In 2012 BHP was forced to negotiate more secure contracts for workers at all it's Bowen Basin operations, after an 18 month during dispute with the workers unions.

Indonesia - Coal : BHP Billiton's Indo Met Coal project concessions cover large areas of forest land. The community of the village of Maruwei in the Murung Raya Regency of Central Kalimantan province, has lost access to customary forest. The village is situated close to the site of the planned new Haju Mine, the first part of the huge Indo Met Coal project owned by the multinational mining giant BHP Billiton and Indonesian firm Adaro Energy. The village itself will not be displaced by the new mine, but the Indo Met Coal project has taken land used by local people and given the traditional owners payment of just 100 rupiah (around €0.006) per square metre.

BHP was successfully sued by the indigenous inhabitants because of the environmental degradation caused by the OK Tedi copper mine operations in Papua New Guinea.

BHP Billiton was fined USD 25 million by the US Securities and Exchange Commission for violating anti-bribery law by paying for luxury hotels, sightseeing trips, and event tickets for government officials and their spouses at the 2008 Olympic Games. According to the SEC, BHP footed the bill for officials who were “in a position to help the company with its business or regulatory endeavours,” including officials connected with BHP contract negotiations or regulatory dealings to obtain mining rights in Congo, Guinea, Burundi, and the Philippines (source corruptionincoal.org).