The Sword of Honour scheme, now in its thirtieth year, recognises organisations that have implemented safety systems that are among the best in the world. Only organisations that achieve the maximum rating of five stars in the Council’s Five Star Health and Safety Management System Audit are eligible to apply. Contenders for the Sword of Honour have to prove they have a culture of aiming for best practice, promoted from the boardroom to the shop floor. The application, which covers key areas of safety activity, is independently adjudicated and the competition this year was intense.  

In congratulating G4S Nina Wrightson OBE, Chairman of Trustees of the British Safety Council, said: “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 the recipient of a Sword is an exceptional achievement and a challenge: you are now putting your reputation and world-class track record for safety systems on the line. It is something that everyone in your organisation can be proud of.”

A message of congratulations was also sent by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who said: “I send my congratulations to all of those organisations being presented with a Sword of Honour by the British Safety Council. These awards recognise the crucial success that they and their employees have achieved in their pursuit of excellence in the management of health, safety and environmental matters.”

“This event gives me the opportunity to publicly recognise the important contribution that the British Safety Council makes in encouraging young people to appreciate the risks they will face when they start work through securing funding to support Entry Level Training in health and safety for 14-19 year olds over the next decade. This is a tremendous contribution towards making our working environment safer and helping us to improve the prosperity of British industry by reducing the number of working days lost to sickness or injury. By working together in partnership with you, employers, employees and other stakeholders, we aim to build on this success and reduce the burden on industry and, of course, prevent tragedy for individuals.”

“I would like to place on record my appreciation of the support given by the British Safety Council in raising business, employee and public awareness of the benefits that effective health, safety and environmental management brings to business, employees and the environment.”