Social sustainability
Putting people at the heart of your organisation.
Social sustainability is a strategic priority for IOSH – we have long understood the commercial and social value of putting people at the heart of an organisation. Now, we want to support businesses around the world to grow more resilient by investing in a safe and healthy workforce.
Why is social sustainability important for business?
Sustainability is important for businesses in many ways.
- A workplace is unsustainable if working practices lead to worker fatalities and injuries. Globally the cost of work-related injury and deaths is calculated at almost $3trillion. This has a huge impact on workers across the world, with workers in the UK alone, losing £9.6 billion in income.
- Socially sustainable business practices are being driven by governments through the supply and value Investors, regulators, buyers, workers, customers, the media and politicians are increasingly asking questions and making decisions based on how businesses look after their people.
- Workers working under strong, progressive OSH management systems tend to show improved morale, productivity and loyalty.
- Smart businesses that focus on ‘people’ see a healthy return on investment. A report by the International Social Security Association (ISSA) estimated that every euro invested in occupational safety and health sees a return of €2.20.
Businesses must consider the safety, health and wellbeing of workers as part of their sustainable business practices, because it enables them to operate safely in their work environments in the long-term, says think tank The Center for Safety and Health Sustainability.
What can you do to support your organisation?
Our new campaign Catch the Wave is designed to help OSH professionals make an even bigger difference by placing people at the heart of business sustainability. Together, we can ensure your organisation’s social and human sustainability agenda takes a giant leap forward.