Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common workplace injury, impacting both employee wellbeing and business efficiencies – and the world’s top employers are taking action. Since launching the MSD Pledge three months ago in collaboration with Amazon, the National Safety Council proudly reports today more than 100 leading organizations have made a commitment to create safer outcomes for millions of workers worldwide by reducing MSDs by 25% by 2025.

The MSD Pledge was developed by the Council’s MSD Solutions Lab, a groundbreaking initiative established in 2021 with a mission to prevent MSDs by engaging key stakeholders, conducting research and sharing innovative solutions to benefit all workplaces and workers. In total, the more than 100 MSD Pledge members represent upwards of 2.6 million employees across every major global continent. By signing the pledge, these organizations commit to:

– – Analyze the causes of MSD injuries and invest in solutions and practices that reduce risks to workers
– – Leverage innovations and share learnings that improve safety practices
– – Build a culture of safety where everyone, at every level, is accountable for the safety and health of workers
– – Collectively reduce MSD risk and subsequent injuries across the pledge community by 25% by 2025

“While the business impact of MSDs is undeniable – amounting to billions of dollars every year in lost wages, compensation and productivity costs – the human toll of these injuries is even more significant. We could not be prouder to have so many top organizations step up and join us in this vitally important effort to ensure workers everywhere return home safely every day,” said Lorraine Martin, NSC president and CEO. “NSC has a longstanding record of convening diverse networks to tackle the most pressing safety challenges, and the MSD Pledge, now supported by leaders from nearly every sector and industry, is the latest example of this. Together, we’re spurring meaningful action against MSDs and will create scalable solutions to benefit workers on and off the clock.”

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to work with so many companies to address this important issue,” said Heather MacDougall, vice president of Worldwide Workplace Health and Safety at Amazon. “At Amazon, we are focused on continuous improvement, and we know we can learn from all the other organizations that have signed this pledge. The health and safety of our employees is our top priority and, while we are proud of the advancements we’ve made so far, we look forward to finding even more ways to advance safety across our network.”

“Fostering a culture of safety requires a continuous commitment to taking proactive, collaborative action on the industry’s most complex safety challenges, which is precisely what the MSD Pledge represents,” said Carla Davis-Madgett, Boeing’s Environment, Health & Safety vice president. “At Boeing, nothing is more important than safety – from the products we design and build to the teammates we empower across our entire enterprise. Joining this pledge not only affirms our existing dedication to employee wellbeing but equips us with unparalleled access to a network of forward-thinking leaders, resources and information to enhance our safety innovation leadership.”

The MSD Pledge is one of several initiatives launching this year by the MSD Solutions Lab to prevent workplace MSDs worldwide, including:

– – Advisory Council: Experts in safety, health, ergonomics and innovation support and inform the program’s work by engaging in, researching, solving, and amplifying MSD prevention efforts. New members will continue to join the advisory council to provide guidance.
– – MSD Research: Comprehensive research efforts to explore current and future MSD prevention-related strategies will be available to all industries to explore and glean insights, with the lab’s first white paper being released shortly.
– – Innovation Challenges: The lab will host its inaugural Safety Innovation Challenge at the 2022 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, where cutting-edge technology solutions focused on risk prevention and elimination of workplace MSDs will be showcased.
– – Small Business and University Grants: Provide grants to small businesses, universities and students to fund research and innovation that help companies of all sizes achieve impact.

To learn more about the MSD Pledge, the MSD Solutions Lab, and the risks associated with MSDs, visit the NSC website.