Fourth Joint Conference on
Occupational Safety and Health
September 14 - 16, 2005
Orlando, Florida
Agenda

2005 Conference Topics

Topic II

Topic II: Advancing Good Practices in Health and Safety at the Corporate Level

Conference Report - PPT File - HTML Outline

Chair EU: Neal Stone, Strategic Manager, UK 
Co-chair US: Frank White, Vice President, Organization Resources Counselors (ORC) Worldwide
Scribe US: Michael Taubitz, Global Regulatory Liaison, General Motors Corporation (GMC)

Subtopic A:
Identify the critical strategic, cultural and other elements in creating a corporate good practice environment – Session 1

Subtopic B:
Identify the critical operational elements needed to assure that good practices are effectively identified, implemented and sustained at all levels of the business – Session 2

Subtopic C:
Identify successful ways to promote and advance good practice at the corporate level and the role of government and social partners (such as employees, trade unions and employers) – Session 3

Subtopic D:
Identify methods/models by which corporate entities have adopted or incorporated critical goals (see last 3 focus questions) – Session 3

Focus Questions:

  • What are the key organizational and behavioral drivers that are essential to the success of a corporate good practice model?
  • Is a good practice environment more successful if there are effective linkages with corporate sustainability, social responsibility and/or broader worker health and productivity goals and programs?
  • What are the most effective strategies for assuring that the social partners agree, share, and participate actively in developing and delivering the organization’s health and safety values, goals and operational elements related to good practices?
  • What are the critical success factors to ensure the effective implementation and operation of corporate good practices in an organization?
  • Are organizational targets and objectives focused specifically on good practice development and implementation helpful?
  • What are some of the best sources of good practice information in the US and the EU and what are some ways that information from these sources could be shared and enhanced?
  • Are there case studies that demonstrate the business value, e.g., improved productivity, reduced costs, lower labor turnover, improved occupational health or improved labor union–management relations that help advance good safety and health practices? Note – EU is keen to provide real-life case studies from European undertakings with contributions from directors, managers and representatives of workers.
  • What models/good practices/methods exist that advocate the strict enforcement of strong labor standards, both within the US/EU as well as in the countries from which they source their products?
  • What models/methods/good practices exist that adopt and implement strict, independently-monitored codes of conduct?
  • What models/good practices/methods exist that adopt sustainable production and consumption practices throughout their design, production/sourcing and marketing processes, and report publicly on these practices?
  • What models/methods/good practices exist to support the expansion of the REACH program (e.g., registration, evaluation and authorization of chemicals) and the adoption of an equivalent program in the US?