safetyCast

From Public Health Concern to Workplace Risk: Tackling Loneliness Did you know the World Health Organisation considers loneliness to have a health impact comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day? Disconnection from colleagues, limited visibility of your impact, feeling underappreciated, and a reluctance to ask for help are all symptoms of a major emerging risk in modern work environments. While t...

Wellbeing as a Driver of Safety and Organisational Resilience In today’s modern workplace, wellbeing is no longer a "nice to have" or a standalone initiative, it is a critical driver of safety, performance, and true organisational resilience. But as we move further away from the peak of the pandemic, how do health and safety leaders ensure these crucial efforts evolve rather than fade away? In thi...

From Compliance to Connection: The Psychology of a High-Trust Safety Culture Trust is the foundation of culture in every workplace. When it’s strong, people speak up, collaborate, and manage risks together. When it’s low, silence and disengagement take hold, quietly eroding both safety and wellbeing. In this insightful session, Clive Lloyd — Psychologist, Principal Consultant at GYST, and author o...

Rethinking Risk: A Dynamic Framework for Health and Safety Leaders Frameworks are essential tools for health and safety leaders, providing a clear structure for decision-making, aligning teams on priorities, and ensuring risks are managed consistently across an organisation. But what happens when traditional models like the Hierarchy of Controls (HOC) reach their limitations? In this insightful se...

Psychological Safety: The First Line of Defense Against Psychosocial Risk Psychosocial risks are now front and centre in workplace safety conversations. But what can psychology teach us about preventing issues like stress, burnout, and fatigue, which are often rooted in poor work design, unhealthy environments, or harmful behaviours? In this insightful session, Dr. Natalie Flatt, psychologist and...

Designing for Wellbeing: Mastering Psychosocial Risk Workplaces today are grappling with a rising tide of stress, burnout, and harassment. As regulators set new expectations for managing mental health, psychosocial risks have shifted from a “personnel issue” to a critical safety challenge. How do organisations move beyond reactive measures to design work that actually prevents harm? In this insigh...

Behind the Counter: Rethinking Safety Amid Retail Violence As public-facing workplaces feel the pressure of rising aggression, the threat of customer violence and retail crime has evolved beyond isolated incidents. From organised attacks to growing instances of staff-targeted abuse, the safety landscape is shifting rapidly. How do employers protect their frontline teams without compromising the cu...

Cybersecurity and Safety in the Age of AI As AI adoption accelerates across safety-critical sectors, the line between digital security and physical safety is blurring. While AI offers immense potential as an ally for safety, it also introduces sophisticated risks that can compromise data, people, and operations. How do organisations secure their digital perimeter without hindering operational perf...

AI in Safety: Responsible Innovation for Smarter Risk Management AI is reshaping the way organisations manage risk, providing smarter, data-driven insights that improve workplace safety, compliance, and decision-making. But with evolving technology comes new challenges—how do we adopt AI responsibly while ensuring real impact? In this episode, we explore AI-driven risk assessment, data analytics,...

The Disruptor Mindset: How Women are Reshaping Safety Leadership In this essential safetyCast episode, we explore the evolving role and impact of women in Health & Safety. Featuring three of New Zealand's top female H&S leaders—Kristy Nicholson (Lockton), Deborah Douglas (ASB), and Nicola Knobel (Plunket)—this dynamic panel discussion explores their leadership journeys, the challenges they...

Beyond the Bottom of the Hill: Proactively Tackling Workplace Violence In this essential safetyCast episode, we address the undeniable increase in violent and aggressive behavior in customer-facing workplaces. Featuring two of New Zealand's top retail safety leaders, Grace Cooper (Former GM of H&S at The Warehouse Group and currently Director of The Safety SOULutions) and Jo van den Berg (from...

Retail Crime: The New Frontline in Health and Safety In this crucial safetyCast episode, we confront the escalating issue of retail crime and its transformation into a major health and safety crisis for customer-facing industries. Featuring insights from Lisa White, Head of Protective Services at Bank of New Zealand (BNZ), this conversation explores the real-world challenges of protecting employee...

The Ambiguity of Wellbeing: Rethinking Mental Health in the Workplace In this safetyCast episode, we unpack the complex and often misunderstood concept of "wellbeing" and what it truly means for mental health in the workplace. Featuring insights from EY’s Roberto C Garcia and Samantha Thomas, this conversation explores why a strategic, clearly defined approach to mental health is essential for bui...

In this episode of safetyCast, we dive into the complexities of crafting an effective mental health strategy in large, diverse workplaces. Listen to Conor Duffy, founder of Psychosocial Safety Solutions and former Head of Health & Safety at Kmart Australia. In this episode he unpacks the building blocks of a successful psychosocial strategy that supports every level of the organisation, from h...

How the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is reshaping safety reporting In this episode of safetyCast by ecoPortal, we explore how the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is transforming the way organisations think about, and report on, health, safety, and wellbeing. Featuring Matthew Cowie and Samantha Thomas from EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services t...

🎙️ Transforming Safety Culture In this episode of safetyCast, we sit down with Tim Hudson, Operational Risk Management Consultant at Hudson Global Consulting, to explore what it really takes to build and sustain a strong safety culture in today’s evolving workplaces. From leadership commitment to employee engagement, Tim shares insights drawn from decades of global experience helping organisations...

In this episode, Dr. Megan Tranter shares how strong leadership shapes safer, healthier workplaces. Drawing from her global experience at Amazon, PepsiCo, and more, she explores how EHS leaders can drive culture, strategy, and impact beyond compliance. Perfect for professionals looking to elevate their influence in Health and Safety. Listen here!