Louise Hosking voted new IOSH President-Elect

New IOSH President-Elect pledges support and opportunity

As featured in IOSH news September 2020

Louise Hosking, Director of consultancy Hosking Associates and dedicated advocate of ‘positive occupational safety and health’ was chosen by Institution of Occupational Safety and Health Council members to become the next IOSH President-Elect, subject to approval at IOSH’s AGM in October.

Louise champions talent, opportunity, equality, diversity and inclusion, describing herself as “an ordinary member who has achieved extraordinary things”. She is passionate about extending the positive, people-centred and solutions-focused attitudes that have motivated her to support a “pipeline of talent” in the OSH profession.

She is a powerful promoter of well-integrated culture, systems and governance aligned with good professional practice in OSH and has written: “When organisations fully integrate OSH standards into what they do and how they do it, extraordinary things happen.”

Louise’s 29-year career in safety, health and environment began as a district environmental health officer in her hometown of Cambridge before moving to the Co-operative Group, where she managed environmental health, food safety, health and safety and sustainability across a region of some 250 varied units ranging from superstores, departments stores, TV repair depots and funeral parlours.

From there, she developed extensive expertise in the commercial property sector, ultimately becoming Head of Health and Safety at global property consultancy Savills. She established her own business 15 years ago and – alongside that – has become a committed IOSH volunteer who has served as a Vice-President for almost three years and is also Chair of the Institution’s Chiltern Branch.

A Chartered member of IOSH and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) for over 20 years, Louise is a firm supporter of continuing professional development, keen to help others, share knowledge and promote IOSH’s new competency framework and the development of its courses and resources.

Her election comes at a defining moment for the occupational safety and health profession. IOSH members have proven to be a vital front line in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, and Louise has remained visible, available and reliable throughout, leading engaging branch events and hosting a number of high-profile free global webinars as part of IOSH’s Covid-19 Returning Safely campaign to protect workers, workplaces and supply chains.

Three other elections to IOSH’s Presidential Team were also announced, with Lawrence Webb, Neil Catton and Ciarán Delaney due to join existing Vice-Presidents Tim Eldridge, Dr David Gold and Stuart Hughes subject to confirmation at the AGM.

At its 2020 AGM in October, James Quinn will take over from Professor Andrew Sharman to become IOSH President 2020-21, with Andrew becoming Immediate Past President.

Congratulations to Louise Hosking