Al Ghurair companies receive British Safety Council awards

Dubai-based AG Engineering and Power and AG Metal Industries, have been awarded the prestigious Sword of Honour by the British Safety Council, underlining their efforts and commitment to ensuring the wellbeing and safety of their workforce

AG Engineering and Power and AG Metal Industries, part of Al Ghurair, one of the largest diversified family businesses in the Middle East, were among 71 successful applicants that have received the honour, following a stringent Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit conducted by an independent adjudication panel. It is the second year in a row that an Al Ghurair company has received the award, with AG PCS Switchgear being honoured with this achievement in 2023.

Jacob John, chief executive officer - Construction and Services Sector, Engineering Cluster at Al Ghurair, said, “Winning the Sword of Honour for two of our business units is a major achievement for Al Ghurair. We dared to benchmark our Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) standards against the best practices of the world's most esteemed organisations, and found ourselves at par. In this endeavour, the globally renowned British Safety Council has served as our partner, advisor and assessor. This collaboration has been instrumental in our diligent and rewarding journey towards safeguarding our people, related stakeholders and strengthening Al Ghurair’s position as a leader in the industry.”

To compete for the Sword of Honour, the companies first had to achieve the maximum Five Stars in British Safety Council’s audit scheme, which verified the divisions’ HSE Managements Systems and their approach to identifying and mitigating risks at the workplace. The companies were also required to demonstrate a proven track record and culture of best practice for excellence in health and safety management throughout the business, from the shop floor to the boardroom.

The British Safety Council's Swoard, Globe and Sheidl of Honour awards ceelbrate and reward those organisations that have reached the pinnacle of health, safety, wellbeing and environmental management.

The Middle East was well represented in the list of award winners in 2024, illustrating the growing focus on raising health and safety standards in the region. Other recipients of the award in the Middle East included Al Ain City Municipality, Al Hamra Industrial Zone, Bapco Refining, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (which also received the Globe of Honour for environmental management), NFZ Ral Al-Khaimah, Qatar Gas Transport, Company Ltd (Nakilat), and Qatar Shipyard Technology Solutions.

Applications for the 2025 awards are now open. See https://www.britsafe.org/p/international-safety-awards-application