Hans-Horst Konkolewsky
President
International ORP Foundation
Towards a Paradigm Shift in Occupational Risk Prevention
The world of work is undergoing rapid transformation due to megatrends such as globalisation, population ageing, digitalisation, climate change, and the recent pandemic. These shifts present both challenges and opportunities for workplace safety, health, and well-being. This presentation will explore insights from an international dialogue inspired by the World Economic Forum’s call for a ‘Great Reset,’ emphasizing the crucial role of occupational risk prevention in creating a world where people and the planet are prioritized.
However, to fully realize this potential, four key areas for innovation must be addressed:
1. Adopting a new prevention mind-set grounded in Vision Zero and the SDGs.
2. Motivating leadership to foster a healthy and sustainable organizational culture.
3. Harnessing digital transformation to enhance prevention strategies and outcomes.
4. Developing new metrics to evaluate prevention performance and culture.
The presentation will conclude by advocating for a paradigm shift in prevention, driven by:
• Heightened awareness of occupational safety and health (OSH) following the COVID-19 pandemic,
• Global consensus on Vision Zero as a leading OSH strategy,
• The International Labour Conference’s resolution including safety and health as fundamental principle and right at work, and
• The growing significance of OSH performance for management, investors, and clients.
Mr Hans-Horst Konkolewsky is the President of the International ORP Foundation, based in Barcelona (Spain), which is committed to promoting the quality of work life and business innovation with a focus on health and sustainability. He is also official Vision Zero Ambassador and Chair of the Global Vision Zero Business Council.
Following his election in 2005, Mr Konkolewsky served until early 2019 as Secretary General of the International Social Security Association (ISSA). Under his leadership a range of new initiatives were taken to strengthen in particular the proactive and preventive role of social security, including the launch in September 2017 of the global Vision Zero campaign during the World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in Singapore.
Prior to his election as Secretary General, Mr Konkolewsky served for ten years as the Director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, a tripartite European Union institution located in Bilbao, Spain.
Mr Konkolewsky, who is a Danish national, also held several senior positions in the Danish Ministry of Employment and served as Deputy Director General of the Danish Labour Inspection.