A landmark Founding Declaration aimed at promoting safer, healthier, and more sustainable workplaces worldwide was signed as part of Expo 2025 in Osaka-Kansai, Japan this month.

The Declaration marks the launch of the World Assembly of Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellbeing Professionals and Stakeholders, a global network committed to driving collaboration, promoting safety and wellbeing, empowering future leaders, and developing a roadmap of concrete actions leading up to 2030.

The announcement took place during the four-day “Days on safety, health and wellbeing” programme, organised by the Global Initiative for Safety, Health and Wellbeing at the EXPO2025 and Beyond (GISHW).

It is the first time in more than 170 years that workplace safety and health has been spotlighted at a World Expo, underscoring how essential good work is to the Expo’s wider theme: “Designing future society for our lives.” The signing of the Declaration marks the beginning of a five-year collaboration to improve working conditions and protect lives and livelihoods around the globe.

Endorsed by global leaders in the occupational safety and health (OSH) field, the Declaration serves as both a foundation for action and a global call to prioritise health, safety and wellbeing in the world of work. It affirms that these principles are central to building equitable, inclusive, and resilient societies.

The World Assembly provides a unified platform to elevate these priorities, ensuring they remain central to global development conversations.

The signatories have pledged to promote workplace safety and wellbeing by integrating proactive risk management, inclusive design, and ethical technology.

They also aim to enhance international collaboration in response to major challenges such as digital transformation, climate change, and demographic shifts.

Future OSH leaders will be empowered through diverse representation and innovation, while a shared roadmap will guide collective actions through 2030 based on insights from Expo 2025 workshops.

The Declaration sets a clear intention to measure and share progress, with signatories committing to revisit these goals during the GISHW Days in Riyadh in 2030. The World Assembly will remain an active platform for dialogue, learning, and leadership, supporting a sustained global movement to place safety, health, and wellbeing at the heart of working life.

Founding signatories include companies and organisations such as ACWA Power, Siemens AG, GalaxyEDGE Safety Inc, Global Solutions Inc., IOSH, NEBOSH, RoSPA, Lloyd’s Register Foundation and others. 

Marijana Zivkovic Mtegha, member of IOSH and chair of the World Assembly Working Group and vice-chair, GISHW Executive Committee, said, “In a rapidly changing world, driven by geopolitical and economic volatility, digital transformation, climate change and shifting demographics, the need for safe and healthy workplaces is more urgent than ever. This Declaration acknowledges that safety, health, and wellbeing are not only critical to the workplace but are fundamental to the broader societal agenda, including the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and beyond.” 

From the meeting room to the factory floor – and from the office to the construction site – the uvex 1 x-cite women’s safety footwear range offers the ideal blend of style, comfort, and protection.

Designed for professionals who move between multiple environments without wanting to sacrifice fashion or safety, the new S3L models come in three sleek options: a low-cut shoe, a Chelsea boot, and a lace-up boot. Each is designed to complement business wear while meeting the demands of more hazardous settings.

Engineered for performance, the shoes feature a slip-resistant PU outsole, a lightweight carbon toe cap for a slim silhouette, and a clean design with minimal seams to reduce pressure points.

Hydrophobic leather and breathable textile lining ensure all-day comfort, while the ESD-certified, metal-free build includes a removable, antistatic comfort insole.

Sustainability is also central to the design, with recycled materials incorporated into the penetration-resistant midsole and insole.

Having already won the German Design Award in the “Workshop and Tools” category earlier this year, the footwear line has now been honoured with the prestigious “Red Dot Award: Product Design 2025.”

The award was handed out to uvex in July this year. 

A uvex delegation accepted the accolade at the Designers’ Night in Essen, where the jury commended the product for its innovative blend of function and form.

Safe and comfortable

The jury of the internationally renowned Red Dot Design Award praised the product with the following statement: “The uvex 1 x-cite provides an elegant solution for women’s safety shoes, combining adequate protection with a stylish appearance.”

Benjamin Kirsch, product manager footwear, who played a key role in the design of the shoes, is delighted with the award on behalf of his team. He said, "With our uvex 1 x-cite, we make no compromises, neither in terms of safety nor style. Safety shoes are getting closer and closer to looking like modern trainers. However, genuine design statements that combine the latest fashion trends with elegant functionality are still a rarity. This is exactly where we come in - with a look that not only protects, but is also stylish.”

The uvex group brings together four companies under one umbrella: the uvex safety group, the uvex sports group (comprising uvex sports and ALPINA), the Filtral group (Filtral and Primetta), and Protecting People GmbH, which handles the B2C segment. Headquartered in Germany, uvex maintains a strong manufacturing presence in the country, with around 60% of its nearly 3,000 employees (as of FY 2020/21) based there. Across the globe, the group operates through 49 branches in 22 countries.

In the Middle East, uvex has built a solid reputation as a trusted provider of personal protective equipment (PPE) across diverse sectors including oil and gas, construction, manufacturing, and logistics. Its safety eyewear, helmets, gloves, and footwear are widely used on worksites across the GCC. With regional partners and distributors in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other key markets, uvex supports local compliance standards while offering German-engineered safety products designed for high performance in harsh environments. The company regularly participates in regional trade shows and industry events, reaffirming its commitment to workplace safety in the Middle East.

A two-day workshop launched the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE)'s new 'Dominance by Design' initiative, which unites experts and government representatives to develop future offshore resource strategy.

The workshop was held at the BSEE's Gulf of America regional office, and was described as "a unique opportunity to engage directly with the experts who operate in the field every day... this engagement has provided BSEE with invaluable insights to ensure our oversight is not just robust, but also agile and efficient," by the bureau's assistant director Seong Kim.

Evan Zimmerman, the Offshore Operators Committee's executive director, praised the new initiative.

"This session was highly valuable, providing a constructive platform to identify and address challenges in our offshore energy permitting processes.

"By focusing on the permit-related data, we can take a practical approach to improving efficiency and streamlining pathways for important offshore energy projects, supporting American energy goals."

The BSEE has confirmed plans to hold additional 'Dominance by Design' sessions to ensure a smart and strategic approach to developing the offshore energy sector.