The Impact Of Strategic Decision Making x HSE

Why Health and Safety Shouldn’t Be "The Other Department"

If you’ve ever worked in an organization where health and safety (HSE) is viewed as the necessary evil, the box that needs to be ticked, you know the feeling. There’s always a tension.

There’s a temptation to see safety as some siloed entity, dealt with by an “HSE team” who send out policies and conduct training sessions in a separate corner of the business. Meanwhile, leadership pushes forward with strategy, planning, and growth.

The problem is, safety can’t be left behind, and it shouldn’t be treated like a secondary concern. HSE is critical for long-term success, and its integration into strategic decision-making is non-negotiable.

Data-Driven Decisions: Turning Safety into Something You Can Measure

Let’s face it: HSE, for too long, has been seen as an intangible. It’s something that’s important, sure, but its impact can be hard to measure. Enter data-driven decision-making.

With the right tools, HSE is no longer the “soft” stuff that gets lost in the shuffle—it’s hard, actionable insight that can drive both safety and business success.

Think of the predictive tools available today—IoT sensors, AI-driven analytics, real-time monitoring systems. These tools aren’t just there to monitor your workforce’s well-being; they can actively shape how decisions are made.

Through data, HSE can anticipate problems before they turn into costly incidents. It’s not about reacting after the fact; it’s about being proactive. That shift in mentality—from reactive to proactive—changes everything.

And yet, even with all these advancements, some business leaders still don’t see the value. The argument typically goes something like, “But it costs too much.”

Well, here’s where HSE can play its hand. By utilizing data, HSE departments can directly tie their efforts to business metrics: reducing downtime, preventing incidents, lowering insurance premiums, increasing productivity, and protecting a company’s reputation.

The ability to quantify risk and safety performance gives HSE the leverage to advocate for its importance across the entire organization.

Breaking Down Silos: Getting Everyone to Buy In

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. There’s a reason HSE often gets shoved into the back seat—it’s because other departments don’t always see it as their problem. Ask any HSE leader, and they’ll tell you about the struggles of getting buy-in from HR, from operations, from procurement. Sometimes it feels like they’re all just nodding along, thinking, “Sure, we’ll do our part when it comes to safety, but you’re in charge of that, right?”

The reality is, HSE isn’t just a department to tick boxes off a list; it’s a company-wide commitment to sustainability, risk management, and operational excellence. Here’s where we need a shift—HSE must collaborate across departments to truly influence change. Strategic decision-making needs input from all departments, and that means silos have to come down.

Every group—whether it’s product design, HR, supply chain, or IT—has a role to play in health and safety. Take product development, for example: Decisions about design and materials can directly impact worker safety, both during manufacturing and throughout a product’s lifecycle. But that’s where it gets tricky. If HSE is seen as an afterthought, those considerations can get missed. But when HSE is involved early, its input can not only help avoid risks but drive more sustainable product innovations.

Data as the Unifier

So how does this happen? How do we get people to see HSE as a core part of the business? Well, data helps here too. It’s one thing to say, “This is a good idea, we should implement it for safety reasons.” It’s another thing entirely to say, “Here’s how this change could reduce risks, save us money, improve operational efficiency, and prevent costly downtime.” Data provides that business case. It’s proof that safety and business performance are deeply interconnected.

When HSE teams use data to influence other business groups, it opens up the conversation. Procurement teams, for example, will start thinking about not just cost but also safety and sustainability when selecting suppliers. Operations teams will consider the long-term impact on safety when planning shifts or adopting new equipment. The cross-functional collaboration that this data-driven approach fosters is invaluable in breaking down barriers and turning safety into something everyone’s invested in.

Conclusion: Safety as a Strategic Imperative

The message here is clear: HSE is not an afterthought—it’s an integral part of every decision you make. And for senior leadership, understanding this is essential. It’s not about simply ticking boxes on a compliance sheet. It’s about ensuring that every product, every supply chain decision, every operational choice reflects a commitment to sustainability, safety, and long-term growth.

HSE leaders need to advocate for their role and make it clear that safety isn’t just a compliance issue—it’s a strategic advantage. With data to back up every recommendation, it’s not hard to prove that prioritizing health and safety is not just good ethics; it’s good business.

And as businesses move forward into a world where sustainability, efficiency, and resilience are key, the HSE department will no longer be the “last stop” for safety. It’ll be the starting point for better, smarter decision-making at every level.

-TIO