The statistics in a recent report from the Business Leaders' Health & Safety Forum are sobering. 

"In 2022, New Zealand’s work toll cost the country $4.4 billion.

While New Zealand is making progress, it is slow. Our fatality rates are where the United Kingdom (UK) was in the 1980s. Our fatality rate is twice that in Australia.

If New Zealand could improve its performance to match that of Australia, we would reduce costs to New Zealand by nearly $1 billion per annum. The size of the prize is large in human, social and economic terms".

As New Zealand business' take action to achieve their ESG goals, there is an increasing focus on health, safety and wellbeing. As the statistics show, this focus is much needed. 

In the previous edition of The Insider, we spotlighted a WorkSafe ruling which served as a reminder for many business leaders and owners of the importance of health and safety within their businesses.

It is critical that business leaders ensure the safety of their people to protect their employees but also themselves as executives can be held liable if there is a health and safety breach, as demonstrated in this recent Worksafe ruling. 

To read the full report by the Business' Leaders Health & Safety Forum, click here.