Put Safety First In Sustainability

By Author: eormseo eorm
Total Articles: 11
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Sustainability is a trend that is here to stay, but when not in conjunction with health and safety a true sustainability program is lacking.  A large reduction in a company’s carbon footprint doesn’t go very far when employees are being injured on the job.  The Center for Safety & Health Sustainability has made it a goal to educate businesses on the importance safety plays in corporate governance and corporate social responsibility/sustainability.  This includes the safety of workers, customers, and surrounding communities.
Johnson & Johnson’s 2011 Responsibility Report is a great example of how one company is emphasizing the important role health and safety has in sustainability.  The company reports on their management of safety and many key performance indicators such as:
Serious Injury Illness Rate
Lost Workday Case Rate
Fleet Car Accidents
Ergonomic Injuries
Fatalities
Johnson & Johnson has also set improvement goals in employee health and safety such as a 15 percent improvement in employee, contractor and fleet safety performance by 2015.

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What are some ways safety professionals can get involved in corporate sustainability?

1. Managing Business Risk , resulting in the reductions of injury/illnesses, fines, and penalties
2. Track, Manage, & Communicate, reinforcing the success of the health and safety programs
3. Support Global Operations, ensuring the safety culture is adopted on a global scale in all areas of business
4. Support Supplier Responsibility Program, protecting the company’s reputation from supplier safety risks and reducing the disruption of supplies
5. Drive innovation, incorporating user’s health and safety into the creation of new products
6. Receive External Recognition, increasing the company’s reputation as a responsible corporate citizen and making employees feel proud to be employed, which helps with retention and growth.