The Evolution of EH&S with John Hillenbrand and Doug Pontsler
As part of our series of articles highlighting our CREST discipline, in this post we’re focusing the “E” which stands for EH&S, one of the more universal and foundational aspects of our integrated talent approach spanning Circularity, Regulatory, EH&S and Stewardship Technologies.
At The Chatham Group, we have a unique perspective on what it takes to achieve success in EH&S. Why? Because we’re fortunate to have people on our team who have had meaningful EH&S leadership experiences during their corporate days, including managing highly hazardous processes that presented significant safety, environmental, and occupational health challenges. This first-hand experience helps us understand our clients’ specific needs in the EH&S arena and connect them with talent who can make an immediate impact in driving sustainable improvements in their EH&S performance.
To start with a bit of context and background, the history of Environmental, Health, and Safety practices in the chemicals industry reflects a continuous evolution driven by technological advances, regulatory milestones, and societal awareness of environmental and health issues. In the early stages of industrialization, particularly during the 19th century, the focus was predominantly on production and profitability, with minimal regard for worker safety or environmental impact. Industrial accidents and occupational illnesses were common, and waste disposal practices were rudimentary, often leading to significant pollution.
The early 20th century marked a turning point with the recognition of occupational hazards in chemical manufacturing. Key events, such as the discovery of occupational diseases linked to toxic substances like benzene and lead, spurred the development of industrial hygiene and workplace safety measures. The establishment of organizations like the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP, 1911) and the enactment of worker compensation laws underscored the growing emphasis on worker protection.
Environmental awareness began to rise in the mid-20th century, particularly after high-profile environmental disasters. The Donora Smog of 1948 and the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring in 1962 highlighted the adverse effects of industrial pollution. These events catalyzed the establishment of regulatory frameworks, such as the Clean Air Act (1963) and Clean Water Act (1972) in the United States. The creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970 was a watershed moment, marking a shift toward systematic environmental governance.
In parallel, safety practices advanced with the development of process safety management (PSM) principles following high-profile catastrophic accidents, such as the 1974 Flixborough explosion in the UK, the 1984 Bhopal disaster in India, and the 1989 Phillips 66 explosion in Texas. These incidents highlighted the need for robust risk management strategies, leading to regulatory measures like OSHA’s Process Safety Management standard (1992) and the European Union’s Seveso Directives (1982-2012).
Building on comprehensive initiatives such as Responsible Care, ISO 14001 for environmental management and OHSAS 18001 for occupational health and safety, recent years have witnessed an intensified emphasis on circular economy principles, green chemistry, and climate change mitigation. Advances in technology, such as digitalization and real-time monitoring, have enhanced EH&S performance, while emerging issues like microplastics and endocrine disruptors continue to shape the industry’s agenda. The integration of sustainability and EH&S practices is now seen not just as a compliance necessity but as a strategic imperative for resilience and long-term growth.
As we at The Chatham Group work with our clients, it’s become clear that the criteria for a typical EHS Manager / Director / Senior Leadership role that we typically recruit now has a much broader scope than just 5 years ago and is continuously expanding in the industries we represent. The requisite skills of the position, particular in manufacturing / technology industries are now much broader than ever, and are more inclusive of the holistic C.R.E.S.T. family of disciplines, as companies recognize and abide by the evolving regulatory / sustainability environment. It is no longer a narrower position of managing compliance and safe operations within a discrete set of manufacturing processes, as these leaders must take into consideration design features, holistic process safety / risk management, ISO leadership, Stewardship and Circularity initiatives, etc., within their business units.
To help us look ahead to the future of EH&S, we sought out the perspective of Doug Pontsler, former VP of EH&S and Operations Sustainability at Owens Corning. Since 2018, Doug has served as Chairman and Managing Director of the Center of Visual Expertise (COVE) at the Toledo (OH) Museum of Art, a unique program that helps its corporate partners improve their safety performance through enhanced visual literacy.
The Chatham Group (TCG): Doug, thanks for sharing your point of view on the evolution of EHS – please share a bit of context from your perspective.
Doug Pontsler (DP): 25 years ago, most of the conversation in the EH&S circles was around compliance, management systems, and the more tactical aspects of keeping people safe – for example, guarding, etc. And there was an overall theme that the worker was the problem. SHE was not viewed as a business enhancer – it was more of an obligation – and certainly not a pathway to operational excellence.
Also, we used to believe that all injuries were “equal” because of how our performance metrics were structured. In many cases we didn’t spend the time on the more serious injuries that they deserved compared to the less serious injuries. We believed that solving the less serious injuries would also eliminate the more serious injuries. We now recognize that serious injuries and fatalities can have different factors involved and a different solution set.
TCG: Doug, in an earlier conversation, you had mentioned seeing evolution in EHS in areas such as 1) Technology driven, 2) Socially driven, and 3) COVID driven. Could you elaborate?
DP: The more mature companies are more focused on things like Technology – how can it help us learn better, replace high-risk work, take advantage of tools like AI, etc.? Scaling technology is a long curve – while that is evolving, we can’t forget about our people. Investing in training our people helps them to more effectively apply technology. This is a both/and conversation – companies who choose to overinvest in technology and underinvest in people are typically disappointed with the outcome.
From a social perspective, there are new conversations about DEI and neurodiversity. If we don’t have the best minds at the table, we won’t have the best solutions. Mature companies are looking at the demographics of their organizations and are being more inclusive and intentional about respecting differences. The neurodiversity of how people see and perceive hazards is getting more attention – there is growing recognition that the old “one-size-fits-all” approach to safety training and communications simply doesn’t work. At COVE, we combine all methods of learning – workshops, gallery time, working in teams, and experiential learning.
Finally, from a pre- and post-COVID perspective, when EH&S leadership was initially being conducted virtually, there was a belief that some of the COVID precautions would help to reinforce EH&S performance. But as we came out of COVID, there are plenty of examples where processes and procedures deteriorated because there was a decline in oversight and engagement. Companies found themselves having to reinforce key practices and – in some cases – rebuilding some of our disciplines that were lost during the COVID pandemic.
TCP: Doug, any closing thoughts you’d like to share?
DP: Even in a technology-dominated environment, our people are an essential element and contributor to success. Unfortunately, we don’t always act that way. If you really peel back the onion, if you strive to be successful, it’s important to be intentional regarding to what degree we’re being proactive and to what degree we’re being reactive. Enhancing visual literacy skills help us be proactive in identifying hazards BEFORE they occur.
Above all, it’s essential to recognize that Safety IS a value-add – it DOES contribute to the culture and performance of a company. If an organization doesn’t realize the value that EH&S processes, practices, and performance contribute to an organization, they should really rethink how it fits into their overall model of excellence.
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If you’d like to learn more about COVE and how it might benefit your organization, we encourage you to read the post below: