DuPont has announced the shortlist of finalists of the 2013 DuPont Safety and Sustainable Awards, an initiative intended to reward companies for their innovative programmes that have made their workplaces cleaner and greener.

Last year, DuPont called for applications to the 11th annual DuPont Safety and Sustainability Awards.

Project applications for the award have been pouring since last September from more than 17 countries across a wide range of industries. The winners will be announced at the DuPont Executive Forum scheduled on September 24 in Dubai.

Companies from the Mena region showed strong nominations and accounted for almost half of the finalist’s slot.

“The 2013 edition of the DuPont Safety and Sustainability Awards have seen a higher representation from companies in this region than ever before,” said Johan van der Westhuyzen, director, DuPont Sustainable Solutions, Turkey, Mena.

“It is extremely heartening to see that companies in this region are ascribing increasing value to safety and sustainability. Each of these companies is a positive example of how businesses that embrace safety are able to reap the benefits of increased worker morale and an improved bottom line.”

The shortlisted finalists include the following companies:

•    AECOM Middle East for Safety Performance Improvement

•    Aggreko for Safety Performance Improvement

•    Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company for Innovative Approach to Safety and Stakeholder Engagement

•    Egypt Basic Industries Corporation for Innovative Approach to Safety

•    Kuwait Petroleum Corporation and its subsidiaries – Kuwait Petroleum International (Q8) and Kuwait National Petroleum Company -  for Visible Management Commitment and Sustainable Corporate Footprint

“Entries this year were up by 72 per cent. They were very impressive and wide-ranging; the independent panel of judges had a difficult task in selecting the finalists,” added van der Westhuyzen.

“This goes to show that, despite difficult economic times, companies across the globe see value in improving safety and sustainability efforts within their organisation. DuPont is extremely keen to foster such initiatives with this award, which is today widely recognised as a benchmark among industrial companies for workplace safety.”

The annual DuPont Safety and Sustainability Awards invites entries from all organisations that can demonstrate significant achievements in safety or sustainability in one of six categories:  Safety Performance Improvement, Innovative Approach to Safety, Visible Management Commitment, Sustainable Corporate Footprint, Cultural Evolution and Stakeholder Engagement. – TradeArabia News Service