Nuclear experts discuss challenges and opportunities for their industry at international conference
Ottawa, 17 July 2018: More than 350 nuclear experts from across the globe are gathering in Ottawa, Canada, this week to share ideas and best practices related to management systems. Leadership, quality management, innovation and security governance are just a few of the topics being debated by senior managers from across Europe, America, Asia and Africa. The 2018 International Conference on Quality, Leadership and Management in the Nuclear Industry is organised by FORATOM in cooperation with the IAEA and hosted by Bruce Power.
This year’s conference is also the fifteenth in a series of workshops that FORATOM and IAEA have been organising for more than 20 years now. The main objective of the conference is to provide nuclear experts with an international platform allowing to exchange knowledge on management systems, quality management standards as well as practical examples and case studies dealing with leadership and organizational culture and the implementation of risk-based approaches. Invited high-level speakers representing international organisations, companies and national governments will cover a wide range of topics related to the subject of the conference.
“Over the last years, many aspects of the nuclear sector have changed significantly and the best way to keep up with these changes is to have an opportunity to exchange views with those who have already gone through this process” – says FORATOM Director General Yves Desbazeille. “This conference and the number of participants prove how many fine specialists the nuclear sector has and how willing they are not only to improve their expertise, but also to share their experiences with others. We can all benefit from that”.
This proactive approach is also emphasised by the workshop format of the conference, which allows participants to be more actively involved and choose from the number of parallel working group and breakout sessions giving them more time to debate key topics of relevance, share experiences and to draw lessons from their peers.
This year’s FORATOM-IAEA workshop has been organised for the first time outside Europe in co-operation with Bruce Power.
“One of the things the nuclear industry does particularly well is the sharing of ideas and best practices in order to continually raise the bar across the world and that’s the aim of this conference” – says Frank Saunders, Bruce Power’s Vice President of Nuclear Oversight and Regulatory Affairs. “Those attending the conference will bring a lot of energy and innovation as we discuss ways to secure a bright future for the nuclear industry”.
Each day of the conference offers a different scope of topics including among others insights from industry leaders on how they have achieved a high level of quality and safety during their careers, a series of sessions dedicated to standards and regulations, the digital transformation, managing transitions, and shaping culture and a number of panel discussions covering the conference’s key themes such as the structure of management systems, developing talent and proficiency, auditing and effectiveness reviews.
About FORATOM
The European Atomic Forum (FORATOM) is the Brussels-based trade association for the nuclear energy industry in Europe. The membership of FORATOM is made up of 15 national nuclear associations and through these associations, FORATOM represents nearly 3,000 European companies working in the industry and supporting around 800,000 jobs.
About Bruce Power
Formed in 2001, Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Ontario. We are powered by our people. Our 4,200 employees are the foundation of our accomplishments and are proud of the role they play in safely delivering clean, reliable, low-cost nuclear power to families and businesses across the province. Bruce Power is also a significant source of Cobalt-60, a radioisotope used for the sterilization of medical equipment around the world as well as a specialized form of cancer treatment called the Gamma Knife.
Learn more at www.brucepower.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
For more information, please contact Witold Strzelecki: witold.strzelecki@foratom.org.