Looking back at the Health & Safety Excellence Awards 2026, Exertis Ireland was recognised with the Safety Culture Transformation Award at the ceremony held on 30th April at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry. The recognition marked a significant milestone in the company's journey to make safety not a process imposed from above, but a value genuinely embraced and acted upon across every level of the organisation. 

At the heart of the Exertis Ireland Safety Culture Transformation is a deceptively straightforward principle: that lasting safety improvement begins when employees feel empowered to speak up, act early, and take ownership. Many organisations treat safety as a compliance function managed by specialists. Exertis Ireland chose a different path, investing in a cultural shift that distributed responsibility for safety across the entire workforce rather than containing it within a dedicated team.

To make that shift real, the company introduced simple, accessible reporting tools that removed the friction often associated with raising concerns. When reporting is complicated or time-consuming, employees default to silence. By making the process straightforward, Exertis Ireland created the conditions in which early intervention became the norm rather than the exception. Strong leadership engagement reinforced this from the top, while visible recognition ensured that employees who acted on safety concerns understood their contribution was seen and valued.

The result was a fundamental change in how safety is experienced day to day. Rather than a system that activates in response to incidents, the Exertis Ireland Safety Culture Transformation produced an organisation where safety awareness is woven into everyday behaviour, across every function and level of the business.

The judging panel's recognition of this transformation reflects how significant a shift in safety culture genuinely is. Changing how people think and behave, not just what systems they follow, is one of the hardest things an organisation can achieve, and Exertis Ireland has demonstrated what it looks like when it is done well.

Stay tuned for the Health & Safety Excellence Awards 2027 cycle, where organisations from across Ireland will once again have the opportunity to showcase their commitment to workplace safety excellence.

View the full winners list and explore this year's award categories at www.hsawards.ie/shortlist and subscribe to the newsletter to stay informed on future award cycles and industry news.