Message from the President (April, 2008)

, the growing concern on global impact of climate change affecting also the work, health and safety of the three billion workers of the world and the likely slowdown of world economies due to less talented policies by certain mega-level actors. The latter trend will also have an impact on the lives of workers and at the end of the day, they will most probably be the ones who pay the bill. All this just confirms the postulate that sustainable development can only be based on sound and honest work and genuine productivity. Speculative financial actions, however smart they may be, do not generate well-being. For example, opportunistic transfer of production from one country to another just to exploit the low salaries, weak labour market position, and poor conditions of work, is not genuine productivity. We need to emphasize the importance of health, safety and good working conditions everywhere and for everybody who participates in work life. Moreover, we need to provide scientific and practical evidence on the need and benefits of high-quality work environments as an important factor for genuine sustainable development, i.e. the win-win-win (worker-employer-government) outcomes. Occupational health and safety are not speculative playing cards, they are global common goods!

ICOH Board convened on 12–15 March in Hamburg, Germany to make an inventory of mid-tenure achievements and perspectives for the remaining tenure. In general, ICOH performance and outputs looked good for virtually all aspects of the work. Clear progress has been made in most of the strategic objectives that were approved for the tenure 2006–2009 by the Milan General Assembly II. Some individual objectives had not progressed as hoped and may not be achieved at all as the conditions of operation have changed dramatically since their approval, without any chance of intervention by ICOH. Still, most of the targets are likely to be met by the Cape Town General Assembly and will create an important sum effect on international occupational health and on ICOH itself.

Let me mention only a few examples. We have got very good reports from 95% of Scientific Committees on their activities and achievements. Second, ICOH 'foreign policy' has been very successful with our allies, both inter-governmental and non-governmental. Third, the ICOH national secretary system and our relations with national professional associations in the field of occupational health have developed substantially. We have also succeeded in strengthening ICOH's organizational and association structures and activities, for example, by producing several guidelines for various key activities and by improving information services for members. All of this does not mean that the work has been completed; the principle of continuous improvement requires further efforts for better performance, better quality and better impact. Moreover, we still have a lot of work ahead of us before Cape Town.

We still have sufficient time to reach the targets, but only if we act immediately. In the mid-autumn this year, we start to harvest the yield of the current triennium. (A hint for all of us who have special assignments: look at your commitments or assignments now and take immediate action to achieve the tenure targets! The most exhausting work is the one that is yet to be done).

In its mid-term meeting, the Board accepted several important proposals that aim at the regulation and guidance of the ICOH as an association or contributed to the substantive activities of ICOH. In the following, I list some of the key outputs or activities of the mid-term meeting.

a) The Bye-Laws were amended in several aspects, including among others the following:

• Inclusion of Regional and Area Secretaries in the Bye-laws
• More accurate provisions for election practices• Requirement for Declaration of Interest by all elected and assigned persons and candidates running for such positions
• Actions in cases of misconduct in view of ethics or unprofessional behaviour
• Establishment of a formal Committee on Ethics and Transparency
• Management of emergency situations resulting from cases of disability or unavailability of the Board Member or Chair of a Scientific Committee.

Provisions for examination and management of alleged cases of misconduct or unprofessional behaviour were also proposed into the Bye-laws and Constitution, but as subject to the Constitution change, they need to be approved by the General Assembly in Cape Town.

b) The following guidelines were approved:

• Guidelines for organization of ICOH International Congress on Occupational Health
• Guidelines for National Secretaries
• Guidelines for Good Association Practice.

The guideline for Scientific Committees is currently being edited and will soon be made available on the Internet.

c) Based on the proposals by two Working Groups appointed by the President at the beginning of the triennium, the Board approved the establishment of two new Scientific Committees, one for Occupational Medicine (SCOM) and the other for Women and Work (W&W). The activities of the two new Committees will be launched immediately and the Committees are expected to be operational by the Cape Town Congress.

d) Future developments of ICOH activities were also discussed in four joint Working Groups of Scientific Committees (SCs) and ICOH Officers. The Working Groups discussed the following themes:

• Alternative funding for SCs and possible revenues from SCs Conferences
• Interaction and integration among SCs
• SCs and position papers
• Membership campaign.

The group works were highly active and generated dozens of proposals for further development of ICOH activities in their respective thematic areas. The proposals will be analysed by the Officers and used for further development of activities and, in appropriate parts, for the development of ICOH strategies.

e) The arrangements for the forthcoming ICOH Congresses in 2009 and 2012 were reviewed by the Board on the basis of reports by President of ICOH 2009, Professor Daan Kocks, and President of ICOH 2012, Dr. Jorge Morales. ICOH 2009 in particular generated a lively discussion among both Board members and SC Chairs, and requests were made to waive congress fees for a number of participants coming from developing countries and for printing paper copies of third announcement. Comments were also made on congress fees.

The mid-term meeting of the ICOH Board was organized in connection with the Annual Conference of the German Association of Occupational Medicine, DGAUM, which was the biggest national occupational health event in Germany with some 550 participants. The DGAUM Conference provided an excellent opportunity for ICOH to strengthen its links to a large National Association and meet the German colleagues according to the strategic objectives set by the Milan General Assembly. We want to thank the DGAUM Leadership and the Hamburg Institute of Maritime Medicine, particularly professor Xaver Baur and his staff members as well as our Board member, Dr. Brigitte Froneberg, and our German sponsors for their organizational and financial support and for their generous hospitality during our stay in the beautiful, green and historical city of Hamburg. ICOH participated in the organization of an International Satellite Symposium on Translation from Research to Practice with support of the US NIOSH and the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, BAuA, and the German Public Sector Social Security.

ICOH is now heading towards the ICOH 2009 Congress, Board Meetings and General Assemblies in Cape Town. The ICOH election has been announced by the Secretary General. Once again, I would like to emphasize that the candidates need to be members in good standing: this also goes for the members who provide written support for the candidates. Every ICOH member in good standing is encouraged to vote in the election. The voting rates will provide a test of the healthiness of the Association. Good and wise voting also ensures the best possible leadership for ICOH, which is an important success factor for ICOH in view of the challenging future of international occupational health. So, please, when the time comes, take the time and use your vote!

Currently we are doing our best to ensure the best scientific content and to maximize the number of participants in the ICOH 2009 Congress. Simultaneously, we are preparing for the closure of the triennium by striving to complete the objectives. What every member can contribute is the decision to participate him- or herself and to promote actively the Congress to colleagues and other potential participants. For more information, please consult the ICOH 2009 website: https://www.givengain.com/cgi-bin/giga.cgi?c=1600; register yourself, prepare an abstract, and make the necessary payments for participation. We look forward to an interesting gathering at the southernmost tip of Africa.

I would like to wish all the members in all continents the best possible success in your work and effective and productive participation in ICOH association activities and success in scientific and professional activities during the remaining triennium.

Jorma Rantanen
President of ICOH