Know your audience and know how, and when, to pitch your ideas.

At the OHS Leaders Summit in New Zealand, safety professionals and experts gathered to explore a crucial question: How can we get executive buy-in for health and safety initiatives? 

The panel—featuring Robert Keenan (Safety Design & Critical Risk Lead, NZ Post), Susan Lowe (Chief People and Safety Officer, Alpine Energy), and Terry Johnson (Head of Health and Safety, Summerset Group), moderated by HSI Donesafe’s Ben Evans—delivered powerful insights on how to present safety initiatives in ways that resonate with leadership and lead to real change. 

Their advice was clear: It’s about showing how safety drives business success. By speaking the language of executives, understanding their priorities, and making your case with conviction, you can turn ideas into action. Here’s how you can make that happen:

Know your audience and speak their language  

Executives care deeply about outcomes—but those outcomes need to align with their goals. If you want buy-in, you must tailor your pitch to focus on the business case, not just the safety outcomes. 

Robert Keenan shared an eye-opening strategy: 

“Try not to talk about health and safety. Understand their measurable. What is the exec looking for? I don’t say I’m making this operation safer. I say, ‘I’m making it more efficient, so it’s more profitable and quicker.’ The byproduct is it will also be safer.” 

This shift in framing makes safety initiatives relevant to the organization’s broader objectives. For example: 

• Instead of emphasizing reduced incident rates, highlight cost savings from fewer disruptions.
• Rather than focusing on compliance, showcase how safety improves operational efficiency.
• Connect safety to reputation management, talent retention, or customer trust—whatever matters most to the people in the room.

The key is to speak their language and show how your initiative solves a problem they care about. 

Timing is everything 

Even the best idea can fail if pitched at the wrong moment. The panelists stressed the importance of understanding your organization’s rhythms—from budget cycles to leadership priorities. Terry Johnson underscored the importance of starting conversations early:

“Even if you’re pitching too soon, you’re starting the conversation. It’s about planting the seed for future success.” 

Research when your organization plans its budgets and strategy reviews. Present your idea when leaders are planning for the future—not when decisions have already been made. Robert added that getting knocked back isn’t a final decision,  

“A no isn’t a no. It’s a not yet. When you have a no think about why it’s a no and what you can do to make that a yes.” 

As a final point, Susan said “Be curious. Ask why it’s a no. We can often assume it’s just because of budget, but there may be other factors at play. When you know why it’s a no, you can change your approach and pitch again”. 

By understanding the real reason behind the hesitation, you can refine your proposal, address concerns, and come back stronger. Sometimes, the issue isn’t your idea—it’s the timing, the budget, or the current priorities. Adapt and keep the conversation going. 

Build advocates before you pitch

Even the best safety programs need the right timing and internal advocacy to succeed. One of the most powerful strategies for securing buy-in is building a coalition of advocates before you make your formal pitch. Terry explained,  

“Advocating within your own function ensures your initiative makes it into the top three priorities—essential to get buy-in.” 

Work behind the scenes to build support among colleagues, managers, and department heads who will benefit from your proposal. These internal allies can help refine your pitch by identifying potential objections, back your proposal during discussions, and demonstrate to executives that your idea has broad support across the organization. 

Stories sell — use them

Numbers and data are important, but they don’t always win hearts. Stories do. Executives need to see the human impact of your initiative, not just the financial or operational benefits in their many dashboards. 

Ben Evans shared a compelling example of this from the field: 

“I showed a case study… with a customer… He was quite emotional when he realized this was the first time he saw the program really working. Hearing workers say, in their own words, ‘This is how and why I’m doing something,’ became the moment where we realized it was working.” 

Stories make safety tangible. They show how initiatives change lives and improve the workplace in ways that numbers can’t fully capture. Use case studies, testimonials, or real-life examples to paint a vivid picture of the impact your proposal can have. 

Connecting risk assessment to executive goals 

Risk assessments are more than just compliance tools—they’re strategic business assets. As Terry Johnson highlighted, they can serve as powerful business cases by demonstrating how safety measures reduce disruptions and drive operational efficiency. To gain executive buy-in, frame your safety initiatives through this lens: how they mitigate risks, improve efficiency, and align with broader organizational goals. 

Dream Big (but start small)

Big ideas often need small beginnings. If you’re struggling to get buy-in for a large initiative, consider starting with a smaller pilot program. Prove its success on a smaller scale and use those results to build momentum for larger investments. 

Pilot programs offer two key advantages: 

• They reduce risk for decision-makers. Executives are more likely to approve a smaller commitment that can be scaled up later. 
• They create early wins. These successes can demonstrate the value of your idea and pave the way for broader adoption.

Create a culture that makes safety everyone’s priority 

When you build a safety culture that genuinely values every individual and transforms safety from a checklist into a lived, everyday experience, it becomes a powerful driver of engagement and trust. 

At its core, the ultimate goal of any health and safety initiative is to create a culture where safety isn’t just a compliance issue—it’s a shared value. 

Susan Lowe summed it up perfectly: 

“Behind numbers is people… It’s about their experience, being themselves, and unafraid to speak up. That’s how we keep workplaces safe.” 

When employees feel safe and valued, they perform better. When executives see how safety enhances business outcomes, they’re more likely to invest in it. The best safety initiatives don’t just protect people—they empower them. 

As Terry pointed out, leaders must always be listening—both to their people and the data. “Once you get those proof points, those lightbulb moments, that’s when you can start to truly see success in your program.” Those moments—when employees feel truly engaged, when leaders see tangible results, and when safety becomes an integral part of the company’s culture. 

Turn your ideas into action

Securing buy-in for health and safety initiatives isn’t easy, but with the right approach, it’s possible to turn good ideas into real change. By speaking the language of business, understanding your audience, and connecting safety to the bigger picture, you can drive initiatives that not only improve safety but also deliver measurable value to your organization. 

Are you ready to refine your pitch and take your safety initiatives to the next level? Let’s start the conversation. 

———————————————————————————————————————————————————–

If you’re ready to take your safety culture to the next level and truly see the impact it can have, why not start the conversation? Get in touch with us to explore how HSI Donesafe can help you build a safer, healthier, and more resilient environment for your team. 

Whether it’s refining your approach or exploring how the right tools can make all the difference, we’re here to help you every step of the way. Let’s make safety more than a box to tick.