National Safety Awards Honors 2025 Industry Leaders
Sydney, 23rd October 2025 – Australia’s most prestigious workplace health and safety awards ceremony, the National Safety Awards of Excellence, hosted by the NSCA Foundation (National Safety Council of Australia Foundation), delivered an exceptional evening of celebration at the famed Sheraton Grand Hyde Park Sydney, honoring the nation’s leading safety professionals and organizations in its 32nd year.
Hosted by renowned actor and business presenter Peter Mochrie, the gala event saw several new winners take out key awards, highlighting the evolving landscape of safety excellence and innovation across the nation. The evening brought together hundreds of safety leaders, practitioners, and advocates who are driving positive change in workplace health and safety throughout Australia.
The Significance of the National Safety Awards
Now in its 32nd year, the National Safety Awards of Excellence stands as Australia’s most important awards ceremony pertaining to workplace health and safety. Held annually in October to coincide with National Safe Work Month, the awards recognize individuals, teams, and organizations that demonstrate exceptional commitment to creating safer workplaces and advancing safety culture across all industries.
The awards serve as a vital platform for showcasing best practices, innovative solutions, and the tireless dedication of safety professionals who work to protect Australian workers every day. By celebrating excellence in safety, the awards inspire continuous improvement and set benchmarks for the entire industry.
“These awards serve as an annual reminder and celebration of what we’re all here for – getting our workers home safe at the end of the day,” said Bernie Doyle, President & CEO of the NSCA Foundation. “That message was shared across many of our winners this year, and it’s what drives everything we do. The awards also celebrate the great future that lies ahead for workplace safety innovation in Australia. Year on year, we’re continuing to see amazing projects across all industries and all forms of safety, whether it’s psychosocial health or safety on a construction site.”
The Prestigious Iain Chisholm Award
Among the evening’s most significant honors was the presentation of the Iain Chisholm Award to Ben Kirkbride of Gamuda Australia. This highly prestigious award is dedicated to Iain Chisholm, who many would consider to be the father of occupational health and safety in Australia. The award recognizes individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to workplace safety and demonstrated exceptional leadership in the field.
Kirkbride’s achievement reflects the highest standards of safety excellence and commitment to protecting workers, embodying the legacy that Iain Chisholm established throughout his pioneering career in occupational health and safety.
Pinnacle Award Recognition
The University of Sydney was named the 2025 Pinnacle Award recipient, receiving recognition for their outstanding contribution to workplace safety excellence. This prestigious award highlights organizations that have demonstrated exceptional safety leadership, innovation, and commitment to creating safer work environments.
A Night of Celebration and Recognition
The evening celebrated not only the winners but all finalists across multiple categories, each representing the highest standards of safety practice in their respective fields. From innovative safety initiatives to outstanding individual contributions, the awards showcased the breadth and depth of safety excellence across Australian industries.
Sponsor Support Enables Excellence
The event was made possible through the generous support of lead sponsor HSI Donesafe, alongside category sponsors including Ansell, EcoPortal, Fire and Safety Australia, GIO Workers Compensation, HSE Global, The OPUS Centre, Pro-Visual Publishing, Rapid Global, Steadfast and Stowe. Their commitment to supporting safety excellence enables the awards to continue recognizing and celebrating those who make Australian workplaces safer.
AWARD RESULTS:
Category 1: Best Continuous Improvement of a WHS Management System
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Award Recipient)
West Beach Parks (Award Recipient)
Category 2A: Best Solution of a WHS Risk (Small-Medium Business)
Aaro Group Pty Ltd (Award Recipient)
Category 2B: Best Solution of a WHS Risk (large Business)
Energy Queensland (Award Recipient)
Category 3: Best WHS Training Program
Downer Group (Social Infrastructure & Citizen Services)
(Award Recipient)
Category 4: Best Communication of a Safety Message
Service Stream (Award Recipient)
Category 5: Ian Chisholm Award for the Best Individual WHS Achievement
Ben Kirkbride, Gamuda Australia (Award Recipient)
Category 6: Best Safety Leadership Program / Initiative
Southern Ports (Award Recipient)
Category 7: Best Wellbeing Program
The University of Sydney (Award Recipient)
Category 8: Best Return & Recovery at Work System
Metcash Trading Limited (Award Recipient)
Category 9 – Best Solution for Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work
Western Health (Award Recipient)
Category 10 – Best WHS Commercial Product or Service Innovation
Dredge Robotics Pty Ltd (Award Recipient)
Category 11 – Best Safety Team
Gold Coast Health (Award Recipient)
Lendlease – Construction, QLD/NT (Highly Commended)
Pinnacle Award Recipient
The University of Sydney
Looking Forward
As the National Safety Awards of Excellence enters its fourth decade, it continues to play a crucial role in advancing workplace health and safety standards across Australia. The 2025 awards demonstrated that the commitment to safety excellence remains stronger than ever, with new leaders emerging and established professionals continuing to raise the bar.
For a complete list of finalists for the 32nd Annual National Safety Awards please visit: https://www.nationalsafetyawards.com.au/
