Watford Community Housing receives prestigious health and safety management award

The Sword of Honour from the British Safety Council recognises organisations who show that safety is not just a priority on paper. From Board-level governance to frontline operations, we live our values every day and proactively seek to grow and improve.  

Receiving the Sword of Honour is more than just an award, it’s a statement of who we are and how we work, reflecting our commitment to staff safety, as well as the care and dedication to keeping our customers and communities safe. 

Only organisations that achieve a maximum five-star rating in a rigorous occupational health and safety audit are eligible to apply for this honour, and those that do then have to go on to demonstrate, through a detailed application and independent adjudication, that they are operating at the very highest standard of health and safety leadership and culture.

This amazing achievement places Watford Community Housing among a small group of organisations nationally who meet these high standards, and we’re incredibly proud to be one of the few housing providers to gain this level of recognition. 

Sarah Edwards, Corporate Governance and Health and Safety Manager, said:

“We’re incredibly proud of this milestone but see it as a springboard, not the finish line. Going forward we will continue to build on this strong foundation to maintain high standards and learn from best practice. 

“We will work with staff, residents and contractors to nurture a culture where everyone feels empowered to report issues and trust that we’ll respond. We’ll embed this amazing recognition into the way we operate, procure, and learn, to continue improving.”

Peter McGettrick, Chairman of British Safety Council, said: “On behalf of the board of trustees and staff of the British Safety Council I would like to congratulate Watford Community Housing on achieving the highest standards of its health and safety management. 

“Achieving recognition of this sort takes absolute dedication and the utmost professionalism. We are proud to support you in your achievements and delighted we can contribute to your ongoing success.”