British Safety Council releases 2025 Impact Report on workplace health and safety

British Safety Council focuses on training, wellbeing and safety in 2024

British Safety Council has published its 2025 Impact Report, summarising a year of training, campaigning and policy engagement in the UK and internationally.

The report covers work carried out in 2024, including support for SMEs, safety training in 95 countries and contributions to national policy conversations.

According to British Safety Council, the organisation trained over 12,000 learners globally and delivered wellbeing workshops across six UK cities.

The report also describes British Safety Council’s wider campaigning and advisory work on lithium-ion battery risks, working at height and emerging technologies.

Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of British Safety Council, said: “This report is a reflection of what we can achieve when we come together with purpose.”

Campaigns and workshops focused on SME wellbeing

British Safety Council said its Keep Thriving campaign supported 43 small and medium-sized businesses in developing workplace wellbeing strategies.

Workshops were held in London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Cardiff and Bristol, offering SMEs three hours of in-person guidance.

According to the organisation, two participating SMEs – The McPin Foundation and Grant and Bowman – received £10,000 each to help implement their wellbeing plans.

Follow-up evaluations showed that many SMEs lacked formal wellbeing strategies or ways to track their effectiveness, British Safety Council said.

The campaign gained 76 new supporters in 2024, bringing the total number of participating employers to 501.

Strategic research and policy advocacy expanded

British Safety Council said its partnership with the Institute of Occupational Medicine produced a white paper titled Being Well in a Changing World.

It also published Navigating the Future: Safer Workplaces in the Age of AI, following a roundtable event and a YouGov survey on workplace safety and technology.

The organisation released a UK general election manifesto with seven recommendations, including the creation of a Minister for Wellbeing.

Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for the Department for Work and Pensions, responded to the manifesto with a letter welcoming the proposals.

British Safety Council said its policy team increased engagement with MPs, peers and local authorities through a new bi-monthly newsletter.

Mates in Mind formed new alliances and delivered sector events

The organisation’s workplace mental health programme, Mates in Mind, underwent a leadership change with Samantha Downie becoming Managing Director in February 2024.

According to British Safety Council, Mates in Mind launched a CITB-funded Supporter Lite scheme for 100 SMEs and held its first Make A Difference Construction Summit.

The charity also became a founding partner of the AgriWellbeing Alliance, working with The Crown Estate and Harper Adams University on mental health in farming.

Research partnerships during the year included work with Warwick University and participation in the New Hospitals Programme and BSI workshops.

Projects were aimed at suicide prevention, mental health strategies, and strengthening workplace support networks across sectors, the organisation said.

Awards, media coverage and global outreach increased

British Safety Council reported that 1,148 organisations received International Safety Awards in 2024, with 278 earning distinctions and 463 receiving merit grades.

Sword, Globe and Shield of Honour awards were given to a range of recipients, with two organisations – Unipart Logistics and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority – receiving all three.

The Council’s annual gala was held in London in June and included the Mates in Mind Impact Awards, recognising mental health initiatives in construction.

In 2024, British Safety Council generated 3,718 media articles with a potential reach of 4.98 billion, including features in ITV, the Financial Times and SHP Online.

A new podcast, Health and Safety Uncut, was launched in November, hosted by Dr Shaun Davis and featuring episodes on battery risks and asbestos compliance.

British Safety Council releases 2025 Impact Report on workplace health and safety: Summary

British Safety Council published its 2025 Impact Report on 23 July 2025.

The report outlines work carried out in 2024 across training, campaigns, policy and global outreach.

British Safety Council trained over 12,000 people in 95 countries.

It delivered six wellbeing workshops across the UK to 43 SMEs.

Two SMEs received £10,000 each to develop workplace wellbeing strategies.

The Keep Thriving campaign gained 76 new supporters in 2024.

White papers on wellbeing and AI in the workplace were released.

The organisation issued a UK general election manifesto on health, safety and wellbeing.

Mates in Mind delivered a new SME mental health scheme and hosted a construction summit.

British Safety Council awarded over 1,100 International Safety Awards.

Media coverage reached nearly 5 billion people globally.

A new podcast on health and safety issues was launched in November.

The report highlights increased policy engagement and outlines 2025 strategic goals.