20th March 2009
Rivers Memorial Lecture - CSS finds out what Health & Safety legislation really means

Caroline is also feeling very honoured - and popular (!) - at the moment, having been invited to what she knew would be a very prestigious event; the annual Rivers Memorial Lecture hosted by the Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, at Drapers Hall in the City of London.

"Not only is it a privilege to enjoy the generous hospitality of the Livery Company, and appreciate the magnificent interior of one of the City's magnificent venues, I also learnt a great deal from Judith Hackett CBE Chair of the Health and Safety Commission who spoke on 'Leadership in H&S - the essential role of the Board'. H&S legislation is not - as we are frequently led to believe by 'tabloid' reporting - all about preventing the sale of home-made cakes at charity fairs, or banning conkers from school playgrounds, it's actually about putting a framework in place to enable leaders give full and proper consideration to the resources and procedures and 'way of thinking' required to ensure the safe and successful operation of their businesses. It's a huge task and getting it right really is a matter of life or death.

A Livery event is always a great chance to catch up with many of the Company Secretaries I've met and worked with over the years, and also meet others - and their connections - for the first time, whilst at the same time materially adding to my understanding of the technical challenges facing both the profession and the business community in general.

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