
People power
People, planet, profit… The simplicity of these three words and the perhaps flippant alliteration they provide mask the gravitas of their position at the heart of sustainability.
Malcolm Staves, global health and safety director at cosmetics group L’Oréal, aptly sums it up in this issue’s cover feature when he says: ‘If people are the focus of sustainability, then their safety and health day to day has to be a fundamental part of that. It’s time to put people back into sustainability.’
And it is this emphasis on people-centred sustainability that is the focus of a new IOSH initiative, full details of which will be revealed in subsequent issues.
In fact the people that form the beating heart of an organisation are at the core of several articles in this issue, from the critical role played by health workers in protecting patients being brought to the fore for this year’s World Patient Safety Day, to the experiences of three influencers in strengthening OSH in their countries, to the impact one man can have in changing processes, practices and mindsets on the national railway in Kazakhstan. It all makes for an insightful read. Enjoy!