Delta Air Lines Awarded National Safety Council’s Green Cross Safety Medal

Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is the newest recipient of the prestigious 2008 Green Cross for Safety Medal presented each year by The National Safety Council. The award, presented during a ceremony April 30 at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, recognizes organizations and their leaders for outstanding achievements in safety and health, community service and responsible citizenship. To be considered for the medal, an organization and its leadership must demonstrate a superior record in advancing safety and health practices consistent with the mission of the National Safety Council.

National Safety Council Chairman of the Board Joseph J. Ucciferro presented the award to Delta CEO Richard Anderson and praised Delta’s exemplary commitment to safety that is evident at all levels of its structure. Ucciferro referenced an integration of corporate safety, quality, production and profitability that Anderson has called fundamental to Delta’s ability to offer a consistent travel experience and keep customers coming back.

“At Delta, safety is top-of-mind, both on and off the job,” said Ucciferro, president and CEO of Philadelphia-based Day & Zimmermann’s Commercial and Public Sector. “It’s a way of life that begins at the top and is not assigned to one area or one individual. It is this culture of safety, as exemplified by Delta and our previous Green Cross for Safety recipients that truly contributes to making our world safer.”

Anderson defined safety leadership as leading by example, and ensuring employees know that safety is woven into the fabric of the corporate culture.

“This is a great honor for us. Providing a safe, secure operation is Delta’s first and most fundamental obligation to our employees and customers,” Anderson said. “At Delta, safety is embraced as our No. 1 leadership value, and Delta people integrate it into everything we do.”
Past recipients of the Green Cross were at the dinner to congratulate Delta, including 2007 medal recipient UPS, represented by UPS CEO Scott Davis. Other past recipients include DuPont, Liberty Mutual Group, Chrysler Group of DaimlerChrysler, Kenny Construction Company, Ryder Systems Inc., Intel Corporation, and AK Steel Corporation.

The National Safety Council is a nonprofit, nongovernmental, international public service organization dedicated to educating and influencing people to prevent accidental injuries and deaths. Members of the NSC include more than 50,000 businesses, labor organizations, schools, public agencies, private groups and individuals. Founded in 1913 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1953, the primary focus of the NSC is promoting safety and health in the workplace, in transportation, and in homes and communities.