FROM CHECKLISTS TO MINDSETS
Workplace safety is a non-negotiable, no matter which industry you’re in. When it is the backbone of your business, however, it becomes an existential priority far beyond rules and tick boxes.
​In high-risk environments, safety must become a 24/7 mindset that not only
protects people, it anticipates and mitigates risk to enable
sustainable performance.
This was the challenge brought to us by Mauritius-based Meridian, one of the leading pan-African agri-businesses operating in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. With thousands of employees working in complex, high-risk environments, Meridian recognised that compliance alone was insufficient. What was needed was a fundamental shift: turning safety from a series of checklists into an organisation-wide operational instinct.
THE PERFORMANCE CHALLENGE
TPA was engaged by Meridian at a time when the stakes were high. Peak season was approaching, and thousands of employees were counting on a safer workplace.
​
Although safety protocols were already in place, Meridian recognised that real excellence in safety would not come from more rules and procedures. It required a change in mindset, behaviour and leadership accountability.
Immediate challenges included:
A need to instil a proactive safety
culture rather than
a reactive one.
Enhancing leadership commitment to
safety transformation.
Addressing high-risk
work environments
across multiple regions.
Standardising safety practices across diverse teams and geographies.
THE ASK
Create a comprehensive safety programme
that would engage employees at all levels.
Roll out
targeted safety training initiatives.
Strengthen leadership's role
in driving the
safety culture.
Ensure that
safety principles
were actively
practised daily.
Our first order of business was to determine what success would look like.
​
We narrowed it down to:
High engagement
in safety
training programmes.
Increased reporting
of unsafe acts
and conditions.
Significant reduction
in workplace incidents and near misses.
Enhanced leadership visibility
and commitment to safety.
4
3
2
1
Then we got to work.
To drive this shift, Meridian and TPA co-created a high-impact safety programme designed to embed safety not as an obligation, but as a shared responsibility.
What did this look like?
THE SOLVE
1
Empowering Employees Through Training
-
3,278 employees completed Hazard Recognition
Training to become active safety champions.
​​
-
3,255 employees underwent Generic Induction Training ahead of peak season, reinforcing key safety principles.
2
Leadership As The Catalyst For Change
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Implementation of the Safety Leadership Charter, setting a clear example for employees.
​​
-
Supervisors and managers actively participated in safety efforts, reinforcing accountability.
3
Messaging That
Sticks
-
Observation Campaign
was introduced to clarify key safety terminology.
​​
-
The 9 Life-Saving Rules
were embedded into
everyday operations.
​​
-
Safety storytelling was leveraged to share past incidents and lessons learned.
​​
-
​'Safety Sarah' initiative
kept the conversation
alive, reinforcing shared responsibility.
4
Establishing New Safety Traditions
-
Hosted the first-ever
EHSS Townhall, now a company-wide tradition.
​​
-
Simplified work standards for Top 5 risks, ensuring clarity and compliance.
THE IMPACT
Increase in reports of unsafe acts and conditions, from 1,129 in 2023 to 2,176 in 2024.
Reduction in workplace incidents.
Decrease in near misses.
Every employee went home safely.
WHAT PEOPLE SAID
LOOKING AHEAD: RAISING THE BAR IN 2025
With Level 2 Safety Maturity within reach, Meridian is committed to taking safety to the next level.
The journey continues with:
​
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Continuous learning and reinforcement of safety principles.
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Strengthening ownership and accountability at all levels.
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Innovating new safety interventions to address emerging risks.​​