Environment, Health and Safety Governance and Leadership: The Making of High Reliability Organizations

Environment, health and safety (EHS) management has become increasingly important in the past 10 years, especially within high risk and high reliability organizations. EHS is driven from the top of an organization, and whilst there has been much research on the subject of EHS leadership, there is very little on EHS governance and the director’s role in leading or influencing change in organizational safety/EHS performance.

Environment, Health and Safety Governance and Leadership: The Making of High Reliability Organizations reviews the factors influencing safety/EHS leadership and governance and addresses all the areas where the role impacts on the performance and sustainability of organizations. Based on the author’s in-depth research, the book draws on much of the best-practice standards developed by many leading organizations such as the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

This book provides exclusive insights and legal imperatives for practitioners and leaders to inform decision making, strategy and EHS governance, all of which can have a fundamental impact on business continuity, developing company value and the sustainability of large organizations around the world.

'Dr. Waddah S. Ghanem Al Hashmi’s book superbly brings together in one place the wealth of theory and practice that has developed around EHS governance and leadership in the past twenty years. His analysis of the key facets critical to success of business leaders in carrying out their EHS roles and responsibilities is founded on his through and exemplary review of the evidence. This book is a must read for leaders of organisations in the high and medium hazard sectors. It provides clearly and succinctly the answers to the three key questions: "What should I be doing to ensure my organisation is highly reliable; Why, and: How." As an active proponent of the importance of active and influential top level leadership over the past twenty years I am so pleased to note that Dr Al Hashmi’s book answers these questions emphatically.' ― Neal Stone, formerly Policy Director, British Safety Council

'Many catastrophic safety and environmental events in high risk industries have been attributed to lack of leadership. Dr Waddah’s book makes a much-needed contribution on how senior leaders can move their organisations from high-risk to high-reliability; safeguarding workers and shareholder value in the process.' ― Teresa Budworth, Chief Executive, NEBOSH

'The penultimate chapter was a “lightbulb moment” for me, presenting a clearer way to understand EHS governance than other models I have seen.

For those in safety leadership roles, I’d say this book is a must. After all, most of the time they will sit on (or support) a board of some description or an organisation’s executive committee and can use the insights easily and quickly to obtain results in the short and longer term.' ― Richard Byrne, CMIOSH, IOSH Magazine

Waddah S. Ghanem Al Hashmi is the Executive Director, Environment, Health, Safety, Security, Quality and Corporate Affairs, for the ENOC Group in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He is the Chairman of various committees within the organization, including the Wellness and Social Activities Program, which serves over 7,000 employees. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Dubai Centre for Carbon Excellence, PJSC, "Dubai Carbon" since 2010. He is a Fellow of the Energy Institute, an Associate Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers and a Member of the Institute of Directors in the UK.