When major projects grow rapidly, the relationship between a client and its delivery partners can strongly influence how risks are discussed and managed. National Grid’s Strategic Infrastructure business has made that relationship central to its Safe & Well approach.

Created in 2023 to deliver major electricity transmission upgrades, Strategic Infrastructure grew from around 200 people to more than 2,000 by 2026, excluding delivery partners. Its submission to The SHE Show Inspiring Change Awards 2026 describes how Safe & Well is helping the organisation establish shared expectations during that expansion.

The approach builds on National Grid’s existing Safety Principles and incorporates Human and Organisational Performance and psychological safety. It asks teams to understand how the working environment, systems and organisational decisions shape what people do. Recognising that mistakes can happen, the aim is to build arrangements that remain protective when work does not go exactly as planned.

This changes the questions leaders ask. An investigation focused only on an individual’s action can miss difficulties with the task or conditions surrounding it. Safe & Well encourages curiosity about how work is actually carried out, what makes it difficult and where stronger safeguards or better planning could help.

Psychological safety includes both speaking and listening. A new apprentice may find it difficult to challenge a manager, while a senior leader may find critical feedback uncomfortable. The framework seeks to give both a common language, with attention to how leaders respond when concerns or unwelcome information are raised.

Rather than introducing separate messages for every function, Strategic Infrastructure connected Safe & Well to company values and worked with other disciplines to align language. The approach spans safety, health, wellbeing, environment and sustainability, with the intention that it becomes part of everyday decisions and conversations.

Interactive awareness workshops provide a practical introduction. Examples are designed to be accessible across roles, and participant feedback is gathered before each workshop ends so the delivery can be refined. Facilitator guides and workbooks support consistency as more people become involved.

In its first year, the business reports more than 500 workshop attendees from its own workforce and supply chain. Workshop evaluation recorded a 50% improvement in understanding of the principles, a 38% improvement in confidence using them and a 93.8% recommendation rating. These are learning and feedback measures, rather than evidence of a corresponding reduction in incidents.

The Shared Learning Forum extends the approach into contractor relationships. Partners discuss both incidents and work that has gone well, considering what was learned and how improvements have been made permanent. Its terms of reference position it as a place for constructive reflection, with opportunities to identify learning relevant to other organisations and track follow-up actions.

Resources support that exchange beyond meetings. Internal and contractor-facing sites provide access to information and learning, while conversation tools help managers discuss the principles with their teams. A steering group of senior operational leaders helps keep the approach relevant to departments and supports implementation.

Leadership involvement has been visible through workshops, calls and town halls. The submission reports more learning-focused language, greater willingness to examine system conditions and stronger engagement with delivery partners. It also describes introducing leaders to learning teams that explore difficulties in everyday work before an accident occurs.

Safe & Well remains a developing approach. Its wider value lies in how a client can influence the conditions for honest discussion across organisational boundaries. By recognising partners’ expertise, listening to operational experience and asking how learning changes the work, Strategic Infrastructure is building a common basis for safer delivery as its portfolio grows.

Based on National Grid Strategic Infrastructure’s submission and supporting materials for The SHE Show Inspiring Change Awards 2026. Progress and workshop results are as reported in September 2026.