RoSPA Health & Safety Award winners join 70 years of health and safety heroes

World leaders in health and safety were celebrated at a very special Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Health & Safety Awards at the Grosvenor Hotel in London on June 30.

• The Sovini Group, Barchester Healthcare and Shepley Engineers Ltd. among the winners at the RoSPA Health & Safety Awards, sponsored by NEBOSH
• Winners were selected from some 2,000 entries from 60 countries
• The 70^th anniversary ceremony celebrated the incredible progress in workplace safety since 1956
• Top award renamed in honour of RoSPA Life President Lord Jordan of Bournville
• Launch of RoSPA OSH Skills Commission report, sponsored by Speedy Hire, addressing the future of the health and safety profession

Sponsored by the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), compered by stand-up comedian Lucy Porter, and featuring keynote speeches from RoSPA Life President Lord Jordan of Bournville, RoSPA Chief Executive Rebecca Hickman and NEBOSH Chief Executive Andy Shenstone, the glittering event marked 70 years since the RoSPA Awards began at a small ceremony in London, standing as testament to its growth into the world’s biggest and most prestigious health and safety awards scheme.

The 70^th anniversary also presented a golden opportunity to reflect on the incredible progress in health and safety since 1956, establishing today’s award winners as part of a proud heritage. The RoSPA Awards have become a focal point for a global community of expert professionals dedicated to making workplaces and wider society free from the risk of accidental harm. That commitment shone through in every award-winning entry from some 2,000 applications from 60 different countries.

Whether receiving recognition for excellence with a Bronze, Silver, Gold or President’s award, or triumphing in one of the competitive categories for specific sectors such as manufacturing, engineering and healthcare, every RoSPA Award winner has reached the highest standards in workplace safety. Entries are rigorously assessed on every aspect of their health and safety processes, from current management systems to innovation in responding to emerging risk areas such as AI. Many award winners enter year-on-year, demonstrating continuous learning, improvement and the importance of embedding health and safety as a crucial priority for any successful organisation.

Who was awarded what?

The Sovini Group received the top award, The Lord Jordan of Bournville Trophy. RoSPA’s oldest and most prestigious award has now been renamed from The Sir George Earle Trophy in honour of RoSPA’s Life President Lord Jordan, to celebrate his lifelong advocacy for protecting workers and his 90th birthday this year. The Lord Jordan of Bournville Trophy winner is selected from among the highest-performing Sector award winners.

Sector awards cover over 20 different areas, with this year’s winners including:

• Barchester Healthcare (Healthcare)
• Shepley Engineers Ltd. (Engineering Services)
• Kuehne & Nagel – HMRC Inland Border Facilities – UK Sites (Public Services)
• AS Watson UK – Superdrug / Savers / The Perfume Shop (Wholesale and Retail)
• MAS Active (Pvt) Ltd – MAS KREEDA Synergy (Manufacturing)

See the full list of winners

Rebecca Hickman’s speech included the launch of RoSPA’s new OSH Skills Commission report sponsored by Speedy Hire. Based on expert insights from influential figures in health and safety, the report outlines evidence-based solutions to the challenges facing the sector, meaning that the innovation celebrated at the RoSPA Awards can be developed to keep even more people free from the risk of accidental death and serious injuries.

Lord Jordan of Bournville said:

‘It is an enormous honour to have RoSPA’s top award named the Lord Jordan of Bournville Trophy. But it is an even greater privilege to meet the award winners taking forward the cause of everything I, RoSPA and other champions of health and safety have fought for over 70 years. The enthusiasm, energy and innovation of all our award winners are the driving force towards a safer society for everyone.’

Rebecca Hickman said:

‘While every RoSPA Awards ceremony is a memorable celebration of excellence, reaching 70 years is a true milestone moment. There has been incredible change over the last seven decades, which has seen the RoSPA Awards grow into the most rigorous and highly regarded health and safety awards scheme in the world, covering SMEs through to huge global corporations, all united in their dedication to keeping people safe and healthy at work. For a healthy workforce is essential for a healthy economy, and all our RoSPA winners – past, present and future – are at the vanguard of a global movement demonstrating that health and safety isn’t just about compliance, but is central to success.’

Andy Shenstone said:

‘NEBOSH is proud to sponsor the RoSPA Awards. As a fellow charity, we deeply value our longstanding partnership with RoSPA and the shared mission that unites us: to prevent accidents and protect lives. This commitment to bettering the lives of people and communities is at the heart of everything we do – and it’s reflected in the achievements we celebrated on the evening. The Award winners have achieved the highest standards in health and safety and raised the bar for the entire profession.’

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