ROSWELL, Ga., Sept. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ivan Maldonado, Environmental Health and Safety Leader in the Kimberly-Clark Global Health Care Business, has been recognized by the National Safety Council (NSC) as one of the 2012 '40 Under 40' Rising Stars of Safety. The award recognizes up-and-coming safety professionals younger than 40, who have a track record of demonstrating leadership, innovation and involvement in their organization's safety culture, while promoting continuous safety improvement in the workplace.

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"Mr. Maldonado has played a key role in transforming the safety culture at Kimberly-Clark across multiple continents," said Gregg Clark, Global Occupational Safety & Hygiene Director, Kimberly-Clark Corporation. "His passion and hard work has inspired our employees to embrace safety as a permanent part of our organization, helping us to create exceptional workplaces that are safer, healthier and more productive."

As part of the Global Occupational Safety & Hygiene Team, Maldonado oversees environmental health and safety initiatives for nearly 22,000 Kimberly-Clark employees in 25 facilities across the U.S., Mexico, Central America and Thailand.

In 2010, Maldonado was responsible for the launch of a new EHS (Environmental Health and Safety) management system which empowers floor workers to lead hazard identification and problem resolution initiatives. Supplementing this, he led a renewed focus on reducing sentinel events—incidents that could cause fatalities or serious harm. Every Kimberly-Clark Health Care facility has now implemented his recommendations and all employees receive training on fatality elimination, aligning with the Company's occupational health and safety policy. In addition, Maldonado spearheaded the expansion of temporary employee and contractor training.

Maldonado also helped implement the Kimberly-Clark program, "Who's Counting on You," which engages workers on an emotional level by connecting their work life with their home life. As part of the program, each facility holds open houses and community activities for the employees' family members so that the employees can demonstrate to their loved ones how they stay safe on the job. Employees are also encouraged to post pictures of their family members and other visuals to constantly reinforce the rationale behind their commitment to safety.

Mr. Maldonado will be honored for his work at the NSC's 2012 Congress & Expo in Orlando, Florida in October.

A bou t Kimberly-Clark

Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust K-C's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company's 140-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com

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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark