BOHS CEO steps down

Steve was the Society’s first ever CEO and has lead BOHS through major changes, during which it has experienced significant growth in its membership, influence, businesses, finances and staffing. Highlights of this period include: Achievement of a Royal Charter and Chartered status for professional occupational hygienists; development and delivery of a comprehensive and robust corporate strategy for growth; doubling of turnover enabling significant growth of BOHS’ charitable activity; and expansion of BOHS’ national profile, most notably with its first ever industry campaigns in Construction, and now Manufacturing, through its Breathe Freely initiative.

Commenting on this announcement, Karen Bufton, BOHS president said: “Steve has played a major role in leading the transformation of BOHS and advocating for occupational hygiene and worker health protection in the UK. As a Council we are grateful for his contribution to the Society. He will be missed as CEO, but we look forward to appointing a successor to take the Society forward in the next exciting stage of its development. We are pleased that in the interim Steve will continue to work for BOHS in a part-time capacity as Head of External Relations, ensuring that the excellent relationships we have built across the Health & Safety Sector will continue to grow and develop.”

Steve Perkins added: “Leading BOHS as chief executive has been a great privilege. I have been honoured to represent the profession of Occupational Hygiene for over eight years. As we have grown and developed, it has been both rewarding and challenging, and I’ve made many new friends and colleagues. For me, the most pleasing aspects of my tenure have been seeing the significant increase in optimism and engagement of our members and the rise in the profile of ‘health’ from being the ‘Cinderella’ to safety. Both of these have contributed greatly towards the BOHS vision of a healthy working environment for everyone.”

Steve continued: “It is now time to hand on the reigns as I embark on new things. I’m pleased to be able to continue working with BOHS in a part-time capacity as part of my new business consultancy venture offering strategic support to businesses and not-for-profits in this sector and beyond. I want to thank my colleagues, members and friends at BOHS for their support over the past eight years. They are a great team and I will always be proud to be a friend and supporter of BOHS.”

BOHS now embarks upon the recruitment of a new chief executive, and its Council will be conducting a thorough search process with an appointment expected in the second half of 2017.