The FINANCIAL — The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have formalised their strategic partnership aimed at strengthening the drive to keep employees safe and healthy in emerging Europe and beyond.
On June 20 the two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that lays out a programme of joint activities to create safer, healthier and more sustainable workplaces in the countries where the EBRD invests.
Under the MoU, IOSH and the EBRD will work together to influence policy and practice in occupational safety and health. They will also jointly seek to improve safety and health standards at industry level, according to EBRD.
The document provides for an exchange of information and ideas between the two organisations and the sharing of good practice and expertise across different sectors.
Alistair Clark, EBRD Managing Director, Environment and Sustainability, said: “Health and safety issues in projects we fund are priority areas for the Bank. Working with IOSH, our plan is to increase our support to companies and industries in the countries where we invest and continue to encourage them to adopt international standards for safety and health in the workplace.”
Shelley Frost, Executive Director of Policy at IOSH, said: “We are delighted to have signed this MoU with the EBRD, with whom we already have a very successful working relationship.
“Our organisations align in a number of core strategic principles and the MoU now formalises this relationship, as well as setting some specific objectives with a programme of work.
“This strategic alignment will allow IOSH to continue to reach out to developing countries and enhance safety and health standards.”
IOSH is the leading professional body in occupational safety and health, with a wealth of knowledge, experience and technical expertise to offer.
The EBRD is a multilateral bank committed to the development of market-oriented economies and the promotion of private and entrepreneurial initiative in more than 30 countries from Morocco to Mongolia and from Estonia to Egypt.
IOSH and the EBRD have already worked together on a number of projects, including sending scanning equipment for underground electric cables to Moldova for use by excavation workers. They have also provided training on the use of this equipment.
Today’s agreement was signed at EBRD headquarters in London and was followed by a roundtable discussion involving other safety and health organisations.
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