Amcham launches HSSE conference

Amcham launched its 27th Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) Conference and Exhibition on Tuesday evening. with this year's theme being Learn, Empower, Sustain.

President of the chamber Stuart Franco said the aim of the conference and the exhibition is to save lives and livelihoods.

Speaking at the launch, he said, "This has been the central tenet to everything that we have done and continue to do in making sure every organisation is defined by a robust HSSE culture that keeps their people safe and operations running smoothly. Today is no different. We want to continue building on this legacy and making sure that HSSE policies continue to be at the forefront of every decision that organisations make to survive and thrive in today's business landscape."

Further explaining the theme, Franco said, "learn" should serve as a reminder to not become complacent or think that you know everything and have all the solutions.

"A robust safety culture requires us to keep up to date with all of the latest trends and technologies that will improve and strengthen our safety systems and processes."

As for "empower," he said it is crucial to create an environment that keeps people safe and secure while empowering them to achieve their greatest potential.

"Implementing the right systems and policies is one thing, but we must keep asking ourselves how we can establish a safety culture that allows all employees to feel seen, heard, trusted and included, allowing them to perform at their best."

Franco said "sustain" is the most important to him because people do not spend enough time figuring out how to sustain what they hope to create or change.

Last year, Amcham hosted a two-day cybersecurity conference along with the HSSE Conference and Franco explained this was because cybersecurity is a changemaker and companies are using it as a differentiator to deliver better business outcomes.

"It is not a matter of 'if' your company would be breached – it is a matter of 'when.' If there are vulnerable points in your systems,then they can be exploited. Few of us would recover from a massive security breach."

Cyberattacks were the fifth top-rated risk in 2020 and continue to grow in 2023, with Internet of Things cyberattacks expected to double by 2025.