Safety Culture Development Program "From Slogans to Actions!"

From Slogans to Actions: Transforming Safety Culture

Developing a safety culture is a complex and multi-level process that cannot be implemented solely by the HSE department. In his presentation, Vladimir Varlamov, drawing on his experience in major industrial companies (SUEK, Metalloinvest, Evraz), analyzes practical steps for transitioning from formal slogans to real actions. The speaker emphasizes that safety must become an integral part of all business processes, rather than existing in isolation.

The Role of the Top Executive and Involving Cross-functional Teams

A key factor in successful transformation is the involvement of the company's top executives. The speaker notes that the initiative must come from the "customer" — the CEO or Managing Director. Only after securing their support can other verticals be effectively engaged: HR, PR, IT, finance, and production. The presentation details the mechanism for holding strategic sessions, where leaders of related departments take responsibility for solving specific problems affecting safety (for example, developing a competency model together with HR).

Manager's Work Standard and Timeliness of Tools

The implementation of safety tools must be timely and correspond to the organization's maturity level. The speaker demonstrates by example how the premature launch of behavioral safety audits (BSA) can discredit the system if mechanisms for solving identified problems have not yet been created. Instead of a chaotic implementation of multiple practices, it is proposed to form a unified "Manager's Work Standard." This standard clearly defines interaction rules at all management levels, ensuring a transparent cascade of communications and effective work of HSE committees.

Project Management and Performance Metrics

Transforming safety culture requires a systematic project approach. The speaker analyzes the importance of pre-project preparation and the phased implementation of changes (e.g., a risk management system) using qualitative and quantitative metrics at each stage. To implement projects, dedicated teams are formed, attracting the best specialists from the talent pool with subsequent rotation back into production. This approach allows not only for the successful implementation of tools but also for retaining competencies within the company.

IT Infrastructure as the Foundation of Transparency

Effective safety management is impossible without modern IT support. The presentation emphasizes the need to integrate HSE systems with corporate accounting systems (SAP, 1C). The speaker recommends including IT specialists directly in project working groups so that the developed solutions maximally meet the real needs of production and can be developed by internal teams.

What you will learn from this webinar:

• How to convince top executives to become customers of safety culture transformation?
• Why some popular tools (e.g., BSA) might not work and how to determine the right time for their implementation?
• How to involve HR, IT, and other departments in solving HSE tasks?
• What metrics to use to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing new processes?
• How to form a project team and retain competencies within the organization?