Safety Walks and Talks - Where leadership meets the field
At Nadara, safety isn’t an aspiration – it’s how we operate. Across six core countries and over 200 sites, our HSQE standards are embedded in every decision, every visit, and every conversation.
The Safety Walks and Talks programme is one of the most visible expressions of that culture: a structured, senior-led commitment to being present where work happens and listening to the people who do it. Launched in 2025, it nurtures a culture where incidents are preventable, good practices are celebrated, and open dialogue drives continuous improvement. Each walk is attended by a member of our Executive team who leads discussions on day-to-day tasks, asking colleagues open-ended questions about what helps them work safely and what could be improved.
Turning insights into actions
Far from inspections, the walks are opportunities to observe, listen, and support, empowering colleagues and strengthening a learning culture. By encouraging transparent two-way dialogue, the program builds trust, enables early identification of risks and turns frontline insights into practical actions. After the visit, all observations and commitments are documented in Nadara’s Safety Leadership Visit form, feedback is shared with the local team, and follow-up actions are tracked with the HSQE department. This reinforces a simple rhythm – listen, learn, and act – that keeps momentum across sites and offices.
Present at the Edinburgh office Walk and Talk, Anna Cameron, Nadara General Counsel, commented:
Leadership involvement is critical. Being present onsite signals that safety is a priority at every level of the organisation, and allows us to listen first‑hand, challenge our own assumptions, and support teams in making improvements. It’s through that direct engagement that we build a stronger,
more accountable safety culture.
A site-specific safety focus
The Safety Walks and Talks take place across three different working environments: operational sites, sites under construction, and offices. On operating sites, conversations typically concentrate on safe operations, preventive maintenance, contractor management, near-miss reporting, and emergency preparedness. On construction sites, the focus is on temporary works, high-risk activities, contractor coordination, PPE use, toolbox talks, and HSQE supervision. In office environments, the dialogue is focused on everyday risks such as working surfaces, ergonomics and workstation set-up, as well as housekeeping and storage, electrical and fire safety, and emergency preparedness, while also addressing wellbeing and work-life balance.
Anna adds:
What stood out to me most was the quality of the conversations on the ground. Hearing directly from colleagues and contractors about what is working well, and where we can do better, brings safety out of theory and into reality. The initiative genuinely shapes how we think about safety at Nadara - creating a shared understanding across teams, connecting office and site perspectives, and turning observations into tangible actions.
2025 overview
In 2025, 18 Safety Walks and Talks were completed in the UK, Portugal, Spain, and Italy, surpassing the target of at least 10. The time together confirmed that our sites are operating at a very strong level of safety performance, reflecting mature practices and a high degree of ownership in day-to-day operations. At the same time, the engagements identified opportunities to further elevate our standards, particularly by enhancing consistency across sites and increasing the frequency of proactive checks.
Safety Walks & Talks bring leadership closer to the realities of project execution. They strengthen collaboration with contractors, surface risks early, and turn safety into a practical, shared responsibility onsite.
The input and suggestions gathered directly from colleagues have been translated into a focused set of actions for the year ahead, demonstrating that even from a strong starting point, continuous improvement remains a clear priority and is already well underway.
Looking ahead
In 2026, Nadara will continue Safety Walks and Talks across all regions, continuing to emphasise supportive conversations and visible leadership commitment. Priorities include broadening participation, strengthening follow-through on actions so that progress is visible, and deepening learning by continuing to recognise good practices and openly share lessons.
The main goal remains the same: turn dialogue into action and make safety an everyday habit.