The Listen for Life campaign is set to make a global impact as it officially launches on World Hearing Day, 3rd March, during a star-studded event at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. The initiative marks a significant leap forward in hearing health, aimed at safeguarding the workforce and patrons from hearing loss and tinnitus. Partnered with Specsavers and HELA, and utilising groundbreaking developments in hearing testing, education and protection, Listen for Life is primed to make a vast positive impact for health and wellbeing in the cultural sectors and the arts world.
Launched initially in the House of Commons, the campaign is now firmly positioned as a leading voice in venue sound management and hearing conservation. With support from businesses across key industries, the campaign is fostering a movement towards better hearing practices, offering both education and solutions for workplace protection.
One of the campaign’s most exciting developments is the filtered earplug—clinically trialled at festivals over the summer. These earplugs, designed to reduce harmful noise levels while allowing clear communication, have been met with great success. The earplugs are now available to businesses signing up to the Listen for Life Charter, which provides access to cutting-edge training, testing, and protection.
The Listen for Life Charter: Protecting Hearing, Preserving Futures
Hearing is essential to how we connect, experience culture, and navigate the world. However, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of permanent hearing loss due to exposure to unsafe recreational sound levels. In the UK alone, 1 in 6 people live with hearing loss, a condition that not only affects daily life but also increases the risk of dementia.
This growing crisis demands immediate action. That’s why we’ve created the Listen for Life Charter – a commitment to safeguarding hearing health for future generations. The initiative’s mission is ambitious: to reduce hearing loss by 50% in young adults across the UK within the next 5–10 years.
Our Commitment: Awareness, Protection, and Testing:
-AWARENESS: The campaign aims to double awareness of hearing loss risks and prevention strategies within the next 5–10 years.
-PROTECTION: We are committed to expanding opportunities for people to access cutting-edge hearing protection, increasing the use of hearing protection by 50% within the next 5 years.
-TESTING: Early detection is key to preventing long-term damage. By utilising a more effective test procedure the initiative aims to double the number of hearing tests performed in the UK over the next 5–10 years.
Key Features of the Listen for Life Charter:
-Business Support: Equip your organisation with best practices, guidance, and cutting-edge hearing protection solutions.
-Workforce Well-being: Promote a healthier, more informed team by raising awareness of hearing health and providing access to vital testing and protection.
-Industry Leadership: Lead the charge in hearing conservation and workplace safety by becoming an industry pioneer in noise management.
Exclusive Benefits for Charter Signatories:
By signing the Listen for Life Charter, businesses gain exclusive access to a range of resources designed to safeguard hearing health. These include:
-Clinically Trialled Earplugs: Filtered earplugs, recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), reduce harmful noise levels while maintaining communication clarity. They offer an effective, sustainable, and cost-efficient solution for high-noise environments.
-Industry-Leading education with HELA: Businesses will receive specialised and certified education developed in partnership with HELA, equipping key personnel with the skills to manage high-noise environments, improve workspaces, and educate staff on hearing protection.
-Cutting-Edge Hearing Testing: Through our partnership with Specsavers, businesses will soon have access to the OAE (Otoacoustic Emissions) Hearing Test across the UK, providing advanced early detection for proactive hearing protection.
Global Leadership in Hearing Conservation:
The Listen for Life campaign is proud to announce that Robert Shepheard, Consultant Audiologist, is now representing the campaign and the NTIA as lead of the Make Listening Safe Initiative’s Sub Group concerned with creating, maintaining and monitoring safe listening venues and events within the World Hearing Forum in Geneva. This marks a significant step forward in the global effort to reduce noise-induced hearing loss and raise awareness of hearing health on the world stage, as well as a clear vote of confidence in both the NTIA’s world leading campaign, and recognition by the WHO of nightlife’s importance.
A New Era of Consideration:
The launch event at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club on World Hearing Day symbolises the cultural shift the Listen for Life initiative is driving within the arts and entertainment industries. As more businesses and organisations sign the Listen for Life Charter, they will have access to exclusive resources that will help ensure their workforce’s hearing health is protected.
Join us in making hearing protection a priority – because safeguarding hearing today means protecting quality of life tomorrow. Together, we can create a future where everyone can continue to enjoy the sounds that shape their lives.