Hopkinton, MA According to Solect Energy, its CEO, Ken Driscoll, has been honored by IMPACT Melanoma with its Keeper of the Hope Award. The award was presented at IMPACT Melanoma’s 2018 Shades of Hope Gala which took place on November 16 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston. Driscoll was lauded for his contributions to IMPACT Melanoma and for the leadership role Solect has taken in educating its workers and partners about respecting the power of the sun.

IMPACT Melanoma, a national non-profit aimed at reducing the incidence of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is committed to sun-safety. The Keeper of the Hope Award is presented to a member of its IMPACT community whose generosity, vision and commitment to the organization over time is unwavering. The award is given in honor of Suzanne Donahue, a young woman who lost her battle with melanoma at age 37. 

“We are delighted to present Ken with the 2018 Keeper of the Hope Award,” said Deb Girard, executive director of IMPACT Melanoma. “Ken has been an outstanding corporate partner, hosting our Boston Marathon team at their Hopkinton offices on race day for the past 6 years, and volunteering on our golf tournament committee. What has really made Ken stand out is the leadership that he and his team at Solect have shown in not just evangelizing, but actively supporting skin safety for their outdoor workers and partners. Solect’s protocols for educating and protecting their team members from harmful UV rays, have become the model for our National Workers Initiative.”

Skin cancer rates are growing at epidemic numbers. Outdoor workers receive up to 8 times more UV radiation than indoor workers and have a 60% greater risk of developing skin cancer. This year over 3.5 million skin cancers will be diagnosed in the United States. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recognized that safe workplaces promote ways to protect workers’ skin from harmful UV radiation.

“Our business is about harnessing the power of the sun,” said Driscoll. “With all the benefits that the sun provides us as a clean energy resource, we also have to respect its adverse effects. Our team members are on roofs installing or maintaining solar panels, and are exposed to the elements daily. Solect ensures the highest safety measures - providing safety guardrails and harnesses, certified safety protective equipment, and fall prevention safety trainings, and we believe that skin safety is also a part of that commitment, which is why we have taken proactive measures to provide our team members with skin safety tools.” 

Solect’s sun safe protocols are in place at all active job sites, offering on-site sunscreen dispensers, long sleeve and UPF shirts, wide-brimmed UPF hats with protective neck flaps, UV protective sunglasses, and erecting temporary shade structures at worksites. Also Solect hosts an annual Sun Safety training with IMPACT melanoma to educate their workforce.