The impact of the Covid-19 crisis on safety management strategies
The FonCSI has set up a working group to carry out an in-depth ‘Flash’ analysis of the topic. The aim is to provide an overview of international trends and expert opinions that are emerging in at-risk industrial sectors. The group will propose ways forward to respond to both current and future unprecedented safety challenges.
Context and scope
A joint collaboration with the ICSI
In the short term, the Covid-19 crisis has disrupted certain safety practices. Teamwork has been particularly badly affected. Companies have had to adapt, and an Icsi working group is looking into what has been done, and what we can learn from it. In addition, the Icsi is launching a campaign to raise awareness of the work the Institute is doing on the theme: > Risk management and Covid-19.
The FonCSI perspective: what does the future hold?
But this work could pale into insignificance compared to the more profound medium- and long-term developments resulting from changes that the industry has been forced to make due to the crisis. The economic crisis will, inevitably, lead to trade-offs involving globalization, capitalization, business fragility, and investment priorities.
It is difficult to say whether developments that were anticipated before the crisis – such as rapid deindustrialization in Western countries, the globalization of capital searching for double-digit profits, and the functioning of internal and external competitive networks – will accelerate. Or will the crisis make us rethink our priorities, and focus more on ecological, sustainable, and local solutions.
In the midst of the crisis, safety seems to have remained sacrosanct in almost all aspects of the debate related to these changes.
However, the scale of changes in any of these directions could have more impact than we think on future safety methods: greater resilience, new certification requirements, a reduced role for government? It could increase the power of companies to manage their specific context, enhance understanding between managers and the people they manage – or, the very opposite. Not to mention reducing the cost of safety, which could become an obsession in the aftermath of the crisis.
The approach
Launch
Launched in June 2020, the study will run for one year (ending in June 2021).
How it works
Five members of the FonCSI: | Four permanent experts: |
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Method
An analysis of the literature, and input from national and international experts: the European Commission, the Davos Economic Forum, Medef, European and international scientific experts, captains of industry, academic specialists, etc.
Invited experts
|  Christian de Boissieu French economist 15 September 2020 |
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|  André-Claude Lacoste Former ASN President 28 July 2020 |
Contact & coordination
Eric Marsden
Email: eric.marsden@foncsi.org
Tribunes
> What does the Covid-19 crisis
teach us about resilience?
Symposium REA, NDM, Foncsi, Icsi
 | The FonCSI and the ICSI have joined forces with two international think tanks, the Resilience Engineering Association (REA) and the Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM) network, which are working on the resilience of organizations, the role of intuition and their implementation to prepare for safety in the future. |
Several initiatives will be proposed in the coming months: webinars with international experts, the ‘Emerging Talent’ program.
And a symposium, from June 21 to 24, 2021,
on-site at Toulouse (France)
and remotely
Visit our website to find out more about this joint initiative and the symposium!
> www.foncsi.org/en/symposium-REA-NDM-Foncsi
Contact & coordination point for the FonCSI and the ICSI
Jean Pariès
Email : jean.paries@foncsi.icsi-eu.org