“Shirley Talks To…” is our interview series where Brand Ambassador Shirley Parsons sits down with influential voices in Environment, Health, Safety, Quality and Wellbeing to hear their stories, insights and views on the future of the profession.
In this episode, Shirley speaks with Amanda Owen MBE FRAeS, Health, Safety and Wellbeing Leader, about her journey into HSEQ and the experiences that have shaped her approach to leadership.
Amanda’s career path reflects a familiar theme we see across the profession – not a planned route, but one that developed over time through experience, opportunity and a growing passion for making a difference to people’s working lives.
A central theme of their conversation is the integration of wellbeing, and the need to move beyond treating it as a separate function. Amanda shares how a more joined-up, people-focused approach can drive stronger engagement and more meaningful outcomes across organisations.
She also reflects on the importance of communication, influence and credibility, particularly when working across different teams and leadership levels. Building trust, understanding people and adapting your approach are all essential to creating lasting change.
Highlights from their conversation include:
- Why many careers in HSEQ evolve rather than follow a defined path
- The importance of integrating wellbeing into health and safety strategies
- How to build credibility and trust across different parts of a business
- The role of communication and influence in driving change
- Why understanding people is as important as technical expertise
- The value of continuous learning and adapting throughout your career
“I didn’t set out to work in health and safety, it’s something I grew into overtime, and that’s often where you gain the most valuable experience… It’s about bringing health, safety and wellbeing together in a way that people understand and engage with, otherwise it just becomes another separate initiative.”
We’d like to thank Amanda for sharing her experience and insights. Her reflections highlight the importance of communication, adaptability and a more integrated approach to wellbeing in building safer, healthier and more effective organisations.
Other episodes in the series:
