'Amazing conference' shatters attendance expectations, sets sights on Denver
The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) held its highly anticipated annual conference in San Antonio this past week, delivering a message focused on continual improvement and enhancing safety communication through storytelling.
"It was an amazing conference,” says ASSP president Christine Sullivan, “we had more than 6,000 attendees, which beat our previous record, which was from our conference in New Orleans in 2019.”
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance numbers had been lower in recent years, making this year's turnout even more remarkable. The 6,000-attendee number includes 300 international visitors, but it doesn’t include the 550 exhibitors, which each had at least a few people at each booth- putting the total number closer 8,000.
Adding ESG and mental health elements
One of the standout features of the conference was the extensive selection of sessions available to participants. Safety professionals faced the challenge of choosing from numerous sessions covering a wide array of topics. Mental health and environmental and social governance (ESG) issues took centre stage, reflecting the evolving landscape of workplace safety.
"I hope they're going home with new ideas and new things to try to work with their companies,” says Sullivan, who notes several of the educational sessions focused on theories surrounding ESG, which she says is relatively new in the safety world.
“ESG is another thing that safety professionals are playing a huge role in, and the human capital is a big part of ESG. And the safety professional, obviously has a significant impact on human capital.”
Mental health has essentially become part of the safety professional’s responsibilities, and Sullivan says the topic continues to grow within the community. "Mental health was never mentioned in a conference like this in the past. And this year, we had several sessions on mental health and safety professionals are not, in most cases, mental health professionals, but understanding and knowing where the resources are, and how to get the resources, I think is important.”
The power of safety storytelling
Reflecting on the conference, Sullivan emphasized the power of storytelling in the field of safety. The ability to effectively convey safety messages through personal narratives emerged as a recurring theme throughout the event.
"Tell your story... understanding how to tell your story and helping people embrace safety by understanding why from a personal level, because I think that's huge," Sullivan urged, underscoring the significance of the craft.
Sullivan noted that while storytelling had been recognized as a valuable tool in the safety professional's repertoire, it had not been fully utilized in the past. However, the engaging sessions and thought-provoking discussions during the conference were designed to prompt a shift in this perception.
"Storytelling is really powerful because it allows people to relate to a situation, right?... If you're telling the story and really helping them understand, people can relate to that... I think the messages that came out this week really hit home," Sullivan explains, underscoring the transformative power of storytelling in safety advocacy.
Denver 2024
Looking ahead to next year's conference, slated to take place in Denver in August, Sullivan anticipates an even bigger and better event. She envisions continued emphasis on psychosocial safety, total worker health, and the intersection of safety with environmental sustainability and governance.
"I hope that next year, people are coming back and saying, 'we had a great time, and we really learned a lot and we got a lot out of it.' I hope they feel that they learned a lot and that they had an enjoyable week," says Sullivan.
The conference served as a catalyst for inspiration and innovation in workplace safety. Safety professionals left the event equipped with fresh ideas, an expanded professional network, and a renewed commitment to fostering a culture of safety in their organizations.
