Social Impact Projects

Addressing UK skills shortages by training veterans into qualified occupational health and safety professionals

The UK is currently experiencing a shortage of qualified OHS professionals. This problem is expected to get worse over the next five years as a large proportion of professionals are nearing retirement, and too few trainees are entering the market. As a training provider, British Safety Council is uniquely positioned to help fill this gap. 

From Safety to Service is a new initiative that we launched in 2026 in partnership with NEBOSH. We are offering Service leavers and veterans who are already, or about to be made, unemployed the opportunity to train for a NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety. This is a widely recognised UK qualification for managers, supervisors, and safety professionals, focusing on risk management and safety culture. Training will be delivered by our high-quality trainers and will include wider career and pastoral support. NEBOSH is funding the candidates’ examinations fees.

The initiative has three primary objectives. First, it seeks to utilise the highly transferable skills developed through military service (risk awareness, hazard identification, and mitigation) to help meet critical workforce needs within the OHS sector. Second, it aims to attract individuals from more diverse age groups and backgrounds to the profession, addressing challenges associated with an ageing, homogenous workforce. Third, it provides veterans and service leavers with a clear and sustainable pathway into civilian employment, supporting long-term career development and successful transition.

Helping SMEs build healthier, more resilient workplaces through structured assessment and tailored support.

 Supporting the wellbeing of workers should be a priority for every organisation. Unfortunately, many micro and small businesses lack the resources, expertise and funding required to implement effective workplace wellbeing strategies. Given that micro and small businesses accounted for 47% of total UK employment at the start of 2025 (DBT, 2026), strengthening their capacity is critical for improving workplace wellbeing at scale.

Our Workplace Wellbeing programme is designed specifically to provide a clear, practical and evidence-based approach to improving employee wellbeing. Organisations are guided through structured self-assessments that identify key health, safety and wellbeing needs within their workforce and generates tailored, actionable recommendations. Through accessible video guidance and online resources, organisations are empowered to use these insights and recommendations to develop a focused wellbeing plan and strategy. Alongside this, we provide light-touch expert support. We assist organisations to interpret their assessment data, engage their employees, refine their wellbeing approaches, and embed wellbeing into everyday organisational practice through regular check-ins and ongoing advice.

This programme leads to improved employee wellbeing, reduced workplace risk, and more resilient, productive organisations.

Generating evidence that improves practice, strengthens workplace standards and informs policy.

 As work evolves, so do occupational risks, making continuous research and evidence-building essential. Robust evidence helps identify emerging risks, assess the effectiveness of interventions, understand patterns of behaviour, causes of behaviour change and competency needs.

Thorough research and evidence should underpin all decisions across policy, regulation, and practice. British Safety Council is uniquely positioned to undertake this work, with in-house expertise, strong partnerships across corporate and public sectors, and the networks required to effectively disseminate findings and support evidence-based advocacy.

Our research findings are made publicly available to maximise impact, supporting the wider Occupational Health and Safety community and related sectors to improve standards, inform practice, and drive positive change.

Sharing practical insight, guidance and analysis to support safer, healthier working environments.

 Through our free-to-access Health and Safety Uncut podcast, Pulse newsletter and British Safety Council blogs, we share evidence-based knowledge, specialist guidance and expert insight. We also publish a monthly magazine for our members, which is subsequently shared with all our contacts, with key articles published on our website and shared on social media. Alongside this, we send monthly best practice guides and posters out to our members. These resources help organisations stay informed about emerging risks, best practice, changing legislation and effective interventions.

Collectively, these resources improve awareness, strengthen organisational practice, and support better health, safety and wellbeing outcomes across diverse working environments.

Raising awareness of workplace risks through targeted education and practical guidance.

 We regularly run campaigns to raise awareness of specific health, safety and wellbeing hazards, while providing practical guidance on risk identification, assessment, legislation, intervention and best practises. We deliver these through various channels and in partnership with other organisations to ensure greatest reach and impact.

British Safety Council is uniquely positioned to deliver this work as our technical expertise, training capability, and strong cross-sector networks enable us to translate knowledge into accessible learning and reach organisations and individuals at scale.

Using evidence to influence policy and improve workplace health, safety and wellbeing standards.

At British Safety Council, we advocate for change by establishing policy positions on key issues related to health, safety, and wellbeing in the workplace and advocating for them with policymakers and industry. We use these positions to inform consultations, share insights, and influence policy discussions, working to ensure that the needs of workers are prioritised in shaping workplace standards and practices. We do this in the media, and directly through newsletters and other engagement.

Through our manifestos and positioning statements, we provide a platform for change by outlining our stance on important issues within the workplace health, safety and wellbeing landscape. We use our advocacy to call on employers, policymakers, and other stakeholders to adopt improved standards and best practices. Our public affairs work makes clear our position on crucial matters, such as mental health support, workplace safety, environmental sustainability and employee wellbeing.