By Alex Boye
The Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment has formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with IanMatSun Global Services, organisers of the HESS Awards and HESS Leadership Conference, to strengthen collaboration towards advancing Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) reforms in Ghana.
A key highlight of this partnership is the institutionalisation and expansion of the HESS Awards Scheme, which seeks to recognise and reward excellence in workplace health, environment, safety, and sustainability practices across industries in Ghana
The Awards, according to information, are designed to promote a culture of compliance, innovation, and accountability by celebrating organisations and individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to safe and healthy working environments.
Through this initiative, the Ministry and IanMatSun Global Services aim to use recognition as a strategic tool to drive behavioural change, encourage adherence to OSH standards, and spotlight best practices that can be replicated nationwide.
The Awards will also serve as a benchmarking platform for organisations to measure their performance against national and international safety standards.
The partnership marks a significant step in consolidating national efforts to improve workplace safety standards and accelerate the implementation of recommendations captured in Ghana’s first National Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Profile, launched in October 2025.
The MOU establishes a framework for strategic cooperation between the Ministry and IanMatSun Global Services to drive policy dialogue, institutional reform, stakeholder engagement, and public awareness within the OSH ecosystem.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Honourable Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo emphasized Government’s commitment to ensuring safe and healthy working conditions for all workers in Ghana.
“This partnership reinforces our resolve to translate the findings of the National OSH Profile into concrete policies, legislation, and institutional action. It is time to move from diagnosis to implementation. Importantly, the HESS Awards will serve as a catalyst for recognising compliance and inspiring excellence across all sectors,” the Minister stated.
The collaboration will also support the organisation of the 2nd HESS Leadership Conference, scheduled for 22–23 July 2026 in Accra. The conference is expected to serve as a national accountability platform for tracking progress on OSH reforms while complementing the Awards scheme by providing policy direction, technical insights, and stakeholder consensus on key reforms.
Under the terms of the MOU, both parties will
Promote the development and implementation of a comprehensive National OSH Policyand also
Support advocacy for the passage of an OSH Bill, facilitating stakeholder consultations and technical engagements
The partnership alao seeks to strengthen data systems and accountability mechanisms in workplace safety, collaborate on national and international platforms to advance OSH standards, support the organisation, and growth of the HESS Awards as a national recognition platform
For his part, hhe Managing Director (MD) of IanMatSun Global Services, Isaac Adu-Gyamfi noted that the partnership aligns with the outcomes of the first HESS Conference and the recommendations of the National OSH Profile, including the call for a unified legal framework and the establishment of a National Occupational Safety and Health Authority.
He further underscored that the HESS Awards will become a flagship national event, drawing participation from both public and private sector organisations and positioning Ghana as a leader in workplace safety excellence within the sub-region
The upcoming 2nd HESS Leadership Conference is expected to bring together policymakers, industry leaders, development partners, and labour stakeholders to define timelines and actionable steps for implementing Ghana’s OSH reform agenda.
This MOU underscores a shared commitment between the government and the private sector to ensure that workplace safety becomes a central pillar of Ghana’s labour and economic transformation agenda.
