The world of an EHS Manager today is nothing short of daunting. "Even if you're a specialist, that's not going to cut it, you have to be a jack of all trades.'' This was the sobering reality painted by Marieke Groenhof during our most recent Quality Talks episode. With over 25 years of experience in high-risk industries, Marieke joined AlisQI's co-founder and CPO Gerben de Haan to unpack what it truly means to manage EHS in today's complex manufacturing world.
What followed was a compelling, practical conversation about the escalating pressures faced by EHS professionals and the very real, tangible ways to overcome them.
This article summarizes the webinar's key topics. To view the session in full and access all the practical tips, sign up here.
The day-to-day challenges of a multidisciplinary role
The role of an EHS manager goes beyond mastering safety procedures; it includes environmental legislation, quality compliance, risk assessments, machine safety, and even people management. In many organizations, particularly across Europe, ESH responsibilities are bundled with QA, leaving professionals juggling an enormous workload with limited resources.
On top of that, Marieke explained, "The older workforce is retiring, and younger generations aren't interested in five-shift operations. Workload is rising, yet fewer people are doing the work-and many of them are temps, which adds its own layer of risk and disengagement."
This rising complexity underscores the need for smarter systems. "If you don't record it, you can't prove it. And if you can't prove it, that's a no-go in audits or legal situations," she said. But traditional tools, like spreadsheets and paper forms, simply don't scale with today's needs. Yet the value of technology goes far beyond automating paperwork or ticking compliance boxes. It plays a critical role in shaping how people think and act on the shop floor.
Technology: enabler of culture, not just compliance
Gerben continued highlighting that the real power of digital tools lies in their ability to influence culture - helping organizations embed safety and quality into their everyday mindset. "To build a safety-first culture, people need awareness, involvement, and ownership," he said. Understanding their role, how their actions have an impact not only on themselves and their team but on the entire organization is an essential step.
He described how simple tools like dashboards and observation tracking can reinforce a shared commitment to safety. With the help of technology, organizations can foster a Culture of Quality and hit the productivity targets that they set to achieve.
Asked to share examples of how technology helped her navigate and overcome challenges, Marieke talked about the advantages of an embedded operation and connecting risk registries to real time events. Listen to the full webinar recording and understand her explanation and examples.
Translating ESH into bottom line statements
Despite carrying immense accountability, many ESH managers don't have a seat at the leadership table. They often need to make their voices heard by Plant Managers.
Marieke offered some clear advice on what works best in this situation: "Prepare like you're making a risk assessment-spell out the issues, the cost, the time, measures that need to be taken and the consequences of not acting. Keep it short. Speak their language."
Gerben echoed this, urging ESH teams to frame incidents in business terms. He also mentioned the importance of not getting overwhelmed. "Start with one process. Log observations. Create a pilot risk registry. Show the value-and use that momentum to scale."
Marieke added, "Fix the low-hanging fruit. People will notice. Your Plant Manager will notice. That's how you build support."
What's next for EHS
Thinking of the future, Marieke offered her recommendations. She reminded ESH professionals of their deeper mission: "You are the guardian of the people who work there. Your job is to make sure they go home safe. Don't lose that. Never."
Whether you're a veteran ESH manager or just starting out in the field, this episode offered a blueprint for progress: share responsibility, use systems that work for you, speak the language of leadership, and most of all-keep showing up for your people.
Want more real-world insights on embedding safety and quality into your operations?
Watch the full episode of Quality Talks #9 now available on demand.
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