Heads of international safety and health organisations and OSH-managers exchange about the critical role of leadership for achieving “Safety, Health and Well-being for All"
On Friday, 18th July 2025, as part of the Osaka Expo 2025, a historic World Assembly Plenary will be organised at the Expo Hall, celebrating Occupational Safety and Health professionals and their contribution to the world of work and to societies at large.
The event will see Occupational Safety and Health professionals take the stage to highlight the vital role of Occupational Safety and Health and wellbeing in “Designing Future Societies of our Lives” and adopt a World Assembly Outcome Document and Declaration reinforcing this role, which will send a clear message to the world that Occupational Safety and Health is a foundation of sustainable development and of sustainable future.
Japan is facing a prolonged decline in its working population and an unprecedented level of population aging. These demographic shifts are poised to impact every facet of society, from production to services. To maintain a comfortable and safe society under these challenging circumstances, it is essential to adopt a human-centered approach that prioritizes the well-being of all individuals. This involves advancing automation as far as feasible and creating new societal systems where humans and machines collaborate seamlessly.
This session will explore the integration of service robots and well-being technologies into society, envisioning a future where these innovations enhance daily life. With a focus on safety, efficiency, and feasibility, the discussion will delve into the current state of technology and its future trajectory.
With the development of AI and robot technology, it is predicted that there will be more opportunities for collaboration between people and machines.
In particular, the future use of AI needs to be discussed not only technically but also ethically.
This session will discuss how machines, including AI, should be used to realize the Well-being of people, and what should be done as a technical challenge to achieve this.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of occupational health and safety, the Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organisation (APOSHO) presents a pivotal session focusing on "Empowering Workplaces: A People-Centered Strategy for Health and Wellbeing." This session aims to explore innovative strategies and successful implementations by APOSHO member organisations, highlighting their commitment to fostering environments where employee health and wellbeing are prioritised.
The session will feature distinguished APOSHO members, including representatives from the Asia and Oceania regions and beyond. Through a moderated discussion forum, each member will share their approaches and experiences in integrating people-centered practices within their workplaces. They will provide valuable insights on employee engagement, innovative technologies, community collaboration, and effective policies. The session will also offer opportunities for members to discuss related topics and allow participants to engage directly with the speakers, ask questions, and exchange ideas, fostering a dynamic and interactive learning environment.
AI and immersive learning are shaping a new norm for safety training and site on boarding. Join Pixaera and JGC for a live interactive classroom experience where attendees can participate in a live hyper-realistic simulation and experience a real-life safety incident.
The presentation outlines how AI is transforming workplace accident prevention in Germany, supporting the Vision Zero goal of eliminating work-related accidents and diseases.
Focusing on occupational health in production is key for human productivity. Modern biomechanic understanding paired with digital ergonomics assessment methods support work planners and health and safety specialists for a healthier future of manual labour force. Digital modelling and tool research is presented and discussed, combined with a vision and future needs.
In this session, we will introduce, through practical examples, the challenges of social implementation and innovative initiatives for sustainable implementation brought about by "Cybernics"—a cutting-edge technology that fuses humans, AI robots, and information systems—from the perspective of wellbeing, including safety and security, medical care, health, and welfare.
The keynote speech will present actual efforts toward solving various issues faced by a super-aged society—such as diseases, age-related functional decline, intractable conditions, and childcare—through a new industry called "Cybernics" (the fusion of humans, AI, robots, and information systems), which follows in the footsteps of the robotics and IT industries. These efforts aim to create a "Future Well-being Society" where issues in physical and cognitive functions, mental health, and social activities are resolved, thereby enhancing the autonomy and freedom of diverse individuals.
Furthermore, we will share CYBERDYNE’s internationally deployed and socially sustainable business models, including a collaborative project with Malaysia’s PERKESO in conjunction with their social security system. This session will explore how a company's mission can contribute to realizing safety, health, and well-being for all, while integrating with social systems, cultures, and economies.
Rapid advances in ICT are driving automation and innovation across all areas sectors of the economy. This digitalisation of work presents both challenges and opportunities, including in the field of occupational safety and health. Policy makers around the world have recognised the need for action, whether updating regulations, developing tools and know-how, or raising awareness about the key issues.
The ILO noted that “the diffusion of digital technology in businesses and workplaces is reshaping the world of work, creating both opportunities and challenges. The digitalization of the labour market encompasses a variety of occupations from on-demand logistics services to highly skilled software developers working remotely and individuals (or ‘influencers’) earning via data transactions generated by social media channels and livestreaming services.”
The European Commission identifies digitalisation, together with climate change as the most important transitions facing the European Union and it has addressed the impact on work in its Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work 2021-2027.
Digital solutions foster competitiveness and bring prospects for companies, workers and societies. In this symposium, we are considering the both the challenges and the opportunities presented by digitalisation in relation to safety and health at work. Advances in technology raise the possibility of new risks, but also of opportunities to improve conditions for workers at all stages of their life and career. Artificial intelligence and big data can bring innovation and new forms of management. Digital technologies can provide workers, including workers with disabilities or older workers, and their employers with digitally enabled solutions to support their health and wellbeing. However, new technologies also pose challenges due to both the increased irregularity in when and where work is performed and the risks related to new tools and machinery.
Research by EU-OSHA shows that while the vast majority of companies in the EU have integrated digital technologies in their operations, less than one in four (24%) report considering the potential impact of such technologies on the safety and health of workers. On the other hand more than half the workers responding to the OSH Pulse in 2022 says that the use of digital technology determines the speed or pace of their work.
Climate change poses significant health risks for workers, especially through heat stress, which can impact physiological functions and contribute to serious health outcomes. Large datasets reveal patterns in heat-related health effects, offering insight into how various stressors from a changing climate exacerbate health risks.
To protect workers, especially in high-exposure settings, strategies are being developed to mitigate climate-related health impacts. These include workplace adaptations and innovative technology applications, such as robotics, to reduce unnecessary heat exposure.
Migrant workers face unique challenges, with extreme weather and high heat levels intensifying both physical and psychosocial strain. Targeted interventions for migrant workers are essential, focusing on regional adaptations, social support, and protective measures that address the diverse impacts of climate stressors across geographic and cultural contexts.
The safety, health, and well-being of employees are becoming increasingly vital for manufacturing companies facing workforce reductions and evolving workstyle reforms. Collaborative safety, where humans, machines, and environments share risk information to create anshin (a sense of security), is one key tool to address these challenges.
However, achieving effective and sustainable implementation requires more than just technological tools; it calls for a holistic approach that integrates personnel suitability, organizational management, and rule-making.
In this session, we will explore innovative initiatives from leading manufacturing companies, particularly in the automotive and electronics sectors. Attendees will gain valuable insights and practical strategies to enhance safety and well-being for their organizations.
Japan’s construction industry faces pressing challenges, including an aging workforce, labor shortages, and the increasing complexity of demands, such as Expo projects and overseas construction. These factors highlight the urgent need to enhance productivity and ensure the well-being of workers.
This session brings together experts responsible for diverse construction projects, including residential buildings, apartment complexes, and roadside shops. Drawing from real-world experiences, they will share innovative approaches to simplifying on-site work, boosting individual productivity, and improving overall efficiency.
The session will feature case studies presented by three leading rental companies, showcasing cutting-edge rental services that have successfully reduced workloads and created safer, more secure work environments. These practical insights aim to inspire improvements in on-site capabilities and operational excellence.
Additionally, the session will explore the theme of "Collaborative Safety," emphasizing how intercompany collaboration can achieve both safety and quality improvements. By clarifying the direction for future industry-wide efforts, this session will provide a roadmap for driving meaningful change in Japan’s construction sector.
To conclude, we will host an engaging discussion where all participants will share their perspectives on a key question, fostering valuable exchange and mutual learning.
This session will focus on strategies for ensuring quality and achieving safety and productivity simultaneously at construction sites. In addition, in recent years, the well-being of employees has become an important factor in corporate management from the perspective of the SDGs. Members of IGSAP's Construction Committee, representing leading Japanese construction companies, will discuss examples of these efforts. The session will highlight how these practices promote SDGs and enhance worker well-being, contributing to sustainable construction practices.
Japan's construction industry faces significant crossroads amidst a declining birthrate and aging population. It has consistently ensured safety, maintained quality, and delivered projects on time, providing construction as a reliable service. However, further improvements in productivity and workforce efficiency will be increasingly difficult without fundamentally transforming traditional work processes and redefining stakeholder collaboration.
One groundbreaking solution is the integration of autonomous construction machinery to revolutionize productivity in civil engineering. Yet, technology alone is insufficient to guarantee on-site safety and quality. To address this, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, along with industry stakeholders, established Japan-specific safety rules in 2023 to harness these advanced technologies effectively.
The session will conclude with a panel discussion featuring industry leaders, exploring the future direction of Japan’s construction sector. Using “Collaborative Safety” as the central theme, the panel will discuss strategies to integrate advanced technologies and ensure safety, paving the way for sustainable development and innovation.
Within the Policy Track Sessions, the ILO will hold a session under the auspices of the Global Coalition for Social Justice with a focus on the intrinsic link between occupational safety and health and other public goods. This symposium will serve as a platform for an interactive and forward-looking exchange among the ILO, other UN Entities, financial institutions, governments, social partners, civil society and OSH professionals. Given that nearly 3 million work-related fatalities occur annually, discussions will focus on effective policies, strategies, and initiatives aimed at safeguarding lives, improving working conditions, and fostering resilient societies. In the framework of the Coalition’s key intervention on the Human Rights Economy, the ILO Session/Symposium will seek a reinvigorated commitment to a safe and healthy working environment as part of the ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the human right to safe and healthy working conditions entrenched in article 7(b) of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The symposium will feature international and national best practices in occupational safety and health, offering insights into effective strategies that contribute to safer and healthier workplaces. The audience will also be encouraged to share their experiences, perspectives, and innovative ideas, ensuring a diverse and inclusive dialogue.
By fostering dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and strategic collaboration, the ILO Symposium at Expo 2025 Osaka will contribute to shaping policies and initiatives that support safe, healthy, and dignified work for all. The symposium will be organized in two tracks to give voice to a large audience, including partners of the Global Coalition, from among multilateral and national actors, employers’ and workers’ organisations, civil society, the private sector as well as OSH professionals.
As the world we live in continues to change rapidly every day so do the places in which we work. Safety, health and wellbeing must be at the heart of work today and in the future so everyone can go home safe, healthy and well, every day. Our profession must continue to evolve.
In this session we will discuss how the role of the OSH professional has already evolved and what is influencing further change - including the challenges and opportunities presented by new technologies, including AI and machine learning; how changing demographics are impacting workplace risk profiles; climate change and other environmental impacts, how work is organised and the complexities of balancing agile and hybrid models of working; the importance of psychological safety and what all this means for the role of the OSH professional.
In today’s competitive landscape, it is imperative that businesses prioritize not only profitability but also the social sustainability of their operations. This session will explore holistic approaches to managing safety, health, and well-being at the enterprise level, emphasizing the long-term benefits for organizations and employees, their families and their communities.
Through a series of expert presentations, we will examine frameworks and approaches such as Vision Zero, Total Worker Health®, and One Life: Work & Home. Strategies will be showcased that go beyond compliance to foster an interdependent culture of safety and well-being. These approaches aim to integrate physical, social, and mental health initiatives, enabling workers to thrive both at work and at home.
Discussion will include the growing importance of attracting, supporting, and retaining talent in socially responsible enterprises across sectors and around the globe. A strong focus on well-being as a key differentiator in the modern business environment will be highlighted and explored.
In an era where manufacturing and production are rapidly evolving, the integration of predictive digital solutions has become essential for enhancing efficiency, safety, and innovation on the 'shop floor'. It is important to consider how these technologies can be harnessed to predict equipment failures, optimise workflows and improve overall productivity, but more than ever all whilst ensuring a safe working environment.
This session will delve into real-world case studies demonstrating the successful implementation of predictive analytics and virtual simulations, highlighting the tangible benefits realised by organisations that have embraced these advanced solutions, whilst addressing the critical importance of responsible technology deployment, focusing on ethical considerations, data security, and the need for a skilled workforce to manage these complex systems.
This session aims to explore strategies and practices that promote safe and robust alignment with a company culture and structure that supports a sustainable and human-centric adoption of technologies in consultation and with the participation of workers as part of a system that prioritises the promotion of workers’ safety, rights and skills development.
Today’s economy is characterized by globalisation and cross- border trade with highly sophisticated global supply chains to organize the activities needed to develop, produce, and deliver goods and services to the consumers. Currently one of the main challenges in global supply chains is leveraging the supply chains for improvements in occupational safety, health and wellbeing (OSHW), because violation of basic human rights and/or occupational health and safety are often complained.
Against this background the need for OSHW improvement along global supply chains is widely recognized – but how can it be achieved?
In the session different aspects and best practice examples are showcased. The universal VISION ZERO strategy as well as due diligence obligations and the up to date technical progress become drivers for OSHW along supply chains. This given the holistic approach is key in order to create sustainable supply chains.
This session is organized by the Japan Society of Occupational Health Law. The foundation of this society was prompted by the globally significant issues of mental health and lifestyle-related diseases. These issues are deeply connected to both individual and organizational values and capabilities, making it difficult to address them within a single academic discipline. Unlike conventional safety issues, technical responses alone are insufficient, and qualitative approaches, particularly involving law and labor-management practices, are essential. The society was established to solve concrete problems through collaboration across multiple disciplines, including law, human resource management, occupational health, medicine, and psychology.
Therefore, this session will present the current state of mental health in Japan and related legal policies. It will also illustrate the guiding principles of society and the theoretical frameworks it has developed. The aim is to provide internationally relevant insights and stimulate global discussion. Additionally, society addresses broader issues, such as occupational safety and health management.
Specifically, the following reports are scheduled:
Outlook: Effective mental health measures require alignment between individual and organizational capabilities and values. For those reporting distress, a combination of supportive responses and uncompromising responses—based on an understanding of both pathological and situational aspects—is necessary.
Expectations for GISHW:
Rather than allowing one country or region to take a dominant position, we hope GISHW will become a forum where people from different cultural and institutional backgrounds can learn from one another’s strengths.
The presentation will introduce the international initiatives undertaken by three key institutions representing occupational safety and health in Japan: the Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association (JISHA), the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan (JNIOSH), and the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan (UOEH). The discussion will focus on promoting future international cooperation in the field.
From JISHA, JICA training program, Smile Project, and SAKURA Project, International cooperation in APOSHO, etc. will be introduced.
From JNIOSH, the Sheffield Group Meeting, AOSHRI, and the WHO Collaborating Center on Occupational Health, and others will be introduced.
From UOEH, International Exchange Program based on the MOU, UOEH International Symposium, WHO Collaborating Center, etc. will be introduced.
This session will present proposals for the "ideal workplace (VA)" at a university, focusing on fostering collaborative creation through case studies and discussions on workstyle reforms and strategies to enhance engagement within our institution. The VA we aspire to achieve was deliberated upon at the "Support Project for the G7 Kurashiki Labour and Employment Ministers' Meeting: 'Building Our Ideal Workplace (VA)' – Digital × Resilience × Human Well-being," held at our university in May 2023. This concept respects value, veritas, and virtue, leverages virtual, and embodies verve, vigor, and vividness to encourage venture. It envisions an inclusive and diverse environment where people of all generations can engage in meaningful and dignified work.
Our university aims to realize this VA by fostering trust and relationships between young organizational talents and executive leadership. Anchored in the philosophy of "fluidity and immutability" (fueki ryuko), we prioritize "human strength" as a foundation for ensuring psychological safety within the organization (the "immutability") while also establishing systems that bridge this foundation to create new value (the "fluidity"). This involves building a sustainable and healthy organizational framework that facilitates sharing information and challenges, proposes initiatives, and promotes open discussions.
Additionally, as an external VA initiative aimed at regional development, Okayama is working to establish a sustainable regional healthcare system under the framework of the "Digital Garden Health Special Zone." This involves collaborations between regional hospitals and university hospitals to secure medical personnel. Efforts are being made to drive digital innovation, enhance work engagement, and achieve decent work, including reforms to physicians' working styles.
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Advancing Global Safety, Health, and Well-being: The Role of the University of Osaka
Since the launch of GISHW in 2023, the University of Osaka has been actively engaged in its activities. At the Days on Safety, Health and Well-being during EXPO 2025, to be held from July 16 to 19, 2025, we will proudly participate not only in the main session of the international symposium, but also in high-level summits, the ILO Youth Congress, and various other events.
We take great pride in this involvement, and as we look ahead to BEYOND, we aim to drive long-term initiatives together with fellow GISHW members and partner corporations. These efforts will focus on fundamental research, education and training, social implementation, value creation, and the development of systems that contribute to the safety, health, and well-being of the 8 billion people around the world.
The University of Osaka traces its origins back to Tekijuku, a school of Western medicine established by Koan Ogata in 1838. Guided by Ogata’s philosophy of "For people, for society, and for benevolence," the university has long emphasized a strong connection with society. Today, it boasts the largest student population among Japan’s national universities and is a leading institution across diverse fields including medicine, engineering, science, and industrial research.
Through our collaboration with international organizations and companies in the GISHW initiative, we are determined to contribute as a central academic institution in Japan. By fostering foundational research and advancing education and training, we aim to spark innovations and advances in the field of safety, health, and well-being for the global population of 8 billion.
We view this symposium as a first step toward building meaningful connections with all participants, and we warmly invite you to join us.
Topics we have prepared include:
We hope this will be an opportunity to introduce a part of the University of Osaka’s ongoing initiatives and to foster future co-creation.
Rapid development of computer power, interconnectivity and machine learning has opened new windows to apply AI, digitalization and technology to improve workplace safety. This session shares some of the successful cases of apply innovations to enhance safety, including:
In Japan, there are Certification of personnel competency(CoPC) system for workplace safety, “Safety Assessor” for technical staff, and “Safety Officer” for management-level personnel.
Currently, around 3,000 companies utilize this system, and approximately 40,000 certified person are working for workplace safety.
Safety Associates Council, composed of these certified person, facilitates cross-company and cross-hierarchical interaction, continuous learning, and contributions to society.
Generally, most company employees work only within their own organizations, which limits the knowledge they can acquire, this means participation in academic societies is typically restricted to a small number of specialists. Therefore, activities in Safety Association Council is highly valuable for ordinary employees, to be able to share concerns and consult on solutions beyond the boundaries of their own companies.
This session will discuss how talent should be utilized within companies and how cross-company collaboration should be structured.
Building Global Innovation Ecosystems for a World Well-Being
Achieving well-being requires collaboration across diverse stakeholders-namely, the creation of global innovation ecosystems. Often seen as tools to boost industrial competitiveness, innovation ecosystems also play a key role in solving social challenges. They should be leveraged as open, practical platforms to support a well-being-centered society.
Science Tokyo, in collaboration with the Japan Innovation Network, is working to foster and apply global innovation ecosystems. This effort will be highlighted at the symposium. We invite embassy representatives from countries leading in innovation ecosystems. Together, we will discuss the future open innovation ecosystems.
We look forward to your participation.
Climate change poses a multidimensional challenge to occupational safety and health (OSH), and without proper control measures in place, may increase the risk for injury, disease and death for workers due to heat stress, extreme weather events, exposure to hazardous chemicals, air pollution and infectious diseases, among others.
Numerous health effects on workers have been linked to climate , including injuries, cancer, cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, and effects on their psychosocial health. There has been, for example an increase in the estimated number of deaths among the global working-age population due to exposure to hot temperatures.
Increasing temperature exposures elevates the risk of heat-related illnesses and injuries, making heat stress more common in duration, frequency, and intensity. Longer periods of severe heat and exposure to solar UV radiation can impact worker health, not only physically but also mentally. This will reduce the total number of working hours and productivity, affecting the economic and social well-being of workers, their families, and communities.
While many workers will be affected by increased heat exposure and extreme weather events, outdoor workers are likely to face the most significant impacts. This includes agricultural workers, who labour long hours at high levels of exertion outdoors, where they are especially susceptible to climatic conditions. Increasingly, these workers are also labouring indoors, cultivating crops inside greenhouses which are characterized by similar elevated temperature and humidity exposures, and are more likely to employ women.
To ensure a safe and healthy environment for all workers, OSH policies and the work of International Labour Organization (ILO) globally and nationally represents an integral dimension of a just transition. Managed well, transitions to environmentally and socially sustainable economies can become a strong driver of job creation, job upgrading, social justice and poverty eradication. Greening all enterprises and jobs by introducing more energy and resource efficient practices, avoiding pollution and managing natural resources sustainably leads to innovation, enhances resilience and generates savings which drive new investment and employment.
The event will see Occupational Safety and Health professionals take the stage to highlight the vital role of Occupational Safety and Health and wellbeing in “Designing Future Societies of our Lives”. Organisations from across the globe will come to adopt a World Assembly Founding Declaration – a Forward-Looking Pledge to collaborate, share good practices, support each other across regions and professional boundaries, and create a shared 2030 Roadmap to take forward the ideas and energy from Expo 2025 Osaka to 2030 Riyadh, and turn them into actions.
