HSEQ challenges and benefits

In the business world there are two conflicting views on HSEQ (Health, Safety, Environment and Quality) activities: on one side there is the view that good HSEQ practice is good for business and productivity; on the other there is the view that HSEQ activities are costly and interrupt the flow of work activity and that regulations impose a non-productive investment.

In recent years, the argument that accidents and non-conformities at work adversely affect company productivity has gained support. Case studies have been made available across a variety of industry sectors suggesting that there is a strong link between good HSEQ practice and low absenteeism. Furthermore, the cases demonstrate a range of benefits that can arise from HSEQ activities, including:

These business benefit arguments for HSEQ investments supplement the regulatory requirements that Government has put in place to protect against large burdens on the society, both in environmental and human terms. Meeting these compulsory requirements has become integral to business risk management, however, sometimes with varied enthusiasm.