Johnson & Johnson Receives Prestigious International Road Safety Award for SAFE Fleet

On Thursday, 7th of April 2011, Johnson & Johnson was awarded the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for outstanding achievements and innovations in improving road safety.

Johnson & Johnson team with HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO, L-R:

• Rodrigo Fuentes (Director, Asia Pacific Health & Safety)
• Gabriel Kardos (SAFE Fleet Manager, Europe, Middle East & Africa)
• Sandra Lee (Director, Worldwide Fleet Safety)
• HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO
• Lina Uribe (SAFE Fleet Manager, Latin America & Caribbean)
• Jane Griffiths (Company Group Chairman, Janssen Europe, Middle East & Africa)

HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO awarded Johnson & Johnson the prestigious Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for the company’s long-standing commitment to road safety.

The Johnson & Johnson global SAFE Fleet program, which educates and trains employees about safe driving and injury prevention, has led to significant reductions in fleet crashes and injury rates. Since SAFE Fleet was first introduced in 1994, the company’s crashes per million miles driven (CPMM) rate has decreased by 37% globally.

‘The goal of SAFE Fleet is to ensure that our drivers around the world return home safely at the end of each day – to their benefit and the benefit of their families and communities’, said Alex Gorsky, Vice Chairman, Executive Committee, Johnson & Johnson, and executive sponsor of SAFE Fleet. ‘We’re honored to receive this award and grateful for the attention such an award brings to this critical issue’.

Each year the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award publicly recognises the most outstanding achievements and innovations designed to improve road safety. The award was presented by HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO during a special ceremony at the Johnson & Johnson High Wycombe facility.

‘I am delighted to recognise Johnson & Johnson for its outstanding achievements in road safety worldwide’, says Prince Michael. ‘The need for enhanced road safety is one of the most intractable of world problems and I applaud the company as a fine example to the private sector of what can be done to address this global endemic. Urgent action is needed today and during the forthcoming decade of action to help reduce these tragic, yet preventable deaths and injuries’.

Thousands of people are killed or injured in road crashes each day, and it is projected by the World Health Organisation that annual road traffic deaths will increase to 1.9 million people by 2020. To help bring needed attention to this dire issue, the United National General Assembly has announced the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. The United Nation’s campaign goals will be focused on stabilising and ultimately reducing the projected forecast of road traffic deaths worldwide by 2020.

Johnson & Johnson has an enduring commitment to improving people’s health, and places a strong emphasis on continually improving the health and safety of its employees. This year, Johnson & Johnson celebrates its 125th anniversary, reflecting on how its products, services and innovations have been powered by generations of employees inspired to make a difference in the lives of others. SAFE Fleet is just one of many programs designed to protect employees, families, customers and communities. Johnson & Johnson has set new internal performance targets for SAFE Fleet as part of its five-year sustainability goals, which will be announced later this year.