June is National Safety Month, annually sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to highlight efforts to prevent injury “in the workplace and any place.” At Mineral, helping our small business clients protect and maintain workplace safety is a key pillar to delivering on our mission to Elevate teams every day. In honor of National Safety Month, this post is the first in a multi-part series to aid small businesses in building and expanding a culture of safety.

For the majority of consumers, buying decisions and personal beliefs are closely linked—so much so that one survey finds 82% of buyers want a brand’s values to align with their own. In addition, three-quarters have parted ways with a brand over a conflict in values, making an organization’s mission statement even more important. By extension, how fully businesses commit to workplace safety is critical to gaining and keeping employee loyalty and confidence. For small companies in particular, employee brand ambassadorship goes a long way toward driving new and renewed business. So, in addition to a compelling mission statement, it benefits every small business to have a safety mission statement as well.

Similar to a brand mission statement, a safety mission statement is a comprehensive, formal statement that outlines a company’s overall approach to safety. It shares its values and commitment to promoting a safe and healthy workplace and serves as the foundation for a company’s ongoing safety efforts.

5 Tips for Creating a Safety Mission Statement

Small businesses need a safety mission statement because it provides clear direction and purpose for a company’s safety efforts. However, achieving such clarity and purpose doesn’t need to be difficult or overthought; it will probably be better and more effective if it isn’t. For companies that aren’t sure where to start, here are five key tips to creating a workplace safety mission statement:

1. Tie it to the overall company mission and vision.

Communicating your safety mission statement is a way to let your employees, customers and other stakeholders know that safety is a core value of your business and articulates the company’s commitment to safety as a means of delivering on its overall mission. It also demonstrates how employees are actively involved in carrying out the mission to benefit customers.

2. Make it easy for employees and customers to understand.

A safety mission statement clearly articulates the company’s commitment to safety and the principles and values guiding its safety approach. It should express your company’s commitment to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all employees and others who may be affected by your business’s operations. Clearly state who is responsible for implementing and upholding the safety mission statement, including management, employees, and other stakeholders. This helps employees, customers, and other stakeholders understand the company’s stance on safety and what they can expect from the company in terms of promoting a safe and healthy workplace.

3. Connect it to any unique characteristics of the business.

Bring your safety vision to life through stories that tell the story of who you are and what you stand for. Additionally, be sure to communicate the safety mission statement on your company’s website with photos and employee testimonials to make them relevant and resonant with your customers and community.

4. Unite your team through common values.

A safety mission statement can and should motivate employees to create a sense of ownership and accountability for safety. When employees understand the company’s commitment to safety and their role in promoting a safe and healthy workplace, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated to work safely. A safety mission statement can also help the company focus on continuous improvement to promote safety and ensure that it is everyone’s job to continue striving to improve safety performance.

5. Match words and actions to the employee experience.

Celebrate your team for living the safety mission in internal photos/posters or create an external safety campaign on social media. During safety training and talks, tie your safety mission statement back to the goal you’re trying to achieve through the training. Finally, during all-hands meetings, highlight your company’s safety performance and reinforce the importance of safety and the company’s commitment to promoting a safe and healthy workplace.

Up next: Tips for setting and measuring safety improvement goals.

Learn more from Mineral about safety in your workplace and how we make it easy to make your workplace safer.