BT: Wellbeing, Health and Safety Consultant (11 months)
Interim Global Group Head of Safety (1 year + 3 months)

Wellbeing, Health and Safety Consulting and Risk Management

 

Why did BT come to us?

BT needed a comprehensive review and enhancement of their operational staff’s capability, understanding, and adherence to corporate safety standards. They had concerns about governance and assurance, questioning if their policies and procedures were truly being followed.

Additionally, their Health, Safety, and Wellbeing policies required a formal review for a modernised approach. There was a lack of cohesion among safety leaders across the Group function and Business Units. The seven separate businesses needed a more unified approach and improved communication around safety issues to ensure alignment with Group Policy.

 

What did we do?

  • Independent Audit and Problem Diagnosis: Conducted an independent audit and delivered a Problem Diagnosis to key senior leadership, formulating a detailed action plan and assembling working groups.
  • Safety Team Restructure: Reviewed and restructured the safety team, introducing additional specialist skill sets.
  • Policy Development: Assisted with the development and review of Health, Safety, and Wellbeing strategies and policies.
  • Safety Leads Forum: Introduced a Safety Leads Forum comprised of key safety leaders throughout the seven businesses and held quarterly Forum meetings to ensure a cohesive, proactive approach to risk management. During the COVID-19 pandemic, introduced weekly meetings to ensure clear communication and effective dissemination of information.
  • 3 Lines of Defence Model: Recommended and assisted with the introduction of a 3 Lines of Defence (3LOD) audit, governance, and assurance model.

 

Testimonials

“Sarah joined my team to support our audit and transformation of the Group Corporate safety centre of expertise.

Initially joining to undertake an independent audit, Sarah quickly got to grips with the large organisation and complexity of operations across our global operations.

Supporting as Interim Global Group Head of Safety, Sarah;

• Audited and assessed our risk management approach, working with me to implement and track risk mitigations, reporting to our Group HSW forum and board.
• Convened a Safety Leads Forum, which cohesively brought the macro and micro areas of 7 separate businesses together. Weekly action plans to disseminate outcomes of meetings with HSE and PHE.
• Redesigned the H&S Policy, feeding down to our group strategy and operational unit safety plans.
• Brought teams together during times of crisis during the Covid pandemic. She is a calm head under pressure who takes charge and thrives in a crisis.
• Proactively liaised with HSE and EHO regarding Covid working guidelines supporting our key operational businesses.

Sarah’s persuasive coaching style got results. She anticipated our needs and communicated them well to both the senior leadership team and on-the-ground staff alike, and people trust her easily. She has a phenomenal technical knowledge, which she breaks down into language appropriate to whichever audience she’s dealing with.”

Richard Caddis: Director of Health, Safety and Wellbeing and Chief Medical Officer, BT Group

 

“I worked with Sarah when she was acting as Interim Head of Safety at BT. She has a bright, bubbly personality and is great to work with.

Sarah is highly intelligent and well versed in safety and risk management embedded within a strong knowledge base of health and wellbeing. This great mix of skills ensures information and guidance provided is communicated at the right level and understood clearly.

Sarah is passionate and insightful in understanding and explaining behaviour and how this affects health and safety, and utilises her psychology knowledge, ensuring stakeholders are engaged throughout the process.

She even encouraged me to gain knowledge around psychology, and I have just completed a course at Birkbeck University and am already finding it tremendously useful.”

Lina Chauhan: Musculoskeletal, Ergonomic and Wellbeing Specialist, BT Group