The role of the leader in safety is undergoing significant transformation, driven by factors such as changing employment structures, ESG commitments, increasing digitalisation and technological innovations. Today’s safety leaders must demonstrate adaptability and agility to navigate complex external and internal influences.

This IILSC Insights white paper offers two perspectives on the evolution of the safety leadership role. The first view is that of a senior HSE professional, the Institute’s COO, Bertrand Gibert, who has held a series of senior roles in health, safety, environment and sustainability. The second is from a leading recruiter of safety leaders, Laura Aucott. The recruiter is positioned between industry and the safety profession and can therefore share valuable insights on what employers are now asking for in their senior safety roles.

This white paper cannot be an exhaustive account of the many and varied trends and developments that are shaping the future of the safety leadership role. It does, however, highlight common themes that are informing personnel and development decisions by organisations. You will read about the rise in demand for skills described variously as ‘soft’, ‘human’ or ‘professional’. At the same time, rapid advancements in technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and wearables, are delivering both challenges and opportunities for workplace safety…