RoSPA and L’Oréal’s Leading Safely for Women programme, part of their Safe@Work-Safe@Home partnership, which launched earlier this year has had a ‘phenomenal response’, according to Dr Karen McDonnell, RoSPA’s Health and Safety Policy Adviser.
The purpose of the training programme is to develop the abilities of women with an entrepreneurial spirit in health and safety, enhancing their visibility in the sector and working towards creating gender balance for smarter Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).
The first two Leading Safely courses, held in February and June, were said to have received an overwhelming response from women across the sector, seeking to develop their skills and roles within health and safety. The next course, which will cater for a further eight mentees, is due to run on 11 November, with the deadline for applications on 15 October. The inspiring leading safely content helps delegates to develop a health and safety strategy that aligns to their overall business values, alongside how to reach and exceed personal and business objectives.
Identifying women from across the globe and encouraging them to realise their full potential in the health and safety sector is at the heart of the collaboration between L’Oréal and RoSPA. The IOSH Leading Safely courses are fully funded by the Safe@Work-Safe@Home partnership; attendees commit to a day of training, joining the mentoring program and writing about their journey.
Comments from previous course attendees:
“Since the course took place, I have shared what I’ve learned and become more visible. It has been very empowering, and I feel I can conquer the world in terms of my professional approach.” Belinda Nyambare, age 29 from Kenya.
“I recommend the course to any ambitious female who wants to break the mould.” Dr Jwan Kamla, 38 from Kurdistan.
“The course showed me that we should push ourselves and support each other… I’m now pushing for a senior manager role. I want to change the culture, challenge myself and drive change.” Nishma Mistry, 39 from Bedfordshire.
Previous attendees have reported promotional opportunities, as well as being able to truly make a difference within their organisations.
Louise Hosking, Director at Hosking Associates, comments: “We have been overwhelmed by the success of the Leading Safely programme so far. We need greater diversity in health and safety, and more women in leadership positions who are visible to support this. This initiative focuses on creating gender balance and we examine the challenges being faced and how to have the confidence to overcome these. Through this, smarter EDI better decisions will be made, and when we make better decisions in health and safety, we save more lives. Gender parity is not just the morally right thing to do it is also the financially smart thing to do. It is vital that women see other women in leadership or influencing roles within the sector. It’s time for a change.”
Malcolm Staves, L’Oréal’s Global Vice President Health & Safety, said: “The first two Leading Safely training sessions were a great success and the attendees are now all benefitting from the coaching and mentoring phase of the programme. Diversity and inclusion are a part of our DNA at L’Oréal, and we are convinced that better diversity will result in better decision making which, in the Health & Safety profession, will mean we could save more lives and reduce injuries. It just makes sense.”
Dr Karen McDonnell, RoSPA’s Occupational Safety & Health Policy Adviser, said: “Each connection forged through the Leading Safely programme increases the visibility of our phenomenal women, we have all benefited from the experience. When you see the invite for the November programme ‘get involved’.”
The next Leading Safely for Women programme takes place on 11 November 2021.
For more details on how to apply, click here.
Click here to read more about the Women in Health and Safety Network in the UK.
Click here to read SHP’s Women In Health And Safety interview series.
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