Risk has long been viewed as something to be minimized, controlled, and mitigated—especially in safety. Compliance checkboxes, incident reports, and reduction metrics have defined how organizations engage with risk management. But as industries evolve, so too must our understanding of risk. 

Mark Quinlan of HSI Donesafe and Darren Evans, a leading health and safety risk specialist, recently took the stage at the NSCA Safety Conference in Sydney to challenge this perception. They posed a compelling question: What if risk isn’t just a hazard to be managed, but an opportunity to be leveraged? 

Moving Risk from the Sidelines to the Boardroom 

For too long, safety professionals have been viewed as gatekeepers of compliance. An essential role yet often separated from core business decision-making.

Darren Evans explained if safety isn’t part of the broader risk conversation at the executive level, then it will always be seen as a compliance function rather than an enabler.

This shift in perspective requires more than a new mindset; it demands fluency in the language of executives. The reality is, executives and board members talk about risk every day —financial risk, operational risk, reputational risk . 

Health and safety professionals are risk experts by trade; the challenge is aligning their insights with the language of the C-suite. Darren said:

“Some of these boards of executives, they’re speaking languages of dollars, reputation, brand, customer… How do we make sure that safety is part of that broader conversation… as an enabler, and not just focusing on reducing loss, but how do we actually contribute to safety managers to the mission of the organization?”

What this means for Health & Safety Professionals is the ability to reframe your board reporting from injury and incident numbers to a story of risk mitigation and the operational upside that great safety programs contribute.  

Risk as a Competitive Advantage 

Organizations that embrace risk strategically unlock new opportunities. Take construction projects as an example: a serious safety incident isn’t just about injuries. It can derail project timelines, drive up costs, and impact reputation. By embedding safety into strategic planning and remove silos, businesses can enhance efficiency, reduce downtime, and improve overall outcomes. 

He cited a driver safety initiative at Auckland International Airport, where risk data wasn’t just used to prevent accidents but also to collaborate with customer and operations teams. The result was an improved on-time performance and better service delivery. 

“Once you get that data [on driver safety], you’re able to collaborate with the chief customer officer to improve performance.” Evans pointed out. “Risk needs to be managed at a strategic and enterprise level as well as the tactical level.”

Breaking Down Risk Silos 

One of the biggest barriers to treating risk as an opportunity is its fragmentation. Most organizations operate with separate risk functions—cybersecurity risk, financial risk, operational risk, and safety risk all live in different departments. But risk doesn’t operate in silos, and neither should your business. To truly capitalize on risk, organizations need to approach it holistically and align all risk functions under one unified strategy.

“The idea there is to come back again to what is the… objectives of this program? And then bringing together all those stakeholders to work together on identifying those risks in common.” Quinlan expressed.

Breaking down these silos and working together is key to creating a clear and aligned risk strategy that touches every part of the business. Darren Evans reinforced this point, explaining,

“Safety, people have been managing risk for a lot longer than a lot of execs have… We’ve got very robust ways of doing it that we’ve learned the hard way… so we’re good risk managers. And, safety people are undervalued in organizations often. So the trick is, how do we get in there and become part of that broader conversation and influence?”

Safety professionals belong at the executive table, demonstrating how safety plays a vital role in broader business strategy. Risk, in all its forms, is central to strategic decision-making, and safety experts are best equipped to navigate that terrain. Safety is a key business enabler, impacting financial, operational, cyber, psychosocial, and physical aspects of the organization. It’s no longer just about compliance.

From Cost Center to Value Driver 

Traditionally, safety budgets have been an afterthought—allocated based on compliance needs rather than strategic impact. But when safety is framed as a value driver, budget conversations change. As Darren put it:

“We knew that if we invested in culture, it would lead to better engagement. At the time, we didn’t even have the term ‘psychosocial,’ but we understood it was about mental health and engagement. We saw a more engaged workforce, clearer roles, and improved communication. All of these factors led to greater discretionary effort, which directly contributed to better customer outcomes and, ultimately, more revenue. So, when we bring all these risks together, there’s a clear opportunity in psychosocial risk. There’s still more thinking to be done on this, but that’s the way I’m framing it.”

The shift from compliance-based safety to strategic risk management is already happening in forward-thinking organizations. Those who embrace it will gain a competitive edge, ensuring that risk isn’t just something to avoid, but a powerful force for growth. 

The question is no longer whether businesses should think differently about risk. It’s whether they can afford not to. 

Mark Quinlan

Mark Quinlan is the lead product trainer for HSI Donesafe. He brings years of experience in software implementation, including consultation with HSI Donesafe clients in addition to major software projects that spanning multiple industries.

Darren Evans

Darren Evans is a seasoned executive in risk management, resilience, crisis response, safety and governance, with 30 years’ experience across high-risk industries worldwide.

He specializes in enterprise-wide risk and resilience solutions, aligning governance with operations to enhance safety, security, and continuity. At Auckland International Airport, he led the creation of a centralized Safety & Risk function, supporting a $3.9B infrastructure upgrade while ensuring operational continuity. Connect with Darren here

Leading organizations are shifting from compliance-based safety to strategic risk management and Donesafe is built to support that transition. Our flexible, cloud-based platform helps businesses connect safety with broader operational goals, providing real-time insights that drive smarter decisions. 

Want to get executive buy-in for safety as a strategic priority? Read our blog on securing leadership support, or learn more about how Donesafe can help.