Raising the Bar: Women Shaping the Future of Health and Safety
International Women’s Day (8th March), is about celebrating progress while being honest about how far we still have to go. For health and safety, that means recognising the women who are already leading culture change, challenging stereotypes and bringing a more human, collaborative approach into what has traditionally been seen as a compliance‑driven profession.
When organisations put women at the heart of their HSE strategies, they benefit from broader perspectives on risk, stronger engagement with the workforce and a culture that is more aligned with wellbeing, psychological safety and inclusion.
What our 2026 Remuneration Report tells us about women in HSE
Our 2026 HSE Remuneration Report paints a mixed picture for women working in health and safety.
- At HSE Advisor level, women make up 41% of respondents, showing that gender balance is slowly improving at entry and early‑career stages.
- Representation drops as responsibility increases: only 26% of HSE Managers are women and just 14% of Heads of HSE identify as female.
- At Director level, women account for 24% of HSE leaders – an improvement on historic norms, but still far from parity given the volume of female talent entering the profession.
The pay story is equally revealing. At Head of HSE, there is still an approximate 6% gender pay gap, despite women doing roles with comparable scope and accountability. At Director level the pay gap narrows to around 3%, suggesting that when women do reach the very top, employers are starting to get closer to salary parity – but the challenge is getting more women into those roles in the first place.
Diversity beyond gender
Gender is only part of the picture. Across senior roles, the population is still predominantly White British, with ethnic diversity diminishing the higher up the hierarchy you look. Disability and LGBTQIA representation also remain low in our dataset, despite visible role models at the very top of the profession.
For women who sit at the intersection of gender, race, disability or sexuality, this can mean navigating multiple barriers at once – from lack of sponsorship to feeling like “the only one” in the room.
You can download our remuneration report here.
How partnerships are helping to shift the dial
Tackling these gaps needs sustained, joined‑up action – which is why partnerships matter.
Through our collaboration with Women in Safety, we support a network that exists specifically to help women in safety roles share experiences, discuss barriers and champion each other’s growth. The group is designed to give women safe spaces to ask questions, find mentors and build confidence, while also welcoming male allies who want to be part of the solution.
Alongside Women in Safety, we work closely with organisations such as RoSPA, IOSH and EHS Congress, using our position in the recruitment market to amplify women’s voices on conference stages, at branch meetings and across online events. These partnerships are about more than branding; they are about making sure women are seen, heard and influential in the conversations that shape our profession’s future.
Spotlight: our Women in Safety & Sustainability event in Rotterdam
This month, we are proud to bring that commitment to life in the Netherlands with our next Women in Safety & Sustainability event, taking place on 19 March 2026 at the AIR offices in Rotterdam, 15:00–18:00.
We will be joined by two exceptional speakers: Marieke Bleyenbergh, former VP at Shell and Akzo Nobel, who will share her perspective on why “never stop learning because life never stops teaching”, and Lauriane Avril, former Head of Sustainability at Renewi, who will explore “finding your voice and seeking allies”.
Events like this do two important things. First, they showcase female leaders who have navigated complex, global environments in safety and sustainability, giving practical insight to those coming up behind them. Second, they create a cross‑border community where women can connect with peers, role models and potential mentors – something our remuneration data suggests is crucial at the transition points between manager, head of function and director.
To confirm a place at the Rotterdam event, readers are invited to contact Siobhan Oerlemans, our Lead Principal for Europe.
What employers can do next for women in safety
Our data shows that health and safety is a profession full of opportunity, but also one where structural barriers still hold women back – particularly at senior levels. International Women’s Day is the perfect moment for organisations to pause and ask whether their people strategies match their values.
Practical steps include:
- Reviewing pay and promotion pathways at each level – from Advisor through to Director – to identify where the gender balance changes and why.
- Investing in mentoring, sponsorship and leadership development specifically targeted at women in HSE, particularly at Manager and Head of HSE level where representation drops most sharply.
- Broadening succession plans so that future Heads of HSE and Directors reflect the diversity of the wider workforce, not just those who “look like” the leaders who came before.
- Strengthening the overall Employee Value Proposition – from flexible and hybrid working through to private medical cover, mental health support and menopause‑friendly policies – benefits that our survey respondents consistently rate as priorities.
At HSE Recruitment Network, we see every day how transformative it is when women are given the platform, resources, and sponsorship they deserve. This International Women’s Day, our message is simple: the talent is already in the profession; our job as a community is to make sure it can thrive, lead and shape the next generation of safer, more sustainable workplaces.
