“Shirley Talks With…” 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 conversation, Shirley is joined by Martin Bardle, Senior Vice President HSQE at RES, to discuss his career journey from the military into health and safety, the choices that have shaped his progression, and his perspective on what HSEQ professionals need to succeed in a changing profession.
Having started work at 16 as an Army apprentice, Martin spent 15 years in the military before moving into health and safety consultancy and training. What followed was a career across senior HSEQ roles in global organisations and high-risk industries, underpinned by a clear focus on professional development, leadership and learning from others.
Determination and Taking Ownership of Your Career.
One of the strongest themes from Martin’s conversation is determination.
Reflecting on his own career, Martin discusses the pivotal decisions that shaped his progression, from leaving the military and beginning a second career to completing a Master’s degree and, later, an MBA. He also highlights the role mentors, family and trusted professional relationships have played in helping him navigate important career decisions.
For Martin, career progression requires more than ambition. It means understanding where you want to go, planning and taking responsibility for the development needed to get there.
“Determination is a singular factor that we have some control over… If you're really determined, you set out the plan and then you work to the plan.”
Highlights from their conversation include:
- Pivotal decisions that shaped Martin’s transition from the military into HSEQ
- Why determination is essential for career growth and development
- The importance of mentors, coaching and trusted professional relationships
- Why technical qualifications should be matched by leadership and management development
- How expectations of employers and candidates have changed over the past 20 years
- The growing role of AI in HSEQ and why human intelligence remains essential
Human Intelligence Behind AI.
The conversation also turns to AI and its growing role in HSEQ and recruitment.
Martin believes HSEQ professionals need to understand how to utilise and maximise AI in their day-to-day roles, but is clear that technology cannot replace professional competence, experience and judgement.
“You still need HI behind the AI, which is human intelligence behind the AI.”
AI can produce information that looks polished and convincing, but Martin highlights the importance of having the knowledge and capability to determine whether that information is accurate and appropriate.
As he puts it, AI can sometimes make “incompetence look competent” – reinforcing why professional expertise and human judgement remain so important.
20 Years of Partnership.
Shirley and Martin also reflect on a professional relationship spanning around 20 years, first connecting when Shirley supported Martin with a move to Mace in the early 2000s.
Now a senior global HSQE leader and hiring manager, Martin discusses what he values in a recruitment and consultancy partner: market knowledge, honest challenge and relationships built over time.
For Martin, the value of a specialist recruitment partner goes beyond advertising a role or presenting CVs. It is about understanding the market, challenging expectations and connecting organisations with professionals who may not be actively looking for their next opportunity.
We’d like to thank Martin for sharing his experience and insights. His reflections highlight the importance of determination, continuous development and human judgement in building a successful HSEQ career, alongside the value of professional relationships that continue to evolve over time.
Other episodes in the series:
