Sword of Honour Celebratory Luncheon

Since 1979, the British Safety Council has recognised the global leaders in health and safety with its prestigious Sword of Honour ceremony. And once again this year, the best of the best gathered to receive their awards - and hear how the health and safety challenge of this century will be as much about corporate culture as management systems or the right equipment.

Sumptuous craftsmanship was not all that glittered at Goldsmiths' Hall at the heart of the City of London on Friday, 24 November 2006. Among the richly-crafted moulded ceilings and the coats of arms encrusted with gold, the world's safety elite gathered for the BSC's Sword of Honour presentation.

Companies had travelled from as far as Dubai and even Houston in the USA to receive their prestigious awards, reserved for a select group of high-achievers in health and safety.

All 40 Sword of Honour winners have successfully completed the BSC's Five Star Health and Safety Management Systems Audit. They have undergone an intensive assessment and inspection - proving they have a culture of best practice from boardroom to shop floor - before being awarded the globally-coveted safety prize.

The award is appreciated at the very highest levels - after a grand four-course luncheon, messages of congratulations to winners were read out from the Queen and Downing Street.

The then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, wrote: 'I send my congratulations to all of those organisations being presented with a Sword of Honour. The awards recognise the crucial success that these organisations and their employees have achieved in their pursuit of excellence in the management of health, safety and environmental matters.'

Meanwhile, HSE deputy chief executive and BSC trustee Justin McCracken hailed Sword of Honour recipients as 'successful leaders of health and safety'. He also reminded the audience that robust health and safety at a company had an impact on the 'bottom line', and that 'a safe workforce is a more productive workforce'.

In the future, however, organisations would have to focus increasingly on improving their health and safety cultures - as well as systems and equipment - if they are to build on their success, McCracken added.

He said: 'Managers must act as leaders and facilitators. They must encourage suggestions, motivate their staff and engage with the workforce to solve health and safety problems.

'A sound safety culture has its basis in the messages that come from the top of the organisation.

'As the VP of a major multi-national company said: 'Leading by example is the most critical thing you can do - it's what you are seen to do with your time and your body language. If you don't talk about health and safety, they won't.'

McCracken also took the opportunity to welcome the BSC's new Level 1 Certificate in Health and Safety. Intended for general employees, the qualification helps ensure that everybody in the workplace appreciates and understands the basics of health and safety. He explained: 'Research shows that people in new jobs are much more likely to be injured. So making sure people receive basic training before they enter the workplace has got to be sensible.'

The BSC's then chief executive David Ballard praised winners for demonstrating the 'extraordinary skill and persistence' required to qualify for a Sword of Honour.

He urged recipients to 'shout about their new award from the rooftops'.

Ballard explained: 'Firstly, you should tell your employees about it, because it shows them that you care about their health and safety, and that will help to make them more loyal and productive.

'Secondly, you should tell your shareholders, because if you are making a good job of health and safety it means that you will not be wasting shareholders' money on fines and lost production because of accidents.

'Last but not least, you should tell your customers, because they will know that if you are getting health and safety right, you are probably also getting the other things right that matter to them.'

He also reminded guests of the BSC's new Entry Level Certificate aimed at 14-16-year-olds. Designed to enable youngsters to learn about health and safety before entering the world of work, BSC hopes to roll out the award nationally in 2007.

For further information regarding this year's luncheon please contact Corporate Affairs on +44 (0)20 8600 5598.

What award winners said at the event

• Tata Chemicals Limited, Barbrala, India. Third time winner

  Health and Safety Manager Bhasker Kumar said that the Sword of Honour process had been such a success for Tata Chemicals' sites in India that senior management was considering rolling it out to its facilities across the world.

  Bhasker said: 'When we started implementing our new safety system in accordance with British Safety Council guidelines there was a noticeable dip in reportable accidents.

  'We shared our experience with top management and now they are thinking of rolling the system out to other plants outside India.'

• Auk Alpha Platform, Shell. First time winner.

  Stuart Hicks, Operating Team Leader said: 'We're absolutely cock-a-hoop because Shell has won six or seven Swords of Honour but this is the first time the Auk platform has won.

  "The Auk is Shell's oldest North Sea platform, so we've done an amazing amount of work on-board toward safety. It's a dangerous environment and some of the guys have worked long and hard to make sure we get it right. When things start going wrong we can't call the fire brigade.

  "The award is a recognition of all the hard work that's been put in."

• Cape Industrial Services Limited, Wakefield. Fourth time winner.

  Paul Peacock, Global Health, Safety and Environmental Officer for Cape, explained that winning a Sword of Honour provided a morale boost for the company's employees.

  He said: 'We've got a very proud workforce. When you win this kind of award it gives you bragging rights in the industry. A set of our scaffolders will talk to another set of scaffolders and the Sword of Honour gives them a little bit of an edge. They can turn round and say: 'We're Premiership - you're Championship'.'