Rethinking EHS: Global Goals. Local Delivery.

Hosted by Inogen Alliance

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Nov 2026

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About the show

Join us as we travel the world to uncover real stories of impact—from landfills and energy transition to workplace safety, emerging contaminants, and climate mitigation strategies. Through expert insights and on-the-ground experiences, we highlight practical solutions and bold strategies that drive change. By connecting global goals with local expertise, we explore how knowledge can be transformed into action for people and the planet. Whether you're in EHS, sustainability, or leadership, this is your space to explore what’s next and rethink EHS. Brought to you by Inogen Alliance.

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51 recent

November 3, 202611 min

The Culture Behind the Deal: in EHS Due Diligence

This Episode 8 bonus conversation from Rethinking EHS offers a practical look at the risks and organisational signals buyers can miss when EHS due diligence focuses too narrowly on immediate liabilities. Andy describes a case in which a business faced a multimillion liability for waste contamination at a disposal site it had never operated, despite having disposed of the waste lawfully at the time. He also explains how historic investigations may not have assessed PFAS, leaving uncertainty even where earlier reports found no significant contamination. Climate exposure and water availability add another dimension, with potential consequences for operations, expansion plans and asset values. The discussion then turns to the culture behind the paperwork. A minor compliance issue may be relatively straightforward to correct, while a weak safety culture can take years to change. The host and Andy consider how leadership expectations reach the plant floor, whether EHS responsibilities are clearly owned, and how management workshops can test understanding and confidence. Their central advice is to use due diligence to understand how a business operates and where value could be lost or created after acquisition. Guest quote: Andy Sweetman: “The paperwork can tell you a certain amount of things, but I think talking directly to the people who own it is important.” Links: https://Inogenalliance.com/resources https://Inogenalliance.com/podcast Andy Sweetman on LinkedIn: / andrew-sweetman-a4647261 Keith Knoke: / keith-knoke-27587a7 Sponsor Copy Rethinking EHS is brought to you by the Inogen Alliance. Inogen Alliance is a global network of 70+ companies providing environment, health, safety, and sustainability services, working together to provide one point of contact to guide multinational organizations to meet their global commitments locally. Visit inogenalliance.com to learn more. Produced by https://madcontent.co.nz/

October 27, 202633 min

Beyond the Deal: EHS Risk and Value Creation in M&A

Episode 8 of Rethinking EHS explores the role of EHS and sustainability in M&A, with a focus on global goals and local delivery throughout the deal life cycle. The discussion considers a shift from asking what liabilities a buyer may inherit to asking whether a business will remain investable and operationally resilient over the coming decade. The guests explore how due diligence can inform valuations and investment decisions, alongside practical challenges such as incomplete records, constrained site investigations and uncertainty about historic assets. A suspected buried storage tank illustrates how unresolved environmental questions can delay a transaction and require a negotiated route forward. Local regulatory expectations and cultural differences shape how risks are understood, investigated and communicated. The conversation compares compliance-led and risk-based approaches, stresses the importance of local support, and highlights the need to translate due diligence findings into operational action after acquisition. Looking ahead, climate resilience, water availability and supply chain risks are broadening the scope of due diligence, with examples showing how flooding, drought and resource constraints can affect logistics, expansion and investment value. --- Guest quotes: Andrew Young “Will this business remain investable and operationally resilient over the next decade or decade plus?” Andy Sweetman “I think that’s where having really good local support when you’re doing an international deal is absolutely vital.” Links: https://Inogenalliance.com/resources https://Inogenalliance.com/podcast Andy Sweetman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-sweetman-a4647261/ Andrew Young on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-young-a8a3a21/ Keith Knoke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-knoke-27587a7/ Sponsor Copy Rethinking EHS is brought to you by the Inogen Alliance. Inogen Alliance is a global network of 70+ companies providing environment, health, safety, and sustainability services, working together to provide one point of contact to guide multinational organizations to meet their global commitments locally. Visit inogenalliance.com to learn more. Produced by https://madcontent.co.nz/

September 29, 202614 min

AI at Work: Why EHS Must Be Part of the Conversation

This bonus episode of Rethinking EHS, Season 3 takes a closer look at AI at work through a psychosocial safety lens. Charlotte and Giorgia use a hypothetical implementation of AI-enabled workflow and performance tools to explore how a seemingly helpful change can affect employees’ experience of work. They consider warning signs such as reduced role clarity, perceived surveillance, increased demands and scheduling decisions that fail to account for fatigue. The conversation distinguishes using AI to support human judgement from relying on its outputs without understanding their limits or the context behind the data. Giorgia argues for involving EHS throughout the change process, from early design to later review. Consultation with workers, clear explanations of what information is collected and how it will be used, and checks on workload and autonomy can help organisations spot unintended effects. Her closing question asks whether the organisation would be comfortable explaining to a worker how the system influenced a decision about them. Links: https://Inogenalliance.com/resources https://Inogenalliance.com/podcast Charlotte Buffoni on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-buffoni-a42b9629/ Giorgia Mcguigan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giorgia-m-2765241a5/ Sponsor Copy: Rethinking EHS is brought to you by the Inogen Alliance. Inogen Alliance is a global network of 70+ companies providing environment, health, safety, and sustainability services, working together to provide one point of contact to guide multinational organizations to meet their global commitments locally. Visit inogenalliance.com to learn more. Produced by https://madcontent.co.nz/

September 22, 202638 min

The Human Side of Safety: Mental Health, Behaviour and EHS

Episode 7 of Rethinking EHS, Season 3 examines psychosocial safety and behaviour-based approaches as part of a broader, people-centred view of workplace risk. In Australia, Giorgia describes a shift towards consultation with workers and a more active assessment of psychosocial hazards. Dheepak explains how decisions on the shop floor are shaped by systems, habits and leadership, and describes a behavioural science approach that seeks to understand why unsafe actions occur before choosing an intervention. Their examples link workload, fatigue, production targets and the ability to speak up with day-to-day safety outcomes. The guests challenge the idea that mental health belongs only to HR or can be solved through employee assistance programmes and personal resilience. They discuss how multinationals can hold to common principles of fairness and respect while adapting practices to local contexts. Looking ahead, the conversation turns to leadership behaviour, human factors, leading indicators and a shift from reacting to incidents towards prediction and prevention. Guest quotes: Giorgia McGuigan: “We have to consult our workforce. We have to reflect on the changes. We have to assess the risk and then action the risk.” Dheepak: “We have to look at the systems, the culture that we have driven.” Timestamps: 00:00:03 – Introduction: Psychosocial risk and a broader view of EHS 00:01:34 – Introducing perspectives from India and Australia 00:02:15 – Why psychosocial safety is gaining attention 00:03:56 – How human factors influence safe choices 00:05:43 – Australia: From compliance to practical risk management 00:07:31 – Workplace consultation and preventative support 00:08:57 – Balancing immediate help with long-term prevention 00:09:17 – Organisations seek guidance on psychosocial risks 00:10:26 – Beyond traditional behaviour-based safety 00:13:11 – Understanding why unsafe behaviour occurs 00:15:31 – Procedures, change and barriers to speaking up 00:17:20 – Comparing operational risks across regions 00:20:32 – Leadership and common mental health myths 00:23:29 – Why mental health is an organisation-wide issue 00:25:50 – Global principles and local approaches 00:26:21 – Fairness, respect and cultural context 00:30:47 – Integrating psychosocial risk into EHS systems 00:34:53 – Leadership, culture and frontline safety 00:40:28 – From incident response to prediction and prevention 00:43:37 – Closing reflections and where to follow the series Links: https://Inogenalliance.com/resources https://Inogenalliance.com/podcast Charlotte Buffoni on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-buffoni-a42b9629/ Giorgia Mcguigan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giorgia-m-2765241a5/ Dheepak Sithra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rsdheepak/ Sponsor Copy Rethinking EHS is brought to you by the Inogen Alliance. Inogen Alliance is a global network of 70+ companies providing environment, health, safety, and sustainability services, working together to provide one point of contact to guide multinational organizations to meet their global commitments locally. Visit inogenalliance.com to learn more. Produced by https://madcontent.co.nz/

September 8, 202615 min

Too Much or Too Little: Managing Water Risks at Industrial Facilities

Episode notes: This bonus episode expands on Episode 6 with three facility-level examples of water resilience in practice. While each begins with a different physical risk, all demonstrate the importance of translating climate assessment into engineering, operational, and business continuity decisions. The first case examines recurring river flooding shaped by reservoir releases, coastal tides, and local topography. C. Rajadurai explains how flood modelling can be overlaid with critical assets to identify vulnerability and recovery time, helping facilities prioritise electrical systems, transformers, and other equipment for elevation, protective walls, or pumping. The discussion then turns to extreme rainfall and water scarcity. Site-specific stormwater modelling can reveal whether ageing drainage networks remain adequate, while diverting roof runoff to groundwater recharge can reduce flooding without rebuilding the whole system. Diversifying supply through rainwater collection and treated municipal wastewater also reduces reliance on a single groundwater source and strengthens business continuity. Guest quotes: C. Rajadurai: “Source diversification is not only a water management strategy; it is part of business resilience and the business continuity plan.” C. Rajadurai: “Climate risk assessment becomes valuable when findings reach engineering drawings and planning teams, translating risk into on-the-ground implementation.” Sponsor Copy Rethinking EHS is brought to you by the Inogen Alliance. Inogen Alliance is a global network of 70+ companies providing environment, health, safety, and sustainability services, working together to provide one point of contact to guide multinational organizations to meet their global commitments locally. Links: https://Inogenalliance.com/resources https://Inogenalliance.com/podcast Visit inogenalliance.com to learn more. Produced by https://madcontent.co.nz/

September 1, 202639 min

From Flood Risk to Resilience: The Future of Water Infrastructure

Episode 6 of Rethinking EHS, Season 3 focuses on water-related infrastructure resilience and how organisations can prepare for more frequent and severe climate-induced water risks. Across the UK, India and Switzerland, the discussion shows that resilience challenges take different forms — from surface-water and coastal flooding to drought, intense downpours, glacier melt and slope instability. A recurring lesson is that infrastructure can no longer be planned as isolated assets or designed only around historical climate records; connected systems and cascading failures must be considered. Looking ahead, the guests emphasise proactive, pre-event planning: integrating climate risk assessments into asset management, combining engineered and nature-based solutions, improving forecasting and monitoring, learning across regions, and mapping supply-chain exposure. The goal is not simply to withstand the next event, but to keep essential services operating, recover quickly and remain fit for purpose over the full design life. --- Guest quotes: Alex Perryman: “So I'd say in the UK we're talking about the whole spectrum, like too much water, too little water and everything in between and the quality of it, the availability of it, how efficiently we use it and how we reuse it even as a resource.” Michalis Lellis: “Climate conditions are changing and infrastructure that was once considered resilient may no longer provide the same level of protection in the future.” --- Sponsor Copy Rethinking EHS is brought to you by the Inogen Alliance. Inogen Alliance is a global network of 70+ companies providing environment, health, safety, and sustainability services, working together to provide one point of contact to guide multinational organizations to meet their global commitments locally. Visit inogenalliance.com to learn more. Produced by https://madcontent.co.nz/

July 21, 20268 min

Navigating Energy Regulations: Lessons from Switzerland

This bonus episode expands on the themes discussed in Episode 5 by providing a practical example of how energy resilience strategies are implemented at the local level. The discussion focuses on Switzerland's requirements for large energy consumers, organisations that exceed defined thresholds for electricity or heat consumption and are therefore subject to specific obligations to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. The guests explain the regulatory pathways available, including target agreements, energy audits, and cantonal agreements, highlighting how requirements can vary across Switzerland’s 26 cantons. Ultimately, the case study reinforces a central theme of the series: global challenges require locally informed solutions, and energy resilience depends on balancing regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability goals. Guest quotes: Mariarosaria Gagliotti: “By meeting the definition of a large energy consumer, the company is obligated to take action, implementing reasonable measures to optimise energy consumption.” Sofiane Kessouar: “The LEED certification provides a framework for designing, constructing and operating highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings.” Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Introduction to the Swiss energy resilience case study 00:01:11 – Defining large energy consumers in Switzerland 00:02:13 – Legal obligations for energy efficiency and emissions reduction 00:02:31 – Regulatory compliance pathways and available options 00:03:31 – Choosing the most appropriate compliance strategy 00:04:09 – Single-site versus multi-site considerations 00:04:54 – Understanding Switzerland’s cantonal structure 00:05:22 – Local regulations and sustainable construction leadership 00:05:55 – Introduction to LEED certification 00:06:31 – Benefits of green building standards 00:07:06 – Key LEED certification categories 00:07:39 – Lower operating costs and environmental benefits 00:07:57 – Reflections on local expertise and real-world case studies 00:08:06 – Closing remarks and the value of global collaboration Sponsor Copy Rethinking EHS is brought to you by the Inogen Alliance. Inogen Alliance is a global network of 70+ companies providing environment, health, safety, and sustainability services, working together to provide one point of contact to guide multinational organizations to meet their global commitments locally. Visit inogenalliance.com to learn more. --- Links https://Inogenalliance.com/resources https://Inogenalliance.com/podcast Produced by Madcontent.co.nz

July 14, 202633 min

Building Energy Resilience: Balancing Cost, Sustainability and Security

Episode 5 of Rethinking EHS, Season 3 focuses on energy resilience and the strategies organisations can adopt to navigate growing uncertainty in global energy systems. The episode explores how geopolitical tensions, climate-related disruptions, infrastructure constraints, and rising energy demand are increasing pressure on businesses worldwide. While every country faces unique challenges based on its energy mix, regulatory environment, and available resources, organisations share common concerns around reliability, affordability, and sustainability. Looking ahead, the guests emphasise that energy resilience is no longer separate from sustainability. Ultimately, understanding energy use, leveraging new technologies, and developing locally appropriate solutions will be critical to building a more resilient energy future. --- Guest quotes: David Wyllie: “The cost of renewables is dropping much faster than most people realise, and the cost of battery storage is dropping at a pace that many clients don't realise either.” Sofiane Kessouar: “The biggest challenge is that there is absolutely no one-size-fits-all solution. You are dealing with a fragmented world.” --- Sponsor Copy Rethinking EHS is brought to you by the Inogen Alliance. Inogen Alliance is a global network of 70+ companies providing environment, health, safety, and sustainability services, working together to provide one point of contact to guide multinational organizations to meet their global commitments locally. Visit inogenalliance.com to learn more. Produced by Madcontent.co.nz

June 30, 202615 min

Data Center Safety in a Rapidly Changing World

This bonus episode expands on the themes discussed in Episode 4 by taking a closer look at the practical safety challenges facing data center operators and EHS professionals. The conversation highlights how rapidly changing technologies are reshaping the data center environment. From AI-driven computing infrastructure and evolving cooling requirements to the widespread use of lithium-ion batteries, organisations must continually reassess risks and adapt operational controls. While many hazards are familiar, the scale and speed of technological change require safety professionals to remain agile and closely connected to operational teams. The discussion also highlights the growing use of technology to improve safety outcomes, including battery monitoring systems, video-based ergonomics assessments, and procedural compliance monitoring. A key theme throughout the episode is organisational complexity. Data centers often involve multiple stakeholders, including property owners, tenants, contractors, and end users, creating challenges around accountability, communication, and risk ownership. Success depends on strong collaboration, clear governance structures, and open communication between all parties involved. Looking ahead, the future of data center safety will require continuous learning, close collaboration between safety and environmental professionals, and a proactive approach to understanding emerging technologies. As data centers continue to grow in scale and importance, maintaining safe and resilient operations will become increasingly critical.

June 23, 202638 min

Powering the Future: EHS Challenges in Data Centers

Episode 4 of Rethinking EHS, Season 3 focuses on the fast-growing data center sector and the need to balance speed, innovation, and sustainability. The episode explores how global demand for digital infrastructure is accelerating rapidly, driven by cloud adoption, AI, and increasing digital consumption, while physical constraints such as power, space, and water are shaping where and how data centres are developed. Emerging hubs like Milan are gaining prominence as traditional markets reach capacity, supported by evolving regulatory frameworks that are beginning to recognise data centers as strategic infrastructure. Looking ahead, the industry’s future will depend on improving safety maturity, strengthening collaboration across the supply chain, and ensuring data centers are developed as responsible “neighbours” that minimise environmental impact. Ultimately, global collaboration, combined with local knowledge, will be key to scaling the sector sustainably and building a more resilient digital infrastructure. --- Guest quotes: Julie Kreger-King: “There’s a real tension between the need for speed and the need to put strong systems and processes in place.” Alessandro Intile: “We are not building warehouses or chemical plants—we are exactly in the middle, with risks that must be carefully managed.” --- Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Introduction & data centre growth overview 00:01:10 – What’s driving global demand (cloud, AI, digitalisation) 00:02:31 – Emerging hubs and regulatory developments in Europe 00:04:25 – Regulatory differences between regions 00:05:51 – Why data centres are a critical EHS focus area 00:08:08 – Safety maturity across the sector 00:10:10 – Balancing speed vs systems and processes 00:12:21 – Technology evolution and new risk factors 00:14:03 – Supply chain and quality challenges 00:16:06 – Brownfield development and environmental risks 00:20:13 – Overlooked risks: noise, fuel storage, permitting 00:22:35 – Achieving global consistency vs local requirements 00:28:24 – Advice for EHS professionals entering the sector 00:32:31 – Future ESG priorities and industry maturity 00:36:03 – The role of global collaboration 00:38:01 – Closing reflections --- Sponsor Copy Rethinking EHS is brought to you by the Inogen Alliance. Inogen Alliance is a global network of 70+ companies providing environment, health, safety, and sustainability services, working together to provide one point of contact to guide multinational organizations to meet their global commitments locally. Visit inogenalliance.com to learn more. --- Links https://Inogenalliance.com/resources https://Inogenalliance.com/podcast Julie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-kreger-king/ Charlotte on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-buffoni-a42b9629/ Alessandro on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandro-intile-5730a2124/?skipRedirect=true Produced by https://madcontent.co.nz/