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BC senior executives gather to sign Health & Safety Leadership Charter

The Leading Performance 2011 Conference will be held Oct 27 at the Terminal City Club in Vancouver

CEOs and senior executives from BC’s manufacturing and other industries are set to launch a major health and safety initiative with signing of the BC Health & Safety Leadership Charter in Vancouver Oct 27.

The initiative, which has occurred in other provinces throughout Canada is taking shape in BC this fall.  FIOSA-MIOSA Safety Alliance is working with the manufacturing and food processing industries to lead the initiative and change in our province. All industries are invited to attend.

The Manufacturing sector had almost double the injury rate of industry as a whole in BC between 2004 and 2008 according to statistics from WorkSafeBC.

The Leading Performance 2011 Conference will be held Oct 27 at the Terminal City Club in Vancouver and will bring together CEOs and senior executives to map out a strategy for improving performance and sign the Health & Safety Leadership Charter.

The charter, which can be found on the FIOSA-MIOSA Safety Alliance of BC website, represents a commitment by industry leaders to improving health and safety in their companies.

“Work related injuries cost BC’s manufacturing sector $121 million dollars in paid out claims in 2009. The actual cost to employers is at least $605 million, says Lisa McGuire, Executive Director of FIOSA-MIOSA,  Safety Alliance of BC, adding, ”These statistics represent an unacceptable number of individuals and families whose lives, well being, personal finances and health are being adversely affected.”

Keynote speaker Howard Behar, former President of Starbucks Coffee, will speak on the Starbucks philosophy that people are the most important asset of any organization and the key to business sustainability.

Joining Behar will be opening speaker Jayson Myers, President and CEO of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and Chair of the Canadian Manufacturing Coalition. The panel will be moderated by longtime CBC Radio host and journalist Kathryn Gretsinger.

Other speakers will include; Derek Campbell, General Manager at Gate Gourmet YVR, and Paul Boileau, Director of Operations at Soprema Inc.’s BC operations in Chilliwack.

David Eto, Director of Corporate Affairs at Premium Brands, President of the BC Food Processors Association ( BCFPA) President, is on the Senior Executive Advisory Committee for the Leading Performance Conference. .

“I believe that an organization's culture is a reflection of the top person, the CEO.  If people are our number one resource, they need to have the tools and means by which to perform their tasks to their best ability each and every day.  This can only come from a culture that fosters a safe and healthy work environment,” Eto says.

FIOSA-MIOSA, which is sponsoring the conference, is a not-for-profit industry organization that seeks to set industry standards for health and safety as well as address challenges and opportunities specific to food & beverage processing and manufacturing. 

For more on the conference visit: http://www.fmiosa.com/lpc

To read the Charter visit: http://www.fmiosa.com/images/stories/downloads/lpc_charter_e.pdf

To book a space at the conference visit:  http://www.fmiosa.com/book-today

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