DEKRA Industrial has been awarded its 11th consecutive NOSCAR Award, reaffirming its position as a leader in occupational health, safety, and environmental (HSE).
From left: Justin Hobday - Chief Operating Officer, Health Safety and Environment at NOSA; Johan Gerber - Senior Non-Executive Advisor, DEKRA Industrial; Carina Kleinhans - Health Safety and Environment Manager at DEKRA Industrial; and Pieter Erasmus - Chief Executive Officer, NOSA.
The NOSCAR Award, which is presented by NOSA (the National Occupational Safety Association), is recognised as the highest accolade in the occupational risk management industry. It is granted only to companies that demonstrate the most stringent safety and environmental standards as adjudicated through rigorous audits.
The awards ceremony, held in Johannesburg on 27 September 2025, honoured companies on the NOSA Five Star System and Integrated Five Star System, that have achieved excellence during the review period.
The NOSCAR Awards are not easily attained. To qualify, companies must meet and maintain strict criteria over a three-year period. These include verification audit scores of over 95%, a disabling injury frequency rate (DIFR) of less than 0.8%, no fatal accidents, no irreversible occupational health diagnoses and no major environmental incidents. In 2025, only 22% of all companies audited by NOSA qualified for this honour, underscoring its prestige.
For DEKRA Industrial, this 11th consecutive award represents more than a decade of consistent dedication to achieve this level of consistency in occupational safety. “Our proudest achievement is that over the last ten years and eight months, we have not recorded a single disabling or lost-time injury,” says Carina Kleinhans, Health Safety and Environment (HSE) Manager at DEKRA Industrial. “That amounts to more than 6.4 million safe hours worked, and it shows the depth of commitment our teams bring to protecting lives every day.”
A culture of commitment
“Our achievement shows that what we say and what we do are the same,” says Johan Gerber, Senior Non-Executive Advisor at DEKRA Industrial. “To be recognised for 11 years in a row, and to be one of only 22% of audited companies internationally to receive this award, is a real honour! This achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication and pride our teams take in ensuring every employee goes home safely every day. Our approach is in line with our parent company DEKRA’s Vision 2025 – to be the ‘global partner for a safe, secure and sustainable world’,” Gerber adds.
Central to DEKRA Industrial’s success is its employee-driven culture. Kleinhans says, “Our people are the most important part of our safety journey. We continually involve employees in identifying areas for improvement, and we create safe spaces where they can voice concerns or provide suggestions. Safety is not just about rules, but about empowering people to care for themselves and for one another. We believe in building a culture where every employee feels valued and part of the bigger picture.”
This inclusive safety culture extends to creative initiatives such as monthly safety themes, interactive workshops and support programmes. As well as safety, these initiatives cover health-related topics, including mental health programmes, and environmental topics.
“Through this inclusive approach we foster a sense of ownership and reinforce the message that safety extends beyond the workplace to families and communities,” Kleinhans says.
More than compliance
The NOSCAR award also reflects a mindset of continuous improvement. DEKRA Industrial benchmarks itself internally to ensure year-on-year progress, with 2025 audit scores climbing to 97.98%. This culture of continuous improvement is reinforced by leadership commitment at every level, with branch managers and executives actively participating in weekly safety meetings and initiatives.
Strong safety performance also delivers tangible benefits for DEKRA Industrial’s business relationships. “If a client has a choice between a company with a proven safety record and one without, they will choose the safer partner,” says Kleinhans. “Our safety record reassures clients that they do not need to teach us about safety; we lead by example. At the same time, we stay humble, always ready to learn and improve.”
Gerber adds that the NOSCAR Award is a reflection of DEKRA Industrial’s commitment to safety in all the work it does: “It is about building client trust, protecting lives and maintaining the highest standards across the industry sectors we work in – many of which are high-risk, where safety is especially critical. Safety and productivity go together, and our systems are designed to make processes easier, more accessible and more effective for everyone involved.”
A benchmark for the future
The NOSCAR awards continue to set the benchmark for protecting lives, the workplace and the environment, locally and internationally. DEKRA Industrial’s impressive record of 11 consecutive wins is a reflection of its unwavering commitment to safety leadership, employee engagement, and operational excellence.
“The NOSCAR award is a reminder of our collective responsibility for safety,” says Kleinhans. “We are proud of what we have achieved – and even more determined to continue striving for improvement. Our goal is simple: to protect and preserve every life, every day,” she concludes.
For more information visit: https://dekrarsa.com/