National Safety Council 2008 Green Cross for Safety Medal Presented to Delta Air Lines

Delta CEO Richard Anderson Recognized at Atlanta Dinner

Itasca, IL – The National Safety Council presented its 2008 Green Cross for Safety Medal to Delta Air Lines and its Chief Executive Officer Richard H. Anderson at a dinner hosted by the Boeing Company at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, April 30.

NSC Chairman of the Board Joseph J. Ucciferro presented the recognition and praised Delta’s exemplary commitment to safety that is evident at all levels of its corporate structure.

In making the presentation, Ucciferro, who is president and CEO of Philadelphia-based Day & Zimmermann’s Commercial and Public Sector, referenced an integration of corporate safety, quality, production and profitability that Anderson has called fundamental to Delta’s ability to offer a consistent travel experience and keep customers coming back.

“At Delta, safety is top-of-mind, both on and off the job,” Ucciferro said. “It’s a way of life that begins at the top and is not assigned to one area or one individual. It is this culture of safety, as exemplified by Delta and our previous Green Cross for Safety recipients, that truly contributes to making our world safer.”

Past recipients of the Green Cross were also at the dinner to congratulate Delta, including 2007 medal recipient UPS, represented by UPS CEO Scott Davis. Other past recipients include DuPont, Liberty Mutual Group, Chrysler Group of DaimlerChrysler, Kenny Construction Company, Ryder Systems Inc., Intel Corporation, and AK Steel Corporation.

Delta’s commitment to safety reaches back to the company’s first passenger flights in 1929. Today, the company works to ensure the safety of more than 73 million passengers who fly 679 million aircraft miles each year, along with the safety of its 50,000 employees.

CEO Anderson has defined safety leadership as leading by example, and making sure that employees know that safety is woven into the fabric of the corporate culture.

“This is a great honor for us. Providing a safe, secure operation is Delta’s first and most fundamental obligation to our employees and customers,” Anderson said. “At Delta, safety is embraced as our No. 1 leadership value, and Delta people integrate it into everything we do.”

Established in 1999, The Green Cross for Safety award recognizes organizations and their leaders for outstanding achievements in safety and health, community service and responsible citizenship. To be considered for the medal, an organization and its leadership must demonstrate a superior record in advancing safety and health practices consistent with the mission of the National Safety Council.

About Delta Air Lines:Delta Air Lines operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 306 destinations in 58 countries. Delta has added more international capacity than any major U.S. airline during the last two years and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 37 trans-Atlantic markets. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers more than 517 weekly flights to 57 destinations. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on nearly 16,409 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide codeshare partners, Delta offers flights to 841 worldwide destinations in 162 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at delta.com. 

About the National Safety Council: The National Safety Council is a nonprofit, nongovernmental, international public service organization dedicated to educating and influencing people to prevent accidental injuries and deaths. Members of the NSC include more than 50,000 businesses, labor organizations, schools, public agencies, private groups and individuals. Founded in 1913 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1953, the primary focus of the NSC is promoting safety and health in the workplace, in transportation, and in homes and communities.