BCSP, Industry Leaders Meet in Dubai to Discuss Advancing Safety Practice

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and industry leaders from India, the Middle East, and Africa (IMEA) met Thursday, Oct. 6 in Dubai for the first Industry Roundtable to discuss furthering safety practice in the region through certification for technical competency.

BCSP Board President Leslie Stockel and CEO Christy Uden attended along with Kavitha Prabhu, BCSP’s Regional Director for MEIA. They joined key decision makers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, India, Oman, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, and Egypt. University representatives from the region were also on hand to provide insight into safety-related curriculum.

Discussions surrounded the state of safety in the region, educational gaps needing to be addressed, advancing safety careers in industries like engineering, construction, and oil and gas, and the role BCSP’s internationally recognized certifications can play.

“BCSP is invested in supporting the advancement of safety globally,” Uden said. “Through these kinds of conversations, we learn some of the specific challenges unique to different countries and demonstrate the ways in which credentialing can help. We all want to protect workers. BCSP offers an opportunity to validate those who have gained the knowledge to make our world safer.”

BCSP also officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kuwait Society of Engineers (KSE). The organizations entered into a collaborative relationship, committing to use their expertise, technology, and resources to increase access to certifications and educational opportunities to advance safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) practice.

These discussions and relationships are another step in BCSP’s mission to “inspire and develop leaders in SH&E practice through globally accredited certification; enhancing careers, advancing the profession, protecting people.”

The BCSP regional office, based in Dubai through a relationship with MCI Middle East, will play a key role in achieving this mission. The office is dedicated to driving thought leadership, servicing existing and future credential holders, and further promoting awareness of BCSP certifications. There are already more than 1,700 BCSP credentials held throughout the region, and that number continues to grow.

BCSP, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, has been setting and certifying the technical competency criteria for SH&E practitioners since 1969. Since that time, the organization has awarded more than 100,000 credentials. Today, credential holders span more than 80 countries.

BCSP offers 10 credentials to meet the needs of safety professionals in various industries and at various career stages. The highest certification – the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) – has more than 23,000 active credential holders worldwide.