American Society launches excellence award in environment, health and safety

Named ASSE-Gulf Cooperation Council HSE Excellence Award is introduced to recognize leadership, excellence and encourage exceptional performance in private sector companies in the Gulf Region.

Mr. Ujwal Ritwik, one of the most recognizable figures in the field is the initiator and convener of the award. The award is instituted by the American Society of Safety Engineers-Kuwait Chapter, a non-profit Organization. The evidence based award aims to showcase successful business models from organizations that uphold HSE as a business value and excel in performance.

Award recipients will be recognized at the 5th International HSE & Loss Prevention Professional Development Conference and Exposition-2009, which is scheduled from 17th to 19th March, 2009 in Kuwait. The names of successful companies will be publicized regionally & internationally.

Benefits of participation

While talking about the scheme Ritwik informed, unlike many commercially motivated schemes, this is the first ever independent, transparent and credible award in this part of the world. The successful companies will benefit several ways; they will get
- Exceptionally high regional & international recognition for exemplary HSE performance.
- Good mileage for attracting customers and clients and to improve business prospects.
- Be seen by employees, public & regulatory bodies as a responsible organization.
- Be a leader in the industry and participate in voluntary standards/guidelines making process.
- Opportunity to contribute to corporate social responsibility.
- Opportunity to avail expert services/consultation from the ASSE

Eligibility

Ujwal Ritwik emphasized the award is to encourage private sector. This in turn will help improvements in contractors, vendors, services, construction and several small and medium sector companies, which in turn help the large government sector companies, including those engaged in oil and gas. This will herald a new era of HSE consciousness and growth.

This is another history making initiative from a small but energetic Ritwik. Seven years back he established the Kuwait Chapter of American Society of Safety Engineers in Kuwait, which now has grown to a 600 strong organization, unquestionably the largest and busiest professional society in the Middle East. His efforts to bring in quality HSE training and competence is well known across GCC.