British Safety Council launches 2026 safety awards recognising global excellence
Iain Hoey
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Applications open for 2026 International Safety Awards
The British Safety Council has announced that applications are now open for the 2026 International Safety Awards.
The awards recognise organisations that demonstrate outstanding management of health, safety and wellbeing across the workplace.
Now in their 68th year, the International Safety Awards are among the longest-running global programmes of their kind.
Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, Mike Robinson, said: “British Safety Council’s International Safety Awards have long been seen by leaders and practitioners as a pinnacle of achievement and recognition in protecting and ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of workers.
“It is our vision at British Safety Council that no-one should be injured or made ill through their work – anywhere in the world.
“I would encourage all organisations and leaders around the world who are proud of their track record to put themselves forward for an award.”
In 2025, 789 organisations received awards across 45 countries, representing sectors including construction, manufacturing, oil, gas, mining, power and utilities.
The closing date for 2026 applications is 2 February 2026, with results due to be announced on 17 March 2026.
Award categories and entry details
According to the British Safety Council, the 2026 awards will recognise excellence across four main categories.
Sector Awards will identify the top-performing submissions by industry.
Best in Country Awards will highlight the highest-scoring applications within nations that have sufficient participation.
The Best in Company Award will recognise sites demonstrating exceptional performance within organisations that have 50 or more participating locations.
The Chief Adjudicator’s Award will honour applications judged to be the most outstanding overall.
Eleven free-to-enter awards available
The British Safety Council confirmed that eleven categories remain free to enter, regardless of participation in the main International Safety Awards.
These include the Environmental Award, which recognises organisations using climate change risk assessment and vulnerability modelling to plan adaptation strategies.
The Rising Female Star Award, held in collaboration with SOWSHE-A, celebrates women shaping future leadership in health, safety, wellbeing and environmental management.
The David Parr Medal honours a public venue initiative with a measurable impact on health, safety or wellbeing, named after the late Technical Director whose industry involvement was inspired by the Hillsborough disaster.
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be voted for by the British Safety Council’s Trustees and celebrates outstanding contributions to workplace health and safety.
Further categories include the Seize the Opportunity Award, CEO Award, Health and Safety Transformation Award, Health, Safety and Wellbeing Ambassador of the Year, Team of the Year Award, the James Tye Award, and the Wellbeing Initiative Award.
Global participation and recognition
The British Safety Council said the 2025 awards drew winners from across 45 countries, illustrating the international reach of the programme.
Each award, the organisation explained, provides a benchmark for organisations to measure and improve their approach to occupational health and safety.
Robinson added that the Council’s mission remains focused on protecting workers globally through continuous learning and recognition of excellence.
Relevance for fire and safety professionals
For fire and safety professionals, the International Safety Awards offer a framework for benchmarking organisational performance against recognised standards of health, safety and wellbeing management.
Those involved in operational risk management, compliance or corporate safety leadership can use the awards process to evaluate safety systems and identify areas for development.
Senior safety officers, training leads and health and safety consultants can also review past winners’ approaches to identify transferable strategies applicable to emergency services, industrial safety, and high-risk sectors such as oil, gas and construction.