A Special Thank You Message from the VPPPA Chairperson, Terry Schulte

On behalf of the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association (VPPPA), I want to extend our heartfelt thanks to each of you for attending the 2025 Safety+ Symposium in St. Louis, Missouri. Your presence, engagement, and commitment to advancing workplace safety made this year’s event truly exceptional.

As we celebrated VPPPA’s 40th anniversary and the 41st iteration of Safety+, we reflected on our journey from a small gathering in 1984 to a global symposium welcoming thousand from across all industries. Your participation continues to drive our mission of continuous improvement and excellence in occupational safety and health.

We were especially proud to unveil our newest initiative during the opening general session: the “Journey Toward Safety Excellence” program. This structured continuous improvement plan is designed to support companies and sites in achieving world-class safety performance. Through enhanced self-assessments, tailored mentoring, and a free gap analysis tool, participants can identify opportunities for growth and take meaningful steps toward safety excellence.

Launching officially on September 1, this program aligns with OSHA’s newly announced “Pathways to Safety and Health Success” and expands upon the core principles of the Voluntary Protection Program. We invite you to begin your journey by submitting a statement of intent and signing a Letter of Commitment to raise your safety standards. VPPPA mentors will be available to guide you every step of the way.

Thank you again for being part of this year’s symposium and for your continued dedication to creating safer workplaces. We look forward to supporting you on your journey toward safety excellence and hope to see you at future Safety+ events.

Warm regards,