Car parts factory Unipart Yutaka Systems, of Cowley, Oxford, has been voted one of the world's safest companies.

The joint venture firm, which will be owned by Japanese car maker Honda and Yutaka Systems from next January, will be presented with a Sword of Honour by Sir Neville Purvis, director general of the British Safety Council. He said: "By promoting best practice, you have significantly reduced accidents in your workplaces and increased productivity and profitability.

"If every business followed your lead, the country could halve the 18bn cost of poor safety in five years by cutting injuries, ill health, compensation, fines, closures and court cases."

The award will be made at a luncheon ceremony at Goldsmith's Hall, London, on Friday December 1.