NSC Presents Green Cross for Safety to Delta Air Lines

ITASCA, IL -- The National Safety Council presented its 2008 Green Cross for Safety Medal to Delta Air Lines and its CEO Richard H. Anderson at a dinner hosted recently by the Boeing Company at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.

NSC Chairman of the Board Joseph J. Ucciferro presented the recognition and praised Delta’s exemplary commitment to safety that is evident at all levels of its corporate structure.

In making the presentation, Ucciferro, who is president and CEO of Philadelphia-based Day & Zimmermann’s Commercial and Public Sector, 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,” Ucciferro said. “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.”

Past recipients of the Green Cross were also 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.

Delta’s commitment to safety reaches back to the company’s first passenger flights in 1929. Today, the company works to ensure the safety of more than 73 million passengers who fly 679 million aircraft miles each year, along with the safety of its 50,000 employees.

CEO Anderson has defined safety leadership as leading by example, and making sure that 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.”

Established in 1999, The Green Cross for Safety award 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.

Delta Air Lines operates service to more worldwide destinations than any airline with Delta and Delta Connection flights to 306 destinations in 58 countries. For more information, go to delta.com or www.nsc.org.