How can we strengthen organisations’ safety culture whilst continuing to improve the Safety Culture Ladder? This question lies at the heart of the SCL Knowledge Partners platform. On 24 June, the knowledge partners met under the guidance of Keetie de Boer-Polderman from I.K. Boost, one of our knowledge partners. Together, they gained a clearer picture of the platform’s purpose, where improvements can be made and which topics require joint attention.
The meeting was not a retrospective filled with nods of agreement. Participants shared their practical experiences, but also considered how they share those experiences with one another and with NEN. Where is the SCL working well? What challenges do organisations and advisers face? And which issues deserve to be included in the discussion on the further development of the SCL?
A space for practical questions that don’t fit into a handbook
The Safety Culture Ladder examines safety awareness, attitudes and behaviour. Discussions and observations reveal how staff discuss safety, hold each other to account and make decisions in their day-to-day work.
This is precisely where the role of the knowledge partners lies. They advise organisations wishing to develop a safety culture and identify where language, working methods or expectations clash with the reality on the shop floor. On the platform, they share these insights, discuss challenging case studies and raise questions that cannot be answered with a single standard response.
The knowledge partners identified three guiding principles:
- exchanging knowledge on the basis of reciprocity and confidentiality;
- identify where the SCL causes friction in practice;
- contribute to topics that affect the safety culture within organisations and supply chains.
Greater depth
During the session, there was also time for reflection on the platform. Individual experiences are valuable, but a discussion takes on greater significance when it gives rise to a shared vision or a common question, for example where there is uncertainty about the application or further development of the SCL. That is why knowledge partners wish to work on specific themes more frequently.
Feedback is also given due consideration. Knowledge partners want to be able to track what happens to their input and how the dialogue with NEN and the Committee of Experts progresses. Not every practical question leads to a change, but clear feedback ensures that valuable input is not lost.
The agenda includes topics that many organisations will recognise. How can safety be discussed effectively in workplaces where different languages and cultural backgrounds come together? Can AI play a role in analysing safety behaviour? How can social safety be given sufficient attention alongside physical safety?
Signing up requires more than just a name on a list
For professionals who support organisations in developing a safety culture, the knowledge partner platform offers a space to compare their experiences with those of others. It provides access to discussions on current practical issues and the opportunity to share observations carefully with NEN, the independent scheme operator of the Safety Culture Ladder.
There is also something in it for you. A knowledge partner doesn’t just come to gather information. The platform requires substantive input, a willingness to brainstorm together, and time to contribute to topics that are relevant to the market. Anyone willing to take on this role will help advance the discussion on safety culture beyond the familiar folder of procedures.
Click here For more information about the SCL Knowledge Partners.