Tasmania’s free hospitality wellbeing program HOSPO Health has been named a national finalist in the 2026 National Safety Awards of Excellence.
The program, delivered by Hospitality Tasmania, was recognised in the Best Safety Leadership Program category alongside major national organisations including APA Group, Bupa Villages and Aged Care and Service Stream.
HOSPO Health is believed to be the first program of its kind in Australia, offering free preventative health, wellbeing and psychosocial safety support to every hospitality worker, leader and business in Tasmania – an industry of around 24,000 people.
Rather than focusing solely on individual wellbeing, the program also addresses workplace conditions, leadership practices and hazards that can affect workers.
Hospitality Tasmania CEO Steve Old said the recognition was a proud moment.
“HOSPO Health was built specifically for our industry and the people who work in it,” he said.
“This recognition shows that Tasmania doesn’t need to be the biggest to lead – we can develop programs here that stand alongside the best in the country.”
HOSPO Health Chief Happiness Officer Sherri Ring said the program was designed to move beyond traditional approaches.
“You can’t resilience-train your way out of a workplace that is creating the problem,” Ring said.
“Real prevention means supporting the person and looking at the work: how people are led, workload and demands, whether people feel supported and valued and the culture we create around them.”
Tourism Minister Roger Jaensch said a strong hospitality industry depended on a healthy and supported workforce.
“This national recognition is a great result and highlights the quality of work being done across our hospitality sector,” Jaensch said.
The National Safety Awards of Excellence, run by the NSCA Foundation, are Australia’s longest-running independent safety awards and have been recognising leadership and innovation in workplace health and safety for more than three decades.
Winners will be announced at a gala dinner in Sydney on November 5.
