Safety & Leadership Development

Building the
Capability to
Lead Safety

Two targeted development experiences designed for Downer leaders and safety practitioners — grounded in your operating context, built around real decisions, and focused on what it actually takes to improve safety outcomes.

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Executive Safety Leadership 8–10 participants · 1.5–2 days
Safety Practitioner Development Up to 20 participants · 2 days / modular
Executive Program

Executive Safety
Leadership Experience

A 1.5–2 day facilitated experience for senior leaders and executives. Strengthens capability to lead safety through better decision-making, systems thinking, and strategic influence in complex environments.

Program Details
AudienceSenior leaders and executives
Group Size8–10 participants
Format1.5–2 day facilitated experience
DeliveryFacilitated · optional actor scenarios
Phase
Focus
What We Will Do
Opening
Grounding in Reality
Grounding in reality
We will challenge assumptions using Downer-specific data and a short "Do you know your business?" activity to create engagement and a shared starting point.
Part 1: The Future
Expanding Thinking
Expanding thinking
We will immerse participants in four positive future environments (risk forecasting, innovation, engagement, technology/efficiency). Leaders will interact with short simulations and scenarios, then choose a future and explore how leadership decisions shape it.
Part 1: The Future
Leadership Positioning
Leadership positioning
Participants will work in groups to define what their future looks like, how safety is created within it, and what trade-offs and decisions are required to move toward it.
Part 1: The Future
Safety Evolution & Profile
Safety evolution & profile
We will use a structured case-based activity to explore safety initiatives over time, generating a personalised "safety style" profile and highlighting blind spots.
Part 2: The Now
Current Challenges
Applying to current challenges
We will rotate participants through four immersive leadership scenarios: executive accountability, psychosocial risk, persistent operational risks, and low-frequency/high-consequence events.
Part 2: The Now
Systems Thinking in Action
Systems thinking in action
Participants will explore challenges using systems maps and facilitated decision-making, focusing on how outcomes are shaped rather than controlled.
Close
Integration & Action
Integration & action
We will consolidate insights across future and current lenses, identifying how leaders will shift their approach to safety moving forward.
Key Outcomes
Stronger leadership confidence and clearer understanding of accountability
Improved systems thinking across complex environments
A more balanced, future-ready approach to safety
Clearer understanding of how leadership decisions shape outcomes
Practitioner Program

Safety Practitioner
Development Experience

A 2-day experience or modular delivery for safety practitioners of mixed experience levels. Builds practical capability in safety leadership, risk management, and systems thinking — from foundational to advanced.

Program Details
AudienceSafety practitioners, mixed experience
Group SizeUp to 20 participants
Format2-day experience or modular delivery
DeliveryIncl. actor-supported role plays
Phase
Focus
What We Will Do
Opening
Grounding in Context
Grounding in context
We will introduce Downer-specific insights and a short interactive challenge to test understanding of current risks and create engagement.
Part 1: The Future
Experiencing Future Practice
Experiencing future practice
We will run a "day in the life" simulation where participants use simple digital tools to guide a future worker/team through a shift, making decisions about risk, communication, and priorities.
Part 1: The Future
Expanding Toolkit
Expanding toolkit
Participants will explore different models of safety (technology, human-centred, rules, continuous improvement) through the Safety Evolution activity, generating a personalised safety profile.
Part 1: The Future
Reflection on Practice
Reflection on practice
We will connect these insights back to participants' current roles, identifying where their approach is strong and where it may be limited.
Part 2: The Now
Practising Real Scenarios
Practising real scenarios
Participants will rotate through applied scenarios including contractor risk, fatigue/psychosocial pressures, critical risks, and influencing operational decisions.
Part 2: The Now
Skill Development
Skill development
We will use actor-supported role plays, group problem solving, and systems mapping to practise influencing, diagnosing problems, and designing better interventions.
Part 2: The Now
Mixed-Level Engagement
Mixed-level engagement
Activities will be designed so foundational participants build core skills, while advanced practitioners are stretched to think more strategically.
Close
Application & Next Steps
Application & next steps
Participants will identify how they will apply their learning in their roles and where they will continue to build capability.
Key Outcomes
Stronger practical capability in safety leadership and risk management
Improved influencing skills across operational contexts
Deeper systems thinking and problem diagnosis
A broader, more flexible approach to managing risk
Experience Methods
How Learning Happens

Simulations

Digital and narrative simulations replicating real operating conditions and decisions

Narrative Scenarios

Rich, case-based stories grounded in familiar operational contexts

Systems Mapping

Visual tools to understand how decisions and conditions interact

Safety Profiles

Personalised profiles surfacing each participant's safety style and blind spots

Case Comparisons

Side-by-side analysis of how different safety approaches play out over time

Actor-Supported Role Plays

Professional actors bring realism to leadership conversations

Group Problem Solving

Collaborative challenges mirroring the messy reality of safety leadership

Facilitated Discussions

Expert-led conversations drawing on the lived experience in the room

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Ready to Build This
Capability?

Both programs are designed for delivery within Downer's operating environment. Reach out to discuss tailoring, scheduling, or a combined approach that addresses both executive and practitioner levels.

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