The International Occupational Medicine Society Collaborative (IOMSC) successfully concluded its Global Thought Leaders Meeting at the International Labour Organization (ILO) headquarters in Geneva on 21st and 22nd May. The high-level, two-day summit brought together leading Occupational Medicine and scientific experts from more than 50 countries to address critical priorities to improve global workforce health.
There are an estimated 2.9 million deaths annually due to work-related causes. This represents a 12% increase in work-related mortality since 2000. Over 395 million workers sustain non-fatal occupational injuries annually, with around 160 million new cases of work-related diseases occurring each year. The global cost of poor occupational safety and health is estimated at 3.94% to 5.8% of the world's GDP, equivalent to $2.8 to $3 trillion annually.
The summit centered on developing critical policy and clinical frameworks to safeguard the health of the modern workforce. Key deliverables from the meeting included:
- "Beyond the Body": A landmark document dedicated to improving workplace mental health.
- “Climate Change and Heat Exposure”: A report on actions to reduce the risks of occupational heat exposure.
- “Unlocking Strategic Value”: The business case ROI for investing in employee health and wellbeing.
- “AI and the Changing Nature of Workplaces”: Presentations on the opportunities and risks of using Artificial Intelligence to improve workforce health, including the psychological impacts of AI and automation.
Panels focused on collaborative, evidence-based solutions to combat shifting health needs of international workforces. The summit called for:
- Equitable access to healthcare in the workplace.
- Strengthened health-focused labour protections globally, such as for heat stress.
- Promoting sustainable economic growth through worker wellbeing.
The summit underscored the critical urgency of addressing global workforce health. The IOMSC reaffirmed that collaborative scientific approaches are vital to protecting worker health in an era of unprecedented technological change.
Inaugural Global Leadership Awards Presented
The summit marked the presentation of the first-ever IOMSC Global Leadership Awards. The accolade recognises outstanding guidance, international inspiration, and exemplary leadership in occupational health. The inaugural recipients are Dame Carol Black, Dr Ivan Ivanov, Joaquim Nunes and Manal Azzi.
About IOMSC
The International Occupational Medicine Society Collaborative (IOMSC) is a global network of 54 Occupational Medicine Societies across 48 countries comprised of over 30,000 OH professionals, impacting more than one billion workers. By connecting scientific experts and policymakers worldwide, the IOMSC works to improve worker health, wellbeing, safety, and sustainable workplace development across the globe.