Operators embrace new program to improve workplace safety and their bottom line.
January 24, 2011, VANCOUVER, BC - Four hotels and two ski resorts are the first BC tourism industry businesses to become certified under go2’s new Partners in Injury and Disability Prevention Certificate of Recognition (COR) program.
The much-anticipated COR program, created and funded by WorkSafeBC, was expanded in 2009 to include tourism and hospitality businesses when go2 was appointed by WorkSafeBC as the industry’s health and safety resource and the Certifying Partner for the COR program.
First launched to the industry in October 2010, various tourism businesses were quick to register for the COR program. The Delta Vancouver Suites hotel has the distinction of being the very first tourism operator in BC to successfully complete the COR program and become certified.
“We are delighted to be among the first in our industry to become certified under the COR program,” said Tety Partaatmadja, Director People Resources, Delta Vancouver Suites. “The health and well being of our employees is of paramount importance to the Delta brand, and we are committed to continuously improving our HR practices to ensure a safe environment within our hotels.”
Other businesses to receive certification are the Delta Whistler Village Suites, the Fairmont Vancouver Airport, the Westin Bayshore Vancouver, Mount Washington Alpine Resort on Vancouver Island and Panorama Mountain Village in the BC Rockies.
“We congratulate these companies for being trailblazers and inspiring others to consider certification. The COR program is one way tourism businesses can be a leader in employee safety and customer service, while strengthening their bottom line at the same time,” says Arlene Keis, CEO of go2, BC’s tourism industry human resource association.
Certified companies can now earn a rebate of up to 15-per-cent on their WorkSafeBC premiums by demonstrating that their health and safety programs go beyond the legal requirements by taking a best practice approach.
For example, a COR-certified hotel with an annual payroll of $5 million will save more than $10,700 annually on its WorkSafeBC premiums. A ski resort with the same payroll will see their premiums drop by nearly $20,000 each year.
In today’s challenging economic climate, tourism businesses that embrace a culture of workplace health and safety are seeing significant financial and human resource upsides, including fewer employee injuries, returning injured employees back to work sooner, and greater success in retaining and attracting the best talent.
“Ultimately, our goal is to help tourism employers reduce workplace accidents and injuries and establish the industry as a leader in health and safety practices,” said Keis. “With new and younger workers being a large percentage of the tourism workforce, it is essential that employers spend time on safety training as this age group is most likely to get hurt on the job.”
The program is currently open to all tourism employers with 20 or more employees. It will roll-out to small businesses with less than 20 employees in the future.
In addition to coordinating the COR program, go2 also provides a variety of industry health and safety resources that can help businesses of any size to implement a health and safety program.
Visit www.go2hr.ca for more information, including articles, templates, tools and sample policies, as well as information on the New and Young Workers and Working Alone legal requirements for employers.
About go2
go2 is BC’s tourism and hospitality human resource association responsible for coordinating the industry’s Workforce Development Action Plan, a key component of the industry’s growth strategy. Tourism is one of the largest resource industries in BC comprising 18,000 mostly small to medium-sized businesses which directly employ over 129,000 British Columbians. www.go2hr.ca.
Media Contact:
Bill Eisenhauer, Good Relations Inc.
(250) 383-5605 (office)
(250) 744-4748 (mobile)
bill@goodrelations.ca
