PREVIEW


Safe and sustainable for a smart future Electrical Safety First’s Annual Product Safety Conference


Pre-COVID, the electrical retail industry was already dealing with significant change, from the rise of online marketplaces to the pace of new product development. Now, our move towards a circular economy brings a host of other developments. Martyn Allen, Technical Director of Electrical Safety First, explains how the


charity’s Annual Product Safety Conference will help you prepare for a safer, more sustainable future.


10 T


oday, the speed of innovation seems to occur


at an exponential accompanying changes rate.


But it is the breadth and depth of the


herald the transformation of entire


systems of design, production, management, and governance. And retailers are among the first to feel the impact of these changes, given their front-line service to consumers. This year, our Annual Product Safety Conference has the title, Safe and Sustainable. The event has the reputation of bringing key themes and issues to the fore and this year’s Conference is no exception. We will be taking a closer look at some of the critical topics on the safety and sustainability agenda, from the need for ‘right to repair’ to operate safely and effectively, to how different business models aim to address our move to net zero. We will also consider the changing legislative landscape, and how all these developments might impact on consumer behaviour.


The event is being chaired by Katie Prescott,


Technology Business Editor at The Times, with a keynote speech by the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets. The morning’s offerings include the popular ‘Ask us Anything’ regulators’ panel, where delegates can pick the brains of experts from ─ for example ─ the Office for Product Safety and Standards and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport. There will also be a review of enabling sustainability in the home, including a look at drivers of behavioural change, followed by a discussion on extending the product lifecycle safely and sustainably.


that


In the afternoon we’ll present our Safety Innovation Award, which was developed to acknowledge businesses and individuals putting safety and sustainability at the heart of product development. Last year’s winner was Aico, and Michael Wright,


Product Development Manager, had this to say: “Winning the Safety Innovation Award was a proud moment for us. We are dedicated to protecting people in their home and this award recognises the ways in which our innovative SmartLINK Gateway contributes to achieving this.”


The practical impact of the award has also been


highlighted by another former winner. Bodo Müller, JOB Group CEO, and inventor of the E-Bulb, said: “Since the award ceremony, we have been covered by Germany’s national broadcast and print media. Market awareness and new inquiries have increased, and the award has also helped us accelerate the process of standardising the E-Bulb as an additional safety component.” In the last part of


the day, there are two


interrelated sessions. The first offers a review of how technological integration can enhance safety and sustainability, and whether the connectivity of products might alter how we use them. The second considers how the emphasis on the circular economy and the sustainability agenda is establishing different business models.


As we move from a sales to a rental, or service


economy, we’ll be asking if products should be easily recycled or easily repaired ─ and how this might impact on consumer behaviour and safety. This will be the 14th year that we have hosted our Conference, bringing industry and other key


stakeholders the information they need to prepare for tomorrow’s developments today.


At Electrical Safety First, we believe that we


can best protect the consumer by working with the industry. Our Conference is all about sharing expertise and cutting-edge developments, to ensure we equip ourselves with the key information for a safe and sustainable future. I hope to see you there!


Electrical Safety First’s Product Safety Conference ‘Safe and Sustainable’ will be held from 9am-5pm on 23 November 2022 at Church House, Westminster, and will be followed by a drinks reception. To find out more, visit: electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/conference


ESF would like to thank its headline sponsor, Schneider Electric, and our other sponsors: British Standards Institute CPIN, Connected Innovations, The International Consumer Product


Health and Safety Organisation, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (supporter), Product IP, SGS, and Authentix.


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