Editor's Note: Sharing their personal journey

“At that moment, I realized a much deeper understanding of the importance of safety, and I shifted from an intellectual understanding that supported a safety plan, to an emotional commitment and personal responsibility for safety. This event pushed safety to the top of my priority list, and has continued to be the driving force behind my safety focus.”

The words above are from Gerard Anderson – chairman and CEO of DTE Energy in Detroit and one of the 2016 National Safety Council CEOs Who “Get It.” Anderson was describing his reaction to attending the funeral of a worker who lost his life in an on-the-job incident, and to seeing the man’s widow and son.

If you’re a regular reader of Safety+Health, chances are good you’re familiar with CEOs Who “Get It” – NSC’s annual recognition of leaders who demonstrate a personal commitment to creating and sustaining a workplace culture of safety and health. S+H has featured this recognition every February since 2003, and we consider it a privilege to share the personal journey and experiences of each CEO selected.

Submissions for the 2017 CEOs Who “Get It” are due July 31. Because I receive numerous emails every year asking for details about the selection process, I’ve borrowed some information from a previous column that I hope will be helpful:

• A form is available on the home page of the S+H website, and safety professionals are encouraged to submit the name of their organization’s leader for consideration.
• Submission forms will be forwarded to a selection committee that includes representatives from the NSC Consulting Services and Research and Safety Management groups.
• The committee looks for CEOs whose efforts help achieve above-average results, as well as specific examples of each CEO’s personal commitment to safety.
• Final selections will be made in October, and everyone who submits a form will be notified.

A Q&A with each of the selected leaders will appear in the February 2017 issue of S+H. If you believe your CEO has a personal safety journey to share, we’d love to hear from you.

The opinions expressed in “Editor’s Note” do not necessarily reflect those of the National Safety Council or affiliated local Chapters.