Shell wins PRAISE Annual Awards for Road Safety
In a ceremony held in Brussels on 25 April, Royal Dutch Shell, one the largest worldwide oil companies and an active partner of the Global Road Safety Partnership, received the PRAISE Annual Award for Road Safety in the category of large companies. “Preventing Road Accidents and Injuries for the Safety of Employees” (PRAISE) is a project run by the non-profit European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), which aims to increase road safety in the work context. It awards good practices in order to help employers secure high road safety standards for their employees.
“It is a great honor to receive the ETSC PRAISE award. Road safety is a key risk area for Shell and our Road Safety/Logistics teams have implemented simple rules for compliance”, explained Mike Watson, Global Road Safety Manager at Shell who accepted the award on behalf of the company.
In the category of medium company, the prize was granted to VolkerRail Ltd, which provides a wide range of contracting services to the railway industry in the UK and Ireland.
Eligibility criteria for the competition according to the ETSC included setting road safety targets, evidence of progress and sustainability of achievements by employers at their workplace.
“We congratulate the winners of the awards for their inspiring efforts in tackling work related road risk. Royal Dutch Shell (and VolkerRail) are praised today because they demonstrate how improving road safety can be integrated into day-to-day business practices and that investing in road safety does indeed pay for itself said Antonio Avenoso, ETSC Executive Director, the awards ceremony chair.The award winners also possess a ‘hearts and minds’ attitude to road safety – recognizing the need to engage with employees and taking the road safety message beyond the workplace.
“Our top management supports our efforts to reach goal zero – no fatalities, serious injuries or environmental harm. Moreover, we work closely with partnerships and communities to help reduce road risks, raise public awareness, implement local campaigns and educational programmes to reduce incidents”, concluded Watson.
