La Isla Network (LIN) is continuing its bid to put the safety and health of workers and businesses at the forefront of the climate adaptation agenda. To do so, LIN has embarked on a focused effort to inform industry leaders in the U.S. and Europe of the benefits of investing in heat resilience.
In Europe, LIN is engaging with industry leaders to make the case for investing in extreme heat resilience. Instrumental to the effort is Matthijs Nieuwenhuis, Director of European Development, who was recently recognized as a power player shaping the European response to extreme heat. This year alone, Nieuwenhuis and LIN have presented to the Social and Economic Council of France, the UN Global Compact Network UK and Innovation Forum.
As global temperatures rise, workers across various essential sectors — such as construction, agriculture, mining, transport and tourism — are facing significant health risks from heat stress. This preventable issue not only threatens the lives and well-being of workers but also impacts productivity and economic stability. While heat-related hazards are often viewed as a problem affecting the Global South, developed economies like the U.S., Europe and Australia are now grappling with similar challenges. To be sure, businesses with operations across the globe will have to pay attention to the issue of rising temperatures.
Nieuwenhuis said that companies are aware that extreme heat poses an increasing threat to the health of workers in their supply chain. “They also recognize its impact on the profitability and effectiveness of entire industries. However, they struggle to implement concrete, reliable solutions that benefit workers without threatening profitability — that is the key,” he said.
Forthcoming, Nieuwenhuis and LIN COO Scott Montegna will present to the Climate and Human Rights working group of FNET, the Sustainable Procurement Pledge and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Extreme Heat Resilience Summit.
Results from the Adelante Center of Excellence
Reduction in heat-related illnesses
Decrease in chronic kidney disease
Increased productivity
Positive ROI
LIN works with businesses to develop and implement a bespoke occupational safety and health (OSH) intervention, supported by organizational psychology and change management procedures to ensure that the intervention is seamlessly integrated into operation policies and procedures.
The aim of the intervention is to make businesses and workers resilient to extreme heat. Operations showing resilience to extreme heat per LIN’s metrics earn the title of Center of Excellence (CoE). Results from LIN’s CoE at Ingenio San Antonio have shown a reduction in heat-related risk, an increase in worker productivity and a positive return on investment.
La Isla Network is a health research and advisory organization dedicated to ending heat-related injury, illness and death among workers worldwide. We develop data-driven worker protection interventions and conduct management of change, improving the resiliency of workforces and businesses to heat exposure. LIN drives lasting change by working with governments and multilateral institutions to inform and create policy. For more information please use our contact form.
