Sword of Honour
Have you achieved Five Stars during your Five Star Health and Safety Management System Audit?
Was your audit undertaken between 1 September 06 and 31 July 07?
If so, the British Safety Council would like to invite you to apply for a Sword of Honour.
What is the Sword of Honour?
The Sword of Honour is the most prestigious international health and safety accolade that a company can receive, and it is designed to encourage and reward organisations that work to best practice. Inaugurated in 1979, every year only 40 swords are awarded world-wide, so winners can be assured that they are elite organisations that boast first class health and safety for their employees.
What are the benefits of achieving a Sword of Honour?
Organisations of every size and in every sector gain significant benefits from promoting health and safety best practice, including:
- Heightened prestige
- External endorsement of outstanding health and safety
- Increased competitive edge
- Increased internal morale
- Official Sword of Honour winners' logo
- Impressive sword and certificate to display as proof of achievement
- Press coverage
- Possible cost savings from reduced insurance premiums
Celebratory Luncheon
To salute the winning organisations, a prestigious ceremony is held each year at the historic Goldsmiths' Hall in the City of London. At this luncheon each winner is presented with an actual sword. This symbolises that the organisation is 'safe enough' to be trusted with such an item. Each organisation then has this sword to keep and display in honour of its outstanding achievement.
Paying tribute to successful companies, the Council's Chief Executive, Brian Nimick, says:
Everyone winning a Sword of Honour this year has demonstrated that in addition to ensuring extremely high standards of Health and Safety in the workplace, they have also considered how their business impacts on others. Being a winner of a Sword this year is an exceptional achievement, something that everyone in your company can be proud of.
Who is eligible to apply?
In order to ensure that only the highest level organisations receive the award, all applicants must have already undertaken the British Safety Council's five star health and safety audit and obtained the highest level: five stars.
When to apply?
The 2007 scheme timescales are being changed slightly to allow applicants more time to prepare and submit their application. This means that for the 2007 scheme, the qualifying period will run from 1 September 06 to 31 July 07. Application forms will be sent to all organisations who have achieved five stars within the qualifying period in early August 07. Completed forms will need to be returned to the British Safety Council by 21 September 2007.
What is the application procedure?
To receive a Sword, a company must be able to demonstrate its competence in managing health and safety risks. It must also have a proven culture of aiming for best practice which is promoted throughout the entire organisation - from the directors right through to people on the shop floor.
To enable the independent awards panel to judge the eventual winners, each organisation must complete an application form covering key areas of its health and safety management system, including: safety culture and behaviour; management control systems and information on any accidents and near misses at its worksites in the past three years.
Completed application forms should be sent to:
Corporate Affairs DepartmentBritish Safety Council
70 Chancellors Road, London
W6 9RS
United Kingdom
