Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline are two pharmaceutical companies to be recognised in the 2014 Chemical Industry Awards.
Novartis Grimsby took the Health Leadership Award (sponsored by Johnson Matthey) after impressing the judges with its new approach health and wellbeing – Be Health – based on four pillars: Move, Choose, Know and Manage. Initiatives include a colour coded canteen menu with healthy options being lower priced and a study of the impact of shift working by Leeds Metropolitan University has led to healthy options being included in vending machines. The leadership team regularly review health related indicators and cascade the information to all staff through briefings.
Meanwhile, GlaxoSmithKline Ulverston took the Responsible Care Award (sponsored by INEOS).
GSK Ulverston continues to show great EHS performance by having no reportable injuries for nearly four years. In the last few years the company has made a significant investment into the local community – £62,000 helping to generate 70 new businesses and 187 new jobs, donations made to 80 local charities and organisations in 2012 and numerous days spent in schools. Many other initiatives are in progress, including ‘flow’ improvements of materials across value streams from supplier to final customer and the embedding of sustainability principles across the site with the appointment of champions in every area.
GlaxoSmithKline Worthing was also successful as Peter Harding, who works at the plant, took the BASF Young Ambassador Award.
Harding won over the judges with his experience gained in a short time working at three GSK sites as part of the company’s Future Leaders Programme. He has always been keen to engage with young people and in 2012 ran GSK’s graduate recruitment programme for all of the company’s UK manufacturing sites. As part of his desire to encourage younger people into the industry he is a STEM Ambassador and developed a tablet-making workshop which is now used by GSK throughout the UK. He was also selected to represent GSK as the Young Engineering Ambassador for the Queen Elizabeth II Prize for Engineering.
The winners were announced at the end of June at a celebration dinner held at The Point Old Trafford, the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club, in Lancashire, UK.
Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of the Chemical Industries Association, said: ‘The 2014 Chemical Industry Awards celebrated the very best of our industry and I believe the very best of business and workforce achievement throughout the UK. All who entered have great stories to tell. Our winners should be very proud of their outstanding achievements.’
