Asia-Pacific 
since May 2010 and Acting Group President, CHEP Europe, Middle East & Africa from November 2009 to April 
2010. Previously, Peter held the positions of President, CHEP Europe; Senior Vice President, Customer 
Service, CHEP Europe; Vice President, Strategy, CHEP Europe; and Managing Director, CHEP UK & Ireland. 
Before joining CHEP in 2001, Peter held senior roles with Boots and The BOC Group. Peter is a qualified 
chartered engineer and has a Master in Business Administration degree from London Business School. Age: 46.

KARL POHLER GROUP PRESIDENT, RPCS 

Became Group President, RPCs in October 2011, having been CEO, IFCO Systems, which Brambles acquired in 
March 2011, since August 2005. Karl was an executive member and CEO of the Board of Directors of IFCO 
from December 2000. Prior to joining IFCO, he was Chairman of the Board of Management of Computer 2000 
AG, and, at the same time, European president of Computer 2000/Tech Data Corp. From 1997 to 1999, he 
served as CEO of Sony Deutschland GmbH. From 1993 to 1996, he chaired the Board of Management of 
Computer 2000 Deutschland GmbH. From 1980 to 1992, he was active in executive management functions for 
Digital Equipment GmbH. Age: 58. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 31

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BOARD & EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM – CONTINUED 

ELTON POTTS GROUP PRESIDENT & CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, RECALL  
Became President & Chief Operating Officer of Recall in April 2007, having been appointed Chief Operating 
Officer of Recall in December 2006. He joined Brambles in 2002 as Vice President, Controller for CHEP USA, 
becoming Vice President, Asset Management for CHEP USA in the same year and Senior Vice President, Asset 
Management for CHEP USA in 2003. Before joining Brambles, Elton held various operations and finance roles 
with Owens-Corning and Newell Rubbermaid. He holds a Bachelor in Financial Management degree from 
Clemson University, South Carolina, and a Master in Business Administration degree from Capital University, 
Ohio. Age: 48. 

JASON RABBINO GROUP PRESIDENT, CONTAINERS 

Joined Brambles in May 2012 from diversified industrial company Tyco International, where he was Senior 
Vice President of Enterprise Solutions. Previously, Jason held a number of senior executive roles in Tyco’s 
ADT electronic security solutions business, managed services company Aramark Corporation and management 
consultancy McKinsey & Company. Before entering the corporate world, he was an officer and aviator in the 
United States Navy. He has a Master of Business Administration degree from the Wharton School of the 
University of Pennsylvania. Age: 43. 

NICK SMITH GROUP SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES
Joined Brambles in November 2007. Previously, he was Group Human Resources Director for Inchcape, the 
international automotive retail group. Prior to this, Nick spent a number of years in the telecommunications 
industry, firstly with British Telecom and then with Cable & Wireless. During this period, Nick spent three 
years working for Cable & Wireless Optus in Australia, where he was Human Resources Director. He has also 
worked for KPMG and Macquarie Bank. Nick is a qualified management accountant, has a Bachelor of Science 
(Economics) degree in International Politics and a Master in Business Administration degree. Age: 51. 

DOLPH WESTERBOS GROUP PRESIDENT, PALLETS, EMEA & ASIA-PACIFIC 
Became Group President, Pallets, EMEA & Asia-Pacific in October 2011 having joined Brambles in April 2010 
as Group President, CHEP EMEA. Prior to joining Brambles, Dolph held executive positions at Dell, most 
recently as Vice President, Solutions & Services, EMEA, which included responsibility for Dell’s services, 
software and data centre business across more than 50 countries. Before joining Dell, Dolph was President, 
EMEA and Senior Vice President, Asia, for ModusLink, a global provider of supply chain, IT and business 
process outsourcing services to technology companies. He has a Master in Management degree from the 
Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, California. Age: 48. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 32

 
 
 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT 

INTRODUCTION 
Brambles is a global provider of pallet and container pooling and 
supply chain services and information management services and 
operates in more than 50 countries. It is therefore subject to an 
extensive range of legal, regulatory and governance requirements. 
Brambles is committed to observing the requirements applicable to 
publicly listed companies in Australia. The Board is conscious that 
best practice in the area of corporate governance is continuously 
evolving, and will therefore continue to anticipate and respond to 
further corporate governance developments. 

This Corporate Governance Statement outlines the key components 
of Brambles’ governance framework in place during the year ended 
30 June 2012 (Year), by reference to the Australian Securities 
Exchange Corporate Governance Council Corporate Governance 
Principles & Recommendations, Second Edition (CGPR). During the 
Year, the Board believes Brambles met or exceeded all the 
requirements of the CGPR.  The information provided in this 
Corporate Governance Statement is current as at 31 July 2012. 

A checklist summarising Brambles’ compliance with the CGPR is 
included at the end of this Statement. Various documents referred 
to in this Statement have been posted in the “Corporate 
Governance” section of the Brambles website at 
www.brambles.com. The checklist includes more detailed guidance 
on the location of all the governance-related documents available at 
www.brambles.com. 
PRINCIPLE 1: LAY SOLID FOUNDATIONS FOR 
MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT 

1.1. ROLE OF THE BOARD AND EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT 

1.1.1. Role of the Board and executive management 
The Board has overall responsibility for overseeing the effective 
management and control of the Group on behalf of Brambles’ 
shareholders, and supervising executive management’s conduct of 
the Group’s affairs within a control and authority framework which 
is designed to enable risk to be prudently and effectively assessed 
and monitored. 

The Board has adopted a schedule of matters reserved to it for 
decision, a copy of which can be found at www.brambles.com, and 
further details of which are in section 1.1.2.  

The roles of the Chairman and executive management, led by the 
Chief Executive Officer, are separated and clearly defined: 

-  the Chairman, Graham Kraehe, is responsible for leadership of the 
Board, setting the Board’s agenda, conducting Board meetings, 
facilitating effective communication with shareholders and the 
conduct of shareholder meetings; and 

-  executive management, led by the Chief Executive Officer, Tom 
Gorman, has been delegated responsibility for the management 
of Brambles within the control and authority framework referred 
to above. The levels of authority for management are periodically 
reviewed by the Board and are documented. The Chief Executive 
Officer is assisted by Brambles’ Executive Leadership Team (ELT) 
and the USA and Asian Advisory Boards. 

The Non-executive Directors constructively challenge the 
development of strategy. They review the performance of 
management in meeting agreed objectives and monitor the 
reporting of performance. They have a prime role in appointing and 
where necessary, recommending the removal of, Executive 
Directors, and in their succession planning. 

The structure of the Board ensures that no individual or group 
of individuals dominates the Board’s decision-making process. 

The ELT, a management committee, assists in implementing 
Brambles’ strategic direction, and ensuring its resources are well 
managed. The ELT has a range of responsibilities, which include:  

-  reviewing business and corporate strategies;  
-  formulating major policies in areas such as succession planning 

and talent management, human and capital resources 
management, information technology, development of strategy, 
risk management, communications and post-investment project 
reviews;  

-  leading initiatives which may from time to time vary, but include 

Zero Harm and innovation; and 

-  leading the implementation of change processes.  

Biographical details for the members of the ELT are shown on pages 
31 and 32. 

The function of the USA and Asian Advisory Boards, which are 
equivalent to management committees, are to assist management 
to develop Brambles’ strategic direction in the USA and Asia 
respectively, and to strengthen Brambles’ stakeholder relationships 
in those regions. The Chief Executive Officer is a member of both 
advisory boards. The other members comprise external persons with 
relevant business and industry experience in, and senior executives 
of Brambles with operating or functional responsibility for, the 
applicable region. The Advisory Boards meet four times a year. 

1.1.2. Responsibilities of the Board 
The Board is responsible for approving the Group’s overall strategic 
objectives, facilitating the provision of appropriate financial and 
human resources to meet these objectives and reviewing executive 
management’s performance.  

The schedule of matters reserved to the Board for approval 
includes, among other matters: 
-  the Group’s overall strategic direction and strategic plans for its 

major business units; 

-  acquisitions or disposals of assets which exceed the authority 

limits delegated to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial 
Officer; 

-  budgets, financial objectives and policies, and significant capital 

expenditure; 

-  Brambles’ financial statements and published reports; 

-  the Group’s systems of internal control and risk management 

processes, and the annual review of their effectiveness; 

-  changes to the Group’s capital structure (other than changes 

resulting from established employee share plans);  

-  the appointment of key senior executives;  
-  the Group’s Diversity Policy; and 

-  the Board skills matrix. 

The Board has delegated some of its functions to the Audit, 
Nominations and Remuneration committees, although overall 
responsibility for those functions remains with the Board. The 
charters of the Board committees also require certain matters to be 
approved by the Board including, among other matters, the 
executive remuneration policy and the appointment of the external 
auditors. Details of the Board committees are set out in sections 
2.4, 4.1 and 8.1 and the committee charters can be found at 
www.brambles.com. The Board is also supported by the ELT and the 
USA and Asian Advisory Boards (see section 1.1.1.). 

1.1.3. Allocation of individual responsibilities 
Formal letters of appointment, which are contracts for service but 
not contracts of employment, have been put in place for all 
Non-executive Directors. The letters set out the key terms and 
conditions of their engagement, including time commitments, 
corporate expectations and, if appropriate, any special duties or 
assignments. A template letter of appointment for a Non-executive 
Director is available at www.brambles.com. 

Senior executives have employment contracts setting out, amongst 
other things, their term of office, rights, responsibilities and 
entitlements on termination, and job descriptions setting out their 
duties. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 33

 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT – CONTINUED  

1.2. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF SENIOR EXECUTIVES 

2.1. INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS 

Brambles has a well established performance management and 
development planning process, which is used throughout the Group. 
The process involves objective setting consistent with Brambles’ 
remuneration policy and targets, for cash and equity-based 
incentive plans set by the Remuneration Committee. Personal 
development planning, half year reviews and full year appraisals 
feed into a performance rating, leading to the assessment of annual 
bonuses. Senior executives (including Executive Directors and the 
ELT) all participate in this process, which is overseen by the 
Remuneration Committee. 

Performance evaluations for senior executives, including Executive 
Directors and the ELT, were carried out during the Year in 
accordance with this process. 

1.2.1. Induction of senior executives 
Business units have procedures for the induction of senior 
executives, to assist them in participating fully and actively in 
management decision-making at the earliest opportunity after 
commencing their new roles. 
PRINCIPLE 2: STRUCTURE THE BOARD  
TO ADD VALUE 
At the date of the Directors’ Report, the Board consists of eleven 
members, with two Executive Directors (the Chief Executive Officer 
and the Chief Financial Officer) and nine Non-executive Directors. 
The Chief Financial Officer, Greg Hayes, will retire from the Board 
on 1 October 2012. The biographies for each of the current 
Directors, shown on pages 29 and 30, indicate the breadth of their 
business, financial and international experience. This gives the 
Directors the range of skills, knowledge and experience essential to 
govern Brambles, including an understanding of the health, safety, 
environmental and community related issues which it faces. The 
Board considers that its current composition (and its composition 
after the retirement of Greg Hayes) reflects (and will reflect) an 
appropriate balance of Executive and Non-executive Directors. 

The table below sets out the names of the Directors in office at the 
date of the Directors’ Report, the years of their appointment and, 
where applicable, their most recent election by shareholders, their 
status as Executive or Non-executive Directors, whether they will 
retire and seek election or re-election at the 2012 Annual General 
Meeting (AGM), and when they are next due for re-election. 

2.1.1. Independent decision-making 
The Board recognises the importance of independent judgement 
and constructive debate on all issues under consideration. With 
the approval of the Chairman, Directors may take independent 
professional advice at Brambles’ expense in the furtherance of 
discharging their duties and responsibilities. None of the Directors 
availed themselves of this right during the Year. 

The Chairman holds meetings with the Non-executive Directors from 
time to time, including meetings at scheduled sessions, without the 
presence of the Executive Directors or other executives. The 
Non-executive Directors meet without the Chairman present on such 
occasions as may be considered appropriate. 

2.1.2. Independent Directors 
The Board has considered the independence of each of the Directors 
in office as at the date of the Directors’ Report and concluded that 
all Non-executive Directors are independent. Therefore the Board 
has a majority of independent Directors. In reaching this conclusion, 
the Board had regard to the relationships set out in Box 2.1 of the 
CGPR and noted that one of these relationships exists. 

Carolyn Kay is a director of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia 
(CBA), which, at various times during the Year, was a substantial 
shareholder of Brambles. The Board noted that, except for 
2,228,025 shares (being 0.14% of Brambles’ issued share capital at 
the date of this Statement), CBA’s relevant interests in Brambles 
shares are exercised either as a superannuation trustee; a life 
company holding statutory funds; a responsible entity or manager of 
a managed investment scheme; under an investment mandate; by 
external managers unrelated to the CBA group; or subject to client 
direction. The Board does not consider that Carolyn Kay’s 
relationship with CBA gives rise to any actual or perceived loss of 
independence on her part because of the manner in which CBA’s 
relevant interests in Brambles shares are held.  

In considering the matters in Box 2.1 of the CGPR, the Board 
considered that a customer was material if it accounted for more 
than 2% of Brambles’ consolidated gross revenue and that a supplier 
was material if Brambles accounted for more than 2% of the 
supplier’s consolidated gross revenue. 

Name 

D G Duncan 

A G Froggatt 

T J Gorman 

D P Gosnell 

T Hassan 

G J Hayes 

S P Johns 

S C H Kay 

G J Kraehe AO 

C L Mayhew 

B M Schwartz AM 

Year  
appointed1 

Year last  
elected 

Executive or 
Non-executive 

Independent 

Seeking election/seeking 
re-election in 2012 

Next due for 
re-election 

2012 

2006 

2009 

20114 

2011 

2009 

2004 

2006 

20056 

2005 

2009 

N/A 

2011 

2010 

N/A 

N/A 

2010 

2009 

2009 

2009 

2010 

2009 

Non-executive

Non-executive

Executive

Non-executive

Non-executive

Executive

Non-executive

Non-executive

Non-executive

Non-executive

Non-executive

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes 

No 

No 

Yes 

Yes 

No 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

No 

Yes 

N/A2

2014

N/A3

N/A2

N/A2

N/A5

2012

2012

2012

2013

2012

1 For the purposes of this table, the year appointed is the year the relevant Director was first elected to the Boards of Brambles or BIL and BIP, as the case may be. 
2 Appointed to the Board since the last shareholders meeting. Will stand for election for the first time at the 2012 AGM, and if elected, will be due for re-

election at the 2015 AGM. 

3 Following an amendment to Brambles’ constitution which was approved by shareholders at the 2010 AGM, it is no longer necessary for the managing director of 

Brambles to stand for re-election. Tom Gorman holds the role of managing director, but is referred to by the title of Chief Executive Officer. 

4 David Gosnell also served as a Director from 2006 to 2010, and re-joined the Board in 2011. 
5 Greg Hayes will retire from the Board on 1 October 2012, prior to that time he would otherwise have been due for re-election at the 2013 AGM. 
6 Graham Kraehe also served as a Director from 2000 to 2004 and re-joined the Board in 2005. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 34

 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT – CONTINUED  

2.1.3. Regular assessments 
Directors are required to complete a declaration of interest form 
prior to their appointment. This form is tabled at the Board meeting 
to consider the appointment of the relevant Director. If their 
circumstances change or they acquire any office, property or 
interest which may conflict with their office as a Director of 
Brambles or the interests of Brambles, Directors are required to 
disclose its character and extent in writing at the next Board 
meeting. The Board also makes an annual assessment of the 
independence of each Non-executive Director. If the Board 
concludes that a Director has lost their status as an independent 
director, that conclusion will be advised to the market in a timely 
manner. 

Directors are generally not entitled to attend any part of a Board 
meeting, or to vote on any matter, in which they have a material 
personal interest unless the other Directors unanimously decide 
otherwise. In appropriate cases, Directors may be required to 
absent themselves from a meeting of the Board while such a matter 
is being considered.  

2.2. INDEPENDENT CHAIRMAN 

The Board has concluded that the Chairman is independent and that 
his other positions do not prevent him from devoting sufficient time 
to perform the role effectively. As the Chairman is independent, 
the Board does not consider it necessary to appoint a lead 
independent Director. 

The Chairman is responsible for facilitating the effective 
contribution of Non-executive Directors, who are to receive 
accurate, timely and clear information so that they may effectively 
discharge their duties and responsibilities. The Chairman is also 
responsible for fostering constructive relations between Executive 
and Non-executive Directors. 

2.3. ROLES OF CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

The roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer are exercised by 
two different individuals and are clearly documented, as discussed 
in section 1.1.1. of this Statement. The Chairman does not have a 
history of employment with Brambles. 

2.4. NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE 

2.4.1. Purpose of the Nominations Committee 
The objective of the Nominations Committee is to support and 
advise the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities to shareholders in 
ensuring that the Board is comprised of individuals who are best 
able to discharge the responsibilities of Directors. 

2.4.2. Charter 
A copy of the Nominations Committee’s Charter giving full details of 
its duties and responsibilities can be found at www.brambles.com.  

The Nominations Committee’s Charter also sets out its composition, 
structure, membership requirements and the procedures for inviting 
non-members to attend meetings. The Committee is authorised to 
seek any information it requires from any Group employee or from 
any other source, including obtaining outside legal or other 
independent professional advice. 

2.4.3. Composition of the Nominations Committee 
The Nominations Committee is comprised entirely of Non-executive 
Directors, all of whom the Board considers to be independent. 
The members of the Nominations Committee are Graham Kraehe 
(Committee Chairman), Stephen Johns and Tony Froggatt.  

Details of Nominations Committee meetings held during the Year 
and attendance at those meetings, are set out in the Directors’ 
Report – Other Information on page 64. 

2.4.4. Responsibilities 
The Nominations Committee discharges its responsibilities by 
meeting regularly throughout the year and, among other matters: 

-  assessing periodically the Board skills matrix to determine that it 
includes the skills required to discharge competently the Board’s 

duties, having regard to the strategic direction of the Group, and 
making recommendations to the Board on any changes which 
should be made to that matrix; 

-  having regard to the Board skills matrix, assessing the skills 

currently represented on the Board to determine whether those 
current skills meet the required skills identified; 

-  reviewing the structure, size and composition (including the mix 
of skills, experience, expertise and diversity having regard to the 
Board skills matrix) of the Board and the effectiveness of the 
Board as a whole, and keeping under review the leadership needs 
of Brambles, both executive and non-executive, with a view to 
ensuring the continued ability of Brambles to compete effectively 
in the marketplace; 

-  preparing a description of the role, capabilities and skills required 

for any Board appointment (Role Specification), identifying 
suitable candidates to fill Board vacancies, and nominating 
candidates for the approval of the Board; 

-  in identifying suitable candidates for a Board appointment, if 

necessary, causing: 

> a search to be undertaken by an appropriately qualified 

independent third party acting on a brief prepared by the 
Nominations Committee, which includes the Role Specification; 

> the search to be international, extending to those countries in 
which candidates with the necessary skills would ordinarily 
be expected to be found; and 

> the pool of candidates to include qualified persons who would 
fill an existing diversity gap having regard to the Board skills 
matrix, Brambles’ Diversity Policy (see section 3.2) and the 
diversity objectives adopted by the Board from time to time; 

-  ensuring that, on appointment, Non-executive Directors receive 

a formal letter of appointment, setting out the time commitment 
and responsibilities envisaged in the appointment; 

-  on any re-appointment of a Non-executive Director on the 

conclusion of their specified term of office, undertaking a process 
of review of the retiring Non-executive Director’s performance 
during the period from their appointment or most recent 
re-appointment, as the case may be, to the Board; 

-  reviewing annually the time commitment required of 

Non-executive Directors and carrying out performance evaluations 
to assess whether the Non-executive Directors are devoting 
enough time to fulfilling their duties; and  

-  giving full consideration to whether succession plans are in place 
to maintain an appropriate mix of skills, experience, expertise 
and diversity on the Board, and satisfying itself that processes and 
plans are in place in relation to both Board (particularly for the 
key roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer) and other 
senior executive appointments. 

2.4.5. Selection and appointment process and re-election 
of Directors 
The Board is conscious of the need to ensure that proper processes 
are in place to deal with succession issues at Board level. As set out 
in section 2.4.4., the Nominations Committee assists the Board in 
the Board selection process, which involves the use of a Board skills 
matrix.  

The Nominations Committee has adopted a Board skills matrix. The 
matrix incorporates the following elements: function (finance, 
accounting, operations); international management (Americas, 
Europe, Asia); industry (logistics, retail, fast moving consumer 
goods); diversity (male/female, international residency, 
regional/cultural background); and customer perspectives. In 
adopting the matrix, the Nominations Committee noted that it was 
an iterative document and would be reviewed and revised from time 
to time to meet Brambles’ ongoing needs. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 35

 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT – CONTINUED  

Having regard to the Board skills matrix, the Board recognised the 
need for the appointment of new Non-executive Directors with 
substantial international business experience (particularly in Europe 
and the Americas) and/or knowledge of the transport and logistics 
industries. The Board commenced a search, using external 
consultants, to identify potential candidates meeting these criteria 
and, in so doing, requested that they have regard to Brambles’ 
diversity objectives (see section 3.3). As result of this search, during 
the Year the Board appointed three new Directors (Doug Duncan, 
David Gosnell and Tahira Hassan) to the Board to fill casual 
vacancies.  Biographies of the new Directors are on page 29. As 
required by the Company’s Constitution Mr Duncan, Mr Gosnell and 
Ms Hassan will stand for election at the Company’s 2012 Annual 
General Meeting.  With these appointments the Board considers 
that, having regard to the Board skills matrix, the current 
composition of the Board is an appropriate balance of skills and 
experience.   

Each Non-executive Director receives a Non-executive Director’s 
formal letter of appointment (see section 1.1.3.) which sets out, 
among other things, the time commitment required and specifies 
that the Director should consult with the Chairman before accepting 
any additional commitments which may impact on their role. Any 
Non-executive Directors who are standing for election or re-election 
at the next AGM are asked to consider their other significant 
commitments and specifically acknowledge to Brambles that they 
will have sufficient time to meet what is expected of them as 
Directors of Brambles. Details of the number of Board and 
committee meetings held during the Year, and attendance at those 
meetings by each of the Directors and committee members, are set 
out in the Directors’ Report – Other Information on page 64. 

Directors are appointed for an unspecified term, but are subject to 
election by shareholders at the first general meeting after their 
initial appointment by the Board. No Director (other than the Chief 
Executive Officer) may serve for more than three years without 
being re-elected by shareholders. Re-appointment is not automatic. 
The Board reviews whether retiring Directors should stand for re-
election, having regard to their performance and the contribution of 
their individual skills and experience to the desired overall 
composition of the Board and the Board’s skills matrix. 

The Non-executive Directors’ formal letters of appointment confirm 
that the Non-executive Directors have no right to compensation on 
the termination of their appointment for any reason, other than for 
unpaid fees and expenses for the period actually served. 

2.5. PROCESS FOR EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE OF 
THE BOARD, ITS COMMITTEES AND DIRECTORS 

The Board and its committees carry out both internal and external 
evaluations, with the form of evaluation being determined each 
year. For the Year, the Board undertook an internal evaluation of its 
performance as a whole and the performance of each of its 
committees. 

The review involved the completion of a detailed questionnaire by 
each of the Directors and selected Brambles executives and Board 
advisors on matters relevant to the Board and Committees’ 
performance. 

of the elevation and unanimously resolved to recommend each Non-
executive Director’s election or re-election as applicable. 

Details of those Directors standing for election or re-election, is set 
out in the table in section 2.1.2 on page 34.  

2.5.1. Induction and education 
Newly appointed Directors receive appropriate induction and 
training, specifically tailored to their needs. Appointees are 
provided with an information pack including governance policies and 
business information, taken to visit operating sites and receive 
presentations on Brambles’ businesses and functions by its business 
unit leaders and functional heads. 

On an ongoing basis, Directors participate in various seminars and 
conferences held by industry and professional bodies. In addition, 
Board meetings regularly include sessions on recent developments 
in governance and corporate matters, significant accounting 
matters, operational site visits and meetings with major customers. 

2.5.2. Access to information 
The Board receives accurate, timely and clear information so that it 
may effectively discharge its duties and responsibilities. Where 
necessary, Directors seek clarification or request the provision of 
further information to assist with their decision-making processes. 
The Board committee charters document the committees’ 
unrestricted rights to seek information from any Group employee or 
from any other source. Presentations to the Board are frequently 
made by senior executives. 

2.5.3. The Board and the Company Secretary 
The Board is assisted by the Company Secretary who, under the 
direction of the Chairman, is responsible for facilitating good 
information flows within the Board and its committees and between 
senior executives and Non-executive Directors, as well as the 
induction of new Directors and the ongoing professional 
development of all Directors. The Company Secretary is responsible 
for monitoring compliance with the Board’s procedures and for 
advising the Board, through the Chairman, on all governance 
matters. All Directors have access to the advice and services of the 
Company Secretary, whose appointment and removal is a matter for 
the Board. 

The Company Secretary is Robert Gerrard. His qualifications and 
experience are set out on page 64. 
PRINCIPLE 3: PROMOTE ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE 
DECISION-MAKING 

3.1. ESTABLISH A CODE OF CONDUCT 

Brambles has a Code of Conduct, which provides an ethical and legal 
framework for all employees in the conduct of Brambles’ business. 

Brambles’ Code of Conduct includes the following schedules: 

-  Corporate Social Responsibility Policy; 

-  Speaking Up Policy; 

-  Continuous Disclosure & Communications Policy; 

-  Group Guidelines for Serious Incident Reporting; 

-  Environmental Policy; 

-  Competition Compliance Policy; 

The outcome of the questionnaires were collated and the results 
were reported to the Board and each Committee by 
PricewaterhouseCoopers. These findings were reviewed and 
discussed by the Board and Committees, and key issues arising from 
the evaluations were identified for further action. 

-  Health & Safety Policy; 

-  Diversity Policy; 

-  Securities Trading Policy; 

-  Risk Management; and 

An internal evaluation of the performance of each of the Non-
executive Directors standing for re-election or election at the 2012 
AGM, was also conducted. The Chairman reviewed the results of the 
performance evaluations with each Director and the Chairman of 
the Audit Committee reviewed the results of the Chairman’s 
performance evaluation with him. The Board also reviewed the 
results of that evaluation, in the absence of the Director the subject 

-  Guidelines for Document Management. 

The policies listed above set out the reporting responsibilities of 
specified individuals, or in some cases, all employees. The Audit 
Committee is responsible for monitoring compliance with the 
Speaking Up Policy. At each meeting, the Audit Committee receives 
a report on investigations into any matters raised under that policy 
relating to financial control issues.  A report on all matters raised 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 36

 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT – CONTINUED  

under the Speaking Up Policy is provided to the Board at each of its 
meetings. A copy of the Code of Conduct is available on 
www.brambles.com. 

-  where appropriate, Brambles will engage external agencies to 

assist it in the identification, selection and assessment of 
candidates; 

3.1.1. Purpose of the Code of Conduct 
The Code of Conduct defines how Brambles relates to its 
shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers and the community. 
It includes Brambles’ general principles on business integrity. All 
employees are expected to conduct business in accordance with the 
laws and regulations of the countries in which the business is 
located, and in a manner so as to enhance the reputation of 
Brambles. 

3.1.2. Application of the Code of Conduct 
The Code of Conduct has been translated into 17 languages. This 
means that the majority of Brambles’ employees can read the Code 
in their first language.  Further translations are currently under 
consideration as Brambles continues to develop and grow its 
business. The Code of Conduct can also be used to form part of 
employees’ terms and conditions of employment. Non-executive 
Directors are required to agree to comply with the Code of Conduct 
and to acknowledge that their performance assessments will include 
an element on conformity with the Code. 

The Code of Conduct is not intended to be all-encompassing. There 
are areas in which Brambles expects its businesses to develop 
detailed policies in accordance with local requirements. The Code 
of Conduct provides a set of guiding principles that may be 
supplemented with additional local policies. It provides a common 
behavioural framework. 

Brambles implements the Code of Conduct through a variety of 
induction and training programs. During the Year, ongoing training 
took place with the aim of enhancing employees’ compliance with 
certain of the policies under the Code. 

The Code of Conduct requires Brambles’ contractors to adhere to 
Brambles’ health and safety, environmental and serious incident 
reporting standards and requires consultants or professional advisers 
who are engaged to undertake work for the Group to comply with 
the Continuous Disclosure & Communications Policy. 

3.2. ESTABLISH A DIVERSITY POLICY 

The Board has adopted a Diversity Policy which forms part of 
Brambles Code of Conduct. (Previously, many aspects of the 
Diversity Policy were covered under the Group’s employment and 
equal opportunity policies.) When adopting the policy, the Board 
believed that it should deal with diversity across a range of issues 
and not be solely limited to gender. 

Brambles’ vision statement for diversity, set out in the policy, is:  

Brambles is committed to creating and maintaining a culture 
which delivers outstanding performance and results. 

Diversity is essential to Brambles’ long term success. Brambles 
values and fosters diversity because it allows: 

-  customers’ needs, both today and in the future, to be 

recognised and addressed; 

-  all employees to feel valued and able to perform to their best; 

and 

-  Brambles to have access to the widest possible talent pool. 

The Diversity Policy provides, amongst other things, that: 

-  Brambles is committed to selecting, recruiting, developing and 

supporting people solely on the basis of their professional 
capability and qualifications, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, 
nationality, class, colour, age, sexual identity, disability, religion, 
marital status or political opinion; 

-  Brambles selects, retains and develops the best people for the job 

on the basis of merit and job related competencies – without 
discrimination; 

-  Brambles will continue to develop talent management programs 

such as: 

> development programs for senior executives;  

> development programs for next generation leaders; and 

> mentoring programs; and 

-  on an annual basis, the Board will review and report on the:  

> relative proportion of women and men in the workforce at all 

levels; 

> statistics and trends in the age, nationality and professional 

backgrounds of Brambles’ executive population; 

> measurable objectives for achieving gender and nationality 

diversity; and 

> progress towards achieving those objectives. 

3.3. GENDER DIVERSITY OBJECTIVES 

The schedule of matters reserved to the Board was amended in 2011 
to add the following Board responsibilities: 

-  determining measurable objectives for achieving gender diversity 

and annually assessing both the objectives and the progress 
towards achieving them 

-  annually review and report on the relative proportion of women 

and men in the workforce at all levels of the Group. 

Brambles had previously committed to establishing diversity targets 
during 2011 in its 2010 Sustainability Report. In considering the 
measurable objectives for achieving diversity, the Company 
considered a number of areas that it believed were important to 
both demonstrate and achieve a diverse workforce. These included: 
-  nationality – Brambles believes that it is essential that its 

employees represent the communities in which they operate. The 
Company already has a high representation of different 
nationalities in its employee population. The general managers 
and executive teams in each of the countries in which Brambles 
operates are made up almost entirely of people of that 
nationality. Brambles monitors this through its bi-annual talent 
management process with a view to continuing the process and 
expanding the access of differing nationalities to its global 
operations. 

-  professional background - Brambles also believes that its 

employees should be able to relate to the Company’s customers. 
It therefore recruits extensively from the sectors in which it 
operates, to ensure that the Company has the right blend of skills 
and experience. This aspect of diversity is also monitored through 
the bi-annual talent management process. 

-  gender – Brambles believes that its executive population should 
reflect the overall balance of employees in its organisation. This 
is the best measure for Brambles, as it has a large proportion of 
employment activities in heavy manual duties, and therefore an 
overall workforce that is predominantly male. 

As at 31 July 2012, Brambles’ overall employee population was 
75.9% male and 24.1% female. Women comprise 18.2% of its Board 
and 26.5% of its management (which is defined as the manager, 
director, vice president and senior vice president grades). In 
calculating these percentages, Brambles included each permanent 
employee on the payroll, but excluded casual employees and 
contractors. 

During 2011, Brambles adopted a measurable objective for women 
to represent 30% of its Board and across the ELT and management 
positions by 30 June 2015. At the time these targets were set, the 
integration into the Group of the recently acquired IFCO, Paramount 
Pallets and the CHEP Aerospace businesses was taking place and a 
complete analysis of the gender diversity within those businesses 
had not yet occurred. It has since become apparent that Brambles 
will need additional time to meet the targets set in 2011. As a 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 37

 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT – CONTINUED  

result, the measurable objective of having women represent 30% of 
its management positions has been revised to 30 June 2018. The 
objective of having women represent 30% of Board and ELT positions 
by 30 June 2015 remains unchanged.   

3.4. GENDER DIVERSITY REPORTING 

Each year, Brambles will publish the composition of its executive 
population by grade against this target, showing progress year on 
year. 

The position at 31 July 2012 is as follows: 

2015 
Objective 

% Females at 
31 July 20127 

% Females at 
30 June 20117

Board 

Executive 
Leadership Team 

Senior Vice 
President 

Vice President 

Director 

Manager 

30% 

30% 

30% 

30% 

30% 

30% 

18.2% 

11.1% 

21.8% 

10.7% 

21.8% 

28.3% 

12.5% 

- 

15.2% 

17.7% 

21.3% 

27.8% 

Further information on diversity is included in the Diversity & 
Inclusion section of the Sustainability Review, on pages 25 and 26. 
PRINCIPLE 4: SAFEGUARD INTEGRITY IN FINANCIAL 
REPORTING 

4.1. ESTABLISH AN AUDIT COMMITTEE 

Brambles confirms that, in accordance with ASX Listing Rule 12.7, 
it has had an Audit Committee throughout the Year. 

4.1.1. Purpose of the Audit Committee 
The objective and purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the 
Board in fulfilling its corporate governance and oversight 
responsibilities by: 

-  monitoring and reviewing: 

> the integrity of financial statements; 

> internal financial controls; 

> the objectivity and effectiveness of the internal auditors; and 

> the independence, objectivity and effectiveness of the external 

auditors; 

-  making recommendations to the Board in relation to the 

appointment or removal of the external auditors, the approval of 
their remuneration and the terms of their engagement, including 
the rotation of external audit engagement partners; 

-  assessing whether the Committee is satisfied that the 

independence of the external auditors has been maintained, 
having regard to any non-audit related services; 

-  reviewing and monitoring the policy on the engagement of the 
external auditors to supply non-audit services (set out in the 
Charter of Audit Independence, a copy of which can be found 
at www.brambles.com), taking into account relevant legal and 
ethical guidance regarding the provision of non-audit services by 
the external auditors; and 

-  -reporting to the Board, identifying any matters relating to the 

above in respect of which it considers that action or improvement 
is needed and making recommendations as to the steps to be 
taken. 

7 The percentages for senior vice president, vice president, director and 

manager exclude the employees of IFCO RPCs, IFCO PMS, Paramount Pallets 
and CHEP Aerospace which, as recent acquisitions, have not yet completed 
the banding classification process into senior vice president, vice president, 
director and manager categories. 

4.2. STRUCTURE OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE 

4.2.1. Composition of the Audit Committee 
The Audit Committee has five members and is chaired by Stephen 
Johns, an independent Director. 

4.2.2. Importance of independence 
The Audit Committee is comprised entirely of Non-executive 
Directors, all of whom the Board considers to be independent. 

4.2.3. Technical expertise 
The Board considers that each of the members of the Audit 
Committee has recent and relevant financial and accounting 
experience and an understanding of accounting and financial issues 
relevant to the industries in which Brambles operates. 
The members of the Audit Committee as at 31 July 2012, including 
details of their relevant qualifications, are as follows:  
-  Stephen Johns had a long executive career with Westfield where 
he held a number of senior positions including that of Finance 
Director from 1985 to 2002. He is the Chairman of Leighton 
Holdings Limited and a Non-executive Director of John Holland 
Group and the Westfield Group. He holds a Bachelor of Economics 
degree from the University of Sydney and is a Fellow of the 
Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and a Fellow of the 
Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

-  Doug Duncan is a Non-executive Director and a member of the 

Audit Committee of JB Hunt Transport and Benchmark 
Electronics.  From 2001 until his retirement in 2010, Doug was 
President and CEO of FedEx Freight and prior to that he spent 
more than 20 years with the company that ultimately became 
Viking Freight, where he held senior executive roles including 
President & CEO from 1998 to 2001, when FedEx acquired Viking. 
Doug holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business 
Administration from Christopher Newport University, Virginia. 
-  Tony Froggatt is a Non-executive Director and a member of the 

Audit Committee of Billabong International and Coca-Cola Amatil. 
Previously, he was a Non-executive Director of AXA Asia Pacific 
Holdings and was Chief Executive of Scottish & Newcastle plc from 
May 2003 to October 2007. Tony began his career with the Gillette 
Company and has held a wide range of sales, marketing and 
general management positions in many countries with major 
consumer goods companies including HJ Heinz, Diageo and 
Seagram. He holds a Bachelor of Law degree from Queen Mary 
College, London and a Master of Business Administration degree 
from Columbia Business School, New York. 

-  David Gosnell is Managing Director of Global Supply & 

Procurement for Diageo plc, leading a global team of 9,000 people 
across manufacturing, logistics and technical operations as well as 
managing Diageo's multi-billion sterling procurement budget. 
David was a Non-executive Director of Brambles from June 2006 
until March 2010, when he retired due to his other commitments 
at that time. Prior to joining Diageo, David spent 20 years at HJ 
Heinz where he served on the UK board and held various European 
operational positions. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in 
Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Middlesex University, 
England. 

-  Carolyn Kay is a Non-executive Director and a member of the 

Audit Committee of Commonwealth Bank of Australia, 
Infrastructure New South Wales and an External Board Member of 
Allens. She has more than 25 years experience in the finance 
sector and worked as an executive in international finance at 
Morgan Stanley in London and Melbourne, JP Morgan in New York 
and Melbourne and as a finance lawyer at Linklaters & Paines in 
London. Carolyn holds Bachelor degrees in Law and Arts from the 
University of Melbourne and a Graduate Diploma in Management 
from the Australian Graduate School of Management. She is a 
Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 
Stephen Johns and Carolyn Kay were members of the Audit 
Committee throughout the Year.  Doug Duncan, Tony Froggatt and 
David Gosnell, independent Non-executive Directors, became 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 38

 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT – CONTINUED  

members of the Audit Committee on 1 March 2012. Brian Schwartz 
was a member of the Audit Committee during the Year until 1 March 
2012 at which point he joined the Remuneration Committee to 
replace Tony Froggatt. 

4.3. AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER 

4.3.1. Charter 
The Audit Committee has a Charter which includes its duties and 
responsibilities, composition, structure, membership requirements, 
authority, access rights and sets out a procedure for inviting 
non-members to attend its meetings. The Charter requires the Audit 
Committee to meet with internal and external auditors at least once 
a year without executive management being present. A copy of the 
Audit Committee’s Charter, which is reviewed annually, can be 
found at www.brambles.com. 

4.3.2. Responsibilities 
The Audit Committee discharges its responsibilities by meeting 
regularly throughout the year and, among other matters: 

-  reviewing, and challenging where necessary, the actions and 

judgment of management in relation to full year and half year 
financial reports and other announcements relating to those 
reports prepared for release to the ASX, regulators and the public, 
before making appropriate recommendations to the Board; 

-  reviewing the audit plans of the internal auditors, including the 

scope and materiality level of their audits; monitoring compliance 
with, and the effectiveness of, the audit plans of the internal 
auditors; reviewing reports from the internal auditors on their 
audit findings, management responses and action plans in relation 
to those findings, and reports from the internal auditors on the 
implementation of those action plans; and facilitating an open 
avenue of communication between the internal auditors, the 
external auditors and the Board; 

-  reviewing the audit plans of the external auditors, including the 
nature, scope, materiality level and procedures of their audits; 
monitoring compliance with, and the quality and effectiveness of, 
the audit plans of the external auditors; and reviewing reports 
from the external auditors in relation to their major audit 
findings, management responses and action plans in relation to 
those findings, and reports from the external auditors on the 
implementation of those action plans; and 

-  reviewing and recommending to the Board the fees payable to the 

external auditors, monitoring compliance with the Charter of 
Audit Independence and pre-approving the performance by the 
external auditors of any non-audit related work and any proposed 
fees to be paid to the external auditors for that work, for which 
its approval is required by the Charter of Audit Independence. The 
Charter divides non-audit work into three categories: work which 
must be approved by the Chief Financial Officer (if fees will fall 
below specified limits); work which must be approved by the Audit 
Committee; and work which is prohibited. Prior consultation with, 
and approval of the Chief Financial Officer or Audit Committee, 
as prescribed by the Charter, is required whenever management 
recommends that the external auditors undertake non-audit 
work. Internal accounting, valuation services, actuarial services 
and internal audit services must not be performed by the 
external auditors. 

The Audit Committee is also responsible for monitoring the Brambles 
Speaking Up Policy, that it is communicated properly and complied 
with throughout Brambles, and for monitoring that appropriate 
protection against victimisation and dismissal is given to Brambles 
employees who make certain disclosures in the public interest. 

4.3.3. Meetings 
Details of the number of Audit Committee meetings held during the 
Year, and attendance at those meetings, are set out in the 
Directors’ Report – Other Information on page 64. Audit Committee 
papers are provided to all Directors and minutes of meetings are 
included in the papers for subsequent Board meetings. There is also 

an open invitation for all Directors to attend Audit Committee 
meetings.  Directors who are not members of the Audit Committee 
regularly attend its meetings. From the 2013 financial year, all 
Directors will be required to attend the Audit Committee meetings 
at which the half and full-year financial statements are considered. 

4.3.4. Reporting 
The Chairman of the Audit Committee reports to the Board on the 
Committee’s proceedings and on all matters relevant to the 
Committee’s duties and responsibilities.  

4.4. EXTERNAL AUDITOR 

PricewaterhouseCoopers has been engaged by the Board to act as 
external auditors to Brambles since the 2002 financial year. Under 
the terms of engagement, the Australian audit engagement partners 
will rotate every five years. Mr Mark Johnson retired as Brambles’ 
lead audit engagement partner at the conclusion of the FY11 full 
year results period. Mr Paul Bendall was appointed as the new lead 
audit engagement partner upon Mr Johnson’s retirement. 

The Audit Committee is responsible for making recommendations to 
the Board on the selection, appointment, evaluation and removal of 
external auditors, setting fees and ensuring that the external 
auditors’ engagement partners are rotated at appropriate intervals. 
PRINCIPLE 5: MAKE TIMELY AND BALANCED 
DISCLOSURE 

5.1. ESTABLISH A CONTINUOUS DISCLOSURE POLICY 

Brambles is committed to the promotion of investor confidence by 
taking steps within its power to ensure that trading in its securities 
occurs in an efficient and informed market. Brambles recognises 
the importance of effective communication as a key part of building 
shareholder value, and that to prosper and grow, it must earn the 
trust of shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers and 
communities, by being open in its communications and consistently 
delivering on its commitments. 

The Board has adopted a Continuous Disclosure & Communications 
Policy to: 

-  reinforce Brambles’ commitment to the continuous disclosure 

obligations imposed by law and to describe the processes 
Brambles implements to ensure compliance; 

-  outline Brambles’ corporate governance standards and related 

processes and ensure that timely and accurate information about 
Brambles is provided equally to all shareholders and market 
participants; and 

-  outline Brambles’ commitment to communicating effectively 
with shareholders and encouraging shareholder participation 
in shareholder meetings. 

To achieve the above objectives and satisfy regulatory 
requirements, the Board provides information to shareholders and 
other market participants in several ways: 

-  Brambles releases significant announcements directly via the ASX 

and immediately places copies on www.brambles.com; 

-  Brambles conducts investor and analyst briefings as a part of its 

investor relations programme. No new materials or price sensitive 
information is provided at those briefings unless it has been 
previously or is simultaneously released to the market. Brambles 
posts all presentation materials on www.brambles.com; and 

-  www.brambles.com contains further information about Brambles 
and its activities, including copies of recent interim and annual 
reports and recordings and slides of recent presentations 
to analysts.  

The Continuous Disclosure & Communications Policy takes into 
account the matters listed in Box 5.1 of the CGPR. A copy can be 
found at www.brambles.com. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 39

 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT – CONTINUED  

5.1.1. Commentary on financial results 
The Audit Committee Charter requires the Committee to review the 
clarity of financial reports.  

A review of operations and activities for the Year is included on 
pages 4 to 11. Brambles makes presentations of the full and half 
year results to the investment community immediately after the 
public release of those results. Brambles webcasts these 
presentations live and posts copies of the associated presentation 
materials on www.brambles.com. 

5.1.2. Eliminating surprise on termination entitlements 
Details of the termination entitlements of Brambles’ Chief Executive 
Officer, Chief Financial Officer and other Key Management 
Personnel are disclosed on page 53 of the Directors’ Report – 
Remuneration Report. 
PRINCIPLE 6: RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF 
SHAREHOLDERS 
Shareholders play an important role in the governance of Brambles 
by electing the Board, whose task it is to govern on their behalf. 

The Chairman regularly meets major investors to understand their 
issues and concerns and discuss particular matters relating to 
Brambles’ governance and strategy. The Chief Executive Officer, 
Chief Financial Officer and other senior executives regularly meet 
investors and other market participants to understand their issues 
and concerns and discuss Company performance and strategy. No 
new material or price sensitive information is provided at such 
meetings. Other Non-executive Directors may attend meetings with 
major investors if requested. The Chairman reports to the Board on 
the matters discussed at meetings with major investors and copies 
of relevant correspondence are included in the Board papers. 
Executive management provides information on shareholder activity 
and trading to the Board, along with shareholder feedback and 
copies of analysts’ reports. 

6.1. ESTABLISH A COMMUNICATIONS POLICY 

As disclosed in section 5.1, the Board has adopted a Continuous 
Disclosure & Communications Policy, which outlines Brambles’ 
commitment to communicating effectively with shareholders and 
encouraging shareholder participation in shareholder meetings.  

A copy can be found at www.brambles.com. 

6.1.1. Electronic communication 
Brambles takes all of the measures outlined in Box 6.1 of the CGPR 
to make effective use of electronic communication with 
stakeholders. 

Brambles posts a copy of all announcements made to the ASX on 
www.brambles.com. On release, significant announcements are 
highlighted in the “Latest News” area on the home page of 
www.brambles.com. 

Presentations to investors, analysts or media during briefings 
and copies of speeches and presentations made by the Chairman 
and Chief Executive Officer at general meetings are released as 
regulatory announcements and posted on www.brambles.com after 
release. Briefings and general meetings are also webcast live, via 
www.brambles.com. All of the ASX regulatory releases and notices 
of meetings that Brambles Limited has published since it was listed 
in December 2006 are available on www.brambles.com. 

Shareholders are encouraged to provide an email address to 
Brambles’ share registry so that they can be sent an electronic 
notification when a communication is available on 
www.brambles.com, rather than a hard copy. Brambles believes 
shareholders benefit from electronic communication as they receive 
information promptly and have the convenience and security of 
electronic delivery. Electronic communication is also 
environmentally friendly and generates cost savings. Shareholders 
who do not specify a preferred method of communication are posted 

a printed notification of availability of the annual report and hard 
copies of all other communications.  

Shareholders may electronically appoint proxies and lodge proxy 
instructions for items of business to be considered at general 
meetings, or have the option of lodging direct votes. 

6.1.2. Meetings 
AGMs provide an opportunity for the Board to communicate with 
investors, through presentations on Brambles’ businesses and 
current trading. Shareholders are encouraged to attend AGMs and to 
participate and use the opportunity to ask questions on any matter. 

To make better use of the limited time available, shareholders are 
invited to register questions and issues of concern prior to AGMs. 
This can be done either by completing the relevant form 
accompanying the notices convening the meetings or by emailing 
Brambles at shareholderquestions@brambles.com. Answers to 
frequently asked questions are given during presentations to AGMs. 
Shareholders may also ask questions at AGMs without having 
registered their questions in this manner. 

6.1.3. Communication with beneficial owners 
Beneficial owners of shares, investors or members of the public 
are encouraged to register for free email alerts, so that they may 
stay up to date on major news announcements made by Brambles. 
There is a link to the Email Alerts registration area of the website 
on the home page of www.brambles.com. Users of the Email Alerts 
service may customise the types of announcements that they 
receive. 

6.1.4. Website 
As noted in sections 6.1.1. and 6.1.3., Brambles communicates with 
shareholders via electronic methods, including via 
www.brambles.com. Brambles also has a shareholder results micro-
site, which contains the financial results for the Year as well as 
more detailed information about Brambles’ business operations. The 
micro-site can be accessed directly at 
www.brambles.com/2012review. 

6.1.5. Briefings 
Brambles follows a calendar of regular disclosure of its financial and 
operational results. The calendar, which is posted on the website, 
includes advance notice of the dates for the release of half year and 
full year results, other financial information, shareholder meetings, 
major analyst and investor briefings and Brambles’ involvement in 
major investment conferences. Where possible, Brambles webcasts 
these significant briefings. 

When Brambles conducts analyst and investor briefings, a record of 
the briefings is maintained for internal use. This record includes a 
summary of the issues discussed, a record of those present (names 
or numbers where appropriate) and the time and place of the 
meeting. 
PRINCIPLE 7: RECOGNISE AND MANAGE RISK  

7.1. ESTABLISH POLICIES FOR THE OVERSIGHT AND 
MANAGEMENT OF MATERIAL BUSINESS RISKS 

7.1.1. Risk management policies 
The Board is responsible for approving and reviewing the 
effectiveness of the Group’s system of internal control and risk 
management. During the Year, the Board was supported in this role 
by management, in particular by the Chief Executive Officer, the 
Audit Committee (in relation to financial reporting risks) and the 
Group’s internal audit function. To strengthen the relationship 
between risk management and strategic and operational planning, 
the Chief Executive Officer, through the ELT (see section 1.1.1.), 
has principal responsibility for risk management. The Audit 
Committee’s responsibilities are described in section 4.3.2. of this 
Statement. 

The Board has adopted a risk management framework, the 
objectives of which are as follows: 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 40

 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT – CONTINUED  

-  to incorporate effective risk management as part of Brambles’ 

strategic planning process; 

-  to require business operating plans to address the effective 

management of key risks; 

-  to develop internal audit plans to concentrate efforts on providing 

assurance on the viability and value of risk 
mitigation/management processes; 

-  to embed a stronger risk management culture; 

-  to improve allocation of capital to reflect business risks; 

-  to seek competitive advantage through increased certainty of 
achieving agreed organisational and business objectives; and 

-  to continue to fulfil governance requirements for risk 

management. 

Brambles Headquarters and each of the business units have a risk 
and control committee (RCC).  The Brambles Headquarters RCC is 
chaired by the Chief Financial Officer and its members include key 
functional heads. Each RCC conducts an in-depth review of the 
relevant business unit’s or corporate, as the case maybe, risk profile 
on a regular basis. The Group Presidents review the risk profile and 
accompanying mitigation plans of their respective business units 
before they are consolidated into the Group-level risk profile. The 
risk profiles and mitigation plans for Brambles Headquarters, the 
business units and the Group as a whole are evaluated by the ELT, 
with support from the Group Vice President, Taxation & Risk. The 
ELT, through the Chief Executive Officer, prepares a risk report to 
the Board twice yearly, which includes a review of the Group’s risk 
profile, mitigation factors and emerging risks (see section 7.2). 
Legal obligations and the reasonable expectations of stakeholders, 
such as shareholders, customers, employees, subcontractors, 
suppliers and the community in general are taken into account when 
preparing and updating mitigation plans. 

7.2. REPORTING ON EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF 
MATERIAL BUSINESS RISKS 

7.2.1. Risk management and internal control system 
Management is responsible for the development, implementation 
and management of systems that: 

-  identify, assess and manage risks in an effective and efficient 

manner; 

-  other sources of independent assurance, such as environmental 
audits, occupational health and safety audits and reports from 
the external auditors. 

The biannual management declarations are collected through a 
web-based system, to enable the questionnaires to be completed 
more easily and to facilitate rigorous tracking across periods. 

The key elements of Brambles’ business risk management systems 
during the Year are set out below:  

Risk control – risks to the achievement of business objectives were 
identified through a process of examination between the ELT, 
Brambles’ risk management team, the business unit Group 
Presidents, RCCs and functional process owners. Key business risks 
were also identified and analysed during regular management 
reporting and discussions. The identified risks were assessed in 
terms of their underlying causes, business consequences, external 
variables, current internal control effectiveness, likelihood of 
occurrence, overall risk priority and risk mitigation status. The 
resulting net risk and control profiles were presented to the Board, 
together with a risk improvement program designed to increase the 
effectiveness of controls and manage the overall level of risk. This 
process formed part of the Board’s annual review of the 
effectiveness of the risk management system and systems of 
internal control. 

Risk monitoring – there was regular reporting of key risk events, 
such as safety incidents, litigation and serious incidents (as defined 
in the Code of Conduct). In addition to regular monitoring by the 
ELT and Brambles’ risk management team, risks and controls were 
reassessed by the RCCs on a regular basis. The outcome of those 
assessments and details of progress in implementing risk 
improvement programs were signed off by Group Presidents and 
reported to the Group Vice President, Taxation & Risk. In addition, 
a report on the effectiveness of the management of business risks 
was provided to the ELT and the Board. The effectiveness of specific 
business risk controls and risk improvement programs was also 
periodically reviewed by internal audit as part of the FY12 internal 
audit program, and the results reported to the Audit Committee 
(see section 7.2.2). 

The Board reviews the effectiveness of the internal control and risk 
management systems on an ongoing basis by: 

-  considering and approving the budget and forward plan of each 

-  enable decisions to be based on a comprehensive view of the 

business; 

reward-to-risk balance; 

-  reviewing detailed monthly reports on business performance 

-  provide greater certainty of the delivery of objectives; and 

and trends; 

-  satisfy the Group’s corporate governance requirements. 

-  setting limits on delegated authority; 

These systems are designed to limit the risk of failure to achieve 
business objectives. It must be recognised, however, that internal 
control and risk management systems can provide only reasonable, 
and not absolute, assurance against the risk of material loss. 

Key elements of Brambles’ internal control systems include: 

-  a Code of Conduct that sets out an ethical and legal framework 

for all employees in the conduct of Brambles’ business; 

-  financial systems to provide timely, relevant and reliable 

information to management and to the Board; 

-  appropriate formalised delegations and limits of authority 

consistent with Brambles’ objectives; 

-  biannual management declarations at country, regional and global 
levels confirming, among other matters, the adequacy of internal 
control procedures, the effectiveness of risk management systems 
and compliance with the Code of Conduct and all regulatory and 
statutory requirements; 

-  an internal audit function, described in section 7.2.2.; 

-  a risk management function;  

-  RCCs for each of Brambles Headquarters and Brambles’ business 

units; and 

-  receiving regular reports on Brambles’ treasury activities, 
and reviewing treasury guidelines, limits and controls; 

-  receiving twice-yearly reports from the ELT on the effectiveness 
of internal control and risk management systems for Brambles’ 
material business risks, being the report required by 
Recommendation 7.2 of the CGPR; 

-  receiving twice-yearly written assurances from the Chief 

Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as described 
in section 7.3; and  

-  receiving reports from the Audit Committee, which has a 

responsibility to assist the Board in reviewing internal financial 
controls. 

7.2.2. Internal audit function 
The internal audit function is independent of the external auditor. 
Brambles’ internal audit function carries out risk-based audits under 
an annual plan approved by the Audit Committee. The internal audit 
team makes an independent appraisal of the adequacy and 
effectiveness of Brambles’ risk management and internal control 
system, to provide assurance to the Audit Committee and the Board. 

The head of internal audit has direct access to the Chairman of the 
Audit Committee. Both the Audit Committee and the internal audit 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 41

 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT – CONTINUED  

team have unrestricted access to management and the right to seek 
information and explanations. 

7.2.3. Risk Management Committee 
The roles of the Board, ELT and the RCCs in Brambles’ risk 
management framework are described in section 7.1.1. 

7.3. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND CHIEF FINANCIAL 
OFFICER DECLARATION 

The Board receives written assurances from the Chief Executive 
Officer and Chief Financial Officer that the declaration provided 
under section 295A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)(Act) is 
founded on a sound system of risk management and internal control 
and that the system is operating effectively in all material respects 
in relation to financial reporting risks. The Board received these 
assurances in advance of approving both the annual and interim 
financial statements for the Year. 
PRINCIPLE 8: REMUNERATE FAIRLY AND 
RESPONSIBLY  

8.1. ESTABLISH A REMUNERATION COMMITTEE 

8.1.1. Purpose of the Remuneration Committee 
The objective and purpose of the Remuneration Committee is to 
assist the Board in establishing remuneration policies and practices 
which: 

-  enable Brambles to attract and retain executives and Directors 

who will create value for shareholders; 

-  fairly and responsibly reward executives having regard to the 

performance of Brambles, the performance of the executive and 
the general remuneration environment; and 

-  comply with the provisions of the ASX Listing Rules and the Act. 

8.1.2. Charter 
The Remuneration Committee has a Charter which includes its 
duties and responsibilities, composition, structure, membership 
requirements, authority, access rights and sets out a procedure 
for inviting non-members to attend its meetings. A copy of the 
Remuneration Committee’s Charter, which is reviewed annually, can 
be found at www.brambles.com. 

8.1.3. Responsibilities of the Remuneration Committee 
The Remuneration Committee discharges its responsibilities by 
meeting regularly throughout the year and, among other matters: 

-  determining and agreeing with the Board the broad policy for the 
remuneration of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive 
Officer and other members of the senior executive team, and 
reviewing the ongoing appropriateness and relevance of the 
executive remuneration policy; 

-  determining the remuneration for the Executive Directors and 

the Company Secretary, reviewing the proposed remuneration for 
the senior executive team, ensuring that contractual terms on 
termination, and any payments made, are fair to the individual 
and Brambles, that failure is not rewarded and that the duty 
to mitigate loss is fully recognised, and, in determining such 
packages and arrangements, giving due regard to all relevant 
regulations and associated guidance; 

-  insofar as they impact on the Executive Directors and the senior 

executive team, approving the design of, and determining targets 
for, all cash-based executive incentive plans, and approving the 
total proposed payments from all such plans; 

-  keeping all equity-based plans under review in light of legislative, 

regulatory and market developments, determining each year 
whether awards will be made under such plans and whether there 
are exceptional circumstances which allow awards at other times, 
approving total proposed awards under each plan, approving 
awards to Executive Directors and reviewing awards made to the 
senior executive team; 

-  annually reviewing and taking account of the remuneration trends 

across Brambles in its main markets, reviewing and making 
recommendations to the Board on remuneration by gender and 
advising on any major changes in employee benefit structures 
throughout Brambles;  

-  reviewing the funding and performance of Brambles’ retirement 

plans and reporting to the Board; 

-  selecting, appointing and setting the terms of reference for 

external remuneration consultants who advise the Committee  or 
Brambles in respect of the remuneration of the Executive 
Directors and other key management personnel as outlined in the 
Remuneration Report; and 

-  monitoring the Group’s policy of equal remuneration for equal 

work value, regardless of gender, by receiving an annual report on 
remuneration by gender across the Group, and otherwise 
reviewing and making recommendations to the Board on 
remuneration by gender. 

8.1.4. Remuneration policy 
Details of Brambles’ remuneration policy can be found in the 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report on pages 47 to 49 and 57. 

The remuneration of the Chairman of Brambles is determined by 
the Remuneration Committee. The remuneration of the other 
Non-executive Directors is determined by the Executive Directors, 
following consultation with the Chairman of Brambles, with the 
Non-executive Directors taking no part in the discussion or decision 
relating to their remuneration. In setting remuneration, advice is 
sought from external remuneration consultants. 

In 2011 the Remuneration Committee and the Board monitored the 
progress of legislative changes to the Act concerning director and 
executive remuneration, and, where not already in place, made 
preparations to comply with the new rules on voting, disclosure, 
engagement of remuneration consultants and hedging of 
remuneration which took effect in FY12. 

8.2. STRUCTURE OF THE REMUNERATION COMMITTEE 

The Remuneration Committee is comprised entirely of 
Non-executive Directors, all of whom are independent. Luke 
Mayhew (Committee Chairman), Tony Froggatt and Graham Kraehe 
were members of the Remuneration Committee throughout the 
Year; Tahira Hassan and Brian Schwartz, independent Non-executive 
Directors became members of the Remuneration Committee on 1 
March 2012. Tony Froggatt retired from the Committee on 1 August 
2012 due his appointment to the Audit Committee earlier in the 
Year. The Remuneration Committee meets at least three times a 
year. Details of the number of Remuneration Committee meetings 
held during the Year and attendance at those meetings, are set out 
in the Directors’ Report – Other Information on page 64. 

The Remuneration Committee may seek input from certain members 
of executive management on remuneration, but no members of 
executive management are directly involved in deciding their own 
remuneration. 

8.3. COMPARISON OF REMUNERATION STRUCTURES 

There is a clear distinction between the structure of Non-executive 
Directors’ remuneration and that of the Executive Directors and 
executive management. Brambles has taken account of the 
guidelines for executive remuneration packages in Box 8.1 of the 
CGPR and the guidelines for Non-executive Director remuneration in 
Box 8.2 of the CGPR. Further details can be found in the Directors’ 
Report – Remuneration Report on pages 47 to 49 and 57. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 42

 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT – CONTINUED  

The following checklist summarises Brambles’ compliance with the CGPR and contains cross references to the sections of this Statement and 
to the exact location of information disclosed at www.brambles.com. 

Principle/Recommendation 

Reference 

PRINCIPLE 1: LAY SOLID FOUNDATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT 

Recommendation 1.1  Role of the board and management 

Corporate Governance Statement: 1.1 

Recommendation 1.2  Performance evaluation of senior executives 

Corporate Governance Statement: 1.2 

Recommendation 1.3  Companies should provide the following information in the corporate governance 

statement: 

-  an explanation of any departures from Recommendations 1.1, 1.2 or 1.3 

Not applicable 

-  whether a performance evaluation for senior executives has taken place in the 
reporting period and whether it was in accordance with the process disclosed 

Corporate Governance Statement: 1.2 

A statement of matters reserved for the board, or the board charter or the 
statement of areas of delegated authority to senior executives should be made 
publicly available, ideally by posting it to the company’s website in a clearly 
marked corporate governance section 

www.brambles.com 
See “Corporate Governance”, 
“Charters & Related Documents”  

PRINCIPLE 2: STRUCTURE THE BOARD TO ADD VALUE 

Recommendation 2.1 

Independent directors 

Recommendation 2.2 

Independent chairman 

Corporate Governance Statement: 2.1 

Corporate Governance Statement: 2.2 

Recommendation 2.3  Roles of chairman and chief executive officer 

Corporate Governance Statement: 2.3 

Recommendation 2.4  Nomination committee 

Corporate Governance Statement: 2.4 

Recommendation 2.5  Process for evaluating the performance of the board, its committees and directors 

Corporate Governance Statement: 2.5 

Recommendation 2.6  Companies should provide the following information in the corporate 

Corporate Governance Statement: 

governance statement: 

-  the skills, experience and expertise relevant to the position of director held 

by each director in office at the date of the annual report 

2 and Board and Executive Leadership 
Team, pages 29 to 32. 

-  the names of the directors considered by the board to constitute independent 

2.1.2. 

directors and the company’s materiality thresholds 

-  the existence of any of the relationships listed in Box 2.1 and an explanation 

2.1.2. 

of why the board considers a director to be independent, notwithstanding the 
existence of those relationships 

-  a statement as to whether there is a procedure agreed by the board for directors 

2.1.1. 

to take independent professional advice at the expense of the company 

-  a statement as to the mix of skills and diversity for which the board of directors is 

2.4.5. 

looking to achieve in membership of the board 

-  the period of office held by each director in office at the date of the annual report  2.1.2. 

-  the names of members of the nomination committee and their attendance at 
meetings of the committee, or where a company does not have a nomination 
committee, how the functions of a nomination committee are carried out 

2.4.3 and Directors’ Report – Other 
Information, page 64. 

-  whether a performance evaluation for the board, its committees and directors 

2.5 

has taken place in the reporting period and whether it was in accordance with the 
process disclosed 

-  an explanation of any departures from Recommendations 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 

Not applicable 

or 2.6 

The following material should be made publicly available, ideally by posting it to 
the company’s website in a clearly marked corporate governance section: 

-  a description of the procedure for the selection and appointment of new directors 

and the re-election of incumbent directors 

-  the charter of the nomination committee or a summary of the role, rights, 

responsibilities and membership requirements for that committee 
-  the board’s policy for the nomination and appointment of directors 

www.brambles.com  
See “Corporate Governance”, 
“Charters & Related Documents”. 

www.brambles.com  
See “Corporate Governance” and 
“Charters & Related Documents”. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 43

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT – CONTINUED  

Principle/Recommendation 

Reference 

PRINCIPLE 3: PROMOTE ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE DECISION-MAKING 

Recommendation 3.1  Establish a code of conduct 

Recommendation 3.2  Establish a diversity policy 

Recommendation 3.3  Gender diversity objectives 

Recommendation 3.4  Gender diversity reporting 

Corporate Governance Statement: 3.1 

Corporate Governance Statement: 3.2 

Corporate Governance Statement: 3.3 

Corporate Governance Statement: 3.4 

Recommendation 3.5  An explanation of any departures from Recommendations 3.1, 3.2. 3.3, 3.4 or 3.5 
should be included in the corporate governance statement 

Not applicable 

The following material should be made publicly available, ideally by posting it to the 
company’s website in a clearly marked corporate governance section: 

-  any applicable code of conduct or a summary 
-  the diversity policy or a summary of its main provisions 

PRINCIPLE 4: SAFEGUARD INTEGRITY IN FINANCIAL REPORTING 

Recommendation 4.1  Establish an audit committee 

Recommendation 4.2 

Structure of the audit committee 

Recommendation 4.3  Audit committee charter 

Recommendation 4.4  Companies should provide the following information in the corporate governance 

statement: 

www.brambles.com 
See “Corporate Governance” and 
“Charters & Related Documents”. 

Corporate Governance Statement: 4.1 

Corporate Governance Statement: 4.2 

Corporate Governance Statement: 4.3 

-  the names and qualifications of those appointed to the audit committee and their 
attendance at meetings of the committee, or, where a company does not have an 
audit committee, how the functions of an audit committee are carried out 

Corporate Governance Statement: 
4.2.3 and Directors’ Report – Other 
Information, page 64. 

-  the number of meetings of the audit committee

-  an explanation of any departures from Recommendations 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 or 4.4 

Not applicable 

The following material should be made publicly available, ideally by posting it to the 
company’s website in a clearly marked corporate governance section: 

-  information on procedures for the selection and appointment of the external 

auditor, and for the rotation of external audit engagement partners 

-  the audit committee charter 

Corporate Governance Statement: 4.4 
and www.brambles.com 
See “Corporate Governance” and 
“Charters & Related Documents”. 

PRINCIPLE 5: MAKE TIMELY AND BALANCED DISCLOSURE 

Recommendation 5.1  Establish a continuous disclosure policy 

Corporate Governance Statement: 5.1 

Recommendation 5.2  An explanation of any departures from Recommendations 5.1 or 5.2 should be 

Not applicable 

included in the corporate governance statement 

The policies or a summary of those policies designed to guide compliance with 
Listing Rule disclosure requirements should be made publicly available, ideally by 
posting them to the company’s website in a clearly marked corporate governance 
section 

www.brambles.com 
See “Corporate Governance”, 
“Charters & Related Documents”, 
“Brambles Code of Conduct (which 
incorporates the Continuous Disclosure 
& Communications Policy as 
Schedule 3). 

PRINCIPLE 6: RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF SHAREHOLDERS 

Recommendation 6.1  Establish a communications policy 

Corporate Governance Statement: 6.1 

Recommendation 6.2  An explanation of any departures from Recommendations 6.1 or 6.2 should be 

Not applicable 

included in the corporate governance statement 

The company should describe how it will communicate with its shareholders publicly, 
ideally by posting the information on the company’s website in a clearly marked 
corporate governance section 

www.brambles.com 
See “Corporate Governance”, 
“Charters & Related Documents”, 
“Brambles Code of Conduct” (which 
incorporates the Continuous Disclosure 
& Communications Policy as 
Schedule 3). 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 44

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT – CONTINUED  

Principle/Recommendation 

PRINCIPLE 7: RECOGNISE AND MANAGE RISK 

Reference 

Recommendation 7.1  Establish policies for the oversight and management of material business risks 

Corporate Governance Statement: 7.1 

Recommendation 7.2  Reporting on effective management of material business risks 

Corporate Governance Statement: 7.2 

Recommendation 7.3  Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer declaration 

Corporate Governance Statement: 7.3 

Recommendation 7.4  Companies should provide the following information in the corporate governance 

statement: 

-  an explanation of any departures from Recommendations 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 or 7.4 

Not applicable 

-  whether the board has received the report from management under  

Corporate Governance Statement: 7.2 

Recommendation 7.2 

-  whether the board has received assurance from the chief executive officer (or 

Corporate Governance Statement: 7.3 

equivalent) and the chief financial officer (or equivalent) under Recommendation 
7.3 

The following material should be made publicly available, ideally by posting it to the 
company’s website in a clearly marked corporate governance section: 

-  a summary of the company’s policies on risk oversight and management of 

material business risks 

PRINCIPLE 8: REMUNERATE FAIRLY AND RESPONSIBLY 

Recommendation 8.1  Establish a remuneration committee 

Recommendation 8.2 

Structure of the remuneration committee 

Recommendation 8.3  Comparison of remuneration structures 

Recommendation 8.4  Companies should provide the following information in the corporate governance 

statement or a clear cross reference to the location of the material: 

www.brambles.com  
See “Corporate Governance”,  
“Risk Management”. 

Corporate Governance Statement: 8.1 

Corporate Governance Statement: 8.2 

Corporate Governance Statements: 8.3 
and Directors’ Report – Remuneration 
Report pages 47 to 49 and 57. 

-  the names of the members of the remuneration committee and their attendance 

at meetings of the committee, or where a company does not have a remuneration 
committee, how the functions of a remuneration committee are carried out 

Corporate Governance Statement: 8.2 
and Directors’ Report – Other 
Information, page 64. 

-  the existence and terms of any schemes for retirement benefits, other than 

Not applicable 

superannuation, for Non-executive Directors 

-  an explanation of any departures from Recommendations 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 or 8.4 

Not applicable 

The following material should be made publicly available, ideally by posting it to the 
company’s website in a clearly marked corporate governance section: 

-  the charter of the remuneration committee or a summary of the role, rights, 

responsibilities and membership requirements for that committee 

-  a summary of the company’s policy on prohibiting entering into transactions in 
associated products which limit the economic risk of participating in unvested 
entitlements under any equity-based remuneration schemes 

www.brambles.com 
See “Corporate Governance” and 
“Charters & Related Documents”. 

www.brambles.com 
See “Corporate Governance” and 
“Charters & Related Documents”, 
“Brambles Code of Conduct” 
(which incorporates the Securities 
Trading Policy as Schedule 9). 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 45

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT 

Despite the ongoing challenges of global economic conditions 
during FY12, Brambles delivered sales revenue and Underlying 
profit growth in line with the forecasts the Company made in 
August 2011. As a consequence: 

-  Short Term Incentive bonuses were around target level; and 

-  2009 Long Term Incentive awards will partially vest. 

Brambles continued to manage salaries and Non-executive 
Directors’ fees closely in FY12. 

-  Base salary increases across the Group, including for the 

Executive Leadership Team (ELT), have generally been modest 
at around 3% to 4%. Early in the financial year, the Chief 
Executive Officer (CEO) received a significant one-off increase 
to his base salary following the Board’s assessment both of his 
performance and contribution during his first year in that role 
and external benchmarks. He had received only a modest 
increase to his base salary as Group President of CHEP EMEA on 
his appointment as CEO. The increase in his base salary for FY13 
will fall back in line with the average increases for senior 
executives across the Group; and 

-  A market rate increase of 4% was applied to Non-executive 

Directors’ fees, including the Chairman’s fees. 

The Company will be seeking shareholder approval at the 2012 
Annual General Meeting to increase the maximum annual 
aggregate remuneration that may be paid to Non-executive 
Directors (the Non-executive Directors’ fee pool). This was last set 
in August 2006. The proposed increase from US$2.30 million to 
US$2.75 million will enable Brambles, if appropriate, to consider 
the appointment of an additional Director and to allow for market 
rate increases to Non–executive Directors fees over the next 
several years. 

There were some changes to the ELT during the Year, largely as a 
result of a major reorganisation of the Group’s pallet, crate and 
container pooling businesses; Jean Holley (Group Chief 
Information Officer) and Jason Rabbino (Group President, 
Containers) joined the ELT and three members of the ELT, Jim 
Ritchie (Group President, CHEP Americas), Jasper Judd (Group 
Senior Vice President & Head of Innovation) and Kevin Shuba 
(Group Senior Vice President, Containers Americas), left the 
Group. 

During June 2012, Brambles announced the retirement of Chief 
Financial Officer (CFO) Greg Hayes and the appointment of Zlatko 
Todorcevski as the new CFO. Mr Hayes will continue with the Group 
until March 2013. 

All departures have been managed under the provisions of the 
relevant executives’ employment contracts and within the existing 
executive termination legislation. 

After deciding to place its global Recall information management 
business for sale early in the Year, Brambles announced during June 
2012 that, following an extensive process, it would not be divesting 
the business as the offers from bidders did not reflect its value or 
provide sufficient certainty that a sale could be completed. As a 
result retention arrangements have been put in place for a select 
number of senior Recall executives. 

Each year, we aim to improve the clarity and transparency of the 
Remuneration Report. In this year’s Remuneration Report we have 
included changes that are required under Corporations Act, together 
with some best practice additions based on guidance from ASIC. We 
have also introduced a clearer explanation of the link between our 
remuneration plans and business strategy and we have refined the 
graph in Section 3.3 showing the proportion of total remuneration in 
the Year against the maximum potential remuneration for key senior 
executives. 

In implementing Brambles’ remuneration policy, the Committee’s 
primary focus has been to align executive remuneration with 
business performance and the creation of shareholder value. The 
Company also seeks to remunerate all employees within the 
Brambles Group fairly; we see equal remuneration for equal work 
value, regardless of gender, as being a key principle of our global 
remuneration policy. 

We remain confident that our approach to remuneration continues to 
be in line with the Company’s policy, business strategy and 
shareholder interests. We are not proposing or planning any changes 
to the Share Plan Rules. However, each year we do set new stretch 
targets that executives need to achieve to obtain maximum 
potential remuneration. 

Luke Mayhew 

Non-executive Director & Chairman of the Remuneration Committee 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 46

 
 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

CONTENTS 

1. Background 

2. Remuneration Committee 

3. Remuneration policy and structure 

4. Performance of Brambles and At Risk Remuneration 

5. Employee Share Plan 

6. Executive Directors and Disclosable Executives 

7. Non-executive Directors’ Disclosures 

8. Remuneration Advisors 

9. Appendices 

1. BACKGROUND 

The Remuneration Report provides information on Brambles’ 
remuneration policy, the link between that policy and the 
performance of Brambles and the remuneration information on 
Brambles’ Key Management Personnel. 

Brambles’ Key Management Personnel are: 

(a) its Non-executive Directors; 

(b) its Executive Directors; and 

(c) other Group executives who have authority and responsibility 
for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the 
Group. The Remuneration Committee has determined that 
executives coming within this category comprise those who, 
for some or all of the year ending 30 June 2012 (Year), were 
members of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) of Brambles. 

In this report, executives coming within paragraph 1(b) and (c) 
above are called Disclosable Executives. 

This report includes all disclosures required by the Corporations Act 
2001 (Cth) (Act), regulations made under that Act and Australian 
Accounting Standard AASB 124: Related Party Disclosures. The 
disclosures required by section 300A of the Act have been audited. 
Disclosures required by the Act cover both Brambles and the Group. 

2. REMUNERATION COMMITTEE 

The Remuneration Committee (Committee) operates under 
delegated authority from Brambles’ Board. The Committee’s 
responsibilities include recommending overall remuneration 
policy to the Board, approving the remuneration arrangements for 
the Disclosable Executives and the Company Secretary and 
reviewing the remuneration policy and individual arrangements for 
other executives. 

During the Year, the members of the Remuneration Committee were 
Luke Mayhew (Committee Chairman), Tony Froggatt, Graham 
Kraehe, Tahira Hassan (from 1 March 2012) and Brian Schwartz 
(from 1 March 2012) 1. 

Details of the Committee’s Charter, and the rules of Brambles’ 
executive and employee share plans can be found on 
www.brambles.com under “Corporate Governance”, “Charters & 
Related Documents”. 

3. REMUNERATION POLICY AND STRUCTURE 

The Board has adopted a remuneration policy for the Group which is 
consistent with its business objectives and designed to attract and 
retain high calibre executives, align executive rewards with the 
creation of shareholder value, and motivate executives to achieve 
challenging performance targets. 

When setting and reviewing remuneration levels for Disclosable 
Executives, the Committee considers the experience, 
responsibilities and performance of the individual and takes into 
account market data relevant to the individual’s role and location, 
as well as Brambles’ size, geographic spread and complexity. The 
Group’s remuneration policy is to set pay around the median level 
of remuneration but to provide upper quartile total potential 
rewards for outstanding capability and performance. 

3.1  FIXED AND AT RISK REMUNERATION 

Remuneration is divided into those components which are not 
directly linked to performance (that is, they are “Fixed”), and those 
components which are variable and are directly linked to Brambles’ 
financial performance and the delivery of personal strategic 
objectives (that is, they are “At Risk”). 

Fixed remuneration generally consists of base salary and benefits.  

The benchmarks used for setting fixed remuneration for the Year 
were major listed companies in the US, Australia and Europe, whose 
market capitalisation and revenue levels were between 50% and 
200% of Brambles’ 12 month average market capitalisation and 
revenue as of 30 June 2011. Based on these benchmarks, Fixed 
remuneration for most Disclosable Executives increased by between 
3% and 4% during the Year. 

Early in the Year, following his first 12 months as CEO, Mr Gorman 
received an increase in his base salary to A$2,000,000 per annum, a 
superannuation allowance of 15% of base salary, and a A$30,000 car 
allowance. In total, this represented a 21% increase on his previous 
fixed remuneration of A$1,926,000 per annum. 

Mr Hayes received a 10.7% increase in his base salary. 

Brambles’ remuneration framework is underpinned by its banding 
structure. This classifies roles into specific bands; each band 
incorporating roles which have broadly equivalent work value. 
Pay ranges for each band are determined under the same 
framework globally and are based on the local market rates for the 
roles falling within each band. This provides a sound basis for 
delivering a non-discriminatory pay structure for all Group 
employees. From FY12, the Committee receives an annual report on 
remuneration by gender to enable it to monitor remuneration equity 
across the Group. 

As a global group, Brambles operates an international mobility 
policy which can include the provision of housing, payment of 
relocation costs and other location adjustment expenses where 
appropriate. 

In addition to Fixed remuneration, a significant element of 
Disclosable Executives’ total potential reward is required to be 
At Risk. 

This means that an individual’s maximum potential remuneration 
will be achieved only in circumstances where they have met 
challenging objectives in terms of Brambles’ overall financial 
performance, returns for all shareholders and strategic objectives. 
The proportion of Disclosable Executives' remuneration packages At 
Risk is illustrated in section 3.3. 

Brambles’ At Risk remuneration is provided by way of three types of 
annual incentive awards: a Short Term Incentive (STI) cash award, 
an STI share award and a Long Term Incentive (LTI) share award. 

The remuneration structure and the key features of Fixed and At 
Risk remuneration are summarised in the chart below. The 
application of the At Risk element of remuneration is further 
described in in section 4. 

1  Each of them is an independent Non-executive Director (see section 2.1.2 of 
the Corporate Governance Statement on page 34. Mr Froggatt retired from 
the Committee on 1 August 2012. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 47

 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

REMUNERATION STRUCTURE  

FIXED REMUNERATION 

AT RISK REMUNERATION

Fixed remuneration consists of 
base salary and benefits. 

STI CASH AWARD 

Size determined by performance 
against Key Performance Indicators 
including BVA, cash flow and Strategic 
Personal Objectives (see section 4.1 
for details).

LTI SHARE AWARD  

Size of grant calculated as percentage of 
salary. 
• 

TSR – Outperformance of median-
ranked company. Full vesting for 
outperformance of 25% 

• 
• 

Sales revenue CAGR with BVA hurdle 

Awards subject to performance 
testing at end of three years 

(see section 4.2 for details). 

STI SHARE AWARD  

Size derived from size of STI cash award.  

Awards vest subject to continued 
employment at second anniversary of 
grant (see section 4.1 for details). 

3.2  REMUNERATION AND THE LINK TO BUSINESS STRATEGY 

Brambles has adopted a growth strategy of strengthening its global 
equipment pooling and information management services 
businesses. This strategy is underpinned by: 
–  business performance being focused on profitable growth, the 

efficient use of capital and the generation of cash; 

–  the recruitment and retention of high calibre executives; 
–  the setting of goals to implement the growth strategy; and 
–  achieving sustainable returns for Brambles shareholders. 

The implementation of Brambles remuneration policy, which is 
summarised in the chart above, is directly linked to the above 
strategy and objectives in the following manner. 
•  Business performance – profitable growth is emphasized by both 
the use of Brambles Value Added (BVA) as a key performance 
condition in STI cash awards and the use of compound annual 
growth rate (CAGR) sales targets (with BVA hurdles) as one of the 
two key performance conditions which must be satisfied for LTI 
share awards to vest. The generation of cash and the effective use 
of capital are reinforced through the setting of cash flow targets 
for STI cash awards. 

•  High calibre executives – remuneration packages for executives 
are designed to be competitive to assist Brambles in attracting 
talented managers and to reward strong performance. The award 
of a significant proportion of executives’ STI awards as shares 
which do not vest for two years helps retain good performers. 
•  Strategic goals – each year, a part of an executive’s STI cash 
award is subject to the achievement of specific personal 
objectives. These include objectives focussed on the delivery of 
Brambles’ strategy such as safety performance, development of 
new markets, customer satisfaction, product and service 
innovation, employee engagement, productivity improvements 
and development of future potential senior executives. 
•  Sustainable shareholder returns – each of the above three 
elements support the delivery of sustainable returns to 
shareholders. In addition, there is a direct alignment of executive 
rewards to the creation of shareholder value through the use of 

relative total shareholder return (TSR) performance conditions, 
to which the vesting of half of all LTI awards granted since 2010 
are subject. 

Full details of the link between Brambles performance in terms of 
financial outcome, creation of shareholder value and the delivery of 
the Group’s strategy is set out in section 4. 

Definitions of the BVA, TSR and CAGR measurements and the 
methods by which they are calculated are included in the Glossary 
on pages 139 and 140. 

3.3  REMUNERATION MIX FOR DISCLOSABLE EXECUTIVES 

Brambles’ executive remuneration mix is heavily tied to 
performance. At Risk remuneration represents approximately 71% to 
76% of the Disclosable Executive’s remuneration package (based on 
maximum performance for STI cash awards and using the fair 
market value for STI and LTI share awards). 

The graph on page 49 illustrates the level of actual remuneration 
received by Disclosable Executives compared with their maximum 
potential remuneration. Maximum potential remuneration is the 
Disclosable Executive’s base salary plus his or her STI cash award 
and STI share award assuming maximum level of performance (see 
section 4.1) and full vesting of all LTI share awards. 

In relation to the actual column: 

–  Base salary – this is fixed remuneration for FY12; 

–  STI cash – this represents the STI cash award received in respect 

to FY12 performance (see section 4.1); 

–  STI shares – this is the deferred STI share award earned and 

deferred in respect to FY12 performance (see section 4.1); and 

–  LTI – this shows the proportion of the 2009-2012 LTI share award 

which will vest in FY13 (see section 4.2). 

The Potential column represents the maximum value of each 
element of remuneration that could have been received in each 
case by the individual executive for FY12. Jason Rabbino did not 
participate in any incentive plans in 2012 as he commenced in the 
last quarter of the year making him ineligible to participate. His 
remuneration mix for FY12 was therefore 100% fixed remuneration. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 48

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

2 

2

2 

3.4  SECURITIES TRADING POLICY AND INCENTIVE AWARDS 

4.1  STI KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 

Brambles' Securities Trading Policy applies to awards granted 
under the incentive arrangements described above. That policy 
prohibits designated persons (which include all the Disclosable 
Executives) from acquiring financial products or entering into 
arrangements which have the effect of limiting exposure to the 
risk of price movements of Brambles securities. It is a term of 
senior executives' employment contracts that they are required 
to comply with all Brambles policies (including the Securities 
Trading Policy). Management declarations are obtained twice 
yearly and include a statement that all policies have been 
complied with. 

The market value at the date of grant of all equity awards made 
to any person in any financial year should not normally (and did 
not during the Year) exceed two times their base salary. All the 
incentive plans under which awards to Disclosable Executives 
are still to vest or be exercised are summarised in sections 9.2 
and 9.3. 

4. PERFORMANCE OF BRAMBLES AND AT RISK REMUNERATION  

Brambles’ remuneration policy is directly linked to its 
performance in terms of financial outcome, the creation of 
shareholder wealth and delivery of the Group’s strategy. This link 
is achieved in the following ways:  

-  by placing a significant portion of executives’ remuneration 

At Risk; 

-  by selecting appropriate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for 
annual STI cash awards and performance conditions for LTI 
share awards; and  

-  by requiring those KPIs or performance conditions to be met in 

order for the At Risk component of remuneration to be 
awarded or to vest. 

The relationship between Brambles’ remuneration policy and its 
performance over the Year and the previous four financial 
years is set out in section 4.2. The tables in section 4.2.2 show 
the level of vesting of awards triggered by performance over 
those periods. 

As outlined in section 3.1, Disclosable Executives have the 
opportunity to receive annual STI cash and share awards based on 
performance against KPIs. A significant proportion of overall STI 
incentives are STI share awards, which currently vest two years 
after the award is made. Disclosable Executives’ KPIs comprise 
both financial and non-financial KPIs. 

Financial KPIs 
Financial KPIs are chosen to link executive rewards with the 
financial performance of the Group, the pursuit of profitable 
growth and the efficient use of capital and generation of cash. 

The STI financial KPIs chosen for the Year were BVA and cash 
flow from operations (Cash Flow), plus (for the CEO and the CFO) 
profit after tax (PAT). For Pallets, Containers and Recall Group 
Presidents, KPIs were Brambles BVA and their respective business 
unit’s BVA and Cash Flow. A definition of BVA, PAT and Cash Flow 
and how they are calculated is included in the Glossary on pages 
139 to 140. 

A focus on BVA helps ensure the efficient use of capital within 
Brambles. PAT captures interest and tax charges which are not 
directly incorporated in BVA. Cash Flow is used as a measure to 
ensure a strong focus on the generation of cash for the Group. 

The key levels of performance possible against each of the 
financial KPIs relevant to the STI awards for the Year were: 
Threshold (the minimum necessary to qualify for the awards); 
Target (where the performance targets have been met); and 
Maximum (where the targets have been significantly exceeded, 
and the related rewards have reached their upper limit). 

The STI incentives for Karl Pohler, Group President, RPCs, are 
based on the existing IFCO STI plan at the time Brambles 
acquired IFCO. This provides him with the opportunity to obtain 
an STI cash award based on performance against the following 
KPIs: IFCO’s EBITDA (70% of total STI opportunity); and IFCO’s 
free cash flow (30% of the total STI opportunity). Mr Pohler does 
not participate in the STI share award incentives. 

The actual levels of performance achieved for the Year against 
the financial KPIs are summarised in the following table. 

2 Jean Holley and Dolph Westerbos commenced after the allocation of Long Term Incentives in 2009 and as such did not receive any LTI payment in respect to 

2009-2012. The maximum figure shown includes the LTI Award that they would have received if they had been employed when the award was granted.  

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 49

 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

Performance against financial KPIs in 2012 

Financial KPIs 

KPIs3 

Brambles BVA 

Brambles PAT 

Level of performance achieved 
during the Year4 

Between Threshold and Target 

Between Threshold and Target 

Brambles Cash Flow 

Achieved Target 

Disclosable 
Executive 

Group 
BVA 

Business 
Unit 
BVA 

Group 
PAT 

Group 
Cash 
Flow 

Business 
Unit 
Cash 
Flow 

Non-
Financial 
KPIs 

CHEP Americas BVA 

Between Target and Maximum 

CEO, CFO 

30%

-

20% 

20% 

-

30%

CHEP Americas Cash Flow 

Achieved Target 

CHEP EMEA APAC BVA 

Between Threshold and Target 

CHEP EMEA APAC Cash Flow 

Below Threshold at mid-year but 
achieved Year-end Target 

Recall BVA 

Recall Cash Flow 

IFCO EBITDA 

IFCO Cash Flow 

Below Threshold 

Below Threshold 

Below Threshold 

Below Threshold 

Group 
Presidents: 
Pallets 
EMEA/Asia-
Pacific and 
Americas, 
Recall 

Other 
Disclosable 
Executives 

25%

25%

- 

- 

20%

30%

40%

-

- 

20% 

-

40%

Non-financial KPIs 
Non-financial KPIs are set to link Disclosable Executives’ 
performance to Brambles overall strategic objectives. These 
include personal strategic objectives in areas such as safety, 
business strategy, new markets, customer satisfaction and 
retention, and people and talent management. 

-  Brambles safety is measured by Brambles Injury Frequency Rate 
(BIFR)5. BIFR targets for each business unit and the Group as a 
whole are set each Year and incorporated into Disclosable 
Executives non-financial KPIs. Brambles regards the safety of 
its people as a major priority and the ELT has Group-wide 
oversight of the Zero Harm environment. This means that all 
ELT members will lose STI entitlement under their safety 
objective if a fatality occurs anywhere in the Brambles Group.  

-  Business strategy and growth includes the implementation of 

clearly specified strategic initiatives allocated to individual ELT 
members, for example further new business acquisitions. 

-  Customer satisfaction and retention are mainly measured using 
the Net Promoter Score (NPS)6 system. NPS targets are set for 
each year and performance measured against the achievement 
of those targets. 

-  People and talent management metrics relate to the 
development of future leaders in Brambles as well as 
succession planning for critical roles. 

A summary of the components and weighting of KPIs for STI cash 
awards for Disclosable Executives, other than Karl Pohler is in the 
table following. 

3  Definitions of BVA, PAT, Cash flow from operations and EBITDA 

measurements and the methods by which they are calculated are 
included in the Glossary on pages 139 and 140. 

4  Financial targets set for the forthcoming financial year under Brambles’ 

incentive plans will not constitute profit forecasts and the Board is 
conscious that their publication may therefore be misleading. 
Accordingly Brambles does not publish in advance the coming year’s 
financial targets for incentive purposes. Brambles’ BVA performance for 
the Year is however, set out on page 11. 

5  A definition of BIFR is included in the Glossary on page 139 and reporting 
of the Group’s BIFR performance is included in the Sustainability Review 
on page 24. 

6  An explanation of the Group’s use of NPS is included in the Sustainability 

Review on page 17. 

Details of the STI cash award payable to Disclosable Executives 
and the STI cash award forfeited, as a percentage of the 
maximum potential STI cash award in respect to performance 
during the Year, are shown for each Disclosable Executive in the 
following table. 

Actual STI cash payable and forfeited for year 
ended 30 June 2012 

Name 

% of maximum STI  

% of maximum STI  

cash payable for  

cash forfeited for 

year ended  

year ended  

30 June 2012 

30 June 2012 

DISCLOSABLE EXECUTIVES 

T J Gorman 

G J Hayes 

J K Holley 

P S Mackie 

K Pohler7 

E E Potts 

J D Rabbino 

N P Smith 

R J Westerbos 

56% 

52% 

60% 

64% 

0% 

29% 

N/A 

54% 

47% 

FORMER DISCLOSABLE EXECUTIVES 

J R A Judd 

J D Ritchie 

K J Shuba 

58% 

0% 

38% 

44% 

48% 

40% 

36% 

100% 

71% 

N/A 

46% 

53% 

42% 

100% 

62% 

7  Karl Pohler’s remuneration mix and bonus calculations reflect his 

existing incentive arrangements from IFCO. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 50

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

4.2  LTI SHARE AWARDS  

As outlined in section 3.1, Disclosable Executives also have the 
opportunity to receive equity awards in the form of LTI share 
awards. Vesting only occurs three years from the date of award 
and is subject to satisfaction of performance conditions (which 
are explained in section 4.2.1 below) over a three year 
performance period (Performance Period). If awards vest, they 
are exercisable for up to six years from the date of grant. 

Details of the LTI share awards granted to Disclosable Executives 
and the performance hurdles which apply to each of the awards 
are set out in section 9.2 and 9.3. The table in section 4.2.2 
illustrates the relationship between Brambles’ remuneration 
policy and performance, showing the level of vesting of LTI share 
awards during the Year and the previous four financial years. 

LTI Share awards only vest to the extent that performance 
conditions are met. The awards are governed by the Brambles 
2006 Performance Share Plan (2006 Share Plan) rules, which have 
been approved by shareholders. Any Board discretion, such as 
vesting in the event of a change of control, is clearly prescribed 
under the 2006 Plan rules. Under the “good leaver” provisions, 
there is no accelerated vesting in the case of terminations and all 
unvested LTI share awards are forfeited in the case of 
resignations or terminations for cause. 

4.2.1  LTI SHARE AWARD PERFORMANCE CONDITIONS 
LTI performance conditions are set to both align executive 
remuneration with the creation of shareholder value and 
Brambles’ financial objective of creating and sustaining 
profitable growth. 

For LTI share awards granted during and prior to the 2009 
financial year, the performance measure was Brambles’ TSR 
ranking relative to the ASX 100 over the applicable Performance 
Period. 

To allow a greater focus on profitable growth whilst retaining a 
shareholder value metric, LTI share awards granted from the 
2009 financial year onwards, have two sets of performance 
conditions, each with equal weighting. 

Creation of Shareholder Value: Half of the LTI share awards are 
measured by the following relative TSR condition: 40% of LTI 
share awards will vest if the Company's relative TSR performance 
over the Performance Period equals the TSR of the median 
ranked ASX100 company; 100% will vest for out-performance of 
the TSR of the median ranked ASX100 company by 25% over the 
Performance Period; and if Brambles’ TSR performance is 
between these two levels, vesting will be on a pro-rata straight 
line basis. 

TSR measures the returns that a company has provided for its 
shareholders, reflecting share price movements and reinvestment 
of dividends over a specific period. A relative TSR performance 
condition helps ensure that value is only delivered to participants 
if the investment return actually received by Brambles’ 
shareholders is sufficiently high relative to the return they could 
have received by investing in a portfolio of alternative stocks 
over the same period of time.

Profitable growth: Half of the LTI share award incentivises 
both long-term revenue and BVA growth. Vesting is based 
on achievement of sales revenue with three year performance 
targets set on a CAGR basis. The sales revenue growth targets are 
underpinned by BVA hurdles. This is designed to drive profitable 
business growth, to ensure quality of earnings is maintained at a 
strong level and to deliver increased shareholder value. Both 
sales revenue CAGR and BVA are measured in constant currency. 

Each year, a sales revenue CAGR/BVA matrix is set by the 
Committee and approved by the Board for each LTI share award. 
The matrix is published in the subsequent Remuneration 
Report and Financial Statements. This allows the Board to set 
targets for each LTI share award which reward strong 
performance in the light of the prevailing and forecast economic 
and trading conditions. 

The table below is the sales revenue CAGR/BVA matrix for LTI 
share awards made during the Year. 

LTI performance matrix for financial years 2012 to 2014 

Vesting % 

Cumulative three year BVA 
US$M at fixed June 2011 FX rates 

Sales revenue CAGR* 

850 

1,050 

1,250 

5% 

6% 

7% 

8% 

9% 

– 

20% 

40% 

60% 

80% 

20% 

40% 

60% 

80% 

100% 

10% 

100% 

100% 

*Three year CAGR over base year 

40% 

60% 

80% 

100% 

100% 

100% 

4.2.2  PERFORMANCE OF LTI SHARE AWARDS UNDER THE 2006 
PERFORMANCE SHARE PLAN 
The following tables detail actual performance against the 
applicable performance condition for LTI share awards made 
during the five financial years indicated. The first table also 
contains data on the level of vesting of “Enhanced STI share 
awards”, which were STI share awards granted under the 2006 
Share Plan prior to its amendment in November 2008 and were 
subject to a relative TSR performance condition. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 51

 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

Level of vesting of LTI and Enhanced STI share awards based on TSR performance 

Period to 30 June 2011   Period to 30 June 2012  

Awards  
made during 
financial year 

Performance  
condition 

Start of  
Performance  
Period 

Ranking (out of 100)/ 
Out-performance of 
median company’s TSR 
return (%) 

Vesting  
triggered 
(% of original award) 

Vesting  
triggered 
(% of original award) 

20088 

Relative TSR9 

1 July 2007 

689 

200910 

201010 

Relative TSR11 

1 July 2008 

Relative TSR11 

1 July 2009 

6.3011 

6.2911 

0% Enhanced STI awards 
0% LTI awards 

N/A 

57.8% LTI awards 

N/A 

N/A 

55.1% LTI Award 

The following table provides similar details for awards which have yet to be tested. 

Awards  
made during 
financial year 

Performance 
condition 

Start of  
Performance  
Period 

Out-performance of 
median company’s TSR 
return (%) 

Vesting if current performance  
is maintained until earliest testing date  
(% of original award) 

201110 

201210 

Relative TSR11 

1 July 2010 

Relative TSR11 

1 July 2011 

9.0111 

4.2511 

61.6% LTI Awards 

50.2% LTI Awards 

Period to 30 June 2012  

Level of vesting of LTI share awards based on sales revenue CAGR and BVA performance 
The following table provides details for the actual performance of LTI share awards against the applicable sales revenue CAGR/BVA matrix 
for those awards granted in 2009 and 2010 and which have been tested. 

Awards  
made during 
financial year 

Performance 
condition 

Start of  
Performance  
Period 

Period to 30 June 2011 
Vesting triggered 
(% of original award) 

Period to 30 June 2012 
Vesting triggered  
(% of original award) 

200910 

201010 

Sales CAGR/BVA  1 July 2008 

0.00% LTI awards 

N/A 

Sales CAGR/BVA  1 July 2009 

N/A 

30.00% LTI Award 

The following table provides similar details for LTI share awards the performance period of which has not yet expired. 

Awards  
made during 
financial year 

Performance 
condition 

Start of  
Performance  
Period 

Period to 30 June 2012 
Vesting if current performance is maintained until 
earliest testing date (% of original award) 

201110 

201210 

Sales CAGR/BVA  1 July 2010 

50% LTI Awards 

Sales CAGR/BVA  1 July 2011 

60% LTI Awards 

The changes to the Company’s structure over the 2009-2012 performance period has required the Board Remuneration Committee to 
consider a range of issues including the performance of the new businesses when determining the outcome in terms of LTI share awards. 

Over the course of the 3-year performance period from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2012, the Company has undergone major structural change, 
including the acquisition of IFCO and a number of smaller businesses. The Committee has determined that overall a threshold level of 
performance was achieved, and accordingly that LTI share awards under this element of the LTI plan would vest at 30%. 

8  These performance share rights were granted under the 2006 Share Plan prior to its amendment in November 2008. Rights under this Plan vest on the third 
anniversary of their grant date subject to meeting a relative TSR performance condition. If the performance condition is not met the rights will lapse.   

9  The average ranking of the Company’s TSR against the S&P/ASX100 Index. 
10 These performance share rights were granted under the 2006 Share Plan. Rights under this Plan vest on the third anniversary of their grant date. 50% of the 

award will vest subject to meeting a relative TSR performance condition. The balance of the award will vest subject to three year sales revenue CAGR and BVA 
performance. The vesting matrix for this component of the award made during the 2012 financial year is detailed at section 4.2.1. 

11 Percentage out-performance of the median company’s TSR return against the S&P/ASX100 Index. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 52

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

4.3  CHANGES TO EXECUTIVE AND EMPLOYEE SHARE PLAN 
RULES 

STI and LTI share awards are granted under the 2006 Share Plan. 
At the 2011 AGM, shareholders approved the following changes to 
the 2006 Share Plan rules. 

Other than Peter Mackie12, executives remunerated on a base salary 
approach receive pension contributions of 15% of base salary. 

During the Year, Jim Ritchie, Jasper Judd and Kevin Shuba ceased 
employment in accordance with the terms and conditions of their 
contracts. 

1.  Previously, the 2006 Share Plan rules provided that 50% of 
Disclosable Executives’ STI cash awards were deferred into 
STI share awards that vested three years after they were 
granted. While the level of deferral remains at 50%, the 
vesting period for STI share awards granted during August 
2011 and thereafter is two years from the date of grant. 

2.  Participants in the 2006 Share Plan (including Disclosable 
Executives) are treated as “good leavers” unless they 
voluntarily resign or are terminated for poor performance 
or misconduct. 

3.  The Board was granted discretion under the 2006 Share 
Plan rules to “clawback” unvested share awards in the 
event of serious misconduct by management which 
undermines materially the Group’s performance, financial 
soundness and reputation. These events include 
misrepresentations or material misstatements due to 
errors, omissions or negligence. 

5. EMPLOYEE SHARE PLAN  

At the 2008 AGM, shareholders gave approval to an all employee 
share plan (MyShare), which was implemented in January 2009. 

Since the initial launch, more than 3,000 Brambles employees 
from around 40 countries have elected to participate in MyShare. 
MyShare employee participants as a group are now our 25th 
largest shareholder. The number of shares purchased by 
employees (Acquired Shares) as at 30 June 2012 was 818,638, 
excluding shares received under the Dividend Share Program 
(Dividend Shares). At the end of March 2012, Brambles issued 
447,889 shares to employees, being a matching number of shares 
(Matching Shares) to those purchased and held by employees for 
the two year period. 

In 2012, MyShare was offered for the first time to employees 
in newly acquired businesses including Driessen and JMI. In 
2013, the offer will be extended to include Paramount 
Pallet’s employees. 

Disclosable Executives are eligible to participate in MyShare. 
Acquired Shares, Dividend Shares and Matching Shares obtained 
by Disclosable Executives through MyShare are included in section 
6.5 and 6.6. Matching share rights allocated, but not yet vested 
as Matching Shares (Matching Awards), are shown in section 6.4. 

6. EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND DISCLOSABLE EXECUTIVES 

6.1  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CHANGES 

During the Year there were no changes to Brambles’ Executive 
Directors. On 4 June 2012, however, the Company announced the 
retirement of Greg Hayes, CFO as an Executive Director. He will 
retire from the Brambles Board effective 1 October 2012 but will 
remain a Brambles employee until 1 March 2013. 

6.2  SERVICE CONTRACTS 

Current Disclosable Executives are on continuing contracts which 
may be terminated without cause by the employer giving 12 
months’ notice, or by the employee giving six months’ notice, 
with payments in lieu of notice calculated by reference to annual 
base salary. The termination provisions for Jim Ritchie, Kevin 
Shuba and Jasper Judd include payments in lieu of notice 
calculated by reference to annual base salary and health 
insurance benefits. These standard service contracts state that 
any termination payments made would be reduced by any value 
to be received under any new employment. 

Contract terms for executives 

Name and role(s) 

DISCLOSABLE EXECUTIVES

T J Gorman  
CEO 

G J Hayes13  
CFO 

J K Holley 
Group Chief Information Officer 
from 6 September 2011 

P S Mackie  
Group President, Pallets, Americas  

K Pohler 
Group President, RPCS 

E E Potts  
Group President & Chief Operating 
Officer, Recall 

J D Rabbino 
Group President, Containers 
from 21 May 2012 

N P Smith  
Group Senior Vice President, 
Human Resources 

R J Westerbos  
Group President, Pallets, EMEA & Asia-
Pacific  

FORMER DISCLOSABLE EXECUTIVES  

J R A Judd  
Group Senior Vice President & Head of 
Innovation until 10 February 2012 

J D Ritchie  
Group President, CHEP Americas 
until 31 August 2011 

K J Shuba  
Group Senior Vice President & Customer 
Development Officer until 
30 September 2011, when he ceased to 
be a member of the ELT, and 
thereafter Senior Vice President North 
American Containers until 30 June 2012 

Salary as at 30 June 
2012 unless indicated

Base salary of 
A$2,000,000 

Base salary of 
A$1,550,000  

Base salary of 
US$425,000 

Base salary of 
US$638,000  

Base salary of  
€850,000 

Base salary of 
US$566,000  

Base salary of 
US$525,000 

Base salary of  
A$618,000  

Base salary of 
€442,000  

Base salary of 
A$515,000 

Base salary of 
US$550,000 

Base salary of 
US$530,000 

12 Mr Mackie received employer superannuation (pension) contributions of 21% 
of base salary for income up to £153,700 and 15% of base salary for any 
amount above £153,700 for the period 1 July to 30 September 2011. 

13 Mr Hayes will retire from the Brambles Group on 1 March 2013. A summary 
of his retirement entitlements was announced to the ASX on 4 June 2012. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 53

 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

6.3  TOTAL REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS FOR THE YEAR 

The table below provides a summary of the actual remuneration received by the Disclosable Executives for the Year, together with prior year 
comparatives. The purpose of this table is to enable shareholders to better understand the actual remuneration received by Disclosable 
Executives. Income derived from the vesting of shares during the year has been included below as “Actual share income”. The value shown is 
the market value at the time the income became available to the executive. These awards were granted in prior financial years. The values 
shown relate to STI and LTI share awards made in 2009. (Theoretical accounting values for unvested share awards are shown in section 9.4; 
those values are a statutory disclosure requirement. Unvested share awards may result in “Actual share income” in future years and, if so, 
the income will be reported in the table below in the Annual Report for the relevant year). 

Short term employee benefits 

Post-
employment 
benefits 

Name 

Year 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS 

Cash/ 

salary/ 

fees 
US$'000 

Non- 

Cash  monetary 
benefits14 
US$'000

bonus 
US$'000 

T J Gorman15 

2012 

2,430 

1,043 

G J Hayes15 

2011 

1,730 

1,000 

2012 

1,691 

2011 

1,339 

746 

993 

Totals 

2012 

4,121 

1,789 

2011 

3,069 

1,993 

CURRENT DISCLOSABLE EXECUTIVES 

J K Holley16 

P S Mackie 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

408 

- 

749 

749 

K Pohler15 

2012 

1,133 

E E Potts 

J D Rabbino16 

N P Smith15 

R J Westerbos15 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

292 

613 

566 

64 

- 

691 

624 

582 

575 

FORMER DISCLOSABLE EXECUTIVES 

J R A Judd15 

J D Ritchie 

K J Shuba 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

367 

603 

95 

566 

588 

562 

158 

- 

370 

394 

- 

254 

148 

249 

- 

- 

260 

326 

248 

268 

143 

266 

- 

248 

183 

255 

Totals 

2012 

5,290 

1,510 

2011 

4,537 

2,260 

296 

238 

42 

5 

338 

243 

75 

- 

146 

142 

37 

10 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

2 

108 

87 

10 

6 

- 

6 

- 

141 

376 

394 

Other 

Termination/ 

sign-on 

payments/ 

Actual 
share 
income 

Total 

Super- 

retirement 

before  

STI/LTI 

annuation 
US$'000

benefits 
US$'000

Other 
US$'000 

equity 
US$'000 

awards 
US$'000

Total 
US$'000

- 

- 

52 

204 

52 

204 

24 

- 

17 

114 

9 

2 

71 

77 

- 

- 

52 

89 

84 

81 

27 

76 

32 

80 

74 

73 

390 

592 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

133 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

330 

400 

906 

- 

616 

-   

602 

- 

2,587 

400 

21 

19 

-  

- 

21 

19 

11 

- 

20 

10 

6 

1 

15 

18 

-  

- 

-  

- 

- 

- 

3,790 

2,987 

2,531 

2,541 

6,321 

5,528 

809 

- 

1,302 

1,409 

1,185 

559 

847 

910 

64 

- 

1,003 

1,041 

1,352 

1,411 

661 

260 

- 

- 

661 

260 

4,451 

3,247 

2,531 

2,541 

6,982 

5,788 

- 

- 

809 

- 

171 

1,473 

54 

1,463 

- 

- 

1,185 

559 

261 

1,108 

59 

- 

- 

969 

64 

- 

339 

1,342 

6 

- 

- 

1,047 

1,352 

1,411 

-  

1,453 

329 

1,782 

- 

4 

17 

19 

18 

75 

64 

951 

747 

917 

1,466 

1,049 

88 

- 

208 

416 

78 

1,039 

747 

1,125 

1,882 

1,127 

10,228 

1,516 

11,744 

8,247 

493 

8,740 

14 Non-monetary benefits include car parking, personal/spouse travel, club membership, motor vehicles, relocation and storage costs and fringe benefits tax. 
15 The year-on-year comparison of remuneration is affected by the movement of exchange rates from A$1=US$0.9973 and EUR=US$1.3746 for 2011 to 

A$1=US$1.0304 and EUR=US$1.3325 respectively for 2012. 

16 These executives were appointed to their current role during the Year, as such the 2012 comparator represents part year only. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 54

 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

6.4  EQUITY-BASED AWARDS 

6.5  SHAREHOLDINGS 

The following table shows details of equity-based awards made to 
the Disclosable Executives during the Year. STI and LTI share awards 
were made under the 2006 Share Plan, the terms and conditions of 
which are available in sections 9.2 and 9.3 (see plan numbers 
15 to 19). Matching Awards were made under MyShare, the terms 
and conditions of which are available in sections 9.2 and 9.3 (plan 
numbers 36 to 48). 

Type of aw ard

Name
DISCLOSABLE EX ECUTIV ES
T J Gorman

G J Hayes

J K Holley

P S Mackie

K Pohler

E E Potts

J D Rabbino

N P Smith

J D Ritchie

K J Shuba

STI
LTI
MyShare Matching
Total
STI
LTI
Total
STI
LTI
MyShare Matching
Total
STI
LTI
MyShare Matching
Total
STI
LTI
Total
STI
LTI
MyShare Matching
Total
STI
LTI
Total
STI
LTI
MyShare Matching
Total

STI
LTI
MyShare Matching
Total
STI
LTI
MyShare Matching
Total
STI
LTI
MyShare Matching
Total

R J Westerbos STI
LTI
Total

FORMER DISCLOSABLE EX ECUTIV ES
J R A Judd

Equity-based aw ards

V alue at grant 

Number

US$'00017

 151,305 
 392,268 
730
 544,303 
 150,221 
 274,588 
 424,809 
   64,610 
   61,020 
229
 125,859 
   54,192 
 111,208 
693
 166,093 
 - 
-

           -   

   34,335 
 102,658 
         702 
 137,695 
 - 
 - 

           -   

   49,262 
   90,522 
730
 140,514 
   39,544 
 108,114 
 147,658 

              1,048 
              2,718 
                      5 
              3,771 
              1,041 
              1,902 
              2,943 
                  448 
                  423 
                      2 
                  873 
                  375 
                  770 
                      5 
              1,150 
- 
-
                    - 
                  238 
                  711 
                      5 
                  954 
- 
- 
                    - 
                  341 
                  627 
                      5 
                  973 
                  274 
                  749 
              1,023 

   40,263 
   77,698 
483
 118,444 
 - 
 - 
         192 
         192 
   36,617 
   98,924 
         702 
 136,243 

                  279 
                  538 
                      3 
                  820 
- 
- 
                      1 
                      1 
                  254 
                  685 
                      5 
                  944 

The table below shows details of Brambles Limited ordinary shares 
in which the Disclosable Executives held relevant interests, being 
issued shares held by them and their related parties. 

Under recently updated guidelines, members of Brambles’ ELT 
are encouraged, over the five year period commencing from the 
date they joined the ELT, to achieve and maintain a shareholding 
equal to 100% of salary before tax. In circumstances where 
executives wish to sell shares, they will require the approval of the 
Chairman (in the case of the CEO) or the CEO (in the case of all 
other ELT members). 

Balanc e at the 

Changes 

Balanc e at 

Ordinary  

shares

start of the 

during the 

the end of 

Y ear

Y ear

the Y ear18

DISCLOSABLE EX ECUTIV ES 

T J Gorman

G J Hayes

J K Holley

P S Mackie

K Pohler

E E Potts

J D Rabbino

N P Smith

40,967

87,815

128,78219

-

-

961

-

-

229

-

22920

1,204

2,16520

-

-

66,607

26,452

93,05919

-

-

-

2,630

1,502

4,13220

R J Westerbos

101,495

-

101,495

FORMER DISCLOSABLE EX ECUTIV ES 

J R A Judd

J D Ritchie

K J Shuba

18 19 20 21 

79,436

-15,066

64,37021

60,324

-60,302

2221

57,766

42,020

99,78619

17 The total value of the relevant equity award(s) is valued as at the date of 
grant using the methodology set out in section 9.1. The minimum possible 
future value of all awards yet to vest is zero, and is based on the 
performance/service conditions not being met. The maximum possible 
future value of awards yet to vest is equal to the value at grant. 

18 On 31 July 2012, the following Disclosable Executives acquired ordinary 

shares under MyShare, which are held by AET Structured Finance Services 
Pty Limited: Tom Gorman (67), Jean Holley (91), Peter Mackie (91), Elton 
Potts (91) and Nick Smith (67). 

19 Of which AET Structured Finance Services Pty Limited holds 127,344 

shares for Tom Gorman, 35,905 shares for Elton Potts and 1,522 shares for 
Kevin Shuba. 

20 Held by AET Structured Finance Services Pty Limited. 
21 Balance at the end of the Year is at cessation of employment for Jasper 
Judd, who ceased employment on 10 February 2012; Jim Ritchie, who 
ceased employment on 31 August 2011.  

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 55

 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

6.6  INTERESTS IN SHARE RIGHTS22 2324 

The table below shows details of rights over Brambles Limited ordinary shares in which the Disclosable Executives held relevant interests: 

-  Share rights, being awards made on 27 August 2008, 25 November 2009, 24 November 2010 and 6 September 2011 under the 2006 Share 

Plan; and 

-  Matching Awards, being conditional rights awarded during the Year under MyShare. 

Balanc e at 

the start 

of the 

Y ear

Granted 

during 

the Y ear

Exerc ised 

during 

the Y ear23

Lapsed 

during

the Y ear

V alue at 

V alue at 

V ested and 

Balanc e at

exerc iseable 

the end of

at the end of 

the Y ear24

the Y ear

Name

Number

Number25

V alue at grant

Number

exerc ise

Number

lapse26

Number

Number

 US$'000

 US$'000

 US$'000

DISCLOSABLE EX ECUTIV ES

T J Gorman

955,882

544,303

G J Hayes

735,011

424,809

J K Holley

-

125,859

3,771

2,943

873

94,220

666

89,629

673

1,316,336

-

-

-

-

-

-

P S Mackie

272,237

166,093

1,150

24,894

176

37,990

K Pohler

251,637

-

E E Potts

346,488

137,695

J D Rabbino

-

-

N P Smith

334,360

140,514

-

954

-

973

-

-

-

37,668

266

53,719

-

-

-

48,682

344

49,261

R J Westerbos

116,434

147,658

1,023

-

-

-

FORMER DISCLOSABLE EX ECUTIV ES

J R A Judd

296,916

118,444

J D Ritchie

200,658

192

K J Shuba

379,094

136,243

820

1

944

48,090

341

153,712

1,179

213,558

1,103

8

84,948

60,508

427

175,775

604

1202

114,799

279,054

-

-

285

-

403

-

370

-

1,159,820

125,859

375,446

251,637

392,796

-

376,931

264,092

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

22 Of the awards detailed in section 9.3 the following plan numbers are relevant to Disclosable Executives: Tom Gorman (6-14 and 17-48); Greg Hayes (10-14 and 
17-19); (6-14 and 14-48) for Peter Mackie, Elton Potts and Nick Smith; Jasper Judd (6-14 and 17-43); Jim Ritchie (10-14 and 20-38); Kevin Shuba (6-8, 10-14, 
and 17-48); Jean Holley (15-16 and 18-19); Dolph Westerbos (12-14 and 17-19) and Karl Pohler (12). Lapses occurred for Tom Gorman, Peter Mackie, Elton 
Potts and Nick Smith (7 and 8). Exercises occurred for Tom Gorman, Peter Mackie, Elton Potts and Nick Smith (6-7 and 20-31); Jasper Judd (6-7 and 20-43) and 
Jim Ritchie (20-38). 

23 Of the options/rights exercised during the Year, no monies were paid or payable on exercise. The shares issued on exercise of share rights are fully paid up. All 

of the share rights exercised during the Year vested during the Year.  

24 On 31 July 2012, the following Disclosable Executives received Matching Awards under MyShare: Tom Gorman (67), Jean Holley (91), Peter Mackie (91), Elton 

Potts (91) and Nick Smith (67). 

25 During the Year 4,571,280 performance share rights were granted under the 2006 Share Plan, of which 543,573 were granted to Tom Gorman and 424,809 were 
granted to Greg Hayes. 714,705 Matching Awards were granted under MyShare during the Year, of which 730 were granted to Tom Gorman. Approval for these 
issues of securities was obtained under ASX Listing Rule 10.14 at the AGM held on 10 November 2011. 

26 “Lapse” in this context means that the award was forfeited due to either the applicable service or performance conditions not being met. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 56

 
 
       
       
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
           
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

7.2  NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS’ APPOINTMENT LETTERS 

Directors are appointed for an unspecified term but are subject to 
election by shareholders at the first AGM after their initial 
appointment by the Board. The Corporate Governance Statement 
contains details of the process for appointing and re-electing 
Non-executive Directors and of the years in which the Non-
executive Directors are next due for re-election by shareholders 
(see pages 34, 35 and 36). 

Letters of appointment for the Non-executive Directors, which are 
contracts for service but not contracts of employment, have been 
put in place. These letters confirm that the Non-executive Directors 
have no right to compensation on the termination of their 
appointment for any reason, other than for unpaid fees and 
expenses for the period actually served. 

The Non-executive Directors do not participate in Brambles’ STI or 
LTI plans. 

7.3  NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS’ REMUNERATION FOR THE YEAR 

The fees and other benefits provided to Non-executive Directors 
during the Year and during the prior year are set out in the table 
below in US$. The full names of the Non-executive Directors and the 
dates of any changes in Non-executive Directors are shown in the 
Directors’ Report – Other Information. Non-executive Directors do 
not receive any share-based payment.  

Any contributions to personal superannuation or pension funds on 
behalf of the Non-executive Directors are deducted from their 
overall fee entitlements. 

7. NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS’ DISCLOSURES 

7.1  NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS’ REMUNERATION POLICY  

The Chairman’s fees are determined by the Remuneration 
Committee and the other Non-executive Directors’ fees are 
determined by the Chairman and Executive Directors. In setting the 
fees, advice is sought from external remuneration advisors on the 
appropriate level of fees, taking into account the responsibilities of 
Directors in dealing with the complexity and global nature of 
Brambles’ affairs and the level of fees paid to Non-executive 
Directors in comparable companies. Fees are paid in the currency in 
the country of domicile. 

A review of Non-executive Director and Board Chairman fees was 
undertaken in 2012 to ensure the fees remained in line with market 
practice, resulting in an increase of 4%. 

The review established the following fee structure: 

Chairman 

Australia-based Non-executive Directors 

UK-based Non-executive Directors27 

Canada-based Non-executive Director28 

USA-based Non-executive Director29 

A$587,000  

A$187,000  

£86,500  

C$194,500 

US$191,500 

Fee supplement for Audit Committee Chairman30 

A$36,000 

Fee supplement for Remuneration Committee 
Chairman 30 

£22,000 

Travel allowance for Canada-based Director 

C$16,000 

Travel allowance for UK-based Directors 

£10,000 

Travel allowance for USA-based Director 

US$16,000 

The next fee review will be undertaken during January 2013. 

The Company will be seeking shareholder approval to increase the 
maximum annual aggregate remuneration of Non-executive 
Directors (the Non-executive Directors’ fee pool) at the 2012 Annual 
General Meeting. The Non-executive Directors’ fee pool was last set 
in August 2006. The proposed increase from US$2.30 million to 
US$2.75 million will enable Brambles to consider the appointment of 
an additional director if appropriate and to allow for market rate 
increases, if appropriate, to Non-executive Directors fees over the 
next several years. 

27 David Gosnell and Luke Mayhew are UK based Non-executive Directors. 
28 Tahira Hassan is the only Canada based Non-executive Director. 
29 Doug Duncan is the only USA based Non-executive Director. 
30 The fee supplement is only payable to a Committee Chairman who is not 

also the Board Chairman. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 57

 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

Table 7.3 Non-executive Directors’ remuneration for the Year 

Name 

Year

CURRENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS 

Short term employee benefits 

Post-employment benefits 

Directors’ fees
US$'000 

Superannuation 
US$'000 

Other31 
US$'000 

Total32
US$'000 

D G Duncan 

A G Froggatt33 

D P Gosnell 

T Hassan 

S P Johns33 

S C H Kay33 

G J Kraehe AO33 

C L Mayhew33 

B M Schwartz AM33 

Totals 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

88 

- 

176 

164 

81 

- 

109 

- 

214 

211 

173 

161 

579 

533 

178 

167 

173 

161 

1,771 

1,397 

4 

- 

13 

12 

3 

- 

5 

- 

12 

16 

16 

15 

22 

14 

6 

6 

16 

15 

97 

78 

17 

- 

8 

- 

3 

- 

8 

- 

12 

1 

6 

- 

53 

20 

9 

3 

56 

- 

109 

- 

197 

176 

87 

- 

122 

- 

238 

228 

195 

176 

654 

567 

193 

176 

245 

176 

172 

24 

2,040 

1,499 

7.4  NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS’ SHAREHOLDINGS 

As a guideline, Non-executive Directors are encouraged to 
hold shares in Brambles equal to their annual fees after tax 
within three years of their appointment. 

The following table contains details of Brambles Limited 
ordinary shares in which the Non-executive Directors held 
relevant interests, being issued shares held by them and 
their related parties. The Non-executive Directors do not 
participate in Brambles’ equity-based incentive schemes. 

Ordinary shares 

Balance at 
the start of 
the Year 

Changes 
during the 
Year 

Balance at 
the end of 
the Year 

CURRENT NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS 

D G Duncan 

A G Froggatt 

D P Gosnell  

T Hassan  

S P Johns 

S C H Kay 

G J Kraehe AO 

C L Mayhew 

B M Schwartz AM 

- 

24,890 

14,450 

- 

47,500 

14,877 

63,776 

16,500 

13,029 

- 

- 

- 

8,000 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

24,89034 

14,45035 

8,00036 

47,50037 

14,87738 

63,77639 

16,50040 

13,02941 

31 “Other” includes personal/spouse travel, meals and fringe benefits tax. 
32 None of the Non-executive Directors received rights/awards over Brambles Limited shares during the Year, so there are no relevant share-based payment 

amounts for disclosure. 

33 The year-on-year comparison of remuneration is affected by the movement of exchange rates from A$1=US$0.9973 and GBP1=US$1.5941 for 2011 to 

A$1=US$1.0304 and GBP1=US$1.5834 for 2012. 

34 Of which 7,000 shares were held by Christine Joanne Froggatt and 10,000 shares were held by Bond Street Custodians as nominee for Jessie Elizabeth Froggatt 

(under a power of attorney). 

35 Held by Susan Gosnell. 
36 Held by RBC Dexia Custodian on behalf of Tahira Hassan. 
37 Of which 27,500 shares were held by Canzak Pty Ltd, and 20,000 shares were held by Caran Pty Limited. 
38 Of which 9,977 held by the Carolyn Kay Superannuation Fund. 
39 Held by Invia Custodians as trustee for the Graham John Kraehe Self Managed Superannuation Fund. 
40 Held by Roy Nominees on behalf C L Mayhew. 
41 Held by Brian Martin Schwartz & Arlene Schwartz as trustee for the Schwartz Superannuation Fund. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 58

 
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

8. REMUNERATION ADVISORS 

The Committee have appointed Ernst & Young as Brambles’ 
remuneration adviser to assist the Company with non-executive 
director and executive remuneration matters. In performing its role, 
the Remuneration Committee directly request and receive 
information and advice from Ernst & Young. 

During the financial year no remuneration recommendations, as 
defined by the Act (Recommendations), were provided by Ernst & 
Young. Ernst & Young also provided taxation, internal audit, option 
valuation and project related services together with general 
employee advice services to Brambles during the Year. These 
services did not include a Recommendation. 

In 2012 the Committee reviewed the arrangement relating to the 
engagement of its independent, external advisor. As a result, 
Brambles has made the following arrangements to ensure that the 
making of any Recommendations would be free from undue 
influence by the Disclosable Executives to whom a Recommendation 
may relate. 

-  The engagement letter entered into by Brambles and Ernst & 

Young contained an agreed set of engagement protocols which 
apply to the provision of Recommendations to Brambles. These 
include: 

• An agreed set of pre-approved services Ernst & Young may 
provide Brambles management, which services excluded 
Recommendations; 

• Any requests to Ernst & Young from Brambles management 

which might constitute a Recommendation are to be 
referred by Ernst & Young to the Committee for its 
consideration and direction; 

• Ernst & Young are not permitted to provide Recommendations to 

Brambles’ management; and 

• Ernst & Young include with their Recommendation(s) a 

declaration that they have not been unduly influenced by the 
Disclosable Executive the subject of the Recommendation; 

-  Representatives of Ernst & Young attend all Committee meetings; 

-  Except for Mr Gorman and Mr Smith, the Disclosable Executives do 

not attend Committee meetings; 

-  Mr Gorman and Mr Smith do not attend Committee meetings when 

their remuneration is being reviewed or discussed; and  

-  The Committee meets with Ernst & Young without management 

being present, during which time any issues or questions relating 
to Disclosable Executive's remuneration which are not appropriate 
to discuss with management present, may be discussed. 

9. APPENDICES 

9.1  BASIS OF VALUATION OF EQUITY-BASED AWARDS 

Unless otherwise specified, the fair value of the options and share 
rights included in the tables in this report, has been estimated by 
Ernst & Young Transaction Advisory Services in accordance with the 
requirements of AASB 2: Share-based Payments, using a binomial 
model. Assumptions used in the evaluations are outlined in Note 28, 
pages 109 and 110 of the financial accounts. 

9.2  SUMMARY OF 2006 PLANS 

The table below contains details of the 2006 Share Plan and MyShare 
Plan under which former or current Disclosable Executives have 
unvested and/or unexercised awards which could affect 
remuneration in this or future reporting periods. The plans in bold 
relate to the Plans and targets which were relevant to vesting 
during the Year.

Plan 

2006 Share Plan 
(STI) 

2006 Share Plan 
(TSR LTI) 

Nature of 
award 

Share rights 

Size of award 

Up to 100% of size  
of STI cash award 

Share rights  % of salary/TFR 

2006 Share Plan 
(FY10-FY12 
BVA LTI) 

Share rights  % of salary/TFR 

2006 Share Plan 
(FY11-FY13 
BVA LTI) 

2006 Share Plan 
(FY12-FY14 
BVA LTI) 

Share rights 

% of salary/TFR 

Share rights 

% of salary/TFR 

Vesting 
condition 

Time only.

Time and 
relative TSR 
hurdle. 

Time and sales 
revenue CAGR 
and BVA 
performance. 

Vesting schedule 

100% vesting based on continuous 
employment. 

40% vesting if TSR is equal to the 
median ranked company. 100% 
vesting if 25% above the median 
ranked company. 

30% vesting occurs if CAGR is 4% 
and BVA is US$800M over three 
year period. 100% vesting occurs 
if CAGR is 6% and BVA is 
US$1,200M over three year 
period. 

Time and sales 
revenue CAGR 
and BVA 
performance. 

30% vesting occurs if CAGR is 5% 
and BVA is US$900M over three year 
period. 100% vesting occurs if CAGR 
is 7% and BVA is US$1,300M over 
three year period. 

Time and sales 
revenue CAGR 
and BVA 
performance. 

20% vesting occurs if CAGR is 6%
and BVA is US$850M over three year 
period. 100% vesting occurs if CAGR 
is 8% and BVA is US$1,250M over 
three year period. 

Performance/ 
vesting period 

Life of award

Three years. 

Maximum of six years.

Three years.  Maximum of six 

years. 

Three years.  Maximum of six 

years. 

Three years. 

Maximum of six years.

Three years. 

Maximum of six years.

MyShare 

Matching 
Awards 

1:1 Matching 
Awards for  
every Acquired  
Share purchased 

Time and 
retention of 
Acquired 
Shares. 

N/A

Two years 
from first 
acquisition. 

Automatic exercise 
on second 
anniversary of first 
acquisition. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 59

 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

9.3  SHARE RIGHTS 

The terms and conditions of each grant of share rights affecting remuneration in this or future reporting periods are outlined in the table 
below. Share rights granted under the plans carry no dividend or voting rights. 

Plan 

Plan 
number 

Grant date 

Expiry date

Exercise 
price 

Value at grant

Status/vesting date

2006 Share Plans 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

19 January 200742 43  31 August 2012

29 August 200742 

30 August 201344

29 August 200745 

30 August 201344

29 August 200746 

30 August 201344

28 April 200842 

29 April 201444

27 August 200842 

27 August 201444

27 August 200846 

27 August 201444

27 August 200847 

27 August 201444

25 November 200942  25 November 201544

25 November 200946  25 November 201544

25 November 200947  25 November 201544

24 November 201048  24 November 201644

24 November 201046  24 November 201644

24 November 201047  24 November 201644

6 September 2011 

1 August 201244

6 September 2011 

1 August 201344

6 September 201148  6 September 201744

6 September 201146  6 September 201744

6 September 201147  6 September 201744

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

A$12.60

A$12.64

A$6.75

A$8.11

A$8.01

A$6.53

A$5.99

A$4.67

A$5.85

A$5.85

A$3.84

A$6.01

A$6.01

A$3.78

A$6.17

A$5.92

A$5.92

A$5.68

A$3.46

100% vested at 19 January 2010

100% vested at 29 August 2010

100% lapsed at 29 August 2010

100% lapsed at 29 August 2010

100% vested at 28 April 2011

100% vested at 27 August 2011

57.8% exercisable from 27 August 
2011, remainder lapsed 

100% lapsed at 27 August 2011

25 November 2012 

25 November 2012 

25 November 2012 

25 November 2012 

25 November 2013 

25 November 2013 

1 July 2012 

1 July 2013 

6 September 2013 

6 September 2014 

6 September 2014 

42 STI awards vest on the third anniversary of their grant date, subject to continued employment. 
43 Awards granted on 19 January 2007 were, for pricing and vesting purposes, taken to have been granted on 30 August 2006. 
44 Awards granted to Elton Potts, Tom Gorman, Kevin Shuba, Jean Holley, Peter Mackie and Jim Ritchie expire three years earlier than the date shown, or 

immediately after vesting, if earlier. 

45 Enhanced STI awards vest on the third anniversary of their grant date, subject to continued employment and meeting a TSR performance condition. 
46 These LTI awards vest on the third anniversary of their grant date, subject to continued employment and meeting a TSR performance condition. 
47 These LTI awards vest on the third anniversary of their grant date, subject to continuing employment and meeting a sales revenue CAGR and BVA 

performance condition. 

48 STI awards vest on the second anniversary of their grant date, subject to continued employment. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 60

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

Plan 

MyShare 

Plan 
number 

Grant date 

Expiry date

Exercise 
price 

Value at grant

Status/vesting date

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43 

44 

45 

46 

47 

48 

31 March 201049 

1 April 2012

30 April 201049 

1 April 2012

31 May 201049 

1 April 2012

30 June 201049 

1 April 2012

30 July 201049 

1 April 2012

31 August 201049 

1 April 2012

30 September 201049  1 April 2012

29 October 201049 

1 April 2012

30 November 201049  1 April 2012

31 December 201049  1 April 2012

31 January 201149 

1 April 2012

28 February 201149 

1 April 2012

31 March 201150 

1 April 2013

29 April 201150 

1 April 2013

31 May 201150 

1 April 2013

30 June 201150 

1 April 2013

29 July 201150 

1 April 2013

31 August 201150 

1 April 2013

30 September 201150  1 April 2013

31 October 201150 

1 April 2013

30 November 201150  1 April 2013

30 December 201150  1 April 2013

31 January 201250 

1 April 2013

29 February 201250 

1 April 2013

30 March 201251 

1 April 2014

30 April 201251 

1 April 2014

31 May 201251 

1 April 2014

29 June 201251 

1 April 2014

31 July 201251 

1 April 2014

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

-

A$7.00

A$6.92

A$6.31

A$5.13

A$5.18

A$5.60

A$5.91

A$6.00

A$6.47

A$6.74

A$6.80

A$6.68

A$6.73

A$6.48

A$6.94

A$6.76

A$6.58

A$6.30

A$6.05

A$6.37

A$6.73

A$6.80

A$6.94

A$6.77

A$6.73

A$6.97

A$6.26

A$5.80

A$6.24

100% vested on 31 March 2012

100% vested on 31 March 2012

100% vested on 31 March 2012

100% vested on 31 March 2012

100% vested on 31 March 2012

100% vested on 31 March 2012

100% vested on 31 March 2012

100% vested on 31 March 2012

100% vested on 31 March 2012

100% vested on 31 March 2012

100% vested on 31 March 2012

100% vested on 31 March 2012

31 March 2013 

31 March 2013 

31 March 2013 

31 March 2013 

31 March 2013 

31 March 2013 

31 March 2013 

31 March 2013 

31 March 2013 

31 March 2013 

31 March 2013 

31 March 2013 

31 March 2014 

31 March 2014 

31 March 2014 

31 March 2014 

31 March 2014 

49 These Matching Awards granted under MyShare vest on 31 March 2012, subject to continuing employment and the retention of the associated Acquired Shares. 

On vesting they are automatically exercised. 

50 These Matching Awards granted under MyShare vest on 31 March 2013, subject to continuing employment and the retention of the associated Acquired Shares. 

On vesting they are automatically exercised. 

51 These Matching Awards granted under MyShare vest on 31 March 2014, subject to continuing employment and the retention of the associated Acquired Shares. 

On vesting they are automatically exercised. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 61

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – REMUNERATION REPORT – CONTINUED 

9.4  SHARE BASED PAYMENTS – FUTURE POTENTIAL 

The table below provides annual accounting values for shares granted during years 2009-2011 which have been amortised over three years. 

These share awards are subject to conditions set out in section 9.2. Remuneration will normally not be received as a result of the underlying 
share awards vesting until the conditions have been met. 

Name 

Year 

Total before equity52 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS 

T J Gorman 

G J Hayes 

Totals 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

CURRENT DISCLOSABLE EXECUTIVES 

J K Holley 

P S Mackie 

K Pohler 

E E Potts 

J D Rabbino 

N P Smith 

R J Westerbos 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

FORMER DISCLOSABLE EXECUTIVES 

J R A Judd 

J D Ritchie 

K J Shuba 

Totals 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

2012 

2011 

US$'000 

3,790 

2,987 

2,531 

2,541 

6,321 

5,528 

809 

- 

1,302 

1,409 

1,185 

559 

847 

910 

64 

- 

1,003 

1,041 

1,352 

1,411 

1,453 

951 

747 

917 

1,466 

1,049 

10,228 

8,247 

Share-based payment 

Awards

US$'000

As % of 2012 

total remuneration 

Total

US$'000

1,546

823

1,306

500

2,852

1,323

194

-

469

217

465

109

463

300

-

-

481

279

301

80

690

269

230

394

440

304

3,733

1,952

29% 

22% 

34% 

16% 

- 

- 

19% 

- 

26% 

13% 

28% 

16% 

35% 

25% 

0% 

- 

32% 

21% 

18% 

5% 

32% 

22% 

24% 

30% 

23% 

22% 

- 

- 

5,336

3,810

3,837

3,041

9,173

6,851

1,003

-

1,771

1,626

1,650

668

1,310

1,210

64

-

1,484

1,320

1,653

1,491

2,143

1,220

977

1,311

1,906

1,353

13,961

10,199

Luke Mayhew 
Non-executive Director & Chairman of the Remuneration Committee 
16 August 2012 

52 As per table 6.3 on page 54. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 62

 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – OTHER INFORMATION 

On 4 June 2012, as a consequence of the decision to retain Recall, 
Brambles also announced that it would undertake a fully 
underwritten 1-for-20 pro rata accelerated renounceable 
entitlement offer to raise gross proceeds of A$448 million at an 
underwritten price of A$6.05 per share. 

The offer comprised an institutional and a retail component. Under 
the institutional component, 55.0 million Brambles ordinary shares 
were issued on 18 June 2012, raising proceeds of approximately 
A$332.8 million. Under the retail component, 19.1 million Brambles 
ordinary shares were issued on 10 July 2012, raising proceeds of 
approximately A$115.3 million. 
MATTERS SINCE THE END OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR 
On 10 July, 2012, Brambles issued 19.1 million ordinary shares, 
raising proceeds of approximately A$115.3 million under the retail 
component of the pro-rata accelerated renounceable entitlement 
offer referred to in the Significant Changes in State of Affairs 
section of this report.  

Other than this, the Directors are not aware of any matter or 
circumstance that has arisen since 30 June 2012 up to the date of 
this Report that has significantly affected or may significantly affect 
the operations of the Group, the results of those operations or the 
state of affairs of the Group in future financial years. 
BUSINESS STRATEGIES AND PROSPECTS FOR FUTURE 
FINANCIAL YEARS 
The business strategies and prospects for future financial years, 
together with likely developments in the operations of the Group in 
future financial years and the expected results of those operations 
known at the date of this Report, are set out in the Letter from the 
Chairman & the CEO on pages 1 and 3 and in the Operational & 
Financial Review on pages 4 to 11. Further information in relation to 
such matters has not been included because the Directors believe 
it would be likely to result in unreasonable prejudice to the Group. 
DIVIDENDS 
The Directors have declared a final dividend for the Year of 13.0 
Australian cents per share, which will be 30% franked. The dividend 
will be paid on 11 October 2012 to shareholders on the register on 
21 September 2012. On 12 April 2012, an interim dividend for the 
Year was paid, which was 13.0 Australian cents per share and 20% 
franked. On 13 October 2011, a final dividend for the year ended 
30 June 2011 was paid, which was 13.0 Australian cents per share 
and 20% franked. The unfranked component of each dividend paid 
during the Year was conduit foreign income. This means that no 
Australian dividend withholding tax was payable on the dividends 
that Brambles paid to non-resident shareholders. 

The information presented in this Report relates to the consolidated 
entity, the Brambles Group, consisting of Brambles Limited and 
the entities it controlled at the end of, or during the year ended 
30 June 2012 (Year). 
PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES 
The principal activities of the Group during the Year were the 
provision of pallet and container pooling and supply chain services 
and information management services. Brambles is a leading global 
provider of these services.  

The Group’s principal operations comprised four business segments: 
Pallets, RPCs, Containers and Recall. Pallets, RPCs and Containers 
are collectively known as the Pooling Solutions businesses. 

The Pallets business, carried out under the name CHEP, owns a pool 
of pallets and containers, which it issues, collects and reissues 
through a network of service centres in multiple countries. 
Manufacturers, producers, distributors and retailers use these 
pallets and containers to transport their products safely and 
efficiently through the supply chain. In addition, CHEP provides 
supply chain optimisation and transport management services and, 
in the USA provides a national network of pallet management 
services, to sort, repair and reissue pallets. The Pallets segment 
comprises three geographic business units: Americas; Europe, Middle 
East & Africa; and Asia-Pacific.  

The RPC business, carried out under the name IFCO, operates a pool 
of reusable plastic containers globally, which are used primarily to 
transport fresh produce from producers to grocery retailers.  

The Containers business provides intermediate bulk, automotive and 
chemical and catalyst containers to its customers. It also operates 
an airline container pooling and repair business and a non-flight 
critical aviation equipment maintenance and repair business called 
CHEP Aerospace.   

Recall is a global business and comprises the management of 
information, providing secure storage, digitisation, retrieval and 
destruction of information in multiple media formats. 

There were no significant changes in the nature of the Group’s 
principal activities during the Year.  
REVIEW OF OPERATIONS AND RESULTS  
A review of the Group’s operations and a review of the results of 
those operations are given in the Letter from the Chairman & the 
CEO on pages 1 to 3, the Operational & Financial Review on pages 4 
to 11 and in the Treasury & Risk Review on pages 12 to 13. 

Information about the financial position of the Group is included in 
the Operational & Financial Review on pages 4 to 11 and in the Five-
Year Financial Performance Summary on page 138. 
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN STATE OF AFFAIRS 
On 17 August 2011, Brambles announced that following the 
completion of a strategic planning process, it had decided to focus 
on building its global Pooling Solutions business and to divest Recall.  

To deliver the strategy of focussing on its global Pooling Solutions 
business and to optimise on efficiencies, on 17 August 2011 
Brambles also announced a new management and organisation 
structure.  The new organisation structure of three segments for the 
Pooling Solutions business: Pallets, RPCs and Containers took effect 
on 1 October 2011.  

Further details of these segments are set out in the Principal 
Activities section of this report. 

On 4 June 2012, Brambles announced that, following an extensive 
process, it had decided not to divest Recall and would instead retain 
it as the offers from bidders for Recall did not reflect its value or 
offer sufficient certainty that a sale could be completed.   

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 63

 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – OTHER INFORMATION – CONTINUED  

DIRECTORS 
The name of each person who was a Director of Brambles Limited at 
any time during, or since the end of the Year, and the period for 
which they served as a Director during the Year, is set out below. 
The qualifications, experience and special responsibilities for 
Directors are set out on pages 29 to 30.  

Douglas Gordon Duncan 

24 January 2012 to date 

Anthony Grant Froggatt 

1 July 2011 to date 

Thomas Joseph Gorman 

1 July 2011 to date 

David Peter Gosnell 

14 December 2011 to date 

Tahira Hassan 

14 December 2011 to date 

Gregory John Hayes 

1 July 2011 to date 

Stephen Paul Johns 

1 July 2011 to date 

Sarah Carolyn Hailes Kay 

1 July 2011 to date 

Graham John Kraehe AO 

1 July 2011 to date 

Christopher Luke Mayhew 

1 July 2011 to date 

Brian Martin Schwartz AM 

1 July 2011 to date 

SECRETARY 
Details of the qualifications and the experience of the Company 
Secretary of Brambles Limited are as follows: Robert Nies Gerrard 
joined Brambles in 2003 as Senior Counsel and was appointed Group 
Company Secretary in February 2008. Prior to joining Brambles, he 
was General Counsel to, and Company Secretary of, Roc Oil 
Company Limited; Group Legal Manager, Cairn Energy plc; General 
Counsel to, and Company Secretary of, Command Petroleum 
Limited; and a solicitor with Allen Allen & Hemsley. He holds a 
Masters of Law (LLM) from the University of Sydney and Bachelor of 
Science (BSc) and Bachelor of Law (LLB) degrees from the University 
of New South Wales. He is a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New 
South Wales. 
INDEMNITIES 
Indemnities provided to Directors and officers in accordance with 
the constitution of Brambles Limited are detailed in Note 36 on 
page 132. Insurance policies are in place to cover Directors and 
executive officers, however, the terms of the policies prohibit 
disclosure of the details of the insurance cover and the premiums 
paid.  

DIRECTORS’ MEETINGS  
Details of the Board committee memberships are given in the Corporate Governance Statement on pages 35, 38 and 42. The following table 
shows the actual Board and committee meetings held during the Year and the number attended by each Director or committee member. 

Directors 

Board meetings 

Regular 

Special 

Special 
Committees 

Audit Committee 
meetings 

Remuneration 
Committee 
meetings 

Nominations 
Committee 
meetings 

(a) 

(b) 

(a) 

(b) 

(a) 

(b) 

(a) 

(b) 

(a) 

(b) 

(a) 

(b) 

D G Duncan 

A G Froggatt 

T J Gorman 

D P Gosnell 

T Hassan 

G J Hayes 

S P Johns 

S C H Kay 

G J Kraehe AO 

C L Mayhew 

5 

12 

12 

6 

6 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

B M Schwartz AM  12 

5 

12 

12 

6 

6 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

4 

4 

4 

3 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

- 

- 

6 

- 

- 

6 

5 

- 

6 

- 

- 

- 

- 

6 

- 

- 

6 

5 

- 

6 

- 

- 

2 

2 

- 

2 

- 

- 

6 

7 

- 

- 

5 

2 

2 

- 

2 

- 

- 

7 

7 

- 

- 

5 

- 

5 

- 

- 

2 

- 

- 

- 

5 

5 

2 

- 

5 

- 

- 

2 

- 

- 

- 

5 

5 

2 

- 

4 

- 

- 

- 

- 

4 

- 

4 

- 

- 

- 

4 

- 

- 

- 

- 

4 

- 

4 

- 

- 

(a)  The number of meetings attended during the period the Director was a member of the Board or relevant committee which the Director was eligible to attend. 
(b) The number of meetings held while the Director was a member of the Board or relevant committee which the Director was eligible to attend. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 64

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – OTHER INFORMATION – CONTINUED  

DIRECTORS’ DIRECTORSHIPS OF OTHER LISTED COMPANIES     
The following lists the directorships held by the Directors in listed companies (other than Brambles Limited) since 30 June 2009. 

Director 

Listed company 

D G Duncan 

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. 

Benchmark Electronics, Inc. 

A G Froggatt 

AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Limited 

Billabong International Limited 

Coca-Cola Amatil Limited 

T J Gorman 

IFCO Systems N.V. 

D P Gosnell 

None 

T Hassan 

G J Hayes 

None 

None 

S P Johns 

Leighton Holdings Limited 

Spark Infrastructure Group 

Westfield Group:  

Westfield Holdings Limited 

Period directorship held 

2010 to current 

2006 to current 

2008 to 2011 

2008 to current 

2010 to current 

2011 to current 

- 

- 

- 

2009 to current 

2005 to 2011 

1985 to current 

Westfield America Trust (director of responsible entity, Westfield America Management Limited)  1996 to current 

Westfield Trust and Carindale Property Trust (director of responsible entity, Westfield 
Management Limited) 

S C H Kay 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia 

G J Kraehe AO 

Bluescope Steel Limited 

Djerriwarrh Investments Limited 

C L Mayhew 

WH Smith plc 

InterContinental Hotels Group plc 

B M Schwartz AM  Insurance Australia Group Limited 

IAG Finance (New Zealand) Limited 

Westfield Group:  

Westfield Holdings Limited 

1985 to current 

2003 to current 

2002 to current 

2002 to current 

2006 to 2010 

2011 to current 

2005 to current 

2008 to current 

2009 to current 

Westfield America Trust (director of responsible entity, Westfield America Management Limited)  2009 to current 

Westfield Trust and Carindale Property Trust (director of responsible entity, Westfield 
Management Limited) 

2009 to current 

ENVIRONMENT 
Brambles’ Environmental Policy is set by the Board. It applies in all 
countries where Brambles operates and was rolled out to IFCO  
during the Year as part of the integration of IFCO into the Group. 
The Environmental Policy provides that Brambles will act with 
integrity and respect for the community and the environment and 
be committed to sound environmental practice in its daily 
operations. It is a minimum requirement that all Brambles 
operations comply with all relevant environmental laws and 
regulations. Additionally, employees are expected to care for the 
environment by adopting a specified set of environmental 
principles. Every business unit must ensure that those principles are 
adhered to, including in countries that may not yet have enacted 
laws for the protection of the environment. 

Brambles has set environmental performance targets. Reporting of 
performance against those targets is shown on pages 18 to 23 of the 
Sustainability Review. A copy of the complete Environmental Policy 
is set out in Brambles’ Code of Conduct, which is available at 
www.brambles.com. 

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY 
The Board is responsible for setting Brambles’ Health and Safety 
Policy, which states that Brambles is to provide and maintain a 
healthy and safe working environment and to prevent injury, illness 
or impairment to the health of employees, contractors, customers 
or the public. 

Brambles is committed to achieving Zero Harm. The Zero Harm 
Charter, which sets out the vision, values and behaviours and 
commitment required to work safely and ensure environmental 
compliance, is provided to all employees and, together with the 
complete Health and Safety Policy, is on the Brambles website at 
www.brambles.com. The Charter and policy was rolled out to IFCO 
during the Year as part of the integration of IFCO into the Group. 

The Chief Executive Officer together with the Group Presidents of 
the Pallets, Containers, RPC and Recall business segments are 
responsible for policy implementation and safety performance. 

Health and safety performance indicators measure compliance with 
corporate objectives and milestones, allow assessment of progress 
and comparison with industry benchmarks and provide incentives for 
improvement. Reporting on health and safety performance is shown 
in the Safety & Wellbeing section of the Sustainability Review on 
page 24. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 65

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – OTHER INFORMATION – CONTINUED  

During the Year there were, sadly, two work related fatalities in the 
Group, details of which are in Letter from the Chairman & the CEO 
on pages 1 to 3. 

EMPLOYEES 
Pages 24 to 26 of the Sustainability Review contain details of 
Brambles’ performance as an employer - see the Attracting & 
Retaining Talent: Leadership, Employee Engagement, Training & 
Development  and Diversity & Inclusion sections. 

INNOVATION, RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
Innovation, whether of an incremental or step-change nature, is 
integral to Brambles’ growth strategy. 

Brambles is focusing on three key areas: innovating to address 
customers’ current and future needs; accelerating tomorrow’s 
growth opportunities; and fostering and driving a culture of 
innovation. 

In 2011, Brambles launched an Innovation Fund, which has already 
reviewed and funded a significant number of early-stage new 
business ideas. 

Brambles carries out research and development activities in relation 
to both its Pooled Solutions and Recall businesses. These activities 
comprise: 

-  continuously testing its pallets, containers and other platforms to 
make them more durable, sustainable and safer for use in the 
supply chain; 

-  enhancing existing, and developing new designs of pallets, 

containers and other supply chain platforms, for both new and 
existing markets; 

-  improving pallet and container repair processes and equipment; 

-  testing and developing unique identifier technologies, including 

radio frequency identification; and 

-  research into and development of new service offerings, 

information technology and software solutions, and information 
and document management processes. 

-   
ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION 
Except as set out below, the operations of the Group in Australia 
are not subject to any particular and significant environmental 
regulation under a law of the Commonwealth or a State or Territory. 
The operations of the Group in Australia involve the use or 
development of land, the use of transportation equipment and the 
transport of goods. These operations may be subject to State, 
Territory or Local government environmental and town planning 
regulations, or require a licence, consent or approval from 
Commonwealth, State or Territory regulatory bodies. There were no 
material breaches of environmental statutory requirements and no 
material prosecutions during the Year. 

Brambles’ businesses comply with all relevant environmental laws 
and regulations and none were involved in any material 
environmental prosecutions during the Year. 

INTERESTS IN SECURITIES 
Pages 55, 56 and 58 of the Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 
include details of the relevant interests of Directors, and other 
Group Executives whose details are required to be disclosed, in 
shares and other securities of Brambles Limited. 

SHARE CAPITAL, OPTIONS AND SHARE RIGHTS 
Details of the changes in the issued share capital of Brambles 
Limited and share rights and MyShare matching share rights 
outstanding over Brambles Limited ordinary shares at the Year end 
are given in Notes 27 and 28 on pages 108 to 110. No options, share 
rights or MyShare matching share rights over the shares of Brambles 
Limited’s controlled entities were granted during or since the end of 
the Year to the date of this Report.  

Since the end of the Year to the date of this Report, the following 
grants, exercises and forfeits in options, performance share rights 
and MyShare matching share rights over Brambles Limited ordinary 
shares have taken place, broken down by reference to the plan 
numbers shown on pages 60 to 61 of the Remuneration Report: 

-  80,381 grants under the 2012 MyShare offer (plan number 48); 

-  59,716 exercises: resulting in the issue of fully paid ordinary 

shares: 3,870 under the 2011 MyShare offer (plan numbers 32 to 
43), 1,368 under the 2012 MyShare offer (plan numbers 44 to 48), 
15,000 under plan 1, 5,000 under plan 2, 2,173 under plan 7 and 
32,305 under plan 15; and 

-  192,599 lapses: 10,933 under the 2011 MyShare offer (plan 

numbers 32. to 43), 6,972 under the 2012 MyShare offer (plan 
numbers 44 to 48), 213 under plan 10, 213 under plan 11, 29,756 
under plan 13, 29,756 under plan 14, 57,378 under plan 18, and 
57,378 under plan 19. 

SHARE BUY-BACKS 
No ordinary shares were bought-back and cancelled during the Year. 
There is no current on-market buy-back in operation. 

RISK MANAGEMENT 
A discussion of Brambles’ risk profile, management and mitigation of 
risks can be found in the Treasury & Risk Review on pages 12 and 13 
and the Corporate Governance Statement on pages 40 to 42. 

TREASURY POLICIES 
A discussion of the implementation of treasury policies and 
mitigation of treasury risks can be found in the Treasury & Risk 
Review on pages 12 and 13. 

NON-AUDIT SERVICES 
The amount of US$2,754,000 was paid or is payable to 
PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Group’s auditors, for non-audit 
services provided during the Year by them (or another person or 
firm on their behalf). These services primarily related to financial 
due diligence for the sale of Recall, services related to the pro rata 
accelerated renounceable entitlement offer, compliance services, 
regulatory reporting and tax advisory services. The Audit Committee 
has reviewed the provision of non-audit services by 
PricewaterhouseCoopers and its related practices and provided the 
Directors with formal written advice of a resolution passed by the 
Audit Committee. Consistent with this advice, the Directors are 
satisfied that the provision of non-audit services by 
PricewaterhouseCoopers and its related practices did not 
compromise the auditor independence requirements of the Act for 
the following reasons: the nature of the non-audit services provided 
during the Year; the quantum of non-audit fees compared to overall 
audit fees; and the pre-approval, monitoring and ongoing review 
requirements under the Audit Committee Charter and the Charter of 
Audit Independence in relation to non-audit work. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 66

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIRECTORS’ REPORT – OTHER INFORMATION – CONTINUED  

The auditors have also provided the Audit Committee with a letter 
confirming that, in their professional judgement, as at 8 August 
2012 they have maintained their independence in accordance with 
their firm’s requirements, with the provisions of APES 110 – Code of 
Ethics for Professional Accountants and the applicable provisions of 
the Act. On the same basis, they also confirmed that the objectivity 
of the audit engagement partners and the audit staff is not 
impaired. 

AUDITORS’ INDEPENDENCE DECLARATION 
A copy of the auditors’ independence declaration as required under 
section 307C of the Act is set out on page 137. 
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 
The AGM will be held at 2.00pm (AEDT) on 11 October 2012 at 
The Wesley Theatre, Wesley Conference Centre, 220 Pitt Street, 
Sydney NSW 2000. 

This Directors’ Report is made in accordance with a resolution of 
the Board. 

G J Kraehe AO Chairman  

  T J Gorman CEO  

16 August 2012 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 67

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION – CONTINUED  

SHARE SALE FACILITY 
Ordinarily, Issuer Sponsored shareholders must establish a 
relationship with a broker in order to sell their shares. However, 
Brambles’ share registry provides Issuer Sponsored shareholders with 
an alternative to traditional share sale services. If you would like to 
take advantage of this service to sell your entire Brambles 
shareholding, please contact Link Market Services at the address set 
out in Contact Information on the back cover of the Annual Report. 
Please note that under anti-money laundering regulations, Link 
Market Services may require shareholders to complete an 
identification information form. 

If you are a Broker Sponsored shareholder, please contact your 
broker if you wish to sell your Brambles shares. 

DIVIDEND 
Shareholders may elect to receive dividend payments in Australian 
dollars or Pounds sterling, by contacting Link Market Services at the 
address set out in Contact Information on the back cover of the 
Annual Report. 
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 
The Brambles Limited 2012 AGM will be held at 2.00pm (AEDT) 
on 11  October 2012 at The Wesley Theatre, Wesley Conference 
Centre, 220 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000. 

FINANCIAL CALENDAR 
Final dividend 2012 
Ex dividend date – Monday, 17 September 2012 

Record date – Friday, 21 September 2012 

Payment date – Thursday, 11 October 2012 

2013 (Provisional) 
Announcement of interim results – mid February 2013 

Interim dividend – mid April 2013 

Announcement of final results – mid August 2013 

Final dividend – mid October 2013 

AGM – October 2013 

DIRECTORS 
G J Kraehe AO 

(Non-executive Chairman) 

D G Duncan 

(Non-executive Director) 

A G Froggatt 

(Non-executive Director) 

T J Gorman 

(Chief Executive Officer) 

D P Gosnell 

(Non-executive Director) 

T Hassan 

(Non-executive Director) 

G J Hayes 

(Chief Financial Officer) 

S P Johns 

(Non-executive Director) 

S C H Kay 

(Non-executive Director) 

C L Mayhew 

(Non-executive Director) 

B M Schwartz AM 

(Non-executive Director) 

COMPANY SECRETARY 
R N Gerrard 

STOCK EXCHANGE LISTING 
Brambles’ ordinary shares are listed on the Australian Securities 
Exchange and are traded under the stock code “BXB”. 

UNCERTIFICATED FORMS OF SHAREHOLDING 
Brambles’ ordinary shares are held in uncertificated form. There are 
two types of uncertificated holdings: 

Issuer Sponsored Holdings: This type of holding is recorded on a 
subregister of the Brambles share register, maintained by Brambles. 
If your holding is recorded on the issuer sponsored subregister, you 
will be allocated a Securityholder Reference Number or SRN, which 
is a unique number used to identify your holding of ordinary shares 
in Brambles. 

Broker Sponsored Holdings: This type of holding is recorded on the 
main Brambles share register. Shareholders who are sponsored by an 
ASX market participant broker will be allocated a Holder 
Identification Number or HIN. One HIN can relate to an investor’s 
shareholdings in multiple companies. For example, a shareholder 
with a portfolio of holdings which are managed by a broker would 
have the same HIN for each shareholding. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 68

 
SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION – CONTINUED  

ANALYSIS OF HOLDERS OF EQUITY SECURITIES AS AT 7 AUGUST 2012 
Substantial shareholders 
Brambles has been notified of the following substantial shareholdings: 

Holder 

Baillie Gifford 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia 

Number of ordinary 
shares 

% of issued ordinary 
share capital(1)

92,229,027 

78,659,986 

5.93%

5.06%

(1) Percentages are as disclosed in substantial holding notices given to Brambles Limited. 

Number of ordinary shares on issue and distribution of holdings 

1 – 1,000 

1,001 – 5,000 

5,001 – 10,000 

10,001 – 100,000 

100,001 and over 

Total 

Holders 

26,819 

27,407 

5,179 

3,174 

173 

Shares

13,086,323

64,665,618

36,440,630

67,025,529

1,373,951,762

62,752 

1,555,169,862

The number of members holding less than a marketable parcel of 79 ordinary shares (based on a market price of A$6.34 on 7 August 2012) is 
1,603 and they hold a total of 65,298 ordinary shares. The voting rights of ordinary shares are described on page 70. 

Number of share rights on issue and distribution of holdings  

1 – 1,000 

1,001 – 5,000 

5,001 – 10,000 

10,001 – 100,000 

100,001 and over 

Total 

The voting rights of performance share rights and MyShare Matching Awards are described on page 70.

Holders 

Share rights

2,177 

175 

14 

82 

34 

693,235

359,589

103,611

3,852,666

8,271,713

2,482 

13,280,814

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 69

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION – CONTINUED  

Twenty largest ordinary shareholders 

Name 

HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited 

National Nominees Limited 

J P Morgan Nominees Australia Limited 

Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 

Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited  

BNP Paribas Noms Pty Ltd  

J P Morgan Nominees Australia Limited  

AMP Life Limited 

HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia)  

Australian Foundation Investment Company Limited 

BNP Paribas Noms Pty Ltd  

BNP Paribas Noms Pty Ltd  

Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited  

Argo Investments Limited 

RBC Investor Services Australia Nominees Pty Limited 

UBS Nominees Pty Ltd 

Queensland Investment Corporation 

Pipooled A/C 

HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) – GSCO ECA 

Piselect A/C 

Number of ordinary 
shares 

% of issued ordinary 
share capital

390,442,585 

320,627,579 

307,588,879 

86,885,985 

43,868,451 

42,385,912 

30,267,283 

13,340,696 

11,450,913 

10,063,530 

9,546,127 

8,407,572 

5,767,764 

4,756,341 

4,556,001 

4,452,962 

3,196,461 

3,065,296 

2,942,114 

2,857,330 

25.11%

20.62%

19.78%

5.59%

2.82%

2.73%

1.95%

0.86%

0.74%

0.65%

0.61%

0.54%

0.37%

0.31%

0.29%

0.29%

0.21%

0.20%

0.19%

0.18%

Percentage of total holdings of 20 largest holders  

1,306,469,781 

84.01%

Voting rights: ordinary shares 
Brambles Limited’s constitution provides that each member entitled 
to attend and vote may do so in person or by proxy, by attorney or, 
where the member is a body corporate, by representative. The 
Directors may also determine that at any general meeting, a 
member who is entitled to attend and vote on a resolution at that 
meeting is entitled to a direct vote in relation to that resolution. 
The Directors have prescribed rules to govern direct voting which 
are available at www.brambles.com. 

On a show of hands, every member present in person, by proxy, by 
attorney or, where the member is a body corporate, by 
representative and having the right to vote on a resolution has one 
vote. The Directors have determined that members who submit a 
direct vote will be excluded on a vote by a show of hands. 

On a poll, every member present in person, by proxy, by attorney 
or, where the member is a body corporate, by representative and 
having the right to vote on the resolution has one vote for each 
ordinary share held. The Directors have determined that votes cast 
by members who submit a direct vote will be included on a vote by 
a poll, being one vote for each ordinary share held. 

Voting rights: share rights 
Performance share rights over ordinary shares and MyShare Matching 
Awards do not carry any voting rights. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 70

  
FINANCIAL REPORT
for the year ended 30 June 2012

INDEX

PAGE

Consolidated income statement  
Consolidated statement of comprehensive income
Consolidated balance sheet 
Consolidated cash flow statement
Consolidated statement of changes in equity
Notes to the financial statements

1. Basis of preparation
2. Significant accounting policies
3. Critical accounting estimates and judgements
4. Segment information
5. Profit from ordinary activities - continuing operations 
6. Significant items - continuing operations 
7. Employment costs - continuing operations 
8. Net finance costs 
9. Income tax 

10. Earnings per share  
11. Dividends 
12. Discontinued operations 
13. Business combinations
14. Cash and cash equivalents 
15. Trade and other receivables 
16. Inventories 
17. Derivative financial instruments 
18. Other assets  
19. Investments
20. Property, plant and equipment 
21. Goodwill 
22. Intangible assets 
23. Trade and other payables  
24. Borrowings 
25. Provisions 
26. Retirement benefit obligations 
27. Contributed equity 
28. Share-based payments 
29. Reserves and retained earnings 
30. Financial risk management
31. Cash flow statement - additional information 
32. Commitments 
33. Contingencies 
34. Auditors' remuneration 
35. Key management personnel  
36. Related party information 
37. Events after balance sheet date 
38. Parent entity financial information

Directors' declaration 
Independent auditors' report 
Auditors' independence declaration

72
73
74
75
76

77
77
83
84
86
87
88
88
89
92
93
94
94
95
95
96
97
97
98
99
100
101
102
102
104
105
108
109
111
113
123
125
126
127
127
130
132
133

134
135
137

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 71

CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT
for the year ended 30 June 2012

Continuing operations

Sales revenue

Other income

Operating expenses

Share of results of joint ventures

Operating profit 

Finance revenue

Finance costs

Net finance costs

Profit before tax

Tax expense

Profit from continuing operations

Profit from discontinued operations

Profit for the year

Profit attributable to:

- members of the parent entity

- non-controlling interest

Earnings per share (cents)

Total

- basic

- diluted

Continuing operations

- basic

- diluted

The consolidated income statement should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.(cid:172)

Note

5A

5A

5B

19C

8

9

12

10

2012
US$m

2011 
US$m 

5,625.0(cid:172)

142.6(cid:172)

4,672.2(cid:172)

135.0(cid:172)

(4,833.9)

(4,004.4)

5.5(cid:172)

939.2(cid:172)

21.5(cid:172)

(173.5)

(152.0)

787.2(cid:172)

(212.3)

574.9(cid:172)

1.4(cid:172)

576.3(cid:172)

576.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

38.9(cid:172)

38.6(cid:172)

38.8(cid:172)

38.5(cid:172)

6.4(cid:172)

809.2(cid:172)

17.2(cid:172)

(144.7)

(127.5)

681.7(cid:172)

(209.9)

471.8(cid:172)

3.6(cid:172)

475.4(cid:172)

475.3(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

32.9(cid:172)

32.7(cid:172)

32.6(cid:172)

32.5(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 72

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
for the year ended 30 June 2012

Profit for the year

Other comprehensive income:

Note

2012
US$m

576.3(cid:172)

2011
US$m

475.4(cid:172)

Actuarial (losses)/gains on defined benefit pension plans

26E

(19.7)

13.9(cid:172)

Exchange differences:

- on translation of foreign subsidiaries

- FCTR released to profit

- on entities disposed taken to profit

Cash flow hedges

Income tax on other comprehensive income

Other comprehensive (loss)/income for the year

Total comprehensive income for the year

Total comprehensive income for the year attributable to: 

- members of the parent entity

- non-controlling interest

29

29

29

29

9A

(192.5)

(12.5)

(1.7)

5.1(cid:172)

3.7(cid:172)

(217.6)

358.7(cid:172)

358.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

279.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

6.1(cid:172)

(5.9)

293.1(cid:172)

768.5(cid:172)

768.4(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

The consolidated statement of comprehensive income should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 73

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
as at 30 June 2012

ASSETS

Current assets

Cash and cash equivalents 

Trade and other receivables

Inventories

Derivative financial instruments

Other assets

Total current assets

Non-current assets

Other receivables 

Investments 

Property, plant and equipment

Goodwill

Intangible assets

Deferred tax assets

Derivative financial instruments

Other assets

Total non-current assets

Total assets

LIABILITIES

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables

Borrowings

Derivative financial instruments

Tax payable

Provisions 

Total current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Borrowings

Derivative financial instruments

Provisions

Retirement benefit obligations

Deferred tax liabilities

Other liabilities

Total non-current liabilities

Total liabilities

Net assets

EQUITY

Contributed equity

Reserves

Retained earnings

Parent entity interest

Non-controlling interest

Total equity

The consolidated balance sheet should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 74

Note

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

14

15

16

17

18

15

19

20

21

22

9

17

18

23

24

17

25

24

17

25

26

9

23

27

29

29

29

174.2(cid:172)

1,054.8(cid:172)

48.2(cid:172)

8.9(cid:172)

66.2(cid:172)

138.5(cid:172)

1,050.3(cid:172)

56.5(cid:172)

11.3(cid:172)

56.9(cid:172)

1,352.3(cid:172)

1,313.5(cid:172)

8.5(cid:172)

17.1(cid:172)

4,138.6(cid:172)

1,607.4(cid:172)

362.2(cid:172)

37.6(cid:172)

19.0(cid:172)

3.0(cid:172)

6,193.4(cid:172)

7,545.7(cid:172)

9.6(cid:172)

16.8(cid:172)

4,279.0(cid:172)

1,694.3(cid:172)

403.7(cid:172)

36.3(cid:172)

14.1(cid:172)

0.7(cid:172)

6,454.5(cid:172)

7,768.0(cid:172)

1,176.8(cid:172)

1,264.3(cid:172)

86.4(cid:172)

5.0(cid:172)

46.5(cid:172)

90.1(cid:172)

325.6(cid:172)

6.1(cid:172)

102.9(cid:172)

189.3(cid:172)

1,404.8(cid:172)

1,888.2(cid:172)

2,777.7(cid:172)

2,811.7(cid:172)

0.8(cid:172)

30.4(cid:172)

58.8(cid:172)

505.7(cid:172)

27.1(cid:172)

3,400.5(cid:172)

4,805.3(cid:172)

2,740.4(cid:172)

3.2(cid:172)

20.0(cid:172)

37.4(cid:172)

529.1(cid:172)

27.0(cid:172)

3,428.4(cid:172)

5,316.6(cid:172)

2,451.4(cid:172)

6,484.1(cid:172)

14,370.2(cid:172)

(6,689.1)

(14,716.8)

2,945.4(cid:172)

2,740.4(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

2,797.6(cid:172)

2,451.0(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

2,740.4(cid:172)

2,451.4(cid:172)

Note

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

6,217.7(cid:172)

5,210.2(cid:172)

(4,759.2)

(3,815.6)

1,458.5(cid:172)

1,394.6(cid:172)

4.2(cid:172)

5.8(cid:172)

(164.2)

(215.1)

5.6(cid:172)

5.1(cid:172)

(169.6)

(222.2)

31B

1,089.2(cid:172)

1,013.5(cid:172)

(949.4)

(764.7)

93.5(cid:172)

(53.8)

(0.4)

(22.7)

100.8(cid:172)

(46.3)

(2.1)

(1,050.2)

(932.8)

(1,762.5)

1,721.5(cid:172)

3,184.3(cid:172)

(1,710.0)

(2,487.7)

4.6(cid:172)

326.6(cid:172)

(397.7)

(55.0)

101.4(cid:172)

80.4(cid:172)

(29.1)

152.7(cid:172)

(9.5)

231.1(cid:172)

(224.0)

694.2(cid:172)

(54.8)

123.3(cid:172)

11.9(cid:172)

80.4(cid:172)

CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT
for the year ended 30 June 2012

Cash flows from operating activities

Receipts from customers

Payments to suppliers and employees

Cash generated from operations

Dividends received from joint ventures

Interest received

Interest paid

Income taxes paid on operating activities   

Net cash inflow from operating activities

Cash flows from investing activities

Payments for property, plant and equipment

Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment

Payments for intangible assets

Costs incurred on disposal of businesses

Acquisition of subsidiaries, net of cash acquired

Net cash outflow from investing activities

Cash flows from financing activities

Proceeds from borrowings  

Repayments of borrowings  

Net inflow/(outflow) from hedge instruments

Proceeds from issues of ordinary shares  

Dividends paid, net of Dividend Reinvestment Plan 1

Net cash (outflow)/inflow from financing activities  

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and deposits, net of overdrafts, at beginning of the year

Effect of exchange rate changes

Cash and deposits, net of overdrafts, at end of the year

31A

1 The Dividend Reinvestment Plan was suspended on 17 August 2011.

The consolidated cash flow statement should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. (cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 75

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
for the year ended 30 June 2012

Note

Share
capital

US$m

Reserves1
US$m

Retained
earnings

controlling
interest

US$m

US$m

Non-

Year ended 30 June 2011

Opening balance

Profit for the year

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income

Share-based payments:

- expense recognised

- shares issued

- equity component of related tax

Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners:

- dividends declared

- issues of ordinary shares, net of transaction costs  

- issues of ordinary shares under Dividend Reinvestment Plan

Closing balance

Year ended 30 June 2012

Opening balance

Profit for the year

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income

Share-based payments:

- expense recognised

- shares issued

- equity component of related tax

Transactions with owners in their capacity as owners:

- dividends declared

- issues of ordinary shares, net of transaction costs  

- capital reduction

- disposal of non-controlling interest 

Closing balance

1 Refer Note 29 for further information on reserves.

29

27

27

29

27

27

Total

US$m

1,632.6(cid:172)

475.4(cid:172)

293.1(cid:172)

768.5(cid:172)

13.2(cid:172)

(9.2)

3.8(cid:172)

(348.1)

240.8(cid:172)

149.8(cid:172)

13,979.6(cid:172)

(15,007.4)

2,660.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

240.8(cid:172)

149.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

475.3(cid:172)

282.8(cid:172)

282.8(cid:172)

10.3(cid:172)

485.6(cid:172)

13.2(cid:172)

(9.2)

3.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(348.1)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.3(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

14,370.2(cid:172)

(14,716.8)

2,797.6(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

2,451.4(cid:172)

14,370.2(cid:172)

(14,716.8)

2,797.6(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

2,451.4(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

337.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

576.3(cid:172)

(203.3)

(14.3)

(203.3)

562.0(cid:172)

18.6(cid:172)

(11.1)

0.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(414.2)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(8,223.4)

8,223.4(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(0.4)

576.3(cid:172)

(217.6)

358.7(cid:172)

18.6(cid:172)

(11.1)

0.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(414.2)

337.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(0.4)

6,484.1(cid:172)

(6,689.1)

2,945.4(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

2,740.4(cid:172)

The consolidated statement of changes in equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 76

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS  
for the year ended 30 June 2012 

NOTE 1. BASIS OF PREPARATION 
These financial statements present the consolidated results of 
Brambles Limited (ACN 118 896 021) (Company) and its subsidiaries 
(Brambles or the Group) for the year ended 30 June 2012.  

The financial statements comply with International Financial 
Reporting Standards (IFRS). This general purpose financial report has 
been prepared in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards 
(AAS), other authoritative pronouncements of the Australian 
Accounting Standards Board (AASB), the Urgent Issues Group 
Interpretations (UIG) and the requirements of the Corporations Act 
2001 (Act). 

The financial statements are drawn up in accordance with the 
conventions of historical cost accounting, except for derivative 
financial instruments and financial assets and liabilities at fair value 
through profit or loss. 

References to 2012 and 2011 are to the financial years ended 
30 June 2012 and 30 June 2011 respectively. 

Details of Unification, whereby Brambles Limited acquired all the 
share capital of Brambles Industries Limited (BIL) and Brambles 
Industries plc (BIP) under separate schemes of arrangement on 
4 December 2006, are set out in Brambles’ 2007 Annual Report.  

NOTE 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES 
The consolidated financial statements and all comparatives have 
been prepared using the accounting policies set out below which are 
consistent with the prior year. 

Basis of consolidation 
The consolidated financial statements of Brambles include the 
assets, liabilities and results of Brambles Limited and all its legal 
subsidiaries. The consolidation process eliminates all inter-entity 
accounts and transactions. Any financial statements of overseas 
subsidiaries that have been prepared in accordance with overseas 
accounting practices have been adjusted to comply with AAS before 
inclusion in the consolidation process. The financial statements of 
all subsidiaries are prepared for the same reporting period. 

On acquisition, the assets and liabilities and contingent liabilities of 
a subsidiary are measured at their fair values at the date of 
acquisition. Any excess of the cost of acquisition over the fair values 
of the identifiable net assets acquired is recognised as goodwill. Any 
deficiency of the cost of acquisition below the fair values of the 
identifiable net assets acquired (i.e. discount on acquisition) is 
credited to the income statement in the period of acquisition. The 
interest of non-controlling shareholders is stated at the non-
controlling proportion of the fair values of the assets and liabilities 
recognised. Any acquisition-related transaction costs are expensed 
in the period of acquisition. 

The results of subsidiaries acquired or disposed of during the year 
are included in the consolidated income statement from the 
effective date of acquisition or up to the effective date of disposal, 
as appropriate. 

Investment in controlled entities 
Shares in controlled entities, as recorded in the parent entity, are 
recorded at cost, less provision for impairment. 

Investment in joint ventures 
Investments in joint venture entities are accounted for using the 
equity method in the consolidated financial statements, and include 
any goodwill arising on acquisition. Under this method, Brambles’ 
share of the post-acquisition profits or losses of the joint venture is 
recognised in the income statement and its share of post-acquisition 
movements in reserves is recognised in consolidated reserves. The 
cumulative post-acquisition movements are adjusted against the 
carrying amount of the investment. 

If Brambles’ share of losses in a joint venture equals or exceeds its 
interest in the joint venture, Brambles does not recognise further 
losses unless it has incurred obligations or made payments on behalf 
of the joint venture. 

Loans to equity accounted joint ventures under formal loan 
agreements are long term in nature and are included as 
investments. 

Where there has been a change recognised directly in the joint 
venture’s equity, Brambles recognises its share of any changes as a 
change in equity. 

Non-current assets held for sale 
Non-current assets and disposal groups classified as held for sale are 
measured at the lower of carrying amount and fair value less costs 
to sell. 

Non-current assets and disposal groups are classified as held for sale 
if their carrying amount will be recovered through a sale transaction 
rather than through continuing use. This condition is regarded as 
met only when the sale is highly probable and the asset (or disposal 
group) is available for immediate sale in its present condition. 
Management must be committed to the sale which should be 
expected to qualify for recognition as a completed sale within one 
year from the date of classification. 

Discontinued operations 
The trading results for business operations disposed during the year 
or classified as held for sale are disclosed separately as discontinued 
operations in the income statement. The amount disclosed includes 
any related impairment losses recognised and any gains or losses 
arising on disposal. 

Comparative amounts for the prior year are restated in the income 
statement to include current year discontinued operations. 

Presentation currency 
The consolidated and summarised parent entity financial statements 
are presented in US dollars.  

Brambles uses the US dollar as its presentation currency because: 

-  a significant portion of Brambles’ activity is denominated in US 

dollars; and 

-  the US dollar is widely understood by Australian, UK and 

international investors and analysts. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 77

 
 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – CONTINUED 
for the year ended 30 June 2012 

Dividends 
Dividend revenue is recognised when Brambles’ right to receive the 
payment is established. Dividends received from investments in 
subsidiaries and joint ventures are recognised as revenue, even if 
they are paid out of pre-acquisition profits.  

Finance revenue 
Interest revenue is recognised as the interest accrues (using the 
effective interest method, which is the rate that exactly discounts 
estimated future cash receipts through the expected life of the 
financial instrument) to the net carrying amount of the financial 
asset. 

Borrowing costs 
Borrowing costs are recognised as expenses in the year in which they 
are incurred, except where they are included in the cost of 
qualifying assets. 

The capitalisation rate used to determine the amount of borrowing 
costs to be capitalised is the weighted average interest rate 
applicable to the entity’s outstanding borrowings during the year. 
No borrowing costs were capitalised in 2012 or 2011. 

Pensions and other post-employment benefits 
Payments to defined contribution pension schemes are charged as 
an expense as they fall due. Payments made to state-managed 
retirement benefit schemes are dealt with as payments to defined 
contribution schemes where Brambles’ obligations under the 
schemes are equivalent to those arising in a defined contribution 
pension scheme. 

A liability in respect of defined benefit pension schemes is 
recognised in the balance sheet, measured as the present value of 
the defined benefit obligation at the reporting date less the fair 
value of the pension scheme’s assets at that date. Pension 
obligations are measured as the present value of estimated future 
cash flows discounted at rates reflecting the yields of high quality 
corporate bonds.  

The costs of providing pensions under defined benefit schemes are 
calculated using the projected unit credit method, with actuarial 
valuations being carried out at each balance sheet date. Past 
service cost is recognised immediately to the extent that the 
benefits are already vested, and otherwise is amortised on a 
straight-line basis over the average period until the benefits become 
vested. 

Actuarial gains and losses arising from differences between 
expected and actual returns, and the effect of changes in actuarial 
assumptions are recognised in full through the statement of 
comprehensive income in the period in which they arise.  

The costs of other post-employment liabilities are calculated in a 
similar way to defined benefit pension schemes and spread over 
the period during which benefit is expected to be derived from the 
employees’ services, in accordance with the advice of qualified 
actuaries. 

NOTE 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES – 
CONTINUED  
Foreign currency 
Items included in the financial statements of each of Brambles’ 
entities are measured using the functional currency of each entity. 

Foreign currency transactions are translated into the functional 
currency of each entity using the exchange rates prevailing at the 
dates of the transactions. Foreign exchange gains and losses 
resulting from the settlement of such transactions, and from the 
translation at year-end rates of monetary assets and liabilities 
denominated in foreign currencies, are recognised in the income 
statement, except where deferred in equity as qualifying cash flow 
hedges or qualifying net investment hedges. 

Non-monetary assets and liabilities carried at fair value that are 
denominated in foreign currencies are translated at the rates 
prevailing at the date when the fair value was determined. Gains 
and losses arising on retranslation are recognised directly in equity. 

The results and cash flows of Brambles Limited, subsidiaries and 
joint ventures are translated into US dollars using the average 
exchange rates for the period. Where this average is not a 
reasonable approximation of the cumulative effect of the rates 
prevailing on the transaction dates, the exchange rate on the 
transaction date is used. Assets and liabilities of Brambles Limited, 
subsidiaries and joint ventures are translated into US dollars at the 
exchange rate ruling at the balance sheet date. The share capital of 
Brambles Limited is translated into US dollars at historical rates. All 
resulting exchange differences arising on the translation of 
Brambles’ overseas and Australian entities are recognised as a 
separate component of equity. 

The financial statements of foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures 
that report in the currency of a hyperinflationary economy are 
restated in terms of the measuring unit current at the balance sheet 
date before they are translated into US dollars. 

Goodwill and fair value adjustments arising on the acquisition of a 
foreign entity are treated as assets and liabilities of the foreign 
entity and translated at the closing rate. 

The principal exchange rates affecting Brambles were: 

US$:A$ 

US$:€ 

US$:£

Average  2012 

1.0304 

1.3325 

1.5834

2011 

0.9973 

1.3746 

1.5941

Year end  30 June 2012 

1.0032 

1.2440 

1.5515

30 June 2011 

1.0692 

1.4464 

1.6069

Revenue 
Revenue is recognised to the extent that it is probable that the 
economic benefits will flow to Brambles and the revenue can be 
reliably measured. Revenue is measured at the fair value of the 
consideration received or receivable. Amounts disclosed as revenue 
are net of duties and taxes paid (Goods and Services Tax and local 
equivalents). 

Revenue for services is recognised when invoicing the customer 
following the provision of the service and/or under the terms of 
agreed contracts in accordance with agreed contractual terms in the 
period in which the service is provided. 

Other income 
Other income includes net gains on disposal of property, plant and 
equipment in the ordinary course of business, which are recognised 
when control of the property has passed to the buyer. Amounts 
arising from compensation for irrecoverable pooling equipment are 
recognised only when it is probable that they will be received. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 78

 
 
 
 
 
 
         
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – CONTINUED 
for the year ended 30 June 2012 

NOTE 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES – 
CONTINUED  
Executive and employee share-based compensation plans 
Incentives in the form of share-based compensation benefits are 
provided to executives and employees under performance share and 
MyShare employee share plans approved by shareholders. 

Performance share awards are fair valued by qualified actuaries at 
their grant dates in accordance with the requirements of AASB 2: 
Share-based Payments, using a binomial model. The cost of equity-
settled transactions is recognised, together with a corresponding 
increase in equity, on a straight-line basis over the period in which 
the performance conditions are fulfilled, ending on the date on 
which the relevant employees become fully entitled to the award 
(vesting date). 

Executives and employees in certain jurisdictions are provided cash 
incentives calculated by reference to the awards under the share-
based compensation schemes (phantom shares). These phantom 
shares are fair valued on initial grant and at each subsequent 
reporting date.  

The cost of such phantom shares is charged to the income statement 
over the relevant vesting periods, with a corresponding increase in 
provisions. 

The fair value calculation of performance shares granted excludes 
the impact of any non-market vesting conditions. Non-market 
vesting conditions are included in assumptions about the number of 
options that are expected to become exercisable. At each balance 
sheet date, Brambles reviews its estimate of the number of 
performance shares that are expected to become exercisable. The 
employee benefit expense recognised each period takes into 
account the most recent estimate. 

Significant items and Underlying profit 
Significant items are items of income or expense which are, either 
individually or in aggregate, material to Brambles or to the relevant 
business segment and: 

-  outside the ordinary course of business (e.g. gains or losses on the 

sale or termination of operations, the cost of significant 
reorganisations or restructuring); or 

-  part of the ordinary activities of the business but unusual due to 

their size and nature.  

Underlying profit is a non-statutory profit measure and represents 
profit from continuing operations before finance costs, tax and 
Significant items. It is presented within the segment information 
note to assist users of the financial statements to better understand 
Brambles’ business results.  
ASSETS 
Cash and cash equivalents 
For purposes of the cash flow statement, cash includes deposits at 
call with financial institutions and other highly liquid investments 
which are readily convertible to cash on hand and are subject to an 
insignificant risk of changes in value, net of outstanding bank 
overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are presented within borrowings in the 
balance sheet. 

Receivables 
Trade receivables due within one year do not carry any interest and 
are recognised at amounts receivable less an allowance for any 
uncollectible amounts. Trade receivables are recognised when 
services are provided and settlement is expected within normal 
credit terms. 

Bad debts are written-off when identified. A provision for doubtful 
receivables is established when there is a level of uncertainty as to 
the full recoverability of the receivable, based on objective 
evidence. Significant financial difficulties of the debtor, probability 
that the debtor will enter liquidation, receivership or bankruptcy, 
and default or significant delay in payment are considered 
indicators that the trade receivable is doubtful.  

The amount of the provision is measured as the difference between 
the carrying amount of the trade receivables and the estimated 
future cash flows expected to be received from the relevant 
debtors. When a trade receivable for which a provision had been 
recognised becomes uncollectible in a subsequent period, it is 
written off against the provision account. Subsequent recoveries of 
amounts previously written off are credited against other expenses 
in the income statement. 

Inventories  
Stock and stores on hand are valued at the lower of cost and net 
realisable value and, where appropriate, provision is made for 
possible obsolescence. Work in progress, which represents partly-
completed work undertaken at pre-arranged rates but not invoiced 
at the balance sheet date, is recorded at the lower of cost or net 
realisable value. 

Cost is determined on a first-in, first-out basis and, where relevant, 
includes an appropriate portion of overhead expenditure. Net 
realisable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course 
of business, less estimated costs of completion and costs to make 
the sale. 

Recoverable amount of non-current assets 
At each reporting date, Brambles assesses whether there is any 
indication that an asset, or cash generating unit to which the asset 
belongs, may be impaired. Where an indicator of impairment exists, 
Brambles makes a formal estimate of recoverable amount. The 
recoverable amount of an asset is the greater of its fair value less 
costs to sell and its value in use. 

Where the carrying value of an asset exceeds its recoverable 
amount, the asset is considered to be impaired and is written down 
to its recoverable amount. The impairment loss is recognised in the 
income statement in the reporting period in which the write-down 
occurs.  

The expected net cash flows included in determining recoverable 
amounts of non-current assets are discounted to their present 
values using a market risk adjusted discount rate.  

Property, plant and equipment 
Property, plant and equipment (PPE) is stated at cost, net of 
depreciation and any impairment, except land which is shown at 
cost less impairment. Cost includes expenditure that is directly 
attributable to the acquisition of assets, and, where applicable, an 
initial estimate of the cost of dismantling and removing the item 
and restoring the site on which it is located. 

Subsequent expenditure is capitalised only when it is probable that 
future economic benefits associated with the expenditure will flow 
to Brambles. Repairs and maintenance are expensed in the income 
statement in the period they are incurred. 

Depreciation is charged in the financial statements so as to write-off 
the cost of all PPE, other than freehold land, to their residual value 
on a straight-line or reducing balance basis over their expected 
useful lives to Brambles. Residual values and useful lives are 
reviewed, and adjusted if appropriate, at each balance sheet date. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 79

 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – CONTINUED 
for the year ended 30 June 2012 

NOTE 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES – 
CONTINUED 
The expected useful lives of PPE are generally: 

-  buildings  50 years 

-  pooling equipment 5–10 years 

-  other plant and equipment (owned and leased) 3–20 years 

The cost of improvements to leasehold properties is amortised over 
the unexpired portion of the lease, or the estimated useful life of 
the improvement to Brambles, whichever is the shorter. 

Provision is made for irrecoverable pooling equipment based on 
experience in each market. The provision is presented within 
accumulated depreciation. 

The carrying values of PPE are reviewed for impairment when 
circumstances indicate their carrying values may not be 
recoverable. Assets are assessed within the cash generating unit to 
which they belong. Any impairment losses are recognised in the 
income statement. 

The recoverable amount of PPE is the greater of its fair value less 
costs to sell and its value in use. Value in use is determined as 
estimated future cash flows discounted to their present value using 
a pre-tax discount rate reflecting current market assessments of the 
time value of money and the risk specific to the asset. 

PPE is derecognised upon disposal or when no future economic 
benefits are expected to arise from continued use of the asset. Any 
net gain or loss arising on derecognition of the asset is included in 
the income statement and presented within other income in the 
period in which the asset is derecognised. 

Goodwill 
Goodwill is carried at cost less accumulated impairment losses. 
Goodwill is not amortised.  

Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of an acquisition over the 
fair value of Brambles’ share of the net identifiable assets of the 
acquired subsidiary or joint venture at the date of acquisition. 
Goodwill on acquisitions of subsidiaries is included in intangible 
assets. Goodwill on acquisitions of joint ventures is included in 
investments in joint ventures. 

Upon acquisition, any goodwill arising is allocated to each cash 
generating unit expected to benefit from the acquisition. Goodwill 
is tested annually for impairment, or more frequently if events or 
changes in circumstances indicate that it might be impaired. An 
impairment loss is recognised when the recoverable amount of the 
cash generating unit is less than its carrying amount. 

On disposal of an operation, goodwill associated with the disposed 
operation is included in the carrying amount of the operation when 
determining the gain or loss on disposal. 

Intangible assets 
Intangible assets acquired are capitalised at cost, unless acquired as 
part of a business combination in which case they are capitalised at 
fair value as at the date of acquisition. Following initial recognition, 
intangible assets are carried at cost less provisions for amortisation 
and impairment. 

The costs of acquiring and developing computer software for 
internal use are capitalised as intangible non-current assets where it 
is used to support a significant business system and the expenditure 
leads to the creation of a durable asset.  

Useful lives have been established for all non-goodwill intangible 
assets. Amortisation charges are expensed in the income statement 
on a straight-line basis over those useful lives. Estimated useful lives 
are reviewed annually.  

The expected useful lives of intangible assets are generally: 

-  customer lists and relationships 

-  computer software 

3–20 years 

3–10 years 

There are no non-goodwill intangible assets with indefinite lives. 

Intangible assets are tested for impairment where an indicator of 
impairment exists, either individually or at the cash generating unit 
level. 

Gains or losses arising from derecognition of an intangible asset are 
measured as the difference between the net disposal proceeds and 
the carrying amount of the asset and are recognised in the income 
statement when the asset is derecognised. 

LIABILITIES 

Payables 
Trade and other creditors represent liabilities for goods and services 
provided to Brambles prior to the end of the financial year which 
remain unpaid at the reporting date. The amounts are unsecured 
and are paid within normal credit terms. 

Non-current payables are discounted to present value using the 
effective interest method. 

Provisions 
Provisions for liabilities are made on the basis that, due to a past 
event, the business has a constructive or legal obligation to transfer 
economic benefits that are of uncertain timing or amount. 
Provisions are measured at the present value of management’s best 
estimate at the balance sheet date of the expenditure required to 
settle the obligation. The discount rate used is a pre-tax rate that 
reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and 
the risks appropriate to the liability. 

Where discounting is used, the increase in the provision due to the 
passage of time is recognised as a finance cost in the income 
statement. 

Interest bearing liabilities 
Borrowings are initially recognised at fair value, net of transaction 
costs incurred. Borrowings are subsequently measured at amortised 
cost. Any difference between the borrowing proceeds (net of 
transaction costs) and the redemption amount is recognised in the 
income statement over the period of the borrowings using the 
effective interest method. 

Borrowings are classified as current liabilities unless Brambles has 
an unconditional right to defer settlement of the liability for at 
least 12 months after the balance sheet date. 

Employee entitlements 
Employee entitlements are provided by Brambles in accordance with 
the legal and social requirements of the country of employment. 
Principal entitlements are for annual leave, sick leave, long service 
leave and contract entitlements. Annual leave and sick leave 
entitlements are presented within trade and other payables. 

Liabilities for annual leave, as well as those employee entitlements 
which are expected to be settled within one year, are measured at 
the amounts expected to be paid when they are settled. All other 
employee entitlement liabilities are measured at the estimated 
present value of the future cash outflows to be made in respect of 
services provided by employees up to the reporting date. 

Dividends 
A provision for dividends is only recognised where the dividends 
have been declared prior to the reporting date. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 80

 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – CONTINUED 
for the year ended 30 June 2012 

NOTE 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES – 
CONTINUED 
Leases 
Leases are classified at their inception as either operating or 
finance leases based on the economic substance of the agreement 
so as to reflect the risks and benefits incidental to ownership. 

Operating leases 
The minimum lease payments under operating leases, where the 
lessor effectively retains substantially all of the risks and benefits of 
ownership of the leased item, are recognised as an expense on a 
straight-line basis over the term of the lease.  

Finance leases 
Finance leases, which effectively transfer substantially all of the 
risks and benefits incidental to ownership of the leased item to 
Brambles, are capitalised at the inception of the lease at the fair 
value of the leased asset or, if lower, present value of the minimum 
lease payments, and disclosed as property, plant and equipment 
held under lease. A lease liability of equal value is also recognised. 

Lease payments are allocated between finance charges and a 
reduction of the lease liability so as to achieve a constant period 
rate of interest on the lease liability outstanding each period. The 
finance charge is recognised as a finance cost in the income 
statement. 

Capitalised lease assets are depreciated over the shorter of the 
estimated useful life of the assets and the lease term. 

Income tax 
The income tax expense or benefit for the year is the tax payable or 
receivable on the current year’s taxable income based on the 
national income tax rate for each jurisdiction, adjusted by changes 
in deferred tax assets and liabilities attributable to temporary 
differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their 
carrying amounts in the financial statements, and to unused tax 
losses. 

Deferred tax is accounted for using the balance sheet liability 
method in respect of temporary differences between the carrying 
amounts of assets and liabilities in the financial statements and the 
corresponding tax basis used in the computation of taxable profit, 
calculated using tax rates which are enacted or substantively 
enacted by the balance sheet date.  

Deferred tax assets are recognised for deductible temporary 
differences and unused tax losses only if it is probable that future 
taxable amounts will be available to utilise those temporary 
differences and losses. The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is 
reviewed at each balance sheet date and reduced to the extent that 
it is no longer probable that sufficient taxable profit will be 
available to allow all or part of the deferred tax asset to be utilised. 

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are not recognised: 

-  where the deferred tax arises from the initial recognition of an 

asset or liability in a transaction that is not a business 
combination and, at the time of the transaction, affects neither 
the accounting profit nor taxable profit or loss; or 

-  in respect of temporary differences associated with investments in 
subsidiaries and joint ventures where the timing of the reversal of 
the temporary differences can be controlled and it is probable 
that the temporary differences will not reverse in the foreseeable 
future. 

Current and deferred tax attributable to amounts recognised 
directly in equity are also recognised directly in equity. 

Financial assets 
Brambles classifies its financial assets in the following two 
categories: financial assets at fair value through profit or loss and 
loans and receivables. The classification depends on the purpose for 
which the financial assets were acquired. 

Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss 
Financial assets at fair value through profit or loss are financial 
assets held for trading. A financial asset is classified in this category 
if acquired principally for the purpose of selling in the short term. 

Loans and receivables 
Loans and receivables are non-derivative financial assets with fixed 
or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market.  

Financial assets are recognised on Brambles’ balance sheet when 
Brambles becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the 
instrument. Derecognition takes place when Brambles no longer 
controls the contractual rights that comprise the financial 
instrument, which is normally the case when the instrument is sold, 
or all the cash flows attributable to the instrument are passed 
through to an independent third party. 

Derivatives and hedging activities 
Derivative instruments used by Brambles, which are used solely for 
hedging purposes (i.e. to offset foreign exchange and interest rate 
risks), comprise interest rate swaps, caps, collars, forward rate 
agreements and forward foreign exchange contracts. Such derivative 
instruments are used to alter the risk profile of Brambles’ existing 
underlying exposure in line with Brambles’ risk management 
policies.  

Derivative financial instruments are stated at fair value. The fair 
value of forward exchange contracts is calculated by reference to 
current forward exchange rates for contracts with similar maturities 
at the balance sheet date. The fair value of interest rate swap 
contracts is calculated as the present value of the forward cash 
flows of the instrument after applying market rates and standard 
valuation techniques. 

For the purposes of hedge accounting, hedges are classified as 
either fair value hedges, cash flow hedges or net investment 
hedges. 

Fair value hedges  
Fair value hedges are derivatives that hedge exposure to changes in 
the fair value of a recognised asset or liability, or an unrecognised 
firm commitment. In relation to fair value hedges which meet the 
conditions for hedge accounting, any gain or loss from remeasuring 
the hedging instrument at fair value is recognised immediately in 
the income statement. 

Any gain or loss attributable to the hedged risk on remeasurement 
of the hedged item is adjusted against the carrying amount of the 
hedged item and recognised in the income statement. Where the 
adjustment is to the carrying amount of a hedged interest-bearing 
financial instrument, the adjustment is amortised to the income 
statement such that it is fully amortised by maturity. 

Hedge accounting is discontinued prospectively if the hedge is 
terminated or no longer meets the hedge accounting criteria. In this 
case, any adjustment to the carrying amounts of the hedged item 
for the designated risk for interest-bearing financial instruments is 
amortised to the income statement following termination of the 
hedge. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 81

 
 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – CONTINUED 
for the year ended 30 June 2012 

NOTE 2. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES – 
CONTINUED 
Cash flow hedges  
Cash flow hedges are derivatives that hedge exposure to variability 
in cash flows that is either attributable to a particular risk 
associated with a recognised asset or liability, or a highly probable 
forecast transaction. 

In relation to cash flow hedges to hedge forecast transactions which 
meet the conditions for hedge accounting, the portion of the gain or 
loss on the hedging instrument that is determined to be an effective 
hedge is recognised in other comprehensive income and reserves in 
equity and the ineffective portion is recognised in the income 
statement. 

Hedge accounting is discontinued when the hedging instrument 
expires or is sold, terminated or exercised, or no longer qualifies for 
hedge accounting. 

At that point in time, any cumulative gain or loss on the hedging 
instrument recognised in equity is kept in equity until the forecast 
transaction occurs. 

If a hedged transaction is no longer expected to occur, the net 
cumulative gain or loss recognised in equity is transferred to net 
profit or loss for the year. 

For all other cash flow hedges, the gains or losses that are 
recognised in equity are transferred to the income statement in the 
same year in which the hedged firm commitment affects the net 
profit and loss, for example when the future sale actually occurs. 

When the hedged firm commitment results in the recognition of an 
asset or a liability, then, at the time the asset or liability is 
recognised, the associated gains or losses that had previously been 
recognised in equity are included in the initial measurement of the 
acquisition cost or other carrying amount of the asset or liability. 

Net investment hedges 
Hedges for net investments in foreign operations are accounted for 
similarly to cash flow hedges. 

Any gain or loss on the hedging instrument that is determined to be 
an effective hedge is recognised in other comprehensive income and 
reserves in equity and the ineffective portion is recognised in the 
income statement. 

Gains and losses accumulated in equity are included in the income 
statement when the foreign operation is partially disposed or sold. 

Derivatives that do not qualify for hedge accounting 
Where derivatives do not qualify for hedge accounting, gains or 
losses arising from changes in their fair value are taken directly to 
net profit or loss for the year. 

Contributed equity 
Ordinary shares including share premium are classified as 
contributed equity. No gain or loss is recognised in the income 
statement on the purchase, sale, issue or cancellation of Brambles’ 
own equity instruments.  

Incremental costs directly attributable to the issue of new shares or 
options are shown in equity as a deduction from the proceeds of 
issue. 

Earnings per share (EPS) 
Basic EPS is calculated as net profit attributable to members of the 
parent entity, adjusted to exclude costs of servicing equity (other 
than dividends), divided by the weighted average number of 
ordinary shares, adjusted for any bonus element. 

Diluted EPS is calculated as net profit attributable to members of 
the parent entity, adjusted for: 

-  costs of servicing equity (other than dividends) and preference 

share dividends; 

-  the after-tax effect of dividends and finance costs associated with 
dilutive potential ordinary shares that have been recognised as 
expenses;  

-  other non-discretionary changes in revenues or expenses during 

the year that would result from the dilution of potential ordinary 
shares; 

and divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares and 
dilutive potential ordinary shares, adjusted for any bonus element.  

EPS on Underlying profit after finance costs and tax is calculated as 
Underlying profit after finance costs and tax attributable to 
members of the parent entity, divided by the weighted average 
number of ordinary shares, adjusted for any bonus element. 

New accounting standards and interpretations issued but 
not yet applied  
At 30 June 2012, certain new accounting standards and 
interpretations have been published that will become mandatory in 
future reporting periods. Brambles has not early-adopted these new 
or amended accounting standards and interpretations in 2012. 

AASB 9: Financial Instruments and AASB 2009-11: Amendments to 
Australian Accounting Standards arising from AASB 9 are applicable 
to annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2013. 
AASB 9 addresses the classification and measurement of financial 
assets and may affect Brambles’ accounting for financial assets. 
Brambles is yet to assess the full impact of this standard. 

Revised IAS 1: Presentation of Financial Statements is applicable to 
annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 July 2012. The 
revised standard requires entities to separate items presented in 
other comprehensive income into two groups, based on whether the 
items may be recycled to profit or loss in the future.  Brambles will 
apply this standard from 1 July 2012. 

AASB 19: Employee Benefits is applicable to annual reporting 
periods beginning on or after 1 January 2013. The revised standard 
requires all remeasurements of defined benefit plan assets and 
liabilities to be recognised immediately in other comprehensive 
income. It further requires net interest expense on net defined 
benefit liability to be calculated using a discount rate. The revised 
requirements replace the expected return on plan assets that is 
currently included in the profit or loss. Brambles is yet to assess the 
full impact of this standard. 

AASB 2011-4 Amendments to Remove Individual Key Management 
Personnel Disclosure Requirements (effective 1 July 2013). The 
revised standard removes the individual key management personnel 
(KMP) disclosure requirements from AASB 124 Related Party 
Disclosures, to achieve consistency with the international equivalent 
standard and remove a duplication of the requirements with the 
Corporations Act 2001.  While this will reduce the disclosures that 
are currently required in the notes to the financial statements, it 
will not affect any of the amounts recognised in the financial 
statements. The amendments cannot be adopted early. 

Rounding of amounts 
As Brambles is a company of a kind referred to in ASIC Class Order 
98/0100, relevant amounts in the financial statements and 
Directors’ Report have been rounded to the nearest hundred 
thousand US dollars or, in certain cases, to the nearest thousand 
US dollars. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 82

 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS – CONTINUED 
for the year ended 30 June 2012 

NOTE 3. CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES  
AND JUDGEMENTS 
In applying its accounting policies, Brambles has made estimates 
and assumptions concerning the future, which may differ from the 
related actual outcomes. Those estimates and assumptions which 
have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the 
carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial 
year are discussed below. 

Irrecoverable pooling equipment provisioning 
Loss or damage is an inherent risk of pooling equipment operations. 
Brambles’ pooling equipment operations around the world differ in 
terms of business model, market dynamics, customer and 
distribution channel profiles, contractual arrangements and 
operational details. CHEP conducts audits continuously throughout 
the year to confirm the existence and the condition of its pooling 
equipment assets and to validate CHEP’s customer hire records. 
During these audits, which take place at CHEP plants, customer sites 
and other locations, pooling equipment is counted on a sample basis 
and reconciled to the balances shown in CHEP’s customer hire 
records. Brambles also monitors its pooling equipment operations 
using detailed key performance indicators (KPIs).  

The irrecoverable pooling equipment provision is determined by 
reference to historical statistical data in each market, including the 
outcome of audits and relevant KPIs, together with management 
estimates of future equipment losses. 

Impairment of goodwill 
Brambles’ business units undertake an impairment review process 
annually to ensure that goodwill balances are not carried at 
amounts that are in excess of their recoverable amounts. The 
recoverable amount of the goodwill in continuing operations is 
determined based on value in use calculations undertaken at the 
cash generating unit level. These calculations require the use of key 
assumptions which are set out in Note 21.  

Income taxes 
Brambles is a global company and is subject to income taxes in 
many jurisdictions around the world. Significant judgement is 
required in determining the provision for income taxes on a 
worldwide basis. There are many transactions and calculations 
undertaken during the ordinary course of business for which the 
ultimate tax determination is uncertain. Brambles recognises 
liabilities for anticipated tax audit issues based on estimates of 
whether additional taxes will be due. Where the final tax outcome 
of these matters is different from amounts provided, such 
differences will impact the current and deferred tax provisions in 
the period in which such outcome is obtained. Refer to Note 9 for 
further details. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 83

 
 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 4. SEGMENT INFORMATION
Brambles' segment information is provided on the same basis as internal management reporting to the CEO and reflects how Brambles is 
organised and managed. The reportable segments have changed since the 2011 Annual Report following Brambles' reorganisation of its 
pooling business into product categories. Prior year comparatives have been restated to reflect the new segments. 

Brambles has seven reportable segments, being Pallets - Americas, Pallets - EMEA, Pallets - Asia-Pacific (each pallet pooling businesses), 
Reusable Plastic Crates (RPCs) (crate pooling business), Containers (container pooling businesses), Recall (information management 
business) and Brambles HQ (corporate centre). Discontinued operations primarily comprise the Cleanaway businesses (waste 
management), which were divested in 2006 and 2007. In the first-half financial statements, Recall was presented within Discontinued 
operations as a divestment process was under way.  On 4 June 2012, Brambles announced its decision to retain Recall.  Recall is therefore 
included within Continuing operations.

Segment performance is measured on sales, Underlying profit, cash flow from operations and Brambles Value Added (BVA). Underlying 
profit is the main measure of segment profit. A reconciliation between Underlying profit and operating profit is set out below.

Segment sales revenue is measured on the same basis as in the income statement. Segment sales revenue is allocated to segments based 
on product categories and physical location of the business unit that invoices the customer. Intersegment revenue during the year was 
immaterial. There is no single external customer who contributed more than 10% of Group sales revenue.

Assets and liabilities are measured consistently in segment reporting and in the balance sheet. Assets and liabilities are allocated to 
segments based on segment use and physical location. Cash, borrowings and tax balances are managed centrally and are not allocated to 
segments. 

By operating segment

Pallets - Americas

Pallets - EMEA

Pallets - Asia-Pacific

Pallets

RPCs

Containers

Recall

Brambles HQ

Total Continuing

By geographic origin(cid:172)
Americas

Europe

Australia

Other

Total

By operating segment

Pallets - Americas

Pallets - EMEA

Pallets - Asia-Pacific

Pallets

RPCs

Containers

Recall

Brambles HQ

Continuing operations

Discontinued operations

Total

Cash flow from
operations1

Brambles
Value Added2

2012
US$m

272.3(cid:172)

215.4(cid:172)

25.9(cid:172)

513.6(cid:172)

(40.8)

29.2(cid:172)

131.6(cid:172)

(42.4)

591.2(cid:172)

2011
US$m

272.6(cid:172)

259.1(cid:172)

60.8(cid:172)

592.5(cid:172)

42.8(cid:172)

29.7(cid:172)

92.6(cid:172)

(32.5)

725.1(cid:172)

2012
US$m

134.9(cid:172)

128.5(cid:172)

30.8(cid:172)

294.2(cid:172)

(41.8)

6.2(cid:172)

45.5(cid:172)

(29.1)

275.0(cid:172)

2011
US$m

76.5(cid:172)

152.9(cid:172)

36.6(cid:172)

266.0(cid:172)

3.2(cid:172)

17.8(cid:172)

23.5(cid:172)

(29.0)

281.5(cid:172)

Sales
revenue

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

2,041.3(cid:172)

1,326.8(cid:172)

375.8(cid:172)

3,743.9(cid:172)

759.5(cid:172)

276.6(cid:172)

845.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,654.8(cid:172)

1,318.3(cid:172)

340.0(cid:172)

3,313.1(cid:172)

310.0(cid:172)

233.8(cid:172)

815.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

5,625.0(cid:172)

4,672.2(cid:172)

2,632.4(cid:172)

2,041.4(cid:172)

614.4(cid:172)

336.8(cid:172)

2,101.8(cid:172)

1,692.4(cid:172)

574.1(cid:172)

303.9(cid:172)

5,625.0(cid:172)

4,672.2(cid:172)

Operating
profit3 

Significant items 
before tax4 

Underlying 
profit4 

2012
US$m

346.4(cid:172)

269.3(cid:172)

75.7(cid:172)

691.4(cid:172)

109.3(cid:172)

32.8(cid:172)

160.1(cid:172)

(54.4)

939.2(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

939.6(cid:172)

2011
US$m

275.6(cid:172)

299.9(cid:172)

74.1(cid:172)

649.6(cid:172)

27.8(cid:172)

37.9(cid:172)

145.8(cid:172)

(51.9)

809.2(cid:172)

0.9(cid:172)

810.1(cid:172)

2012
US$m

(17.2)

(5.5)

(0.9)

(23.6)

(16.2)

  -(cid:172)

(14.1)

(16.6)

(70.5)

0.4(cid:172)

(70.1)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 84

2012
US$m

363.6(cid:172)

274.8(cid:172)

76.6(cid:172)

715.0(cid:172)

125.5(cid:172)

32.8(cid:172)

174.2(cid:172)

(37.8)

1,009.7(cid:172)

2011
US$m

(1.3)

(2.7)

(1.3)

(5.3)

(26.0)

  -(cid:172)

0.5(cid:172)

(17.2)

(48.0)

0.9(cid:172)

(47.1)

2011
US$m

276.9(cid:172)

302.6(cid:172)

75.4(cid:172)

654.9(cid:172)

53.8(cid:172)

37.9(cid:172)

145.3(cid:172)

(34.7)

857.2(cid:172)

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 4. SEGMENT INFORMATION - CONTINUED

By operating segment

Pallets - Americas

Pallets - EMEA

Pallets - Asia-Pacific

Pallets

RPCs

Containers

Recall

Brambles HQ

Total

By operating segment

Pallets - Americas

Pallets - EMEA

Pallets - Asia-Pacific

Pallets

RPCs

Containers

Recall

Brambles HQ

Total segment assets and liabilities

Cash and borrowings

Current tax balances

Deferred tax balances

Equity-accounted investments

Total assets and liabilities

Non-current assets by geographic origin5 
Americas

Europe

Australia

Other

Total

Capital
expenditure

Depreciation
and amortisation

2012
US$m

297.9(cid:172)

237.7(cid:172)

85.9(cid:172)

621.5(cid:172)

230.0(cid:172)

49.1(cid:172)

70.9(cid:172)

3.4(cid:172)

974.9(cid:172)

2011
US$m

276.4(cid:172)

286.0(cid:172)

83.3(cid:172)

645.7(cid:172)

65.0(cid:172)

38.9(cid:172)

110.7(cid:172)

6.0(cid:172)

866.3(cid:172)

2012
US$m

186.7(cid:172)

137.3(cid:172)

45.4(cid:172)

369.4(cid:172)

86.1(cid:172)

33.0(cid:172)

62.9(cid:172)

0.8(cid:172)

2011
US$m

173.2(cid:172)

143.4(cid:172)

42.6(cid:172)

359.2(cid:172)

40.4(cid:172)

28.1(cid:172)

51.3(cid:172)

0.8(cid:172)

552.2(cid:172)

479.8(cid:172)

Segment assets

Segment liabilities

2012
US$m 

2011
US$m 

2012
US$m 

2011
US$m 

2,110.1(cid:172)

1,441.4(cid:172)

449.7(cid:172)

4,001.2(cid:172)

1,755.8(cid:172)

303.5(cid:172)

1,174.1(cid:172)

61.4(cid:172)

7,296.0(cid:172)

174.2(cid:172)

20.8(cid:172)

37.6(cid:172)

17.1(cid:172)

2,153.4(cid:172)

1,579.6(cid:172)

454.8(cid:172)

4,187.8(cid:172)

1,781.3(cid:172)

310.2(cid:172)

1,248.5(cid:172)

32.5(cid:172)

7,560.3(cid:172)

138.5(cid:172)

16.1(cid:172)

36.3(cid:172)

16.8(cid:172)

275.1(cid:172)

337.6(cid:172)

50.4(cid:172)

663.1(cid:172)

411.9(cid:172)

71.8(cid:172)

185.6(cid:172)

56.6(cid:172)

1,389.0(cid:172)

2,864.1(cid:172)

46.5(cid:172)

505.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

312.6(cid:172)

368.0(cid:172)

95.8(cid:172)

776.4(cid:172)

422.9(cid:172)

59.2(cid:172)

230.0(cid:172)

58.8(cid:172)

1,547.3(cid:172)

3,137.3(cid:172)

102.9(cid:172)

529.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

7,545.7(cid:172)

7,768.0(cid:172)

4,805.3(cid:172)

5,316.6(cid:172)

2,896.6(cid:172)

2,231.6(cid:172)

533.5(cid:172)

475.1(cid:172)

2,627.5(cid:172)

2,744.8(cid:172)

604.6(cid:172)

427.2(cid:172)

6,136.8(cid:172)

6,404.1(cid:172)

1

2

3

4

Cash flow from operations is cash flow generated after net capital expenditure but excluding Significant items that are outside the
ordinary course of business. 
BVA is a non-statutory profit measure and represents the value generated over and above the cost of the capital used to generate that
value. It is calculated using fixed June(cid:172)2011 exchange rates as:
• Underlying profit; plus 
• Significant items that are part of the ordinary activities of the business; less
• Average Capital Invested, adjusted for accumulated pre-tax Significant items that are part of the ordinary activities of the business,   
   multiplied by 12%. 

Operating profit is segment revenue less segment expense and excludes net finance costs.

Underlying profit is a non-statutory profit measure and represents profit from continuing operations before finance costs, tax and
Significant items (refer Note 6). It is presented to assist users of the financial statements to better understand Brambles' business results.

5 Non-current assets exclude financial instruments and deferred tax assets.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 85

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 5. PROFIT FROM ORDINARY ACTIVITIES - CONTINUING OPERATIONS

A) REVENUE AND OTHER INCOME - CONTINUING OPERATIONS

Sales revenue

Net gains on disposals of property, plant and equipment 

Other operating income

Other income

Total income

B) OPERATING EXPENSES - CONTINUING OPERATIONS

Employment costs (Note 7)

Service suppliers:

- transport

- repairs and maintenance

- subcontractors and other service suppliers

Raw materials and consumables   

Occupancy 

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

Impairment of property, plant and equipment (refer Note 6)

Irrecoverable pooling equipment provision expense

Amortisation of intangible assets and deferred expenditure

- software 

- acquired intangible assets (other than software)   

- deferred expenditure

Other

C) NET FOREIGN EXCHANGE GAINS AND LOSSES - CONTINUING OPERATIONS

Net gains/(losses) included in operating profit1 

Net gains/(losses) included in net finance costs

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

5,625.0(cid:172)

4,672.2(cid:172)

14.3(cid:172)

128.3(cid:172)

142.6(cid:172)

36.5(cid:172)

98.5(cid:172)

135.0(cid:172)

5,767.6(cid:172)

4,807.2(cid:172)

1,055.6(cid:172)

893.6(cid:172)

993.0(cid:172)

333.9(cid:172)

914.2(cid:172)

404.6(cid:172)

335.4(cid:172)

480.8(cid:172)

15.2(cid:172)

100.1(cid:172)

30.9(cid:172)

30.9(cid:172)

9.6(cid:172)

129.7(cid:172)

4,833.9(cid:172)

19.3(cid:172)

5.6(cid:172)

24.9(cid:172)

831.5(cid:172)

260.8(cid:172)

733.9(cid:172)

250.7(cid:172)

279.9(cid:172)

435.5(cid:172)

14.5(cid:172)

104.9(cid:172)

25.1(cid:172)

13.1(cid:172)

6.1(cid:172)

154.8(cid:172)

4,004.4(cid:172)

(2.1)

(1.4)

(3.5)

1  Includes a US$12.5 million foreign exchange gain on capital repatriation by overseas subsidiaries during the year. Refer Note 6 for 

further details.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 86

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 6. SIGNIFICANT ITEMS - CONTINUING OPERATIONS

Significant items are items of income or expense which are, either individually or in aggregate, material to Brambles or to the relevant 
business segment and:
•   outside the ordinary course of business (e.g. gains or losses on the sale or termination of operations, the cost of significant 
     reorganisations or restructuring); or
•   part of the ordinary activities of the business but unusual due to their size and nature. 

Significant items are disclosed to assist users of the financial statements to better understand Brambles’ business results.

Items outside the ordinary course of business:

- acquisition-related costsa

- restructuring costsb

- IFCO integration costsc

- Recall transaction costsd

- Pension costse

- Foreign exchange gain on repatriationf

Significant items from continuing operations

Items outside the ordinary course of business:

- acquisition-related costsa

- restructuring costsb

- IFCO integration costsc

Significant items from continuing operations

Before
tax

(2.8)

(37.0)

(16.2)

(21.2)

(5.8)

12.5(cid:172)

(70.5)

Before
tax

(19.1)

(3.4)

(25.5)

(48.0)

2012 
US$m 

Tax 

0.4(cid:172)

12.5(cid:172)

3.6(cid:172)

2.8(cid:172)

1.6(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

20.9(cid:172)

2011 
US$m 

Tax 

2.5(cid:172)

0.9(cid:172)

(7.2)

(3.8)

After
tax 

(2.4)

(24.5)

(12.6)

(18.4)

(4.2)

12.5(cid:172)

(49.6)

After
tax 

(16.6)

(2.5)

(32.7)

(51.8)

a

b

c

d

e

f

Professional fees and other transaction costs were incurred in relation to the acquisitions described in Note 13.

Redundancy, plant closure and other restructuring costs of US$37.0 million were incurred in various countries during the year (2011: 
US$3.4 million).

IFCO integration costs of US$16.2 million were incurred in 2012 (2011: US$25.5 million). These include a US$15.2 million (2011: 
US$14.5(cid:172)million) impairment of reusable plastic crates (RPC) assets. 

Costs of US$21.2 million, primarily professional fees, were incurred in relation to the Recall divestment process.

CHEP South Africa changed its retirement plan from defined benefit to defined contribution during the year. As required by AASB(cid:172)119: 
Employee benefits, the actuarially-assessed value of a related enhancement in retirement benefits has been treated as a past service 
cost and recognised in the income statement.

Capital returns were made by overseas subsidiaries during the year. As required by AASB 121: The Effects of Changes in Foreign 
Exchange Rates, a portion of the accumulated foreign currency translation reserve held in relation to the overseas subsidiaries have 
been recognised in the income statement, resulting in a US$12.5 million foreign exchange gain. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 87

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 7. EMPLOYMENT COSTS - CONTINUING OPERATIONS

Wages and salaries  

Social security costs

Share-based payment expense

Pension costs:

- defined contribution plans

- defined benefit plans

Other post-employment benefits 

The average monthly number of employees in continuing operations was:

Pallets

RPCs

Containers

Recall

Brambles HQ

NOTE 8. NET FINANCE COSTS

Finance revenue

Bank accounts and short term deposits

Derivative financial instruments

Other

Finance costs

2012
US$m

873.0(cid:172)

97.2(cid:172)

20.5(cid:172)

23.6(cid:172)

8.2(cid:172)

33.1(cid:172)

1,055.6(cid:172)

2011
US$m

753.6(cid:172)

81.4(cid:172)

13.6(cid:172)

22.9(cid:172)

6.4(cid:172)

15.7(cid:172)

893.6(cid:172)

2012

2011

10,629(cid:172)

10,799(cid:172)

914(cid:172)

420(cid:172)

4,952(cid:172)

106(cid:172)

17,021(cid:172)

2012
US$m

2.8(cid:172)

15.6(cid:172)

3.1(cid:172)

21.5(cid:172)

822(cid:172)

167(cid:172)

5,238(cid:172)

108(cid:172)

17,134(cid:172)

2011
US$m

3.1(cid:172)

12.1(cid:172)

2.0(cid:172)

17.2(cid:172)

Interest expense on bank loans and borrowings

(156.3)

(134.7)

Derivative financial instruments

Other

Net finance costs

(5.7)

(11.5)

(173.5)

(152.0)

(9.2)

(0.8)

(144.7)

(127.5)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 88

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 9. INCOME TAX

A) COMPONENTS OF TAX EXPENSE

Amounts recognised in the income statement

Current income tax - continuing operations:

- income tax charge

- prior year adjustments

Deferred tax - continuing operations:

- origination and reversal of temporary differences

- previously unrecognised tax losses

- prior year adjustments

Tax expense - continuing operations 

Tax benefit - discontinued operations (Note 12)

Tax expense recognised in the income statement

Amounts recognised in the statement of comprehensive income 

- on actuarial (losses)/gains on defined benefit pension plans

- on losses on revaluation of cash flow hedges

Tax (benefit)/expense recognised directly in the statement of comprehensive income

B) RECONCILIATION BETWEEN TAX EXPENSE AND ACCOUNTING PROFIT BEFORE TAX

Profit before tax - continuing operations

Tax at standard Australian rate of 30% (2011: 30%)

Effect of tax rates in other jurisdictions

Prior year adjustments

Prior year tax losses written-off

Current year tax losses not recognised

Foreign withholding tax unrecoverable

Change in tax rates

Non-deductible expenses

Other taxable items

Prior year tax losses recouped/recognised

Other

Tax expense - continuing operations 

Tax benefit - discontinued operations (Note 12)

Total income tax expense

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

203.0(cid:172)

(36.7)

166.3(cid:172)

40.3(cid:172)

(16.9)

22.6(cid:172)

46.0(cid:172)

212.3(cid:172)

(1.0)

211.3(cid:172)

(5.4)

1.7(cid:172)

(3.7)

787.2(cid:172)

236.2(cid:172)

(37.5)

(16.4)

2.3(cid:172)

12.9(cid:172)

4.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

22.8(cid:172)

12.6(cid:172)

(16.9)

(7.7)

212.3(cid:172)

(1.0)

211.3(cid:172)

242.2(cid:172)

(11.2)

231.0(cid:172)

(3.8)

(2.5)

(14.8)

(21.1)

209.9(cid:172)

(2.7)

207.2(cid:172)

3.6(cid:172)

2.3(cid:172)

5.9(cid:172)

681.7(cid:172)

204.5(cid:172)

(22.7)

(26.2)

  -(cid:172)

13.8(cid:172)

15.2(cid:172)

0.2(cid:172)

15.8(cid:172)

11.6(cid:172)

(2.5)

0.2(cid:172)

209.9(cid:172)

(2.7)

207.2(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 89

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 9. INCOME TAX - CONTINUED

C) COMPONENTS OF AND CHANGES IN DEFERRED TAX ASSETS

Deferred tax assets shown in the balance sheet are represented by cumulative temporary differences attributable to:

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

Items recognised through the income statement

Employee benefits

Provisions

Losses available against future taxable income

Other

Items recognised directly in equity

Actuarial losses on defined benefit pension plans

Cash flow hedges

Share-based payments

Set-off of deferred tax liabilities

Net deferred tax assets

Changes in deferred tax assets were as follows:

At 1 July

Credited to the income statement 

Credited directly to equity

Offset against deferred tax liabilities

Currency variations

At 30 June

17.0(cid:172)

36.4(cid:172)

289.5(cid:172)

56.5(cid:172)

399.4(cid:172)

18.7(cid:172)

3.9(cid:172)

3.6(cid:172)

26.2(cid:172)

(388.0)

37.6(cid:172)

36.3(cid:172)

65.4(cid:172)

6.4(cid:172)

(63.2)

(7.3)

37.6(cid:172)

9.5(cid:172)

48.9(cid:172)

283.3(cid:172)

83.1(cid:172)

424.8(cid:172)

4.4(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

3.8(cid:172)

8.2(cid:172)

(396.7)

36.3(cid:172)

19.8(cid:172)

67.7(cid:172)

0.3(cid:172)

(54.6)

3.1(cid:172)

36.3(cid:172)

Deferred tax assets are recognised for carried forward tax losses to the extent that the realisation of the related tax benefit through 
future taxable profits is probable. At reporting date, Brambles has unused tax losses of US$1,298.5(cid:172)million (2011: US$1,382.8(cid:172)million) 
available for offset against future profits. A deferred tax asset has been recognised in respect of US$877.0 million (2011: US$855.8(cid:172)million) 
of such losses.

The benefit for tax losses will only be obtained if:

-

-

-

Brambles derives future assessable income of a nature and of an amount sufficient to enable the benefit from the deductions for the 
losses to be realised;

Brambles continues to comply with the conditions for deductibility imposed by tax legislation; and

no changes in tax legislation adversely affect Brambles in realising the benefit from the deductions for the losses.

No deferred tax asset has been recognised in respect of the remaining unused tax losses of US$421.5 million (2011: US$527.0 million) due 
to the unpredictability of future profit streams in the relevant jurisdictions. Tax losses of US$694.7 million will expire between 2013 and 
2031. All other losses may be carried forward indefinitely.  

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 90

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 9. INCOME TAX - CONTINUED

D) COMPONENTS AND CHANGES IN DEFERRED TAX LIABILITIES

Deferred tax liabilities shown in the balance sheet are represented by cumulative temporary differences attributable to:

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

Items recognised through the income statement

Accelerated depreciation for tax purposes

Other

Items recognised in the statement of comprehensive income

Actuarial gains on defined benefit pension plans

Cash flow hedges

Set-off of deferred tax assets

Net deferred tax liabilities

Changes in deferred tax liabilities were as follows:

At 1 July

Charged to the income statement 

Charged directly to equity

Acquisition of subsidiary

Offset against deferred tax asset

Currency variations

At 30 June

751.9(cid:172)

140.5(cid:172)

892.4(cid:172)

1.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1.3(cid:172)

(388.0)

505.7(cid:172)

529.1(cid:172)

111.4(cid:172)

1.5(cid:172)

(31.8)

(63.2)

(41.3)

505.7(cid:172)

716.4(cid:172)

202.5(cid:172)

918.9(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

6.9(cid:172)

6.9(cid:172)

(396.7)

529.1(cid:172)

408.2(cid:172)

46.6(cid:172)

2.1(cid:172)

89.5(cid:172)

(54.6)

37.3(cid:172)

529.1(cid:172)

At reporting date, the aggregate amount of temporary differences associated with undistributed earnings of subsidiaries for which 
deferred tax liabilities have not been recognised in the consolidated financial statements was US$2,018.4 million (2011: 
US$2,253.5(cid:172)million). No liability has been recognised in respect of these temporary differences because Brambles is in a position to control 
distributions from subsidiaries and it is probable that such differences will not reverse in the foreseeable future. Unremitted earnings 
totalled US$2,594.5(cid:172)million (2011: US$2,554.3 million), of which US$672.5(cid:172)million (2011: US$631.9 million) relates to earnings post 
Unification.

E) TAX CONSOLIDATION
Brambles Limited and its Australian subsidiaries formed a tax consolidated group in 2006. Brambles Limited, as the head entity of the tax 
consolidated group, and its Australian subsidiaries have entered into a tax sharing agreement in order to allocate income tax expense. The 
tax sharing agreement uses a stand-alone basis of allocation. Consequently, Brambles Limited and its Australian subsidiaries account for 
their own current and deferred tax amounts as if they each continue to be taxable entities in their own right. In addition, the agreement 
provides funding rules setting out the basis upon which subsidiaries are to indemnify Brambles Limited in respect of tax liabilities and the 
methodology by which subsidiaries in tax loss are to be compensated. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 91

 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 10. EARNINGS PER SHARE

Earnings per share  

- basic
- diluted

From continuing operations  

- basic
- diluted
- basic, on Underlying profit after finance costs and tax

From discontinued operations 

- basic
- diluted

2012
US cents

2011
US cents

38.9(cid:172)
38.6(cid:172)

38.8(cid:172)
38.5(cid:172)
42.1(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)
0.1(cid:172)

32.9(cid:172)
32.7(cid:172)

32.6(cid:172)
32.5(cid:172)
36.2(cid:172)

0.3(cid:172)
0.2(cid:172)

Performance share rights and MyShare matching conditional rights granted under Brambles' share plans are considered to be potential 
ordinary shares and have been included in the determination of diluted earnings per share to the extent to which they are dilutive.
Details are set out in Note 28. 

A) WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF SHARES DURING THE YEAR

Used in the calculation of basic earnings per share

Adjustment for share rights

Used in the calculation of diluted earnings per share 

B) RECONCILIATIONS OF PROFITS USED IN EPS CALCULATIONS

Statutory profit

Profit from continuing operations 

Profit from discontinued operations

Profit used in calculating basic and diluted EPS

Underlying profit after finance costs and tax

Underlying profit (Note 4)

Net finance costs (Note 8)

Underlying profit before tax

Tax expense on Underlying profit

Underlying profit after finance costs and tax

which reconciles to statutory profit:

Underlying profit after finance costs and tax

Significant items after tax (Note 6)

Profit from continuing operations 

2012
million

2011
million

1,482.3(cid:172)

1,445.6(cid:172)

9.0(cid:172)

6.3(cid:172)

1,491.3(cid:172)

1,451.9(cid:172)

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

574.9(cid:172)

1.4(cid:172)

576.3(cid:172)

1,009.7(cid:172)

(152.0)

857.7(cid:172)

(233.2)

624.5(cid:172)

624.5(cid:172)

(49.6)

574.9(cid:172)

471.8(cid:172)

3.6(cid:172)

475.4(cid:172)

857.2(cid:172)

(127.5)

729.7(cid:172)

(206.1)

523.6(cid:172)

523.6(cid:172)

(51.8)

471.8(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 92

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 11. DIVIDENDS

A) DIVIDENDS PAID DURING THE YEAR

Dividend per share (in Australian cents)

Franked amount at 30% tax (in Australian cents)

Cost (in US$ million)

Payment date

B) DIVIDEND DECLARED AFTER REPORTING DATE

Dividend per share (in Australian cents)

Franked amount at 30% tax (in Australian cents)

Cost (in US$ million)

Payment date

Dividend record date

Interim
2012

13.0(cid:172)

2.6(cid:172)

197.3(cid:172)

Final
2011

13.0(cid:172)

2.6(cid:172)

200.4(cid:172)

12 April 2012 

13 October 2011 

Final 
2012

13.0(cid:172)

3.9(cid:172)

213.3(cid:172)

11 October 2012 

21 September 2012 

As this dividend had not been declared at the reporting date, it is not reflected in these financial statements. On 17 August 2011, 
Brambles suspended its Dividend Reinvestment Plan.

C) FRANKING CREDITS

Franking credits available for subsequent financial years based on a tax rate of 30%

2012
US$m

87.5(cid:172)

2011
US$m

49.7(cid:172)

The amounts above represent the balance of the franking account as at the end of the year, adjusted for:

- franking credits that will arise from the payment of the current tax liability;

- franking debits that will arise from the payment of dividends recognised as a liability at the reporting date;

- franking credits that will arise from dividends recognised as receivables at the reporting date; and 

- franking credits that may be prevented from being distributed in subsequent financial years.

The final 2012 dividend has been franked at 30%. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 93

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 12. DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS
Discontinued operations primarily comprise net adjustments to divestment provisions made in prior years. Financial information relating 
to discontinued operations is summarised below:

Profit before tax

Tax benefit

Profit for the year from discontinued operations

Net cash outflow from operating activities

NOTE 13. BUSINESS COMBINATIONS
ACQUISITIONS

2012
US$m

0.4(cid:172)

1.0(cid:172)

1.4(cid:172)

(1.0)

2011
US$m

0.9(cid:172)

2.7(cid:172)

3.6(cid:172)

(4.7)

A) IFCO Systems NV
During 2012, final adjustments were made to the fair values of the assets and liabilities of IFCO Systems NV at acquisition. These
adjustments include a decrease of US$51.1 million in the fair value of property, plant and equipment, net US$1.2 million reversal of
provisions and related US$36.0 million deferred tax adjustments. The net result of these adjustments is an increase in goodwill of
US$13.9(cid:172)million from US$989.9(cid:172)million to US$1,003.8 million.

B) Driessen Services
On 3 November 2011, Brambles announced its acquisition of Driessen Services, a specialist in the outsourced repair and maintenance of
unit load devices (airline containers) and airline galley equipment, for an enterprise value of €7.5 million.

C) Paramount Pallet
On 25 November 2011, Brambles announced its acquisition of Paramount Pallet, a nationwide provider of comprehensive pallet services in
Canada for C$13 million.

D) Other

In addition to the above acquisitions, there were other minor acquisitions in 2012 with immaterial impact.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 94

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 14. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

Cash at bank and in hand

Short term deposits 

2012
US$m

143.4(cid:172)

30.8(cid:172)

174.2(cid:172)

2011
US$m

112.1(cid:172)

26.4(cid:172)

138.5(cid:172)

Cash and cash equivalents include balances of US$5.7 million (2011: US$5.6 million) used as security for various contingent liabilities and is 
not readily accessible. Short term deposits have initial maturities varying between 7 days and 3 months. 

Refer to Note 30 for other financial instruments disclosures.

NOTE 15. TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES 

Current

Trade receivables

Provision for doubtful receivables (A)

Net trade receivables

Other debtors 

Accrued and unbilled revenue

Non-current

Other receivables 

826.9(cid:172)

(21.3)

805.6(cid:172)

146.4(cid:172)

102.8(cid:172)

856.5(cid:172)

(18.4)

838.1(cid:172)

149.5(cid:172)

62.7(cid:172)

1,054.8(cid:172)

1,050.3(cid:172)

8.5(cid:172)

9.6(cid:172)

A)  PROVISION FOR DOUBTFUL RECEIVABLES
Trade receivables are non-interest bearing and are generally on 30–90 day terms. A provision for doubtful receivables is established when 
there is a level of uncertainty as to the full recoverability of the receivable, based on objective evidence. A provision of US$7.7(cid:172)million 
(2011:(cid:172)US$7.9 million) has been recognised as an expense in the current year for specific trade and other receivables for which such 
evidence exists.  

Movements in the provision for doubtful receivables were as follows:

At 1 July

Charge for the year

Amounts written off

Acquisition of subsidiaries

Foreign exchange differences

At 30 June

18.4(cid:172)

7.7(cid:172)

(3.9)

1.0(cid:172)

(1.9)

21.3(cid:172)

9.0(cid:172)

7.9(cid:172)

(3.7)

4.9(cid:172)

0.3(cid:172)

18.4(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 95

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 15. TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES - CONTINUED 

At 30 June, the ageing analysis of trade receivables by reference to due dates was(cid:172)as follows:

Not past due

Past due 0-30 days but not impaired

Past due 31-60 days but not impaired

Past due 61-90 days but not impaired

Past 90 days but not impaired

Impaired

2012
US$m

595.4(cid:172)

131.7(cid:172)

37.4(cid:172)

10.2(cid:172)

30.9(cid:172)

21.3(cid:172)

2011
US$m

645.4(cid:172)

123.4(cid:172)

35.6(cid:172)

10.9(cid:172)

22.8(cid:172)

18.4(cid:172)

826.9(cid:172)

856.5(cid:172)

At 30 June 2012, trade receivables of US$210.2 million (2011: US$192.7 million) were past due but not doubtful. These trade receivables 
comprise customers who have a good debt history and are considered recoverable.

At 30 June 2012, trade receivables of US$21.3 million (2011: US$18.4 million) were considered to be impaired. A provision of 
US$21.3(cid:172)million (2011:(cid:172)US$18.4 million) has been recognised for doubtful receivables.  

Other debtors primarily comprise GST/VAT recoverable, loss compensation receivables and certain balances arising from outside Brambles' 
ordinary business activities, such as deferred proceeds on sale of businesses and property, plant and equipment. 

At 30 June 2012, other debtors of US$77.6 million (2011: US$55.8 million) were past due but not considered to be impaired. No specific 
collection issues have been identified with these receivables.  An ageing of these receivables was as follows:

Past due 0-30 days but not impaired

Past due 31-60 days but not impaired

Past due 61-90 days but not impaired

Past 90 days but not impaired

11.8(cid:172)

4.4(cid:172)

3.0(cid:172)

58.4(cid:172)

77.6(cid:172)

6.1(cid:172)

0.9(cid:172)

1.0(cid:172)

47.8(cid:172)

55.8(cid:172)

At 30 June 2012, there were no balances within other debtors that were considered to be impaired (2011: nil). No provision has been 
recognised (2011:(cid:172)nil).  

Refer to Note 30 for other financial instruments disclosures.

NOTE 16. INVENTORIES

Raw materials and consumables 

Work in progress 

Finished goods

2012
US$m

34.8(cid:172)

0.3(cid:172)

13.1(cid:172)

48.2(cid:172)

2011
US$m

34.1(cid:172)

9.5(cid:172)

12.9(cid:172)

56.5(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 96

 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 17. DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Interest rate swaps - cash flow hedges

Interest rate swaps - fair value hedges

Forward foreign exchange contracts - cash flow hedges

Forward foreign exchange contracts - held for trading

Embedded derivatives

Interest rate swaps - cash flow hedges

Interest rate swaps - fair value hedges

Embedded derivatives

Refer to Note 30 for other financial instruments disclosures.

NOTE 18. OTHER ASSETS

Current

Prepayments

Current tax receivable 

Non-current

Prepayments

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

Current assets

Current liabilities

  -(cid:172)

8.3(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

8.9(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

9.6(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1.6(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

11.3(cid:172)

3.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

1.9(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

5.0(cid:172)

5.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.3(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

6.1(cid:172)

Non-current assets

Non-current liabilities

  -(cid:172)

19.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

19.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

13.1(cid:172)

1.0(cid:172)

14.1(cid:172)

0.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.8(cid:172)

3.2(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

3.2(cid:172)

2012(cid:172)
US$m(cid:172)

2011(cid:172)
US$m(cid:172)

45.4(cid:172)

20.8(cid:172)

66.2(cid:172)

40.8(cid:172)

16.1(cid:172)

56.9(cid:172)

3.0(cid:172)

0.7(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 97

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 19. INVESTMENTS

A) JOINT VENTURES

Brambles has investments in the following unlisted jointly controlled entities, which are accounted for using the equity method.

Name (and nature of business)

CISCO - Total Information Management Pte. Limited (Information management) 

Recall Becker GmbH & Co. KG (Document management services)

Place of  

incorporation

Singapore

Germany

B) MOVEMENT IN CARRYING AMOUNT OF INVESTMENTS IN JOINT VENTURES

At 1 July

Share of results after income tax (Note 19C)

Dividends received/receivable

Foreign exchange differences

At 30 June

C) SHARE OF RESULTS OF JOINT VENTURES

Trading revenue

Expenses

Profit from ordinary activities before tax

Tax expense on ordinary activities

Profit for the year

D) SHARE OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF JOINT VENTURES

Current assets

Non-current assets

Total assets

Current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Total liabilities

Net assets - continuing operations

E) SHARE OF COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES OF JOINT VENTURES

Contingent liabilities

Capital commitments 

Lease commitments

Total - continuing operations

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 98

% interest held
at reporting date

June 
2012

49%

50%

2012
US$m

16.8(cid:172)

5.5(cid:172)

(4.2)

(1.0)

17.1(cid:172)

2012
US$m

15.7(cid:172)

(9.0)

6.7(cid:172)

(1.2)

5.5(cid:172)

5.9(cid:172)

16.2(cid:172)

22.1(cid:172)

3.8(cid:172)

1.2(cid:172)

5.0(cid:172)

June 
2011

49%

50%

2011
US$m

14.0(cid:172)

6.4(cid:172)

(5.6)

2.0(cid:172)

16.8(cid:172)

2011
US$m

14.5(cid:172)

(6.8)

7.7(cid:172)

(1.3)

6.4(cid:172)

4.8(cid:172)

16.5(cid:172)

21.3(cid:172)

3.5(cid:172)

1.0(cid:172)

4.5(cid:172)

17.1(cid:172)

16.8(cid:172)

0.6(cid:172)

1.6(cid:172)

3.5(cid:172)

5.7(cid:172)

0.5(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

2.4(cid:172)

2.9(cid:172)

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 20. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

At 1 July 2010

Cost

Accumulated depreciation

Net carrying amount

Year ended 30 June 2011

Opening net carrying amount

Additions

Acquisition of subsidiaries

Disposals 

Other transfers

Depreciation charge 

Impairment of pooling equipment

Irrecoverable pooling equipment provision expense

Foreign exchange differences

Closing net carrying amount

At 30 June 2011

Cost

Accumulated depreciation

Net carrying amount

Year ended 30 June 2012

Opening net carrying amount

Additions

Acquisition of subsidiaries

Fair value adjustment of prior year acquisition

Disposals 

Disposal of subsidiaries

Other transfers

Depreciation charge

Irrecoverable pooling equipment provision expense

Impairment of pooling equipment

Foreign exchange differences

Closing net carrying amount

At 30 June 2012

Cost

Accumulated depreciation

Net carrying amount

Land and
buildings
US$m

Plant and
equipment
US$m

Total
US$m

130.4(cid:172)

(56.8)

73.6(cid:172)

73.6(cid:172)

29.2(cid:172)

4.0(cid:172)

(3.0)

(2.3)

(5.7)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

11.0(cid:172)

106.8(cid:172)

182.5(cid:172)

(75.7)

106.8(cid:172)

106.8(cid:172)

21.6(cid:172)

3.5(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(2.8)

  -(cid:172)

11.2(cid:172)

(9.0)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(14.6)

116.7(cid:172)

200.7(cid:172)

(84.0)

116.7(cid:172)

5,287.8(cid:172)

5,418.2(cid:172)

(2,137.6)

(2,194.4)

3,150.2(cid:172)

3,223.8(cid:172)

3,150.2(cid:172)

3,223.8(cid:172)

792.7(cid:172)

515.9(cid:172)

(61.1)

(5.1)

(429.8)

(14.5)

(104.9)

328.8(cid:172)

821.9(cid:172)

519.9(cid:172)

(64.1)

(7.4)

(435.5)

(14.5)

(104.9)

339.8(cid:172)

4,172.2(cid:172)

4,279.0(cid:172)

6,986.2(cid:172)

7,168.7(cid:172)

(2,814.0)

(2,889.7)

4,172.2(cid:172)

4,279.0(cid:172)

4,172.2(cid:172)

4,279.0(cid:172)

899.5(cid:172)

5.0(cid:172)

(51.1)

(70.0)

(0.2)

(9.8)

(471.8)

(100.1)

(15.2)

(336.6)

921.1(cid:172)

8.5(cid:172)

(51.1)

(72.8)

(0.2)

1.4(cid:172)

(480.8)

(100.1)

(15.2)

(351.2)

4,021.9(cid:172)

4,138.6(cid:172)

6,643.4(cid:172)

6,844.1(cid:172)

(2,621.5)

(2,705.5)

4,021.9(cid:172)

4,138.6(cid:172)

The net carrying amounts above include plant and equipment held under finance lease US$38.5 million (2011:(cid:172)US$67.6(cid:172)million); leasehold 
improvements US$25.7 million (2011: US$9.0 million); and capital work in progress US$54.0 million (2011: US$21.1 million).

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 99

 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 21. GOODWILL

A) NET CARRYING AMOUNTS AND MOVEMENTS DURING THE YEAR

At 1 July

Carrying amount

Year ended 30 June

Opening net carrying amount

Acquisition of subsidiaries 

Foreign exchange differences

Closing net carrying amount

At 30 June

Gross carrying amount

Accumulated impairment

Net carrying amount

2012
US$m

2011
US$m 

1,694.3(cid:172)

607.0(cid:172)

1,694.3(cid:172)

19.4(cid:172)

(106.3)

607.0(cid:172)

1,021.8(cid:172)

65.5(cid:172)

1,607.4(cid:172)

1,694.3(cid:172)

1,607.4(cid:172)

1,694.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,607.4(cid:172)

1,694.3(cid:172)

B) SEGMENT-LEVEL SUMMARY OF NET CARRYING AMOUNT
Goodwill acquired through business combinations is allocated to cash generating units (CGU), which are the smallest identifiable 
groupings of Brambles' cash generating assets.  A segment-level summary of the goodwill allocation is presented as follows:

Pallets - Americas

Pallets - EMEA

Pallets - Asia-Pacific

Pallets

RPCs

Containers

Recall

Total goodwill 

318.0(cid:172)

37.3(cid:172)

29.8(cid:172)

385.1(cid:172)

658.7(cid:172)

47.7(cid:172)

515.9(cid:172)

324.4(cid:172)

40.7(cid:172)

31.5(cid:172)

396.6(cid:172)

699.9(cid:172)

48.4(cid:172)

549.4(cid:172)

1,607.4(cid:172)

1,694.3(cid:172)

C) RECOVERABLE AMOUNT TESTING - CONTINUING OPERATIONS
The recoverable amount of goodwill is determined based on value in use calculations undertaken at the CGU level. The value in use is 
calculated using a discounted cash flow methodology covering a 10 year period with an appropriate terminal value at the end of that 
period. Based on the impairment testing, the carrying amounts of goodwill in the CGUs related to continuing operations at reporting date 
were fully supported.  The key assumptions on which management has based its cash flow projections were:

Cash flow forecasts
Cash flow forecasts are based on the most recent financial projections covering a maximum period of five years. Cash flows beyond that 
period are extrapolated using estimated growth rates. Financial projections are based on assumptions that represent management's best 
estimates.

Growth rates
Growth rates ranging from nil to 4% (average rates: Pallets - Americas 2.7%; RPCs 2.5% and Recall 2.2%) were used beyond the period 
covered in the financial projections. They are based on management's expectations for future performance and do not normally exceed 
the long term growth rate for the business in which the CGU operates. 

Terminal value
The terminal value calculated after year 10 is determined using the stable growth model, having regard to the weighted average cost of 
capital and terminal growth factor appropriate to each CGU.

Discount rates
Discount rates used are the pre-tax weighted average cost of capital (WACC) and include a premium for market risks appropriate to each 
country in which the CGU operates. WACCs ranged between 9.7% and 21.2% (average rates: Pallets - Americas 11.5%; RPCs 10.0% and 
Recall 11.8%) .

Sensitivity
Any reasonable change to the above key assumptions would not cause the carrying value of the CGU to materially exceed its recoverable 
amount.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 100

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 22. INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Software
US$m

Other1
US$m

Total
US$m

489.4(cid:172)

(330.8)

158.6(cid:172)

158.6(cid:172)

44.4(cid:172)

227.9(cid:172)

(0.5)

(50.0)

23.3(cid:172)

403.7(cid:172)

805.5(cid:172)

(401.8)

403.7(cid:172)

172.1(cid:172)

(87.5)

84.6(cid:172)

84.6(cid:172)

8.2(cid:172)

226.5(cid:172)

(0.4)

(20.0)

18.5(cid:172)

317.4(cid:172)

434.0(cid:172)

(116.6)

317.4(cid:172)

317.4(cid:172)

403.7(cid:172)

19.0(cid:172)

5.6(cid:172)

(0.7)

(0.3)

(40.5)

(26.5)

274.0(cid:172)

418.5(cid:172)

(144.5)

274.0(cid:172)

53.8(cid:172)

5.6(cid:172)

(1.0)

(0.3)

(71.4)

(28.2)

362.2(cid:172)

820.5(cid:172)

(458.3)

362.2(cid:172)

At 1 July 2010

Gross carrying amount

Accumulated amortisation

Net carrying amount

Year ended 30 June 2011

Opening carrying amount

Additions

Acquisition of subsidiaries

Disposals

Amortisation charge

Foreign exchange differences

Closing carrying amount

At 30 June 2011

Gross carrying amount

Accumulated amortisation

Net carrying amount

Year ended 30 June 2012

Opening carrying amount

Additions

Acquisition of subsidiaries

Disposals 

Disposal of subsidiaries

Amortisation charge

Foreign exchange differences

Closing carrying amount

At 30 June 2012

Gross carrying amount

Accumulated amortisation

Net carrying amount

317.3(cid:172)

(243.3)

74.0(cid:172)

74.0(cid:172)

36.2(cid:172)

1.4(cid:172)

(0.1)

(30.0)

4.8(cid:172)

86.3(cid:172)

371.5(cid:172)

(285.2)

86.3(cid:172)

86.3(cid:172)

34.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(0.3)

  -(cid:172)

(30.9)

(1.7)

88.2(cid:172)

402.0(cid:172)

(313.8)

88.2(cid:172)

1(cid:172) Other intangible assets primarily comprise acquired customer relationships, customer lists and agreements.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 101

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 23. TRADE AND OTHER PAYABLES

Current

Trade payables

GST/VAT, refundable deposits and other payables

Accruals and deferred income

Non-current

Other liabilities

2012
US$m

458.5(cid:172)

365.6(cid:172)

352.7(cid:172)

2011
US$m

569.8(cid:172)

255.9(cid:172)

438.6(cid:172)

1,176.8(cid:172)

1,264.3(cid:172)

27.1(cid:172)

27.0(cid:172)

Trade payables and other current payables are non-interest bearing and are generally settled on 30–90 day terms. 

Refer to Note 30 for other financial instruments disclosures.

NOTE 24. BORROWINGS
Current

Unsecured:

- bank overdraft

- bank loans1

- loan notes2

- accrued interest on loan notes2,3,4,6

- finance lease liabilities (Note 32)

- other loans

Non-current

Unsecured:

- bank loans1

- loan notes2,3,4,5,6

- finance lease liabilities (Note 32)

- other loans

Total borrowings

21.5(cid:172)

21.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

22.1(cid:172)

16.5(cid:172)

4.6(cid:172)

86.4(cid:172)

1,000.6(cid:172)

1,753.3(cid:172)

22.0(cid:172)

1.8(cid:172)

2,777.7(cid:172)

2,864.1(cid:172)

58.1(cid:172)

34.0(cid:172)

169.3(cid:172)

29.5(cid:172)

26.2(cid:172)

8.5(cid:172)

325.6(cid:172)

920.6(cid:172)

1,847.4(cid:172)

41.4(cid:172)

2.3(cid:172)

2,811.7(cid:172)

3,137.3(cid:172)

1(cid:172)

2(cid:172)

3(cid:172)

4(cid:172)

5(cid:172)

6(cid:172)

Unsecured bank loans include the following: (i)(cid:172)revolving loans in various currencies priced off LIBOR and drawn under multi-currency global banking 
facilities with a range of maturities out to December 2016; and (ii)(cid:172)various regional banking facilities providing local currency funding to certain 
subsidiaries.  Included in bank loans are borrowings of US$436.0 million (2011:(cid:172)US$507.0(cid:172)million) which have been designated as a hedge of the net 
investment in Brambles' European subsidiaries and are being used to partially hedge Brambles' exposure to foreign exchange risks on these investments. 

Notes issued in August 2004 in respect of US$425.0 million US private placement of which US$171.0 million was redeemed in August 2011. The terms of the 
outstanding notes are (i) Series B US$157.5 million 5.77% Guaranteed Senior Unsecured Notes due 4 August 2014 and (ii) Series C US$96.5 million 5.94% 
Guaranteed Senior Unsecured Notes due 4 August 2016.

Notes issued in May 2009 in respect of US$110.0 million US private placement. The terms of the note are (i)(cid:172)Series A US$35.0 million 7.29% Guaranteed 
Senior Unsecured Notes due 7 May 2014; (ii) Series B US$55.0(cid:172)million 7.83% Guaranteed Senior Unsecured Notes due 7 May 2016; and (iii) Series(cid:172)C 
US$20.0(cid:172)million 8.23% Guaranteed Senior Unsecured Notes due 7 May 2019.

Notes issued in March 2010 to qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A and Regulation S of the United States Securities Act. The terms of 
the notes are (i) US$250.0 million 3.95% Guaranteed Senior Notes due 1 April 2015; and (ii) US$500.0 million 5.35% Guaranteed Senior Notes due 1 April 
2020.

US$450.0 million of loan notes have been hedged with interest rate swaps for fair value risk. In accordance with AASB 139, the carrying value of the notes 
have been adjusted to increase debt by US$25.1 million (2011: US$20.3 million) in relation to changes in fair value attributable to the hedged risk.

Notes issued in April 2011 in the European bond market in respect of €500.0 million of 4.625% Guaranteed Senior Notes due 20 April 2018.

Refer to Note 30 for other financial instruments disclosures

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 102

 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 24. BORROWINGS - CONTINUED

A) BORROWING FACILITIES AND CREDIT STANDBY ARRANGEMENTS

Total facilities:

- committed borrowing facilities

- loan notes

- credit standby/uncommitted/overdraft arrangements

Facilities used at reporting date:1

- committed borrowing facilities

- loan notes

- credit standby/uncommitted/overdraft arrangements

Facilities available at reporting date:

- committed borrowing facilities

- credit standby/uncommitted/overdraft arrangements

2012
US$m

2011
US$m 

2,272.8(cid:172)

1,736.0(cid:172)

240.9(cid:172)

4,249.7(cid:172)

1,049.7(cid:172)

1,736.0(cid:172)

39.5(cid:172)

2,825.2(cid:172)

1,223.1(cid:172)

201.4(cid:172)

1,424.5(cid:172)

2,434.2(cid:172)

2,008.2(cid:172)

271.5(cid:172)

4,713.9(cid:172)

1,000.6(cid:172)

2,008.2(cid:172)

86.3(cid:172)

3,095.1(cid:172)

1,433.6(cid:172)

185.2(cid:172)

1,618.8(cid:172)

Borrowing facilities are arranged by Brambles on behalf of its subsidiaries. Funding is generally sourced from relationship banks and debt
capital market investors on a medium to long term basis. The expiry dates of committed borrowing facilities range out to December
2016 with loan notes having maturities out to April 2020. The average term to maturity of the committed borrowing facilities and the
loan notes is equivalent to 3.7(cid:172)years (2011: 4.1 years). These facilities are unsecured and are guaranteed as described in Note 38B.

B) BORROWING FACILITIES MATURITY PROFILE

Maturity

Type

2012

Less than 1 year

Bank loans/overdrafts/finance leases/other loans

1 - 2 years

2 - 3 years

3 - 4 years

4 - 5 years

Bank loans/loan notes/finance leases/other loans

Bank loans/loan notes/finance leases

Bank loans/loan notes/finance leases

Bank loans/loan notes/finance leases

Over 5 years

Loan notes

2011
Less than 1 year

1 - 2 years

2 - 3 years

3 - 4 years

4 - 5 years

Bank loans/loan notes/overdrafts/finance leases/other loans

Bank loans/finance leases/other loans

Bank loans/loan notes/finance leases/other loans

Bank loans/loan notes/finance leases/other loans

Bank loans/loan notes/finance leases

Over 5 years

Loan notes

Total
facilities

277.2(cid:172)

1,042.2(cid:172)

890.8(cid:172)

524.4(cid:172)

373.1(cid:172)

1,142.0(cid:172)

4,249.7(cid:172)

477.2(cid:172)

405.1(cid:172)

1,475.3(cid:172)

525.3(cid:172)

491.3(cid:172)

1,339.7(cid:172)

4,713.9(cid:172)

US$m

Facilities
used1

63.2(cid:172)

379.5(cid:172)

577.5(cid:172)

383.8(cid:172)

279.2(cid:172)

1,142.0(cid:172)

2,825.2(cid:172)

292.0(cid:172)

182.6(cid:172)

708.2(cid:172)

515.3(cid:172)

57.3(cid:172)

1,339.7(cid:172)

3,095.1(cid:172)

Facilities
available

214.0(cid:172)

662.7(cid:172)

313.3(cid:172)

140.6(cid:172)

93.9(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,424.5(cid:172)

185.2(cid:172)

222.5(cid:172)

767.1(cid:172)

10.0(cid:172)

434.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,618.8(cid:172)

1(cid:172)

Facilities used represents the principal value of loan notes and borrowings drawn against the relevant facilities to reflect the correct 
amount of funding headroom. This amount differs by US$38.9 million (2011: US$42.2(cid:172)million) from loan notes and borrowings as shown 
in the balance sheet which are measured on the basis of amortised cost as determined under the effective interest method and 
include accrued interest, transaction costs and fair value adjustments on certain hedging instruments.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 103

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 25. PROVISIONS

At 1 July 2011

Current

Non-current

Charge to income statement

Additional provisions

Utilisation of provision

Acquisition of subsidiaries

Currency variations

At 30 June 2012

Current

Non-current

Employee

entitlements
US$m

Business

disposals
US$m

78.5(cid:172)

7.5(cid:172)

86.0(cid:172)

48.9(cid:172)

(51.7)

0.3(cid:172)

(8.0)

75.5(cid:172)

66.1(cid:172)

9.4(cid:172)

8.3(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

8.7(cid:172)

(4.7)

(0.8)

  -(cid:172)

(0.7)

2.5(cid:172)

0.9(cid:172)

1.6(cid:172)

Other
US$m

102.5(cid:172)

12.1(cid:172)

114.6(cid:172)

24.1(cid:172)

(87.0)

(6.5)

(2.7)

42.5(cid:172)

23.1(cid:172)

19.4(cid:172)

Total
US$m

189.3(cid:172)

20.0(cid:172)

209.3(cid:172)

68.3(cid:172)

(139.5)

(6.2)

(11.4)

120.5(cid:172)

90.1(cid:172)

30.4(cid:172)

Employee entitlements provision comprises US$19.8 million (2011: US$12.8 million) for long service leave, US$1.8(cid:172)million (2011: 
US$2.1(cid:172)million) for phantom shares and US$53.9 million (2011: US$71.1 million) for bonuses and other employee-related obligations (other 
than those resulting from pension plans). None of these amounts related to phantom shares which had vested at reporting date. 
US$10.8(cid:172)million (2011: US$5.3 million) of the long service leave provision has been recognised as current as it is expected to be settled 
within one year from reporting date. The remaining balance of long service leave of US$9.0 million (2011: US$7.5 million) is expected to 
settle within the next two to ten years and has been discounted to present value. 

Business disposals provision is in respect of divestments completed in 2007 and prior years.

Other provisions comprise US$36.4 million (2011: US$25.0 million) for restructuring and integration costs, US$6.1(cid:172)million (2011: 
US$26.4(cid:172)million) for litigation and customer disputes and US$nil(cid:172)million (2011:(cid:172)US$63.2(cid:172)million) for other known exposures.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 104

 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 26. RETIREMENT BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS 

A) DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLANS
Brambles operates a number of defined contribution retirement benefit plans for qualifying employees. The assets of these plans are held 
in separately administered trusts or insurance policies. In some countries, Brambles’ employees are members of state-managed 
retirement benefit plans. Brambles is required to contribute a specified percentage of payroll costs to the retirement benefit plan to fund 
benefits. The only obligation of Brambles with respect to defined contribution retirement benefit plans is to make the specified 
contributions.

US$23.6 million (2011: US$22.9 million) representing contributions paid and payable to these plans by Brambles at rates specified in the 
rules of the plans relating to continuing operations has been recognised as an expense in the income statement. 

B) DEFINED BENEFIT PLANS
Brambles operates a number of defined benefit pension plans, which are closed to new entrants. The majority of the plans are self-
administered and the plans’ assets are held independently of Brambles' finances. Under the plans, members are entitled to retirement 
benefits based upon a percentage of final salary. No other post-retirement benefits are provided. The plans are funded plans. 

On 1 October 2011, four plans operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa were closed to future accrual. One plan in the 
United Kingdom retained the link between benefits and salary for members still in employment, but for the others the link was broken 
resulting in a curtailment. In South Africa, the retirement obligations changed from defined benefit to defined contribution for all 
members still in employment. The actuarially-assessed value of a related enhancement in retirement benefits has been treated as a past-
service cost and recognised in the income statement.

The plan assets and the present value of the defined benefit obligation recognised in Brambles' balance sheet are based upon the most 
recent formal actuarial valuations which have been updated to 30 June 2012 by independent professionally qualified actuaries and take 
account of the requirements of AASB 119. The present value of the defined benefit obligation and the past service cost were measured 
using the projected unit credit method.

In addition to the principal defined benefit plans included in disclosures below, Brambles has a number of other arrangements in several 
countries that are either defined benefit pension plans or have certain defined benefit characteristics. Each of these arrangements has 
been assessed as immaterial separately and in aggregate and they have not been subjected to an independent AASB 119 valuation.

C) BALANCE SHEET AMOUNTS
The amounts recognised in Brambles' balance sheet in respect of defined benefit plans were as follows:

Present value of defined benefit obligations

Fair value of plan assets

Net liability recognised in the balance sheet 

2012
US$m

249.5(cid:172)

(190.7)

58.8(cid:172)

2011
US$m

239.6(cid:172)

(202.2)

37.4(cid:172)

Brambles has no legal obligation to settle this liability with an immediate contribution or additional one-off contributions. Brambles 
intends to continue to make contributions to the plans at the rates recommended by the funds' actuaries. Refer Note 26(I).

D) INCOME STATEMENT AMOUNTS
The amounts recognised in Brambles' income statement in respect of defined benefit plans were as follows:

Current service cost

Interest cost

Past service cost

Expected return on plan assets

Changes arising from curtailments and settlements

Net benefit expense included in employment cost (Note 7)

E) STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Actuarial (losses)/gains reported in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income

Cumulative actuarial losses recognised

1.3(cid:172)

11.1(cid:172)

6.1(cid:172)

(10.1)

(0.2)

8.2(cid:172)

(19.7)

(24.1)

3.7(cid:172)

12.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(10.8)

0.7(cid:172)

6.4(cid:172)

13.9(cid:172)

(4.4)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 105

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 26. RETIREMENT BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS - CONTINUED

F) DEFINED BENEFIT OBLIGATION

Changes in the present value of the defined benefit obligation were as follows:     

At 1 July

Current service cost

Past service cost

Interest cost

Contributions from plan members

Actuarial gains and losses

Currency variations

Benefits paid

Curtailments

Defined contribution movements1

At 30 June

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

239.6(cid:172)

211.1(cid:172)

1.3(cid:172)

6.1(cid:172)

11.1(cid:172)

0.3(cid:172)

14.2(cid:172)

(19.3)

(6.7)

(0.2)

3.1(cid:172)

249.5(cid:172)

3.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

12.8(cid:172)

0.7(cid:172)

(2.2)

20.1(cid:172)

(7.3)

0.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

239.6(cid:172)

1 On 1 October 2011, US$36.3 million of the defined benefit obligation and of the assets in the South African pension plan was re-
designated as defined contribution.  The defined contribution movements comprise employer contributions paid and expensed of 
US$1.2(cid:172)million, investment returns of US$1.7 million and other movements of US$0.2 million.

All Brambles' defined benefit pension arrangements are closed to new entrants. Under the projected unit method, the current service 
cost of these arrangements will increase as a percentage of payroll as the members of the plan approach retirement.

G) PLAN ASSETS

2012
Fair value

2011
Fair value

US$m

%

US$m

%

Assets held in the plans fell within the following categories:

Equities

Bonds/gilts

Insurance bonds

Cash

Other

70.4(cid:172)

42.1(cid:172)

4.8(cid:172)

56.9(cid:172)

16.5(cid:172)

36.9(cid:172)

22.1(cid:172)

2.5(cid:172)

29.8(cid:172)

8.7(cid:172)

96.5(cid:172)

51.0(cid:172)

5.0(cid:172)

19.6(cid:172)

30.1(cid:172)

190.7(cid:172)

100.0(cid:172)

202.2(cid:172)

Changes in the fair value of the plan assets were as follows:

At 1 July

Expected return on plan assets

Actuarial gains and losses

Currency variations

Contributions from sponsoring employers

Contributions from plan members

Benefits paid

Defined contribution movements

At 30 June

The actual return on plan assets was US$4.6 million (2011: US$22.7 million).

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 106

47.7(cid:172)

25.2(cid:172)

2.5(cid:172)

9.7(cid:172)

14.9(cid:172)

100.0(cid:172)

2011
US$m

160.7(cid:172)

10.9(cid:172)

11.7(cid:172)

15.1(cid:172)

10.4(cid:172)

0.7(cid:172)

(7.3)

  -(cid:172)

2012
US$m

202.2(cid:172)

10.1(cid:172)

(5.5)

(19.0)

6.2(cid:172)

0.3(cid:172)

(6.7)

3.1(cid:172)

190.7(cid:172)

202.2(cid:172)

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 26. RETIREMENT BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS - CONTINUED

H) PRINCIPAL ACTUARIAL ASSUMPTIONS
Principal actuarial assumptions (expressed as weighted averages) used in determining Brambles' defined benefit obligations were:

At 30 June 2012

Rate of increase in salaries

Rate of increase in pensions

Discount rate

Retail price inflation

Return on equities

Return on bonds

Return on cash

At 30 June 2011

Rate of increase in salaries

Rate of increase in pensions

Discount rate

Retail price inflation

Return on equities

Return on bonds

Return on cash

Europe

 other 
than UK

UK  

South
Africa

2.0%

3.4%

4.8%

2.1%

8.0%

4.8%

1.0%

4.7%

3.8%

5.5%

2.8%

8.0%

5.5%

1.0%

3.3%

2.7%

3.2%

2.0%

6.8%

3.4%

2.0%

3.3%

2.8%

5.1%

2.0%

6.8%

3.9%

2.0%

8.0%

6.0%

8.0%

6.0%

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

5.5%

5.8%

5.8%

8.5%

5.8%

5.0%

8.5%

7.0%

The expected return on plan assets is based on market expectations at the beginning of the period for returns over the entire life of the 
benefit obligation.

I) EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS
Employer contributions to the main defined benefit plans as a percentage of pensionable pay ceased from 1 October 2011 when the plans 
closed to future accrual.

The obligation to contribute to the various defined benefit plans is covered by trust deeds and/or legislation. Funding levels and 
contributions for these plans are based on regular actuarial advice. Comprehensive actuarial valuations are made at no more than three 
yearly intervals. Additional annual contributions of US$4.5 million (2011: US$3.5 million) are being paid to remove the identified deficits 
over a period of 9 years.

Contributions paid to the plans during 2012 were US$6.2 million (2011: US$10.4 million), all of which related to continuing operations. It is 
estimated that the amount of contributions to be paid to the plans during 2013 will be US$17.8 million.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 107

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 26. RETIREMENT BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS - CONTINUED

J) HISTORICAL SUMMARY

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

The history of the defined benefit plan deficit at the end of each year is as follows:

- plan liabilities

- plan assets

Net liability recognised in the balance sheet

(249.5)

190.7(cid:172)

(58.8)

(239.6)

202.2(cid:172)

(37.4)

2010
US$m

(211.1)

160.7(cid:172)

(50.4)

The history of favourable/(unfavourable) experience adjustments made in each year is as follows:

- on plan liabilities

- on plan assets

Net favourable/(unfavourable) adjustment

NOTE 27. CONTRIBUTED EQUITY

(14.2)

(5.5)

(19.7)

2.2(cid:172)

11.7(cid:172)

13.9(cid:172)

(19.3)

13.4(cid:172)

(5.9)

Total ordinary shares, of no par value, issued and fully paid:

At 1 July 2010

Issued during the year

Issued during the year under the Dividend Reinvestment Plan

At 30 June 2011

At 1 July 2011

Issued during the year

Capital reduction

At 30 June 2012

2009
US$m 

2008
US$m 

(196.0)

145.2(cid:172)

(50.8)

23.4(cid:172)

(26.3)

(2.9)

(242.5)

179.1(cid:172)

(63.4)

(13.9)

(20.7)

(34.6)

Shares  

US$m

1,422,229,707(cid:172)

13,979.6(cid:172)

32,770,055(cid:172)

24,367,692(cid:172)

240.8(cid:172)

149.8(cid:172)

1,479,367,454(cid:172)

14,370.2(cid:172)

1,479,367,454(cid:172)

14,370.2(cid:172)

56,692,482(cid:172)

337.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(8,223.4)

1,536,059,936(cid:172)

6,484.1(cid:172)

Ordinary shares of Brambles Limited entitle the holder to participate in dividends and the proceeds on any winding up of the Company in 
proportion to the number of shares held.

On 9 September 2011, Brambles Limited reduced its share capital by US$8,223.4 million in accordance with section 258F of the 
Corporations Act 2001, eliminating accumulated losses in the parent entity. This amount reflected the amount of share capital that was 
not represented by available assets at the time of the reduction. 

The 56,692,482 shares issued during the year include 55,014,813 new shares issued on 18 June 2012 under the institutional component of 
the fully underwritten 1 for 20 pro rata accelerated renounceable entitlement offer, raising US$326.6 million, net of transaction costs. 
The financial statements do not reflect the subsequent issue on 10 July 2012 of 19,055,210 new shares under the retail component of the 
entitlement offer, which raised approximately US$120.6 million.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 108

 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 28. SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS

The Remuneration Report sets out details relating to the Brambles share plans (pages 59 to 61), together with details of performance 
share rights and MyShare matching conditional rights issued to Executive Directors and other Key Management Personnel (pages 55 to 56). 
Rights granted by Brambles do not result in an entitlement to participate in share issues of any other corporation.

Set out below are summaries of rights granted under the plans.

A) GRANTS OVER BRAMBLES LIMITED SHARES ISSUED SUBSEQUENT TO UNIFICATION

Balance
at 1 July

Granted
during
the year

Exercised
during
the year

Forfeited/
lapsed during
the year

Balance 
at 30 June

Grant date

Expiry date

2012

Performance share rights 

19 Jan 2007

29 Aug 2007

28 Apr 2008

27 Aug 2008

25 Nov 2009

12 Apr 2010

24 Nov 2010

21 Feb 2011

31 Mar 2011

06 Sep 2011

11 Nov 2011

21 Nov 2011

07 Jun 2012

31 Aug 2012

30 Aug 2013

29 Apr 2014

27 Aug 2014

26 Nov 2015

12 Apr 2013

24 Nov 2016

21 Feb 2014

30 Jun 2014

06 Sep 2017

11 Nov 2017

21 Nov 2017

07 Jun 2018

90,167(cid:172)

196,859(cid:172)

4,750(cid:172)

2,777,839(cid:172)

3,269,062(cid:172)

22,902(cid:172)

4,429,520(cid:172)

32,906(cid:172)

732,095(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

4,545,557(cid:172)

37,000(cid:172)

30,267(cid:172)

14,514(cid:172)

(39,505)

(57,838)

  -(cid:172)

(1,667)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(1,013,611)

(1,558,969)

48,995(cid:172)

139,021(cid:172)

4,750(cid:172)

205,259(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(123,283)

3,145,779(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

22,902(cid:172)

(352,735)

4,076,785(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

32,906(cid:172)

732,095(cid:172)

(220,892)

4,324,665(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(39,773)

(58,859)

(4,803)

37,000(cid:172)

30,267(cid:172)

14,514(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

553,988(cid:172)

268,110(cid:172)

MyShare matching conditional rights 

2010 Plan Year

31 Mar 2012

2011 Plan Year

31 Mar 2013

2012 Plan Year

31 Mar 2014

526,477(cid:172)

206,238(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(486,704)

440,712(cid:172)

273,989(cid:172)

(34,103)

(1,076)

Total rights

12,288,815(cid:172)

5,342,039(cid:172)

(1,632,837)

(2,360,981)

13,637,036(cid:172)

2011 (summarised)

Total rights

9,125,960(cid:172)

5,796,637(cid:172)

(1,338,914)

(1,294,868)

12,288,815(cid:172)

Of the above grants, 398,025 rights were exercisable at 30 June 2012. 

Weighted average data:

- fair value at grant date of grants made during the year

- share price at exercise date of grants exercised during the year

- remaining contractual life at 30 June

2012

2011

A$

A$

years

5.28(cid:172)

6.78(cid:172)

4.0(cid:172)

5.46(cid:172)

6.68(cid:172)

4.1(cid:172)

There were 80,381 grants, 59,716 exercises and 192,480 forfeits in performance share rights and MyShare matching conditional rights over 
Brambles Limited shares between the end of the financial year and 14 August 2012.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 109

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 28. SHARE-BASED PAYMENTS - CONTINUED

B) GRANTS OVER BIL OR BIP SHARES PRE-UNIFICATION, NOW OVER BRAMBLES LIMITED SHARES

At 30 June 2011, there were 17,541 unexercised performance share rights over Brambles Limited shares that were initially granted over 
BIL or BIP shares pre-Unification. These rights were exercised during the year. The share price at exercise date was A$6.63.

C) FAIR VALUE CALCULATIONS

The fair value of equity-settled performance share rights and MyShare matching conditional rights was determined as at grant date, using 
a binomial valuation methodology. The values calculated do not take into account the probability of rights being forfeited prior to vesting, 
as a probability adjustment is made when computing the share-based payment expense.
The significant inputs into the valuation models for the equity-settled grants made during the year were:

Weighted average share price(cid:172)(cid:172)

Expected volatility(cid:172)(cid:172)

Expected life(cid:172)

Annual risk-free interest rate(cid:172)(cid:172)

Expected dividend yield(cid:172)

2012
Grants

A$6.44

30%

2011
Grants

A$6.76

31%

2-3 years

3.0 years

3.67-3.68%

4.00%

5.16%

3.70%

The expected volatility was determined based on a four-year historic volatility of Brambles' share prices.

D) SHARE-BASED PAYMENT EXPENSE - CONTINUING OPERATIONS

Brambles recognised a total expense of US$20.474 million (2011: US$13.638 million) relating to share-based payments, all within 
continuing operations. Of this amount, US$1.908 million related to phantom share provisions (2011: US$0.432 million). 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 110

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 29. RESERVES AND RETAINED EARNINGS

Reserves

Retained earnings

Non-controlling interests in reserves and retained earnings

A) MOVEMENTS IN RESERVES AND RETAINED EARNINGS

2012
US$m 

2011
US$m

(6,689.1)

(14,716.8)

2,945.4(cid:172)

2,797.6(cid:172)

(3,743.7)

(11,919.2)

  -(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

Share-
based
payment
US$m

Hedging
US$m

Reserves

Foreign
currency

translation Unification
US$m

US$m

Other
US$m

Total
US$m

Retained
earnings
US$m

(8.6)

72.7(cid:172)

147.0(cid:172)

(15,385.8)

167.3(cid:172)

(15,007.4)

2,660.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(1.9)

0.6(cid:172)

7.7(cid:172)

0.3(cid:172)

(2.9)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

13.2(cid:172)

(9.2)

3.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

279.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

279.0(cid:172)

10.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(1.9)

0.6(cid:172)

7.7(cid:172)

0.3(cid:172)

(2.9)

13.2(cid:172)

(9.2)

3.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(348.1)

475.3(cid:172)

(4.8)

80.5(cid:172)

426.0(cid:172)

(15,385.8)

167.3(cid:172)

(14,716.8)

2,797.6(cid:172)

(4.8)

80.5(cid:172)

426.0(cid:172)

(15,385.8)

167.3(cid:172)

(14,716.8)

2,797.6(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

5.1(cid:172)

(1.7)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

18.6(cid:172)

(11.1)

0.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(12.5)

(1.7)

(192.5)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

8,223.4(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(12.5)

(1.7)

(192.5)

5.1(cid:172)

(1.7)

18.6(cid:172)

(11.1)

0.1(cid:172)

8,223.4(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(14.3)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(414.2)

576.3(cid:172)

(1.4)

88.1(cid:172)

219.3(cid:172)

(7,162.4)

167.3(cid:172)

(6,689.1)

2,945.4(cid:172)

Year ended 30 June 2011

Opening balance

Actuarial loss on defined benefit plans

Foreign exchange differences

Cash flow hedges:

- fair value losses  

- tax on fair value losses

- transfers to net profit

- transfers to property, plant and equipment

- tax on transfers to net profit

Share-based payments:

- expense recognised during the year

- shares issued

- equity component of related tax

Dividends declared

Net profit for the year

Closing balance

Year ended 30 June 2012

Opening balance

Actuarial loss on defined benefit plans

FCTR released to profits during the year

FCTR on entities disposed taken to profit

Foreign exchange differences

Cash flow hedges:

- transfers to net profit

- tax on transfers to net profit

Share-based payments:

- expense recognised during the year

- shares issued

- equity component of related tax

Capital reduction

Dividends declared

Net profit for the year

Closing balance

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 111

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 29. RESERVES AND RETAINED EARNINGS - CONTINUED

B) NATURE AND PURPOSE OF RESERVES
Hedging reserve
This comprises the cumulative portion of the gain or loss of cash flow hedges that are determined to be effective hedges. Amounts are 
recognised in the income statement when the associated hedged transaction is recognised or the hedge or a portion thereof becomes 
ineffective.

Share-based payments reserve
This comprises the cumulative share-based payment expense recognised in the income statement in relation to equity-settled options and 
share rights issued but not yet exercised. Refer to Note 28 for further details.

Foreign currency translation reserve
This comprises cumulative exchange differences arising from the translation of the financial statements of foreign subsidiaries, net of 
qualifying net investment hedges. The relevant accumulated balance is recognised in the income statement on disposal of a foreign 
subsidiary.

Unification reserve
On Unification, Brambles Limited issued shares on a one-for-one basis to those Brambles Industries Limited (BIL) and Brambles Industries 
plc (BIP) shareholders who did not elect to participate in the Cash Alternative. The Unification reserve of US$15,385.8(cid:172)million was 
established on 4 December 2006, representing the difference between the Brambles Limited share capital measured at fair value and the 
carrying value of the share capital of BIL and BIP at that date. In the consolidated financial statements, the reduction in share capital of 
US$8,223.4 million on 9 September 2011 by the parent entity in accordance with section 258F of the Corporations Act 2001 has been 
applied against the Unification reserve. 

Other
This comprises a merger reserve created in 2001 and a capital redemption reserve created in 2006.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 112

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 30. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT
Brambles is exposed to a variety of financial risks: market risk (including the effect of fluctuations in interest rates and exchange rates), 
liquidity risk and credit risk. 

Brambles' overall risk management program focuses on the unpredictability of financial markets and seeks to minimise potential adverse 
effects on the financial performance of Brambles.

Brambles uses standard derivative financial instruments to manage its risk exposure in the normal course of business. Brambles does not 
trade in financial instruments for speculative purposes. Hedging activities are conducted through Brambles' Treasury department on a 
centralised basis in accordance with Board policies and guidelines through standard operating procedures and delegated authorities.

Policies with respect to financial risk management and hedging activities are discussed below and should be read in conjunction with 
detailed information contained in the Treasury & Risk Review on pages 12 to 13. 

A) FAIR VALUES
Set out below is a comparison by category of the carrying amounts and fair values of financial instruments recognised in the balance 
sheet. With the exception of loans and receivables and derivatives designated as hedging instruments, all financial assets are classified 
as financial assets at fair value through profit or loss.

Financial assets

- cash at bank and in hand (Note 14) 

- short term deposits (Note 14) 

- trade receivables (Note 15) 

- interest rate swaps (Note 17) 

- embedded derivatives (Note 17)

- forward foreign currency contracts (Note 17) 

Financial liabilities 

- trade payables (Note 23) 

- bank overdrafts (Note 24) 

- bank loans (Note 24) 

- loan notes (Note 24) 

- finance lease liabilities (Note 24) 

- other loans (Note 24) 

- interest rate swaps (Note 17) 

- forward foreign currency contracts (Note 17) 

Carrying amount

Fair value

2012
US$m

143.4(cid:172)

30.8(cid:172)

805.6(cid:172)

27.3(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

0.2(cid:172)

458.5(cid:172)

21.5(cid:172)

1,022.3(cid:172)

1,775.4(cid:172)

38.5(cid:172)

6.4(cid:172)

3.8(cid:172)

2.0(cid:172)

2011
US$m

112.1(cid:172)

26.4(cid:172)

838.1(cid:172)

22.8(cid:172)

1.0(cid:172)

1.6(cid:172)

569.8(cid:172)

58.1(cid:172)

954.6(cid:172)

2,046.2(cid:172)

67.6(cid:172)

10.8(cid:172)

8.9(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

2012
US$m 

143.4(cid:172)

30.8(cid:172)

805.6(cid:172)

27.3(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

0.2(cid:172)

458.5(cid:172)

21.5(cid:172)

1,022.3(cid:172)

1,915.2(cid:172)

38.5(cid:172)

6.4(cid:172)

3.8(cid:172)

2.0(cid:172)

2011
US$m 

112.1(cid:172)

26.4(cid:172)

838.1(cid:172)

22.8(cid:172)

1.0(cid:172)

1.6(cid:172)

569.8(cid:172)

58.1(cid:172)

954.6(cid:172)

2,103.8(cid:172)

67.6(cid:172)

10.8(cid:172)

8.9(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 113

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 30. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT - CONTINUED

A) FAIR VALUES - CONTINUED
Brambles uses the following methods in estimating the fair values of financial instruments:

Level 1 - the fair value is calculated using quoted prices in active markets;

Level 2 - the fair value is estimated using inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or 
liability, either directly (as prices) or indirectly (derived from prices); or

Level 3 - the fair value is estimated using inputs for the asset or liability that are not observable market data.

-
-

-

The table below sets out the fair values and methods used to estimate the fair value of derivatives designated as hedging 
instruments.

2012

2011

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

US$m

US$m

US$m

Total

US$m

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3 

US$m 

US$m 

US$m 

Total 

US$m 

Derivative financial assets

- interest rate swaps

- embedded derivatives

- forward foreign currency contracts

Derivative financial liabilities 

- interest rate swaps

- forward foreign currency contracts 

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

27.3(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

0.2(cid:172)

3.8(cid:172)

2.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

27.3(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

0.2(cid:172)

3.8(cid:172)

2.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

22.8(cid:172)

1.0(cid:172)

1.6(cid:172)

8.9(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

22.8(cid:172)

1.0(cid:172)

1.6(cid:172)

8.9(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

The fair values of derivatives designated as hedging instruments are determined using valuation techniques that are based on observable 
market data. For forward foreign exchange contracts, the net fair value is taken to be the unrealised gain or loss at balance date 
calculated by reference to the current forward rates for contracts with similar maturity dates. Fair value for other financial assets and 
liabilities has been calculated by discounting future cash flows at prevailing interest rates for the relevant yield curve.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 114

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 30. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT - CONTINUED

B) MARKET RISK
Brambles has the following risk policies in place with respect to market risk.

Interest rate risk
Brambles' exposure to potential volatility in finance costs, predominantly US dollars and euros, is managed by maintaining a mix of fixed 
and floating-rate instruments within select target bands over defined periods. In most cases, interest rate derivatives are used to achieve 
these targets synthetically. 

The following table sets out the financial instruments exposed to interest rate risk at reporting date:

Financial assets (floating rate)

Cash at bank

Short term deposits

Weighted average effective interest rate

Financial liabilities (floating rate)

Bank overdrafts

Bank loans

Interest rate swaps (notional value) - cash flow hedges

Interest rate swaps (notional value) - fair value hedges

Net exposure to cash flow interest rate risk

Weighted average effective interest rate

Financial liabilities (fixed rate)

Loan notes

Finance lease liabilities

Other loans

Interest rate swaps (notional value) - cash flow hedges

Interest rate swaps (notional value) - fair value hedges

Net exposure to fair value interest rate risk

Weighted average effective interest rate

2012
US$m

143.4(cid:172)

30.8(cid:172)

174.2(cid:172)

1.1%

21.5(cid:172)

1,022.3(cid:172)

(200.0)

450.0(cid:172)

1,293.8(cid:172)

2.3%

2011
US$m

112.1(cid:172)

26.4(cid:172)

138.5(cid:172)

1.6%

58.1(cid:172)

954.6(cid:172)

(272.3)

450.0(cid:172)

1,190.4(cid:172)

3.7%

1,775.4(cid:172)

2,046.2(cid:172)

38.5(cid:172)

6.4(cid:172)

200.0(cid:172)

(450.0)

1,570.3(cid:172)

5.3%

67.6(cid:172)

10.8(cid:172)

272.3(cid:172)

(450.0)

1,946.9(cid:172)

5.1%

Interest rate swaps - cash flow hedges
Brambles enters into various interest rate risk management transactions for the purpose of managing finance costs to achieve more stable 
and predictable finance expense results. The instruments primarily used are interest rate swaps.

During 2012, Brambles entered into or maintained interest rate swap transactions with various banks hedging variable rate borrowings in 
US dollars and euros.  The purpose of the interest rate swaps was to hedge variable interest expense under borrowings against rising 
interest rates. Interest rate swaps achieve this by synthetically converting the variable interest rate payment into a fixed interest liability 
on the dates on which interest is payable on the underlying debt. The fair value of these contracts at reporting date was US$(3.8)(cid:172)million 
(2011:(cid:172)US$(8.9)(cid:172)million).

The terms of the contracts have been negotiated to match the projected drawdowns and rollovers of variable rate bank debt.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 115

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 30. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT - CONTINUED

B) MARKET RISK - CONTINUED

Interest rate swaps - fair value hedges

Brambles has entered into interest rate swap transactions with various banks swapping US$450.0 million of the US$750.0 million 144A 
bonds to variable rate. The fair value of these contracts at reporting date was US$27.3 million (2011: US$22.7 million).

The terms of the swaps match the terms of the fixed rate bond issue for the amounts and durations being hedged.

The gain or loss from re-measuring the interest rate swaps at fair value is recorded in the income statement together with any changes in 
the fair value of the hedged asset or liability that is attributed to the hedged risk. For 2012, all interest rate swaps were effective 
hedging instruments.

Sensitivity analysis
The following table sets out the sensitivity of Brambles' financial assets and financial liabilities to interest rate risk applying the following 
assumptions:

         2012

          2011

lower rates

higher rates

lower rates

higher rates

Interest rate risk

US dollar interest rates

Australian dollar interest rates

Sterling interest rates

Euro interest rates

Impact on profit after tax

Impact on equity

- 25 bps

- 50 bps

- 25 bps

- 25 bps

US$m

1.9(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

+ 75 bps

+ 75 bps

+ 75 bps

+ 75 bps

US$m

(6.8)

0.1(cid:172)

- 15 bps

- 25 bps

- 25 bps

- 25 bps

US$m

0.5(cid:172)

(0.5)

+ 75 bps

+ 75 bps

+ 75 bps

+ 75 bps

US$m

(4.8)

0.3(cid:172)

Based on financial instruments held at 30 June 2012, if interest rates were to parallel shift by the number of basis points in the different 
currencies noted above with all other variables held constant, profit after tax for the year would have been US$1.9 million higher or 
US$6.8 million lower (2011: US$0.5 million higher or US$4.8 million lower), mainly as a result of lower/higher interest expense on bank 
borrowings. The impact on equity would have been US$nil million or US$0.1(cid:172)million higher (2011: US$0.5 million lower or US$0.3(cid:172)million 
higher) mainly as a result of the incremental movement through the hedging reserve relating to the effective portion of cash flow 
hedges. Given its geographically diverse operations, Brambles had interest rate exposure positions against a variety of currencies, 
predominantly US dollars and euros. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 116

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 30. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT - CONTINUED

B) MARKET RISK - CONTINUED

Foreign exchange risk

Exposure to foreign exchange risk generally arises in transactions affecting either the value of transactions translated back to the 
functional currency of a subsidiary or affecting the value of assets and liabilities of overseas subsidiaries when translated back to the 
Group's reporting currency. Foreign exchange hedging is used when a transaction exposure exceeds certain thresholds and as soon as a 
defined exposure arises. 

Currency profile
The following table sets out the currency mix profile of Brambles' financial instruments at reporting date:

2012

Financial assets

- cash at bank and in hand

- short term deposits

- interest rate swaps

- embedded derivatives

- forward foreign currency contracts

Financial liabilities

- bank overdrafts

- bank loans

- loan notes

- finance lease liabilities

- other loans

- interest rate swaps

- forward foreign currency contracts

- net investment hedge

2011

Financial assets

- cash at bank and in hand

- short term deposits

- interest rate swaps

- embedded derivatives

- forward foreign currency contracts

Financial liabilities

- bank overdrafts

- bank loans

- loan notes

- finance lease liabilities

- other loans

- interest rate swaps

- forward foreign currency contracts

- net investment hedge

US
dollar
US$m

Aust.
dollar
US$m

Sterling
US$m

Euro
US$m

Other
US$m

Total
US$m

19.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

27.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

46.4(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

432.9(cid:172)

1,152.2(cid:172)

7.5(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

3.8(cid:172)

321.9(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,918.3(cid:172)

7.5(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

22.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

7.6(cid:172)

37.8(cid:172)

7.4(cid:172)

201.6(cid:172)

1,322.3(cid:172)

0.2(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

8.9(cid:172)

105.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,646.2(cid:172)

2.3(cid:172)

21.6(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

160.6(cid:172)

184.5(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

0.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

3.4(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

4.6(cid:172)

8.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

125.6(cid:172)

134.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

38.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

3.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

42.5(cid:172)

8.3(cid:172)

47.2(cid:172)

66.6(cid:172)

143.4(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

9.2(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

133.9(cid:172)

142.2(cid:172)

55.6(cid:172)

102.8(cid:172)

191.8(cid:172)

268.0(cid:172)

30.8(cid:172)

27.3(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

542.0(cid:172)

743.9(cid:172)

0.2(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

6.5(cid:172)

76.4(cid:172)

623.2(cid:172)

30.8(cid:172)

4.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

147.5(cid:172)

436.0(cid:172)

14.8(cid:172)

76.2(cid:172)

21.5(cid:172)

586.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,775.4(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

1.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

70.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

38.5(cid:172)

6.4(cid:172)

3.8(cid:172)

543.8(cid:172)

436.0(cid:172)

0.5(cid:172)

1,324.7(cid:172)

163.6(cid:172)

3,411.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

2.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

23.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

35.6(cid:172)

0.4(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

17.9(cid:172)

54.0(cid:172)

37.1(cid:172)

73.7(cid:172)

723.9(cid:172)

67.4(cid:172)

8.9(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

128.0(cid:172)

507.0(cid:172)

60.3(cid:172)

26.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1.0(cid:172)

136.2(cid:172)

223.5(cid:172)

10.9(cid:172)

133.6(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1.9(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

24.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

112.1(cid:172)

26.4(cid:172)

22.8(cid:172)

1.0(cid:172)

287.3(cid:172)

449.6(cid:172)

58.1(cid:172)

447.6(cid:172)

2,046.2(cid:172)

67.6(cid:172)

10.8(cid:172)

8.9(cid:172)

286.1(cid:172)

507.0(cid:172)

26.5(cid:172)

1,546.0(cid:172)

171.1(cid:172)

3,432.3(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 117

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 30. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT - CONTINUED

B) MARKET RISK - CONTINUED
Forward foreign exchange contracts - cash flow hedges
Brambles enters into forward foreign exchange contracts to hedge currency exposures arising from normal commercial transactions such 
as the purchase and sale of equipment and services, intercompany interest and royalties.

During 2012, Brambles entered into forward foreign exchange transactions with various banks in a variety of cross-currencies for terms 
ranging up to 7 months.  Most contracts create an obligation on Brambles to take receipt of or deliver a foreign currency which is used to 
fulfil the foreign currency sale or purchase order.  

The gain or loss from re-measuring the foreign exchange contracts at fair value is deferred and recognised in the hedging reserve in 
equity to the extent that the hedge is effective and reclassified into profit and loss when the hedged item is recognised. Any ineffective 
portion is charged to the income statement. For 2012 and 2011, all foreign exchange contracts were effective hedging instruments.

Foreign exchange contracts are fair valued by comparing the contracted rate to the current market rate for a contract with the same 
remaining period to maturity.  The fair value of these contracts at reporting date was US$nil(cid:172)million (2011: US$(0.3) million).

Other forward foreign exchange contracts
Brambles enters into other forward foreign exchange contracts for the purpose of hedging various cross-border intercompany loans to 
overseas subsidiaries. In this case, the forward foreign exchange contract provides an economic hedge against exchange fluctuations in 
the foreign currency loan balance. The face value and terms of the foreign exchange contracts match the intercompany loan balances. 
Gains and losses on realignment of the intercompany loan and foreign exchange contracts to spot rates are offset in the income 
statement. Consequently, these foreign exchange contracts are not designated for hedge accounting purposes and are classified as held 
for trading. 

These contracts are fair valued by comparing the contracted rate to the current market rate for a contract with the same remaining 
period to maturity. Any changes in fair values are taken to the income statement immediately. The fair value of these contracts at 
reporting date was US$(1.8) million (2011:(cid:172)US$1.5 million).

Hedge of net investment in foreign entity
Included in bank loans at 30 June 2012 is a borrowing of US$436.0 million (2011:(cid:172)US$507.0(cid:172)million) denominated in euros. This loan has 
been designated as a hedge of the net investment in Brambles' European subsidiaries and is being used to partially hedge Brambles' 
exposure to foreign exchange risks on these investments. For 2012 and 2011, there was no ineffectiveness to be recorded from such 
partial hedges of net investments in foreign entities.  

Sensitivity analysis
The following table sets out the sensitivity of Brambles' financial assets and financial liabilities to foreign exchange risk (transaction 
exposures only):

Exchange rate movement

Impact on profit after tax

Impact on equity

Foreign exchange risk

          2012

          2011

lower rates

higher rates

lower rates

higher rates

-10%

US$m

0.1(cid:172)

(30.5)

+10%

US$m

(0.1)

30.5(cid:172)

-10%

US$m

0.1(cid:172)

(36.5)

+10%

US$m

(0.1)

36.5(cid:172)

Based on the financial instruments held at 30 June 2012, if exchange rates were to weaken/strengthen by 10% with all other variables 
held constant, profit after tax for the year would have been US$0.1 million higher/lower (2011: US$0.1 million higher/lower). The impact 
on equity would have been US$30.5 million lower/higher (2011: US$36.5(cid:172)million lower/higher) as a result of the incremental movement 
through the foreign currency translation reserve relating to the effective portion of a net investment hedge.  

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 118

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 30. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT - CONTINUED

C) LIQUIDITY RISK
Brambles' objective is to maintain adequate liquidity to meet its financial obligations as and when they fall due. Brambles funds its 
operations through existing equity, retained cash flow and borrowings. Funding is generally sourced from relationship banks and debt 
capital market investors on a medium to long term basis. 

Bank credit facilities are generally structured on a committed multi-currency revolving basis and at balance date had maturities ranging 
out to December 2016. Borrowings under the bank credit facilities are floating-rate, unsecured obligations with covenants and 
undertakings typical for these types of arrangements.

Borrowings are raised from debt capital markets by the issue of unsecured fixed interest notes, with interest payable semi-annually or 
annually.

Brambles also has access to further funding through overdrafts, uncommitted and standby lines of credit, principally to manage day-to-day 
liquidity.

To minimise foreign exchange risks, borrowings are arranged in the currency of the relevant operating asset to be funded. 

Refer to Note 24A for borrowing facilities and credit standby arrangements disclosures.

Maturities of derivative financial assets and liabilities
The maturity of Brambles' contractual cash flows on net and gross settled derivative financial instruments, based on the remaining period 
to contractual maturity date, is presented below. Cash flows on interest rate swaps and forward foreign exchange contracts are valued 
based on forward interest rates applicable at reporting date.

Year 1
US$m

Year 2
US$m

Year 3
US$m

Year 4
US$m

Over 4 
years
US$m

Total
contractual
cash flows
US$m

Carrying 
amount 
assets/
(liabilities)
US$m

2012

Net settled

Interest rate swaps

   - cash flow hedges

   - fair value hedges

Gross settled

Forward foreign exchange contracts

(3.0)

8.3(cid:172)

(0.8)

10.5(cid:172)

542.0(cid:172)

(543.8)

3.5(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

9.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

8.5(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

8.5(cid:172)

   - inflow

   - (outflow)

2011

Net settled

Interest rate swaps

   - cash flow hedges

   - fair value hedges

Gross settled

(5.6)

9.6(cid:172)

(3.0)

8.3(cid:172)

(0.2)

4.7(cid:172)

Forward foreign exchange contracts

   - inflow

   - (outflow)

287.3(cid:172)

(286.1)

5.2(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

5.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

4.5(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(3.8)

27.3(cid:172)

542.0(cid:172)

(543.8)

21.7(cid:172)

(8.8)

22.7(cid:172)

287.3(cid:172)

(286.1)

15.1(cid:172)

(3.8)

27.3(cid:172)

(1.8)

  -(cid:172)

21.7(cid:172)

(8.8)

22.7(cid:172)

1.2(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

15.1(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 119

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 30. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT - CONTINUED

C) LIQUIDITY RISK - CONTINUED

Maturities of non-derivative financial liabilities
The maturity of Brambles' contractual cash flows on non-derivative financial liabilities, based on the remaining period to contractual 
maturity date, for principal and interest, is presented below. Refer to Note 24B for borrowing facilities maturity profile.

Year 1
US$m

Year 2
US$m

Year 3
US$m

Year 4
US$m

Over 4 
years
US$m

Total 
contractual 
cash flows
US$m

Carrying 
amount
US$m

2012

Financial liabilities 

Trade payables

Bank overdrafts

Bank loans

Loan notes

Finance lease liabilities

Other loans

Financial guarantees1

2011

Financial liabilities 

Trade payables

Bank overdrafts

Bank loans

Loan notes

Finance lease liabilities

Other loans

458.6(cid:172)

21.5(cid:172)

45.7(cid:172)

104.9(cid:172)

18.5(cid:172)

4.6(cid:172)

653.8(cid:172)

116.7(cid:172)

770.5(cid:172)

569.8(cid:172)

58.1(cid:172)

71.5(cid:172)

292.9(cid:172)

29.6(cid:172)

8.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

353.8(cid:172)

116.2(cid:172)

13.4(cid:172)

1.8(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

184.1(cid:172)

488.3(cid:172)

8.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

458.6(cid:172)

21.5(cid:172)

458.5(cid:172)

21.5(cid:172)

340.9(cid:172)

192.1(cid:172)

1,116.6(cid:172)

1,022.3(cid:172)

124.7(cid:172)

1,486.2(cid:172)

2,320.3(cid:172)

1,775.4(cid:172)

3.0(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

0.5(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

43.4(cid:172)

6.4(cid:172)

38.5(cid:172)

6.4(cid:172)

485.2(cid:172)

680.4(cid:172)

468.6(cid:172)

1,678.8(cid:172)

3,966.8(cid:172)

3,322.6(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

116.7(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

485.2(cid:172)

680.4(cid:172)

468.6(cid:172)

1,678.8(cid:172)

4,083.5(cid:172)

3,322.6(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

196.3(cid:172)

91.7(cid:172)

20.6(cid:172)

0.2(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

681.2(cid:172)

126.2(cid:172)

12.9(cid:172)

2.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

104.4(cid:172)

486.0(cid:172)

8.0(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,648.0(cid:172)

2.5(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

569.8(cid:172)

58.1(cid:172)

1,053.4(cid:172)

2,644.8(cid:172)

73.6(cid:172)

11.1(cid:172)

569.8(cid:172)

58.1(cid:172)

954.6(cid:172)

2,046.2(cid:172)

67.6(cid:172)

10.8(cid:172)

Financial guarantees1

144.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

144.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,030.6(cid:172)

308.8(cid:172)

822.4(cid:172)

598.5(cid:172)

1,650.5(cid:172)

4,410.8(cid:172)

3,707.1(cid:172)

1,174.9(cid:172)

308.8(cid:172)

822.4(cid:172)

598.5(cid:172)

1,650.5(cid:172)

4,555.1(cid:172)

3,707.1(cid:172)

1

Refer to Note 33A for details on financial guarantees. The amounts disclosed above are the maximum amounts allocated to the earliest period in which the 
guarantee could be called. Brambles does not expect these payments to eventuate.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 120

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 30. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT - CONTINUED

D) CREDIT RISK EXPOSURE
Brambles is exposed to credit risk on its financial assets, which comprise cash and cash equivalents, trade and other receivables and 
derivative financial instruments. The exposure to credit risks arises from the potential failure of counterparties to meet their obligations. 
The maximum exposure to credit risk at the reporting date is the carrying amount of the financial instruments as set out in Note 30A.  
There is no significant concentration of credit risk.

Brambles trades only with recognised, creditworthy third parties. Collateral is generally not obtained from customers.

Customers are subject to credit verification procedures including an assessment of their independent credit rating, financial position, past 
experience and industry reputation. Credit limits are set for individual customers and approved by credit managers in accordance with an 
approved authority matrix. These credit limits are regularly monitored and revised based on historic turnover activity and credit 
performance. In addition, overdue receivable balances are monitored and actioned on a regular basis.

Exposure to credit risk also arises from amounts receivable from unrealised gains on derivative financial instruments.  At the reporting 
date, this amount was US$27.5 million (2011: US$24.2 million).  Brambles transacts derivatives with prominent financial institutions and 
has credit limits in place to limit exposure to any potential non-performance by its counterparties.

E) CAPITAL RISK MANAGEMENT
Brambles’ objective when managing capital is to ensure Brambles continues as a going concern as well as to provide a balance between 
financial flexibility and balance sheet efficiency. In determining its capital structure, Brambles considers the robustness of future cash 
flows, potential funding requirements for growth opportunities and acquisitions, the cost of capital and ease of access to funding sources.

Brambles manages its capital structure to be consistent with a solid investment grade credit. At 30 June 2012, Brambles held investment 
grade credit ratings of BBB+ from Standard and Poor's and Baa1 from Moody's Investor Services.

Initiatives available to Brambles to achieve its desired capital structure include adjusting the amount of dividends paid to shareholders, 
returning capital to shareholders, buying-back share capital, issuing new shares, selling assets to reduce debt and varying the maturity 
profile of its borrowings.

Brambles considers its capital to comprise:

Total borrowings

Less: cash and cash equivalents

Net debt

Total equity

Total capital

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

2,864.1(cid:172)

3,137.3(cid:172)

(174.2)

(138.5)

2,689.9(cid:172)

2,740.4(cid:172)

5,430.3(cid:172)

2,998.8(cid:172)

2,451.4(cid:172)

5,450.2(cid:172)

Brambles has a financial policy to target a net debt to EBITDA ratio of less than 1.75 to 1. Brambles is compliant with this financial policy 
at 30 June 2012.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 121

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 30. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT - CONTINUED

E) CAPITAL RISK MANAGEMENT - CONTINUED
Under the terms of its major borrowing facilities, Brambles is required to comply with the following financial covenants:

- 
- 

the ratio of net debt to EBITDA is to be no more than 3.5 to 1; and
the ratio of EBITDA to net finance costs is to be no less than 3.5 to 1.

Brambles has complied with these financial covenants for 2012 and prior years. At balance date, based on the definitions below, the ratios 
were:

Total borrowings

Less: fair value adjustments due to hedge accounting

Less: cash and cash equivalents

Net debt

EBITDA

Net finance costs

Net debt/EBITDA (times)

EBITDA/net finance cost (times)

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

2,864.1(cid:172)

3,137.3(cid:172)

(25.1)

(174.2)

(20.3)

(138.5)

2,664.8(cid:172)

2,978.5(cid:172)

1,556.4(cid:172)

1,330.6(cid:172)

152.0(cid:172)

1.7(cid:172)

10.2(cid:172)

127.5(cid:172)

2.2(cid:172)

10.4(cid:172)

The following definitions apply in the calculation of these financial covenants:

-(cid:172)

EBITDA means Brambles’ consolidated operating profit (excluding Significant items outside the ordinary course of business) before 
depreciation, amortisation, impairment, profit of joint ventures and associates and certain fair value adjustments in respect of 
financial derivatives; and

-(cid:172) net debt means Brambles' consolidated total borrowings, excluding the impact of fair value adjustments in relation to hedge 

accounting, less cash and cash equivalents.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 122

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 31. CASH FLOW STATEMENT - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A) RECONCILIATION OF CASH

For the purpose of the cash flow statement, cash comprises:

Cash at bank and in hand (Note 14)

Short term deposits (Note 14)

Bank overdraft (Note 24)

B) RECONCILIATION OF PROFIT AFTER TAX TO NET CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Profit after tax

Adjustments for:

- depreciation and amortisation

- irrecoverable pooling equipment provision expense

- net gains on disposals of property, plant and equipment  

- impairment of property, plant and equipment

- other valuation adjustments

- net gains on disposal of businesses and investments

- joint ventures

- equity-settled share-based payments 

- finance revenues and costs

Movements in operating assets and liabilities,  net of acquisitions and disposals:

- increase in trade and other receivables

- (increase)/decrease in prepayments

- decrease/(increase) in inventories

- increase/(decrease) in deferred taxes

- increase in trade and other payables 

- (decrease)/increase in tax payables

- (decrease)/increase in provisions

- other

2012
US$m

143.4(cid:172)

30.8(cid:172)

(21.5)

152.7(cid:172)

2011
US$m

112.1(cid:172)

26.4(cid:172)

(58.1)

80.4(cid:172)

576.3(cid:172)

475.4(cid:172)

552.2(cid:172)

100.1(cid:172)

(14.3)

15.2(cid:172)

(0.1)

  -(cid:172)

(1.4)

18.6(cid:172)

(6.4)

(123.1)

(4.0)

10.3(cid:172)

46.0(cid:172)

8.1(cid:172)

(49.8)

(33.8)

(4.7)

485.5(cid:172)

104.9(cid:172)

(36.5)

14.5(cid:172)

(0.1)

(10.9)

(0.9)

13.2(cid:172)

(37.1)

(79.4)

1.1(cid:172)

(5.9)

(20.2)

70.1(cid:172)

5.3(cid:172)

37.6(cid:172)

(3.1)

Net cash inflow from operating activities

1,089.2(cid:172)

1,013.5(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 123

 
 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 31. CASH FLOW STATEMENT - ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - CONTINUED

C) RECONCILIATION OF MOVEMENT IN NET DEBT

Net debt at beginning of the year

Net cash inflow from operating activities

Net cash outflow from investing activities

Net (inflow)/outflow from hedge instruments

Proceeds from issue of ordinary shares

Dividends paid (2011: net of Dividend Reinvestment Plan)

Increase on business acquisitions and disposals

Interest accruals, finance leases and other

Foreign exchange differences

Net debt at end of the year

Being:

Current borrowings

Non-current borrowings

Cash and cash equivalents

Net debt at end of the year

2012
US$m

2011
US$m

2,998.8(cid:172)

1,759.3(cid:172)

(1,089.2)

(1,013.5)

932.8(cid:172)

(4.6)

(326.6)

397.7(cid:172)

3.2(cid:172)

7.2(cid:172)

(229.4)

2,689.9(cid:172)

86.4(cid:172)

2,777.7(cid:172)

(174.2)

2,689.9(cid:172)

1,762.5(cid:172)

9.5(cid:172)

(231.1)

224.0(cid:172)

453.5(cid:172)

(15.9)

50.5(cid:172)

2,998.8(cid:172)

325.6(cid:172)

2,811.7(cid:172)

(138.5)

2,998.8(cid:172)

D) NON-CASH FINANCING OR INVESTING ACTIVITIES
There were no financing or investing transactions during the year which have had a material effect on the assets and liabilities of 
Brambles that did not involve cash flows.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 124

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 32. COMMITMENTS

A) CAPITAL EXPENDITURE COMMITMENTS
At 30 June 2012, Brambles had commitments of US$86.3 million (2011: US$110.1 million) principally relating to property, plant and 
equipment. 

Capital expenditure contracted for but not recognised as liabilities at reporting date were as follows:

Within one year

Between one and five years

2012 
US$m 

86.3(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

86.3(cid:172)

2011 
US$m 

110.1(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

110.1(cid:172)

B) OPERATING LEASE COMMITMENTS
Brambles has taken out operating leases for offices, operational locations and plant and equipment. The leases have varying terms, 
escalation clauses and renewal rights. Escalation clauses are rare and any impact is considered immaterial. 

The future minimum lease payments under such non-cancellable operating leases are as follows:

Within one year

Between one and five years

After five years

Minimum lease payments

Plant

Occupancy

2012
US$m

35.3(cid:172)

38.9(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

74.2(cid:172)

2011
US$m

34.6(cid:172)

42.0(cid:172)

0.1(cid:172)

76.7(cid:172)

2012
US$m

174.3(cid:172)

505.0(cid:172)

276.0(cid:172)

955.3(cid:172)

2011
US$m

194.6(cid:172)

548.8(cid:172)

298.9(cid:172)

1,042.3(cid:172)

During the year, operating lease expense of US$230.5 million (2011: US$228.3 million) was recognised in the income statement.

C) FINANCE LEASE COMMITMENTS
Finance leases of plant and equipment are not a material feature of Brambles' funding arrangements. Finance lease commitments are 
payable as follows:

Minimum lease payments

Within one year

Between one and five years

Finance costs

Within one year

Between one and five years

Minimum lease payments recognised as a liability

Within one year

Between one and five years

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 125

Plant

2012
US$m

18.5(cid:172)

24.9(cid:172)

43.4(cid:172)

(2.0)

(2.9)

(4.9)

16.5(cid:172)

22.0(cid:172)

38.5(cid:172)

2011
US$m

29.6(cid:172)

44.0(cid:172)

73.6(cid:172)

(3.4)

(2.6)

(6.0)

26.2(cid:172)

41.4(cid:172)

67.6(cid:172)

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 33. CONTINGENCIES
a)

Subsidiaries have contingent unsecured liabilities in respect of guarantees given relating to performance under contracts entered into 
totalling US$116.7 million (2011: US$127.5 million), of which US$94.6(cid:172)million (2011: US$120.1 million) is also guaranteed by Brambles 
Limited. US$15.3 million is also guaranteed by Brambles Limited and certain of its subsidiaries under a deed of cross-guarantee and are 
included in Note 38B. 

b)

c)

d)

e)

f)

A subsidiary has provided guarantees on a several basis in relation to a reduction in the share premium account of another subsidiary in 
favour of certain creditors which amounts to US$0.1 million (2011: US$1.8(cid:172)million).

A subsidiary has guaranteed certain lease obligations of third parties totalling US$5.3 million (2011: US$10.3(cid:172)million). A subsidiary has 
provided guarantees to support lease facilities entered into by certain other subsidiaries. Total facilities available amount to 
US$10.3(cid:172)million (2011: US$11.8(cid:172)million), of which US$10.3(cid:172)million (2011: US$11.8 million) has been drawn.

Environmental contingent liabilities
Brambles’ activities have included the treatment and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste through subsidiaries and 
corporate joint ventures. In addition, other activities of Brambles entail using, handling and storing materials which are capable of 
causing environmental impairment.

As a consequence of the nature of these activities, Brambles has incurred and may continue to incur environmental costs and liabilities 
associated with site and facility operation, closure, remediation, aftercare, monitoring and licensing.  Provisions have been made in 
respect of estimated environmental liabilities at all sites and facilities where obligations are known to exist and can be reliably 
measured.

However, additional liabilities may emerge due to a number of factors including changes in the numerous laws and regulations which 
govern environmental protection, liability, land use, planning and other matters in each jurisdiction in which Brambles operates or has 
operated. These extensive laws and regulations are continually evolving in response to technological advances, scientific 
developments and other factors. Brambles cannot predict the extent to which it may be affected in the future by any such changes in 
legislation or regulation.

In the ordinary course of business, Brambles becomes involved in litigation. Provision has been made for known obligations where the 
existence of the liability is probable and can be reasonably quantified. Receivables have been recognised where recoveries, for 
example from insurance arrangements, are virtually certain. As the outcomes of these matters remain uncertain, contingent liabilities 
exist for possible amounts eventually payable that are in excess of the amounts provided.

Brambles has given vendor warranties in relation to businesses sold in prior years. Brambles has recognised the financial impact of such 
vendor warranties and adjustments on the basis of information currently available. A contingent liability exists for any amounts which 
may ultimately be borne by Brambles which are in excess of the amounts provided at 30 June 2012. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 126

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 34. AUDITORS' REMUNERATION

Amounts received or due and receivable by PwC (Australia) for:

Audit services:

- audit and review of Brambles' financial reports

- other assurance services

Other services:

- acquisition due diligence

- tax advisory services

Total remuneration of PwC (Australia) 

Amounts received or due and receivable by related practices of PwC (Australia) for:

Audit services:

- audit and review of Brambles' financial reports

- other assurance services

Other services:

- tax advisory services

- other

Total remuneration of related practices of PwC (Australia) 

Total PwC remuneration 

Amounts received or due and receivable by non-PwC audit firms for audit 
of subsidiaries' financial reports

Total auditors' remuneration 

2012
US$'000

2011
US$'000

1,622(cid:172)

13(cid:172)

1,635(cid:172)

2,549(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

2,549(cid:172)

4,184(cid:172)

4,834(cid:172)

123(cid:172)

4,957(cid:172)

152(cid:172)

53(cid:172)

205(cid:172)

5,162(cid:172)

9,346(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

9,346(cid:172)

1,567(cid:172)

168(cid:172)

1,735(cid:172)

1,473(cid:172)

38(cid:172)

1,511(cid:172)

3,246(cid:172)

2,835(cid:172)

24(cid:172)

2,859(cid:172)

234(cid:172)

32(cid:172)

266(cid:172)

3,125(cid:172)

6,371(cid:172)

1,294(cid:172)

7,665(cid:172)

From time to time, Brambles employs PwC on assignments additional to their statutory audit duties where PwC, through their detailed 
knowledge of the Group, are best placed to perform the services from an efficiency, effectiveness and cost perspective. The performance 
of such non-audit related services is always balanced with the fundamental objective of ensuring PwC's objectivity and independence as 
auditors. To ensure this balance, Brambles' Charter of Audit Independence requires that the Audit Committee approve any management 
recommendation that PwC undertake non-audit work (with approval being delegated to the Chief Financial Officer within specified 
monetary limits).

In 2012 and 2011, non-audit assignments primarily related to the Recall divestment process, acquisition due diligence, tax consulting 
advice and implementation of a compliance tracking system.

NOTE 35. KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL

A) KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL COMPENSATION

Short term employee benefits

Post employment benefits

Other benefits

Termination/sign-on/retirement benefits

Share-based payment expense

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 127

13,424(cid:172)

12,663(cid:172)

442(cid:172)

96(cid:172)

2,587(cid:172)

6,585(cid:172)

23,134(cid:172)

796(cid:172)

86(cid:172)

676(cid:172)

3,358(cid:172)

17,579(cid:172)

 
 
NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 35. KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL - CONTINUED

B) EQUITY INSTRUMENTS DISCLOSURE RELATING TO KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL
The number of ordinary shares and options/share rights in Brambles held during the financial year by key management personnel, 
including their related parties, are set out below:

Balance 
at start 
of the year

Granted 
during the
year

Exercised 
during 
the year

Lapsed 
during 
the year

Changes 
during the 
year

Balance 
at end 
of the year1

Vested and 
exercisable 
at end of 
the year

Current Key Management Personnel

Name and holdings

2012

Executive Directors

T J Gorman

Ordinary shares

Share rights

G J Hayes

Ordinary shares

Share rights

J Holley

Ordinary shares

Share rights

P S Mackie

Ordinary shares

Share rights

K Pohler

Ordinary shares

Share rights

E E Potts

Ordinary shares

Share rights

J D Rabbino

Ordinary shares

Share rights

N P Smith

Ordinary shares

Share rights

R J Westerbos

Ordinary shares

Share rights

40,967(cid:172)

955,882(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

544,303(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

94,220(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

89,629(cid:172)

87,815(cid:172)

128,782(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,316,336(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

735,011(cid:172)

424,809(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

961(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

125,859(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

272,237(cid:172)

166,093(cid:172)

24,894(cid:172)

37,990(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

137,695(cid:172)

37,668(cid:172)

53,719(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

140,514(cid:172)

48,682(cid:172)

49,261(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

251,637(cid:172)

66,607(cid:172)

346,488(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

2,630(cid:172)

334,360(cid:172)

101,495(cid:172)

116,434(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,159,820(cid:172)

229(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,204(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

26,452(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,502(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

229(cid:172)

125,859(cid:172)

2,165(cid:172)

375,446(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

251,637(cid:172)

93,059(cid:172)

392,796(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

4,132(cid:172)

376,931(cid:172)

101,495(cid:172)

264,092(cid:172)

64,370(cid:172)

213,558(cid:172)

Former Key Management Personnel

J R A Judd

Ordinary shares

Share rights

J D Ritchie

Ordinary shares

Share rights

K J Shuba

Ordinary shares

79,436(cid:172)

296,916(cid:172)

60,324(cid:172)

200,658(cid:172)

57,766(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

147,658(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

118,444(cid:172)

48,090(cid:172)

153,712(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(15,066)

  -(cid:172)

192(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,103(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

(60,302)

22(cid:172)

84,948(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

114,799(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

42,020(cid:172)

99,786(cid:172)

Options/share rights
1

  -(cid:172)
60,508(cid:172)
Closing balances are as at the end of the year for ongoing employees and as at cessation of employment for those whose employment 
ended during the year.

379,094(cid:172)

136,243(cid:172)

175,775(cid:172)

279,054(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 128

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 35. KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL - CONTINUED

Balance 
at start 
of the year

Granted 
during the
year

Exercised 
during 
the year

Lapsed 
during 
the year

Changes 
during the 
year

Balance 
at end 
of the year1

Vested and 
exercisable 
at end of 
the year

Name and holdings

2011

Executive Directors

T J Gorman

Ordinary shares

Share rights

G J Hayes

Ordinary shares

Share rights

J R A Judd

Ordinary shares

Share rights

P S Mackie

Ordinary shares

Share rights

K Pohler

Ordinary shares

Share rights

E E Potts

Ordinary shares

Share rights

J D Ritchie

Ordinary shares

Share rights

K J Shuba

Ordinary shares

Options/share rights

N P Smith

Ordinary shares

Share rights

R J Westerbos

Ordinary shares

Share rights

930(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

546,682(cid:172)

446,224(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

37,024(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

405,870(cid:172)

329,141(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

Current Key Management Personnel

152,538(cid:172)

11,393(cid:172)

71,361(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

28,691(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

17,584(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

13,284(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

6,628(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

27,112(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

14,312(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

775(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

24,245(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

40,037(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

14,037(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

107(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

8,481(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

20,383(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

11,314(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

1,584(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

101,495(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

40,967(cid:172)

955,882(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

735,011(cid:172)

79,436(cid:172)

296,916(cid:172)

961(cid:172)

272,237(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

251,637(cid:172)

66,607(cid:172)

346,488(cid:172)

60,324(cid:172)

200,658(cid:172)

57,766(cid:172)

379,094(cid:172)

2,630(cid:172)

334,360(cid:172)

101,495(cid:172)

116,434(cid:172)

194(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

329(cid:172)

128,717(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

65,399(cid:172)

219,192(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

119,699(cid:172)

854(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

139,763(cid:172)

156,686(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

251,637(cid:172)

58,126(cid:172)

276,704(cid:172)

39,941(cid:172)

92,602(cid:172)

46,452(cid:172)

283,396(cid:172)

1,046(cid:172)

195,389(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

135,168(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

134,255(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

139,746(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

116,434(cid:172)

Former Key Management Personnel

J L Infinger

Ordinary shares

Share rights

135(cid:172)

128,717(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

  -(cid:172)

C) OTHER TRANSACTIONS WITH KEY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL
Other transactions with key management personnel are set out in Note 36C.
Further remuneration disclosures are set out in the Directors' Report on pages 46 to 62 of the Annual Report.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 129

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 36. RELATED PARTY INFORMATION

A) BRAMBLES
Brambles comprises Brambles Limited and the entities which it controls. 

Borrowings under the bilateral bank credit facilities are undertaken by a limited number of Brambles subsidiaries. Funding of other 
subsidiaries within Brambles is by way of intercompany loans, all of which are documented and carry commercial interest rates applicable 
to the currency and terms of the loans.

Brambles Limited charges Brambles' borrowers a commercially-determined guarantee fee for the guarantees and cross-guarantees it has 
given in relation to borrowing facilities, as described in Note 38B.

Dividends are declared within the group only as required for funding or other commercial reasons.

Brambles has in place cost sharing agreements to ensure that relevant costs are taken up by the entities receiving the benefits.

All amounts receivable and payable by entities within Brambles and any interest thereon are eliminated on consolidation.

B) JOINT VENTURES
Brambles' share of the net results of joint ventures is disclosed in Note 19. 

C) OTHER TRANSACTIONS
Other transactions entered into during the year with Directors of Brambles Limited; with Director-related entities; with key management 
personnel (KMP, as set out in the Directors' Report); or with KMP-related entities were on terms and conditions no more favourable than 
those available to other employees, customers or suppliers and include transactions in respect of the employee option plans, contracts of 
employment and reimbursement of expenses. Any other transactions were trivial or domestic in nature. 

D) OTHER RELATED PARTIES
A subsidiary has a non-interest bearing advance outstanding as at 30 June 2012 of US$1,432,000 (2011: US$1,327,000) to Brambles 
Custodians Pty Limited, the trustee under Brambles' employee loan scheme. This scheme enabled employees to acquire shares in BIL and 
has been closed to new entrants since August 2002.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 130

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 36. RELATED PARTY INFORMATION - CONTINUED

E) MATERIAL SUBSIDIARIES
The principal subsidiaries of Brambles during the year were:

Place of incorporation

% interest held at 
reporting date

2012

2011

CHEP Benelux Nederland BV

   The Netherlands

CHEP Italia SRL

Brambles Enterprises Limited

   Italy

   UK

CHEP South Africa (Proprietary) Limited

   South Africa

Name

CHEP

CHEP USA

CHEP Canada, Inc.

CHEP UK Limited

CHEP France SA

CHEP Deutschland GmbH

CHEP Espana SA

CHEP Mexico SA de CV

CHEP Australia Limited

CHEP (China) Company Limited

CHEP Technology Pty Limited

CHEP India Pvt Limited

LeanLogistics Inc

Unitpool AG

IFCO

IFCO Systems NV

Recall

Recall Limited

Recall France SA

Recall Corporation, Inc.

Recall do Brasil Ltda

Recall Information Management Pty Limited

Recall Deutschland GmbH

Brambles HQ

Brambles Industries Limited

Brambles Holdings (UK) Limited

   USA

   Canada

   UK

   France

   Germany

   Spain

   Mexico

   Australia

   China

   Australia

   India

   USA

   Switzerland

   UK

   France

   USA

   Brazil

   Australia

   Germany

   Australia

   UK

  The Netherlands

99.5(cid:172)

99.5(cid:172)

Brambles International Finance BV

   The Netherlands

Brambles USA Inc.

Brambles North America Incorporated 

Brambles Finance plc

Brambles Finance Limited

   USA

   USA

   UK

   Australia

In addition to the list above, there are a number of other subsidiaries within Brambles which are mostly intermediary holding companies 
or are dormant.

Investments in subsidiaries are primarily by means of ordinary or common shares. All subsidiaries prepare accounts with a 30 June balance 
date.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 131

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

100(cid:172)

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 36. RELATED PARTY INFORMATION - CONTINUED

F) DIRECTORS' INDEMNITIES
Under its constitution, to the extent permitted by law, Brambles Limited indemnifies each person who is, or has been a Director or 
Secretary of Brambles Limited against any liability which results from facts or circumstances relating to the person serving or having 
served in the capacity of Director, Secretary, other officer or employee of Brambles Limited or any of its subsidiaries, other than:

(a) in respect of a liability other than for legal costs:
  (i)    a liability owed to Brambles Limited or a related body corporate;
  (ii)   a liability for a pecuniary penalty order under section 1317G of the Act or a compensation order 
         under section 1317H of the Act; or
  (iii)  a liability that is owed to someone (other than Brambles Limited or a related body corporate) and did not
         arise out of conduct in good faith; and
(b)    in respect of a liability for legal costs:
  (i)   in defending or resisting proceedings in which the person is found to have a liability for which they could not have 
         been indemnified under paragraph (a)(i) above;
  (ii)  in defending or resisting criminal proceedings in which the person is found guilty;
  (iii) in defending or resisting proceedings brought by ASIC or a liquidator for a court order if the grounds for 
         making the order are found by the Court to be established; or
  (iv)  in connection with proceedings for relief to any persons under the Act in which the Court denies the relief.

Paragraph (b)(iii) above does not apply to costs incurred in responding to actions brought by ASIC or a liquidator as part of an investigation 
before commencing proceedings for the Court order.

As allowed by its constitution, Brambles Limited has provided indemnities from time to time to Directors, Secretaries or other Statutory 
Officers of its subsidiaries (Beneficiaries) against all loss, cost and expenses (collectively Loss) caused by or arising from any act or 
omission by the relevant person in performance of that person's role as a Director, Secretary or Statutory Officer.

The indemnity given by the Company excludes the following matters:
(a) any Loss to the extent caused by or arising from an act or omission of the Beneficiary prior to the effective date of the 
      indemnity;
(b) any Loss to the extent indemnity in respect of that Loss is prohibited under the Corporations Act (or any other law);
(c) any Loss to the extent it arises from private or personal acts or omissions of the Beneficiary;
(d) any Loss comprising the reimbursement of normal day-to-day expenses such as travelling expenses;
(e) any Loss to the extent the Beneficiary failed to act reasonably to mitigate the Loss;
(f) any Loss to the extent it is caused by or arises from acts or omissions of the Beneficiary after the date the indemnity 
     is revoked by the Company in accordance with the terms of the indemnity;
(g) any Loss to the extent it is caused by or arises from any breach by the Beneficiary of the terms of the indemnity.

Insurance policies are in place to cover Directors, Secretaries and other Statutory Officers of Brambles Limited and its subsidiaries, 
however the terms of the policies prohibit disclosure of the details of the insurance cover and the premiums paid.

NOTE 37. EVENTS AFTER BALANCE SHEET DATE
Other than those outlined in the Directors' Report or elsewhere in these financial statements, there have been no other events that have 
occurred subsequent to 30(cid:172)June 2012 and up to the date of this report that have had a material impact on Brambles' financial performance 
or position.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 132

NOTES TO AND FORMING PART OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - CONTINUED
for the year ended 30 June 2012

NOTE 38. PARENT ENTITY FINANCIAL INFORMATION

A) SUMMARISED FINANCIAL DATA OF BRAMBLES LIMITED

Profit for the year

Other comprehensive income for the year

Total comprehensive (loss)/income

Current assets

Non-current assets

Total assets

Current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Total liabilities

Net assets

Contributed equity

Share-based payment reserve

Foreign currency translation reserve

Retained earnings/(accumulated losses)

Total equity

Parent entity

2012
US$m

522.7(cid:172)

(1,065.5)

(542.8)

16.9(cid:172)

8,413.6(cid:172)

8,430.5(cid:172)

19.7(cid:172)

110.5(cid:172)

130.2(cid:172)

2011
US$m

23.4(cid:172)

1,662.6(cid:172)

1,686.0(cid:172)

11.1(cid:172)

8,443.1(cid:172)

8,454.2(cid:172)

23.8(cid:172)

112.4(cid:172)

136.2(cid:172)

8,300.3(cid:172)

8,318.0(cid:172)

6,484.1(cid:172)

14,370.2(cid:172)

49.1(cid:172)

1,658.6(cid:172)

108.5(cid:172)

8,300.3(cid:172)

41.6(cid:172)

2,724.1(cid:172)

(8,817.9)

8,318.0(cid:172)

B) GUARANTEES AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES
Brambles Limited and certain of its subsidiaries are parties to a deed of cross-guarantee which supports global financing credit facilities 
available to certain subsidiaries.  Total facilities available amount to US$2,192.8(cid:172)million (2011: US$2,342.1 million) of which 
US$1,003.5(cid:172)million (2011: US$914.6(cid:172)million) has been drawn.

Brambles Limited and certain of its subsidiaries are parties to guarantees which support US Private Placement borrowings of 
US$364.0(cid:172)million (2011: US$535.0(cid:172)million) by a subsidiary.

Brambles Limited and certain of its subsidiaries are parties to a guarantee which support notes of US$750.0(cid:172)million (2011: 
US$750.0(cid:172)million) issued by a subsidiary to qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A and Regulation S of the United 
States Securities Act.

Brambles Limited and certain of its subsidiaries are parties to a guarantee which support notes of €500.0 million (2011: €500.0 million) 
issued by a subsidiary in the European bond market.

Brambles Limited has guaranteed repayment of certain facilities and financial accommodations made available to certain subsidiaries. 
Total facilities and financial accommodations available amount to US$569.5 million (2011: US$474.8(cid:172)million), of which US$138.8(cid:172)million 
(2011: US$180.2(cid:172)million) has been drawn. 
Other than these guarantees, the parent entity did not have any contingent liabilities at 30 June 2012 or 30(cid:172)June 2011.

C) CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS
Brambles Limited did not have any contractual commitments for the acquisition of property, plant and equipment at 30 June 2012 or 
30(cid:172)June 2011.

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 133

DIRECTORS' DECLARATION

In the opinion of the Directors of Brambles Limited: 

(a)

the financial statements and notes set out on pages 71 to 133 are in accordance with the Corporations
Act 2001, including:

(i)

complying with Accounting Standards, the Corporations Regulations 2001 and other mandatory
professional reporting requirements; and

(ii)

giving a true and fair view of the financial position of Brambles as at 30(cid:172)June(cid:172)2012 and of its
performance for the year ended on that date;

(b)

there are reasonable grounds to believe that Brambles Limited will be able to pay its debts as and
when they become due and payable.

A statement of compliance with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International 
Accounting Standards Board is included within Note(cid:172)1 to the financial statements.

The Directors have been given the declarations by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer 
required by section 295A of the Corporations Act 2001.

This declaration is made in accordance with a resolution of the Directors.

G J Kraehe AO
Chairman

T J Gorman
Chief Executive Officer

16 August 2012

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 134

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT  

TO THE MEMBERS OF BRAMBLES LIMITED 

Report on the financial report  

We have audited the accompanying financial report of Brambles Limited (the Company), which comprises the balance sheet as at 
30 June 2012, and the income statement, the statement of comprehensive income, statement of changes in equity and cash flow 
statement for the year ended on that date, a summary of significant accounting policies, other explanatory notes and the Directors’ 
declaration for Brambles. Brambles comprises the Company and the entities it controlled at the year's end or from time to time during 
the financial year. 

Directors’ responsibility for the financial report 

The Directors of the Company are responsible for the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view in accordance 
with Australian Accounting Standards and the Corporations Act 2001 and for such internal control as the Directors determine is 
necessary to enable the preparation of the financial report that is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In 
Note 1, the Directors also state, in accordance with Accounting Standard AASB 101 Presentation of Financial Statements, that the 
financial statements comply with International Financial Reporting Standards. 

Auditors’ responsibility  

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial report based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with 
Australian Auditing Standards. These Auditing Standards require that we comply with relevant ethical requirements relating to audit 
engagements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial report is free from material 
misstatement. 

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial report. The 
procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgement, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial 
report, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity’s 
preparation and fair presentation of the financial report in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, 
but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control. An audit also includes evaluating 
the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by the Directors, as well as 
evaluating the overall presentation of the financial report. 

Our procedures include reading the other information in the Annual Report to determine whether it contains any material 
inconsistencies with the financial report. 

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinions.  

Independence 

In conducting our audit, we have complied with the independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers, ABN 52 780 433 757 
Darling Park Tower 2, 201 Sussex Street, GPO BOX 2650, SYDNEY NSW 1171  
DX 77 Sydney, Australia 
T +61 2 8266 0000, F +61 2 8266 9999, www.pwc.com.au 

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 135

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Auditors’ opinion  

In our opinion: 

(a) 

the financial report of Brambles Limited is in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001, including: 

(i) 

(ii) 

giving a true and fair view of Brambles’ financial position as at 30 June 2012 and of its performance for the year 
ended on that date; and 

complying with Australian Accounting Standards (including the Australian Accounting Interpretations) and the 
Corporations Regulations 2001; and 

(b) 

the financial report and notes also comply with International Financial Reporting Standards as disclosed in Note 1. 

Report on the Remuneration Report 

We have audited the remuneration report included in pages 46 to 62 of the Directors’ Report for the year ended 30 June 2012. The 
Directors of the Company are responsible for the preparation and presentation of the remuneration report in accordance with section 
300A of the Corporations Act 2001. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the remuneration report, based on our audit 
conducted in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. 

Auditors’ opinion  

In our opinion, the remuneration report of Brambles Limited for the year ended 30 June 2012, complies with section 300A of the 
Corporations Act 2001. 

Matters relating to the electronic presentation of the audited financial report 

This auditors’ report relates to the financial report and remuneration report of Brambles for the year ended 30 June 2012 included on 
Brambles’ web site. Brambles’ Directors are responsible for the integrity of the Brambles’ web site. We have not been engaged to report 
on the integrity of this web site. The auditors’ report refers only to the financial report and remuneration report named above. It does 
not provide an opinion on any other information which may have been hyperlinked to/from the financial report or the remuneration 
report. If users of this report are concerned with the inherent risks arising from electronic data communications they are advised to 
refer to the hard copy of the audited financial report and remuneration report to confirm the information included in the audited 
financial report and remuneration report presented on this web site. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers 

P Bendall 
Partner 

M Dow 
Partner 

   Sydney 
      16 August 2012 

   Sydney 
      16 August 2012 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 136

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
AUDITORS’ INDEPENDENCE DECLARATION 

As lead auditor for the audit of Brambles Limited for the year ended 30 June 2012, I declare that to the best of my knowledge and belief, 
there have been: 

a) 

no contraventions of the auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 in relation to the audit; and 

b) 

no contraventions of any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit. 

This declaration is in respect of Brambles Limited and the entities it controlled during the period. 

P Bendall 
Partner 
PricewaterhouseCoopers 

 Sydney 
 16 August 2012 

PricewaterhouseCoopers, ABN 52 780 433 757 
Darling Park Tower 2, 201 Sussex Street, GPO BOX 2650, SYDNEY NSW 1171  
DX 77 Sydney, Australia 
T +61 2 8266 0000, F +61 2 8266 9999, www.pwc.com.au 

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. 

Brambles Annual Report - Page 137

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
FIVE YEAR FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE SUMMARY 

Continuing operations 

Sales revenue 

Operating profit  

Net finance costs 

Profit before tax  

Tax expense 

Profit from continuing operations 

Profit from discontinued operations 

Profit for the year 

Depreciation and amortisation  

Continuing operations 

Discontinued operations 

2012 
US$m 

2011 
US$m 

2010  
US$m 

2009 
US$m 

2008 
US$m 

5,625.0 

4,672.2 

4,146.8   

4,018.6  

4,358.6  

939.2 

(152.0)

787.2 

(212.3)

574.9 

1.4 

576.3 

809.2 

(127.5)

681.7 

(209.9)

471.8 

3.6 

475.4 

724.5  

718.2  

1,030.6  

(109.6) 

(120.9)

614.9   

597.3  

(171.0) 

(163.3)

(149.5)

881.1 

(234.2)

443.9   

434.0  

646.9  

4.9   

18.6  

1.8  

448.8   

452.6  

648.7  

552.2 

- 

479.8 

5.7 

444.0  

424.6 

458.6  

–   

–  

–  

Capex on property, plant & equipment – continuing operations 

921.1 

821.9 

498.8  

672.4 

849.2 

Cash flow 

Cash flow from operations 

Free cash flow 

Dividends paid 

Free cash flow after dividends 

Balance sheet 

Capital employed 

Net debt 

Equity 

591.2 

179.5 

397.7 

(218.2) 

725.1 

303.3 

224.0 

79.3 

882.3  

548.6   

204.5   

344.1   

722.4 

419.5  

277.6  

141.9  

810.0 

412.6  

444.8  

(32.2)

5,430.3 

5,450.2 

3,391.5   

3,572.7  

3,969.7  

2,689.9 

2,998.8 

1,759.3   

2,143.4  

2,426.2  

2,740.4 

2,451.4 

1,632.2   

1,429.3  

1,543.5  

Employees – continuing operations 

17,021 

17,134 

12,714   

12,785  

12,305  

Earnings per share (US cents) 

Basic 

From continuing operations 

On Underlying profit after finance costs and tax 

Dividend declared per share (Australian cents) 

38.9 

38.8 

42.1 

26.0 

32.9 

32.6 

36.2 

26.0 

31.8   

31.5   

31.9   

32.6  

31.3  

38.5  

46.0  

45.9  

45.4  

25.0  

30.0  

34.5  

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 138

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GLOSSARY 

2004 Share Plans 

The Brambles Industries Limited 2004 Performance Share Plan and the Brambles Industries plc 2004 Performance Share Plan  
(as amended), incorporating Brambles Limited rollover amendments of 22 August 2006. 

2006 Share Plan 

The Brambles Limited 2006 Performance Share Plan (as amended). 

AccountAbility 
Principles Standards  

Recognised principle based standards established by AccountAbility, a not-for-profit organisation promoting  
sustainable business practices. 

Acquired Shares 

Brambles Limited shares purchased by Brambles employees under MyShare. 

Actual currency/ 
actual FX 

In the statutory financial statements, results are translated into US dollars at the applicable actual monthly exchange rates 
ruling in each period. 

AGM 

ASX 

Average capital 
invested 

Annual General Meeting. 

Australian Securities Exchange. 

Average capital invested or ACI is a 12 month average of capital invested. 

Capital invested is calculated as net assets before tax balances, cash and borrowings, but after adjustment for accumulated 
pre-tax Significant items, actuarial gains or losses and net equity adjustments for equity-settled share-based payments. 

Better Everyday 
program 

A program in CHEP USA, aimed at improving repair standards, enhancing the ease of doing business for customers and 
strengthening sales.   

BIFR 

BIL 

BIP 

Board 

BVA 

Brambles Injuries Frequency Rate. This safety performance indicator measures the combined number of fatalities, lost time 
injuries, modified duties and medical treatments per million hours worked. 

Brambles Industries Limited, which was one of the two listed entities in the previous dual-listed companies structure. 

Brambles Industries plc, which was one of the two listed entities in the previous dual-listed companies structure. 

The Board of Directors of Brambles Limited. 

Brambles Value Added or BVA represents the value generated over and above the cost of the capital used to generate that 
value. 

It is calculated using fixed June 2011 exchange rates as: 

-  Underlying profit; plus 

-  Significant items that are part of the ordinary activities of the business; less 

-  Average capital invested, adjusted for accumulated pre-tax Significant items that are part of the ordinary activities of the 

business, multiplied by 12%. 

CAGR 

Compound annual growth rate. The CAGR of sales revenue is the annualised percentage at which sales revenue would have 
grown over a period if it grew at a steady rate. 

Cash flow from 
operations 

Cash flow generated after net capital expenditure but excluding Significant items that are outside the ordinary course of 
business. 

CGPR 

The Australian Securities Exchange Corporate Governance Council Corporate Governance Principles & Recommendations, 
Second Edition. 

Company 

Brambles Limited (ACN 118 896 021). 

Constant currency 

Constant currency results are presented by translating both current and comparable period results into US dollars at the 
actual monthly exchange rates applicable in the comparable period, so as to show relative performance between the two 
periods before the translation impact of currency fluctuations.  

Continuing 
operations  

Disclosable 
Executives 

Discontinued 
operations 

Dividend Share 
Program 

DLC 

EBITDA 

ELT 

EPS 

Continuing operations refers to Pallets, RPCs, Containers, Recall and Brambles HQ. 

Brambles Limited’s Executive Directors, Non-executive Directors and other Group executives whose remuneration details are 
required to be disclosed in the Remuneration Report. 

Operations which have been divested or which are held for sale. 

A program which allows Employees to reinvest Dividends from their Employee holding to acquire further Shares in Brambles. 
The Share purchase price will be calculated using a volume weighted average of the Brambles Share price over the five trading
days up to and including the Record Date.  

Dual-listed companies structure – the previous contractual arrangement between Brambles Industries Limited and Brambles 
Industries plc under which they operated as if they were a single economic enterprise, whilst retaining their separate legal 
identities, tax residences and stock exchange listings. BIL and BIP operated as a DLC from August 2001 to December 2006. 

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation. EBITDA is defined as Operating profit from continuing operations 
after adding back depreciation and amortisation and Significant items outside the ordinary course of business. 

Brambles’ Executive Leadership Team, details of which are on pages 31 and 32. 

Earnings per share. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 139

 
GLOSSARY – CONTINUED 

Financial year 

Brambles’ financial year is 1 July - 30 June. 

Free cash flow 

Cash flow generated after net capital expenditure, finance costs and tax, but excluding the net cost of acquisitions 
and proceeds from business disposals. 

FX 

FY  

Foreign exchange. 

Financial year. For example, FY12 indicates the financial year ended 30 June 2012.   

Group or Brambles 

Brambles Limited and all of its related bodies corporate. 

IBC 

IFRS 

IPEP 

ISO 

Intermediate bulk container, for the transport and storage of bulk products. 

International Financial Reporting Standards. Brambles reports its financial results under Australian Accounting Standards,  
which are compliant with IFRS. 

Irrecoverable Pooling Equipment Provision.  

International Organization for Standardization.

Key Management 
Personnel 

Members of the Board of Brambles Limited and Brambles’ Executive Leadership Team. 

KPI(s) 

LTI 

Key Performance Indicator(s). 

Long Term Incentive. 

Matching Awards 

Matching share rights over Brambles Limited shares allocated to employees when they purchase Acquired Shares 
under MyShare. When an employee’s Matching Awards vest, Matching Shares are allocated to that employee. 

Matching Shares 

Shares allocated to employees who have held Acquired Shares under MyShare for two years, and who remain employed at the 
end of that two year period. One Matching Share is allocated for every one Acquired Share held. 

MyShare 

The Brambles Limited MyShare Plan, an all employee share plan, under which employees acquire ordinary shares by means of 
deductions from their after-tax pay and must hold those shares for a two year period. If they hold those shares and remain 
employed at the end of the two year period, then Brambles will match the number of shares they hold by issuing or 
transferring to them the same number of shares which they held for the qualifying period at no additional cost to the 
employee. 

Net new business 
wins 

The change in sales revenue in a reporting period resulting from business won or lost in that period and the previous financial 
year. The revenue impact of net new business is included across reporting periods for a total of 12 months from the date of  
the win or loss and calculated on a constant currency basis. 

OHS&E 

Occupational Health Safety & Environment. 

Operating profit 

Operating profit is profit before finance costs and tax, as shown in the statutory financial statements. 

PAT 

Profit after tax. 

Performance Period  A two-to-three year period over which the achievement of performance conditions is assessed to determine whether STI and 

RCC 

ROCI 

RPC 

LTI share awards will vest. 

Risk & Control Committee. 

Return on capital invested or ROCI is calculated as Underlying profit divided by Average capital invested. 

Reusable plastic container/crate, or returnable/reusable produce crate, generally used for shipment and display of produce 
items.  

Significant items 

Significant items are items of income or expense which are, either individually or in aggregate, material to Brambles or to the 
relevant business segment and: 
-  outside the ordinary course of business (e.g. gains or losses on the sale or termination of operations, the cost of significant 

reorganisations or restructuring); or 

-  part of the ordinary activities of the business but unusual due to their size and nature. 

Standard & Poor’s is an American financial services company that publishes financial research and analysis.   

Short Term Incentive. 

Total Fixed Remuneration. 

Total Shareholder Return. TSR measures the returns that a company has provided for its shareholders, reflecting share price 
movements and reinvestment of dividends over a specified performance period.  

Unit-load device, pooled containers used in the aviation industry for transporting cargo and baggage on board airliners. 

S&P 

STI 

TFR 

TSR 

ULD 

Underlying profit 

Underlying profit is profit from continuing operations before finance costs, tax and Significant items. 

Unification 

The unification of the dual-listed companies structure which operated between Brambles Industries Limited and Brambles 
Industries plc under a new single Australian holding company, Brambles Limited, which took place in December 2006. 

Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 140

 
 
CONTACT INFORMATION

REGISTERED OFFICE

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1 Macquarie Place
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia
ACN 118 896 021

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Investor & Analyst Queries

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SHARE REGISTRY

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Link Market Services Limited
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SHARE RIGHTS REGISTRY

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Boardroom Pty Limited

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Brambles Annual Report 2012 - Page 141