October 1, 2024The SHP Most Influential Award is one of the most coveted prizes in the safety and health profession that looks to recognise senior leaders of the profession, who are at the peak of their profession.
The accolade aims to highlight the people who have the biggest, positive impact on health and safety in the UK, making a difference not just to their own organisation but to the wider profession. Each year SHP publishes an unranked list of the most influential individuals, as well as one stand-out winner.
SHP readers are invited to nominate who they feel is the Most Influential Individual in health and Safety. Then, the awards judging panel review all nominations and SHP publishes a list of finalists. Making it onto the list is an achievement in itself, with many shortlisted sharing their nomination on social media among their network. Finally, readers are then asked to vote for the one person on the list who they feel has made the biggest impact and deserved to be crowned Most Influential.
This year, as an exciting new addition, previous award winners will be invited to join us on a panel at our partner show for leaders of people and property – Anticipate London (2-4 December).
2023 – Steven Harris, having worked primarily in the energy sector, now runs his own consultancy business, and uses the company as a vehicle to continue to give to various charities, as well as sponsoring events that pass on critical safety knowledge.
Steve mentors, lectures and volunteers during his free time to help guide energy trade associations in their health and safety challenges.
“Steve is a values-driven force of nature in the world of health and safety and I am sure he does lots more that I am not aware of…but I can assure you that he deserves this nomination and every piece of recognition that comes with it.” The words to support Harris’ original nomination recognise a professional who heavily supports and contributes to the wider sector but is happy to stay below than radar rather than shout about his (many) achievements.
On winning the award, Steve said: “Being nominated for any SHP award is an honour, but winning the most influential title was truly amazing. What made it even more special was that the 2023 award was in memory of a past-winner, Mavis Nye. Mavis dedicated much of her life to campaigning around asbestos awareness and was someone many looked up to, which means I was standing on the shoulders of giants when I received the award. My thanks to all those involved in SHP, and the very best of luck to all future nominees”.
Read more about why Steve won, here
2022 – Alan Trueman has truly made an impact on the telecoms sector. It’s a vertical that until recently had no safety standards, however through the SHIFT working group, which Alan set-up
and continues to facilitate, the sector now has a recognised set of standards.
The working group continues to foster collaboration among its members who continue to share best practice, and improve telecom’s safety credentials.
Read more about why Alan Trueman won, here
See other people shortlisted for Most Influential 2022, here.
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2021 – Dr Mavis Nye lived with Mesothelioma every day of her life, having been diagnosed in 2009, and spent her life campaigning for asbestos awareness and removal.
She has been described as a ‘tour de force, and an absolute dynamo for Asbestos Awareness’.
Asbestos is one of the largest causes of occupational death in the UK and Mavis has been the first person to galvanise all sides of the debate. From a standing start and with no formal training in the field, she has risen to be a touchstone for the victims across the globe.
Sadly, Mavis passed away in 2023.
Read more about why Dr Mavis Nye won, here.
See the other people shortlisted for Most Influential 2021, here.
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2020 – Hilda Palmer, campaigner and facilitator of Families Against Corporate Killers, supplier of International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) resources. Hilda supports families who find themselves on the wrong side of health and safety failures to access justice and get answers as to why their loved ones were killed at work. She is a tireless campaigner for workers’ health and safety, highlighting the failures of employers, ineffective enforcement, continuing excessive deregulation, toxic workplaces, workplace stress and many other health and safety issues that are causing injury, ill-health, disease and deaths at work.
She has played a key role working with trade unions to challenge government and regulators, fighting for people’s rights.
Read more about why Hilda Palmer won here.
See the other people shortlisted for Most Influential 2020, here.
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2020 Most Influential Team – Arco
The Arco team was chosen as the winner from a list of six finalists for SHP’s Most Influential Team Award, by the SHP Awards judging panel. Arco’s NDC2 became operational on 10 February 2020. On 11 March the World Health Organisation declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic and a week later the UK went into lockdown.
PPE was in short supply and while the government looked to solve the stock shortage – the Arco team, with critical worker status, got to work fast, ensuring the National Distribution Centre was fully operational and, importantly, that it was COVID-secure.
Read more about why Arco won here.
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2019 – Karl Simons, who at the time was Chief Health, Safety and Security Director at Thames Water. Readers voted Karl Simons Most Influential for many reasons, but most of all for: his work to challenge stigma around mental ill health; embracing technology innovation; positively influencing and supporting others; and shaping the future of the profession. Voters described Karl as ‘an inspiration’.
Read more about why Karl Simons won here.
See the other people shortlisted for Most Influential 2019 here
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2018 – Louise Taggart, Public Speaker, Campaigner and Founder of ‘Michael’s Story’. Louise won the award for tirelessly sharing the story of her younger brother, and his preventable fatality at work, in order to prevent more lives being lost.
Voters described the huge impact she had on them, making them feel empowered and inspired. One voter said: “She has now proactively saved hundreds of lives since her brother’s passing – that is a certainty.”
Read more about why Louise Taggart won here
See the other people shortlisted for Most Influential 2018 here
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2017 – John Green, who was Director of HSE at Laing O’Rourke at the time. Voters made John Green their winner for his proactively promoting his ‘Safety Differently’ message, questioning a climate of paperwork, double-checking everything and ‘compliance’ that has little real impact.
John was described as a tireless campaigner for improving the practice and reputation of health and safety in the UK.
Read more about why John Green won and see the full 2017 shortlist here
