The biggest challenge e-reps face is working with no plans or strategy. Creating the role and ensuring people are effectively trained is only the start of journey.

Our vision and mission is firmly embedded within the principle of people, planet, profit. While improving performance and reducing impacts on the environment must be at the core of everything we do, senior leaders need to understand the business implications of establishing e-reps within their organisation and how it supports their triple bottom line.

It's only when you see things written down that you can appreciate the journey we have been on since the first BEST course was delivered in 2011.

This was directly in response to industry concerns about the level of environmental awareness and workforce engagement on environmental issues following the Deep Water Horizon disaster in 2010.

We know that when you get these things right, you can see improvements in the safety of your workforce and assets, an enhanced reputation, open doors to new market opportunities, competitive advantages, and ultimately cost savings.

This is exactly what People, Planet, Profit is all about!

Following the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, the oil and gas industry around the world came to the realisation that they were not doing enough to engage the workforce on environmental issues.

Since then, the e-reps role has become firmly established in many industries, with various levels of success. What it always true, is that it sets the scene for more environmental conversations and a heightened level of environmental awareness.

I think we all agree its the RIGHT thing to do, and since we have made provision for safety reps since the introduction of HASAWA 1974, industry is well rehearsed in the use of, and benefit from, workforce representatives

Taking the site workforce in to small groups for open discussion, it was great to see so many lightbulb moments. But, we had to pick through a lot of white noise to get there.....lots of chat and lots of anecdotal examples you would expect when you ask people what they think about work

The world of HSE has drastically changed over the years and I had hoped the policing type approach displayed by 'safety officers' left the building at the same time as the auditors who look over the top of their geggs like their presenting evidence in a Line of Duty interview.

A MS manual or certificate on the wall doesn't make you safer or necessary reduce your impact on the environment, it simply provides a framework to organise these arrangements. These are legal requirements anyway.

Why Bitesize? This is the BEST bit, the course is delivered over four 2 hour modules with additional tasks in between to be completed at the worksite to embed learnings and showcase the practical implementation of the training. Trainees upload their work for assessment and the findings are discussed 1-2-1 with additional coaching and guidance as needed.

What does gamification mean to the oil and gas industry and, specifically, environmental training – my area of focus. Today, this is typically delivered through face-to-face classroom courses and traditional computer-based training packages.

It all begins with an idOrganisations are under increasing pressure to align with globally accepted ESG codes of practice to create ‘green’ businesses, and to operate sustainably. This will prove to be a huge cultural shift for some, and for those who have taken the initial steps on their journey, there is a transitional period from their existing operations to one which has ESG at the core of the business while balancing health, safety, and commercial commitments.ea.

Can E-Reps make demonstrable changes in the way we manage the environment in the oil and gas industry? As Margaret Mead says, 'never doubt a group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has'.