PMP scoops up two awards for HR and safety

The print giant won the 2011 Australian HR award for best change management strategy, soon after it claimed WorkSafe Victoria’s ‘Return to Work – Employee Excellence’ award.

According to CEO, Richard Allely, to be nominated by the Australian business and HR community is a significant achievement, but to win was outstanding.
“We were one of four finalists from around Australia, and when we won, that just blew me away. We have been working diligently to change our company culture, and to be recognised by the industry was outstanding,” he says.

Over 650 people attended the HR awards night on Friday at the Hilton Sydney hotel, while more than 750 people turned up for the 23rd annual WorkSafe Victoria awards at the Crown Palladium Ballroom.

Allely (pictured) says the WorkSafe award is the first of its kind for the company, and recognises the effort it is taking towards sustaining a safe work place. “Jane Pallot won the award for us. She has done an outstanding job,” he says. Pallot is PMP’s onsite occupational nurse at its Clayton Print site.

“It's fair to say that the return to work award in itself is an excellent recognition for our safety work. What’s equally encouraging is that we are currently tracking a lost time injury frequency rate in a twelve-month moving average, which is the lowest level in the company’s history.

“A lot of what we have been doing is driving a cultural change, so that everybody takes responsibility for providing a safe working environment,” he said.

PMP Print employee Aldo Crespin was nominated for the ‘Worker Return to Work Achievement’ award, in recognition for returning to work following a workplace injury.

Ian Forsyth, WorkSafe’s executive director of health and safety, says the wide variety of entries showcased how even small changes in the workplace can make a big difference.

“These individuals and businesses have gone above and beyond to make improvements in workplace safety, employee wellbeing and efforts to improve return to work prospects for injured workers,” he says.