The XI International Congress on Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, 22–23 May 2025 brought together global leaders, professionals and organizations committed to advancing workplace safety and wellbeing, and saw the first Vision Zero awards in Colombia handed out.

The event, which was organized by ASONAP HSE, served as a high-level platform for sharing innovations, strategies, and success stories in occupational health and safety. A key highlight of the congress was the official presentation of the first-ever Vision Zero Awards in Colombia, recognizing companies that have demonstrated outstanding commitment to the global Vision Zero strategy  – an initiative aimed at achieving zero accidents, zero occupational diseases, and zero harm in the workplace.

The awards were presented by:

• Helmut Ehnes, Chair of the Vision Zero Steering Committee
• Jens Jühling, Chair of the Special Commission on Prevention of the International Social Security Association (ISSA)

The awards went to Zijin Continental Gold and COTECMAR for exemplary implementation of the Vision Zero strategy across all seven golden rules, with a strong emphasis on leadership, risk prevention and employee engagement.

Zijin Continental Gold highlighted its Visible Leadership OHS Program and integration of Vision Zero principles into contractor management, while COTECMAR demonstrated significant improvements in accident frequency and severity rates – achieving an 82 per cent reduction in both – since adopting the strategy in late 2024.

The event also featured a dedicated Vision Zero stand, where attendees could learn about the strategy and explore how to implement it within their own organizations. The presence of senior leaders and technical experts underscored the growing national and international momentum behind Vision Zero as a transformative approach to workplace safety.

ASONAP HSE was praised for creating a technically robust and human-centred space that fosters collaboration and innovation in occupational health and safety. The congress reaffirmed the importance of preventive culture and leadership in building safer, healthier, and more dignified work environments.