‘We need to celebrate the accomplishments that the award winners demonstrate in their daily work’
For many occupational health and safety (OHS) professionals, success is measured in events that never happen. For Peter Sturm, president and CEO of STURM Consulting Inc., Canada’s Safest Employers Awards is a rare opportunity to make those invisible wins visible – and to recharge a profession that can be weighed down by tragedy.
As someone who has been involved with the awards since their inception, Sturm says he remains impressed by the calibre of safety leadership on display. “As a participant since the inception of the Canada’s Safest Employer Awards, I am amazed at our recognising organisations and their people that ‘go beyond and have success’ in their safety program and prevention outcomes,” he says.
He stresses that safety work is often emotionally demanding, especially when serious incidents occur. “At times, we are pulled down by the tragedies associated with our work, which is noble,” he notes. “However we need to ‘celebrate the accomplishments’ that the award winners demonstrate in their daily work.”
For Sturm, those accomplishments are not just nice-to-have moments of praise; they are proof that the system works. He describes them as “inspirational, aspirational and valued outcomes that recognise that ‘what we do daily as safety professionals and the safety profession and our collective safety system efforts really work, something tragic does not happen – what a great job and calling!’”
Showing there is a path to prevention
The day-to-day reality of OHS leadership can be frustrating: competing priorities, slow culture change and pressure to justify investment in prevention. That is precisely where national recognition can play a pivotal role.
“The world of safety at times is challenging and we can question the ‘why’ continue when progress is slow,” Sturm says. For him, the true value of honouring leading organisations is that it proves continuous improvement is achievable.
The “best in the field of occupational health and safety,” he explains, demonstrate that “there is a path to success. Others are finding pathways to prevention, and how can I be like this group of best safety performers and inspire me and my organisations to take the same road to success.”
By showcasing those pathways, the awards turn top performers into living case studies. “When we recognise the best, we create a path for all of us to learn and strive to join the ‘club of success in safety,’” Sturm says.
Why nominations matter
None of this happens without someone taking the time to nominate their organisation, colleagues or teams. Sturm believes that step alone can be transformational.
“The nomination of your organisation and people for being the ‘best they can be in safety’ demonstrates the pride, sense of accomplishment and gets to realising the rewards of being in an elite group,” he says.
“Safety is about trust, engagement and providing a safe work environment, and the nomination process highlights the great work individuals and teams have brought to their places of work.” In his view, putting a nomination forward forces leaders to step back and take stock of what has been built.
“Nomination is the first step to recognising the hard work and the real world trials and tribulations to get to a place where all the puzzles come together and put before everyone to see the success and pride of getting safety right!” he says.
A career devoted to standards and leadership
Sturm’s endorsement of recognition carries weight. A senior safety, health and risk management executive, he has extensive experience in health and safety, workers’ compensation, insurance, incident investigations, prevention and sustainability.
He is co-author of ASSP Accident Investigation Techniques – Best Practices for Examining Workplace Incidents, which references CSA Z1005-21, Workplace Incident Investigations, the only consensus standard focused on incident investigations. He teaches safety and incident investigation at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, the University of Fredericton and George Brown College.
His leadership roles include chair of the CSA Z1005 Incident Investigation Standard, past president of the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering, director and executive team member of Minerva Canada and governor with the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals.
Holding the CRSP, CHSC and Professional Member (CSSE) designations, along with an EMBA in Global Leadership, Sturm has been recognised himself, as CSSE Safety Professional of the Year in 2015 and for Outstanding Service/Volunteer of the Year in 2019.
For him, Canada’s Safest Employers Awards is one more tool to lift up a profession dedicated to ensuring that “something tragic does not happen” – and to make sure that success finally gets the spotlight it deserves.
Nominations are still open for the 2026 Canada’s Safest Employers Awards, giving organizations across the country a chance to join a select group of safety champions recognized as the national standard-setters in occupational health and safety.
This year’s gala will be held on October 22, 2026, at Toronto’s Automotive Building at Exhibition Place, with nominations accepted until May 8, 2026.
