DuPont will serve as the premier sponsor of the XVII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, scheduled for Sept. 18-22 in Orlando, Fla. - the first time the global event will be held in the United States. The World Congress, which is held every three years, draws together several thousand key leaders and influencers of workplace safety policy from government, labor and industry to present and discuss emerging safety and health research, trends, best practices and innovations in the workplace.

The theme of the upcoming World Congress is "Prevention in a Globalized World - Success through Partnerships."

Organizers include the United Nations' International Labor Organization, the International Social Security Association, and the National Safety Council - the U.S. host for the event. The previous World Congress was held in Vienna in 2002. The next one is scheduled at an undetermined location in 2008.

"Each year there is an untold amount of suffering to families and billions of dollars lost in the world economy because of injuries and fatalities in the workplace," said Ellen J. Kullman, group vice president, DuPont Safety & Protection, who will deliver the World Congress' closing keynote address Sept. 22. "This global event is critically important because it focuses on prevention and collaboration - the keys to unlocking geographical and cultural boundaries to help make lives safer in every corner of the world."

Among the key safety and health topics that will be presented at the World Congress are: innovations and knowledge as preventive measures; extending workplace safety practices into daily lives; impact of globalization, and prevention in a globalized economy.

Kullman said DuPont agreed to serve as the premier sponsor because the company's history of safety and health as a core value is aligned with the objectives of the World Congress and its organizers. DuPont's leaders will provide nine presentations at the World Congress.

The World Congress will include approximately 60 educational seminars and sessions on a range of safety and health topics over four days in Orlando. The World Congress will also feature more than 800 exhibitors displaying the latest safety and health innovations and services. For more on the Congress, visit the National Safety Council's web site at www.nsc.org.