The ISF: Moving Workplace Safety Beyond Compliance
ASSP CEO Jennifer McNelly explains why safety professionals must move beyond compliance to lead cultural and strategic change.
- By David Kopf
- May 11, 2025
When it comes to protecting workers, compliance isn’t enough—and a new safety coalition wants to make that clear at the highest levels. In the latest episode of the OH&S Safety Pod, Executive Editor David Kopf interviews Jennifer McNelly, CAE, Chief Executive Officer of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), about the Intersociety Forum (ISF) and it’s a recent report that is serving as a safety “call to action.”
The ISF, a coalition of nearly 30 occupational safety, health, and environmental organizations, recently issued a report urging businesses and regulators to adopt risk-based safety systems, predictive data tools, and business-integrated safety thinking. McNelly shares how this united front hopes to influence policy, reduce worker fatalities, and align safety practices with strategic business outcomes.
From turnover risk to AI-powered foresight, McNelly outlines practical steps safety professionals can take now to transform their organizations. Her message: safety leaders are already technical experts—it’s time they become strategic change-agents too.
Download or stream this episode today from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and more.
About the Author
David Kopf is the publisher and executive editor of Occupational Health & Safety magazine.