DuPont Personal Protection2007-12-12 16:31:52
Safety - A Driver for Sustainability?
Reflections from the 2007 DuPont Leaders Forum
DuPont hosted the 2007 DuPont Leaders Forum in partnership with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the Institute for Management Development (IMD) on October 18th in Geneva, Switzerland. The event offered more than 200 delegates from 25 countries an exclusive platform to discuss the theme "Safety - A Driver for Sustainability� and to explore how a safety culture improves a company's performance and shareholder value.
Mark Vergnano, group vice president - DuPont Safety and Protection, began the forum with remarks on the evolution of corporate sustainability from a safety perspective.
"I believe that we have an extraordinary opportunity for business to take an essential and different leadership role in protecting lives,� said Vergnano. "It is critical that we collaborate and ask questions if we are to meet the global challenges facing people and the environment. To quote the great Egyptian author and Nobel Prize winner, Naguib Mahfouz - ‘You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.'�
Vergnano raised a few key questions in particular: What is driving the global trend for people to seek protection and security from harm and threats? What are the unmet needs in workplace safety? What role does safety play in sustainability?
Panelists and participants explored these topics and a variety of safety and sustainability issues during workshops throughout the day. Other keynote speakers included Dr. Claus Conzelmann, vice president of safety, health and environment, Nestlé; Jean-Michel Cousteau, environmentalist and explorer; Dr. Peter Lorange, president, Institute for Management Development; Dr. Jukka Takala, director, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work; and Björn Stigson, president, WBCSD.
According to Roper Reports Worldwide Annual Survey, values and behavior in safety and environment are not as dependent on geography or specific market segments as in previous years. Market intelligence also indicates that this shift in behavior has been compounded by a profound lack of trust in the world today. Consumers and businesses are asking government to set and enforce stricter standards, and their concerns are changing the face of business.
"As leaders, we all know that doing the right thing is good for business,� shared Vergnano. "We need to go beyond what is expected of us in order to gain and keep trust. Companies who are not leading the way in safety and environment will be left in the competitive dust.�
The DuPont Leaders Forum is one of the company's ongoing initiatives to expand thinking and foster collaboration that promotes safety in every corner of the world. The annual event has tripled in attendance over the last several years.
"Leaving a legacy means helping change the future so that it is safer and more sustainable for people throughout the world,� said Vergnano. "I am excited about the companies with whom we are working to help find solutions for a safer, more sustainable world.�
Reflections from the 2007 DuPont Leaders Forum
DuPont hosted the 2007 DuPont Leaders Forum in partnership with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the Institute for Management Development (IMD) on October 18th in Geneva, Switzerland. The event offered more than 200 delegates from 25 countries an exclusive platform to discuss the theme "Safety - A Driver for Sustainability� and to explore how a safety culture improves a company's performance and shareholder value.
Mark Vergnano, group vice president - DuPont Safety and Protection, began the forum with remarks on the evolution of corporate sustainability from a safety perspective.
"I believe that we have an extraordinary opportunity for business to take an essential and different leadership role in protecting lives,� said Vergnano. "It is critical that we collaborate and ask questions if we are to meet the global challenges facing people and the environment. To quote the great Egyptian author and Nobel Prize winner, Naguib Mahfouz - ‘You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.'�
Vergnano raised a few key questions in particular: What is driving the global trend for people to seek protection and security from harm and threats? What are the unmet needs in workplace safety? What role does safety play in sustainability?
Panelists and participants explored these topics and a variety of safety and sustainability issues during workshops throughout the day. Other keynote speakers included Dr. Claus Conzelmann, vice president of safety, health and environment, Nestlé; Jean-Michel Cousteau, environmentalist and explorer; Dr. Peter Lorange, president, Institute for Management Development; Dr. Jukka Takala, director, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work; and Björn Stigson, president, WBCSD.
According to Roper Reports Worldwide Annual Survey, values and behavior in safety and environment are not as dependent on geography or specific market segments as in previous years. Market intelligence also indicates that this shift in behavior has been compounded by a profound lack of trust in the world today. Consumers and businesses are asking government to set and enforce stricter standards, and their concerns are changing the face of business.
"As leaders, we all know that doing the right thing is good for business,� shared Vergnano. "We need to go beyond what is expected of us in order to gain and keep trust. Companies who are not leading the way in safety and environment will be left in the competitive dust.�
The DuPont Leaders Forum is one of the company's ongoing initiatives to expand thinking and foster collaboration that promotes safety in every corner of the world. The annual event has tripled in attendance over the last several years.
"Leaving a legacy means helping change the future so that it is safer and more sustainable for people throughout the world,� said Vergnano. "I am excited about the companies with whom we are working to help find solutions for a safer, more sustainable world.�
For more information contact:
R. Général Patton
Contern
L-2984
Luxembourg
Tel: +352 3666 5664
Fax: +352 3666 5018
