ESG Personality of the Month: Fran Nores

In this interview series, we celebrate ESG achievements from across the GFG family. This time, we caught up with Fran Nores, our Global Head of Safety at GFG.

Hi Fran, what inspired you to get involved in Safety?

Fran: Honestly, it came a bit by chance. My background is in chemistry and I started out my career as an Industrial Hygienist in an aluminium smelter. Soon after, I combined this with the role of a safety advisor, and I have to admit… I loved it from the start. So much so that 20 years on, I continue to work in the same field.

We know that Health & Safety is especially important for us with our industrial workplaces. What are some of the ways our safety professionals help us?

Fran: Over the last 24 months, our team have focused on the design and roll-out of technical standards to improve the effectiveness of the controls against our critical safety risks. For this, the experience and commitment of our safety professionals have been essential as we’ve worked to identify, adopt and adapt industry best practices and safety solutions across all businesses. Another key aspect of our ongoing efforts over the last 24 months has been dedicated to developing a culture of trust where everybody looks after each other, with the tools and confidence to intervene and report all near misses, at-risk behaviours and unsafe conditions.

I came into Safety a bit by chance…but I loved it from the start. So much so that 20 years on, I continue to work in the same field.

Fran Nores

World Mental Health Day is 10^th October. What are some of the ways our people can help keep mentally healthy?

Fran: The 10th of October is an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health issues and to talk about what more needs to be done to help each other. Here are some of the many avenues we have at GFG for people to seek help.

• I Am Here; trusted internal tribe members and ambassadors volunteering to support those who ask for help; because it’s ok not to be ok
• Mental Health First Aiders; colleagues trained in the mental health first aid program, guiding those in crisis to access the resources they need
• Employee Assistance Provider; free professional counselling services for employees and their families on a range of services

I’d like to ask everyone to continue to look out for their teammates. If you have a feeling that someone you know or care about just doesn’t quite seem themselves, act on it.

If you have a feeling that someone you know or care about just doesn’t quite seem themselves, act on it.

Fran Nores

What do you find most interesting about your role and its unique challenges?

Fran: Over the last two decades, I’ve been fortunate to work across almost 20 countries around the world and to live in three different continents. For a safety professional, this is an incredible opportunity and at the same time a huge challenge as it has forced me to understand the different cultures and to adapt the safety programs and initiatives to the different levels of maturity.

The beauty of working in safety is that you work and interact with people across all levels of the organization. I love spending time visiting the shopfloor and meeting with our people. I find it so rewarding talking to people, understanding their roles and the complexities they face, and at the same time, seeing the outcomes of our efforts on site. It also allows me to reflect on what our businesses need; sometimes this means adjusting the course of our program, and that’s ok – safety is a continuous journey.

What’s next for Be GFG Safe?

Fran: Over the next 24 months, we will continue to embed our Safety Connect program. The program is underpinned by the importance of creating a workplace culture where everyone is looking after each other and we all feel empowered and comfortable intervening if we encounter at-risk behaviours or error-likely situations.

Also, we will continue to improve our knowledge and the effectiveness of our controls against critical safety risks by having four bimonthly safety focus topics over the next 12 months. Indeed, in September and October, we are focusing on Lockout, Tagout and Verification (LOTOV). Also, in October and November, we are running a Global Health Challenge across all businesses to promote healthy lifestyles. And of course, everybody is welcome to participate!

Thanks Fran!

Visit our Global Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub for how to keep mentally fit and healthy.

If you’re interested in the support options Fran mentions, speak with your local HR representative who can help you find out more.

You can find more GFG Health & Safety resources here.

To meet the other ESG superstars we’ve spoken to in this interview series, read more here.