Add Your Boss to the List of
CEOs Who 'Get It'
Every year the National Safety Council recognizes CEOs who have evidently made safety
a core value of their organization. Below are excerpts from 2005 and 2006 recipients
from their feature articles in Safety+Health magazine.
What advice do you have for CEOs who want to ‘get it’?
“CEOs should manage EH&S the same way they manage finance: It is part of the
business and not an add-on. It should become and remain a priority for management
throughout the business.”
George David
Chairman and CEO
United Technologies Corp.
Employee Count: 205,700
Why is safety a core value at Voridian?
“Safety is a core value in our company because maintaining a safe workplace is essential
to operating a successful business. Unless employees see that management’s actions
demonstrate that they care about their personal well-being, no other business objectives
can be achieved at the desired level.”
C. Lee McConnell
Superintendent: Acetate Fibers Division
Voridian Division, Eastman Chemical Co.
Employee Count: 750
How do you see the relationship between safety
and quality, production and profitability?
“Safety should be a top priority simply because it is the right thing to do. However,
from a strict bottom-line viewpoint, safety does pay. In a safe work environment
employees are less likely to get injured. This reduces time away from work, workers’
compensation costs, and all the costs that go with finding replacement workers and
continuing operations.”
Edmund F. Kelly
Chairman, President and CEO
Liberty Mutual Group
Employee Count: 38,000
Why is safety a core value at DuPont?
“Safety is a source of value. First, it demonstrates that we care about people.
Second, the attention to detail required to achieve safety excellence leads to excellence
in all aspects of our company. We see safety as a foundation for everything we do
and as a very effective model for managing other key performance factors. The same
principles that apply to safety also apply to health, environment, ethics, security
and sustainable growth.”
Charles ‘Chad’ Holliday Jr.
Chairman of the Board and CEO
DuPont
Employee Count: 58,000
How does safety “pay” at Deere & Co.?
“Our employees value a workplace where they are safeguarded from injuries. They
pay us back through their loyalty, increased productivity and quality, and reduced
absenteeism.”
Robert Lane
Chairman and CEO
Deere & Co.
Employee Count: 46,000
Additional sources of information to help you convince management:
Cecich, TF. “Where’s My Return: Many Safety Investments Won’t Show Financial Gain.”
Industrial Safety & Hygiene News. Sept. 2005. V. 39, No. 9, Pp. 38, 40.
“CEOs Who ‘Get It.’” Safety & Health. Feb. 2005. V. 171, No. 2, Pp. 25-33.
“CEOs Who ‘Get It.’” Safety & Health. Feb. 2006. V. 173, No. 2, Pp. 23-31.
Gallagher, VA. “Motivating Management When Cost-Benefit Analysis Fails.” Professional
Safety. May 1999. V. 44, No. 5, Pp. 42-45.
Hansen, M. “Selling Safety to Management: Are You Committed to Getting Management’s
Commitment?” Industrial Safety & Hygiene News. May 1997. V. 31, No. 5, Pp. 22-23.
“The Roi Of Safety -- The Bottom Line On Safety: It Starts At The Top.” Business
Week. Sept. 2005. No. 3950.
Find all of these articles in the NSC Member Resource Center & Library collection.
Contact the NSC library at 630.775.2199 or email library@nsc.org.
Download the
"How to Sell NSC Member Benefits to Your Boss" (pdf)
