Occupational health and safety-sustainable development and the changes in organizations

Abstract

The paper aims to demonstrate the interconnection between occupational hygiene and health, which is based on three main pillars: economy, environment and society, just as sustainable development is based on three major topics: people, planet and profit. Thus there must be strong OHS policies that encompass sufficient environmental programs to ensure workers are safe and thus ensure sustainability. Sustainable development is an increasingly imminent concern in all countries and organizations today. The United Nations (UN) has played a key role in this context. In 1992 at Rio-92, through Agenda 21, elaborated with the collaboration of 172 countries, they decided to create goals for sustainable development, giving priority to the environment. The document was based on environmental conservation, social justice and economic growth. In the meantime, at the beginning of the century, the eight outlined goals that became known as the «8 millennium goals» for the period 2000?2015 were set. At the UN Summit, in New York (USA), a new action agenda, until 2030, was established. This agenda is the result of the joint work of governments and citizens, around the world, to create a new global model for ending poverty, promoting prosperity and well-being, protecting the environment and fighting against climate change. The year of 2015 will be in history as the year of defining the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, known as the 2030 agenda.