Building a safety culture that grew with the business
with Outside In
Building a safety culture that grew with the business
with Outside In
When rapid growth created complexity, Outside In made a deliberate choice to build a safety culture that would grow alongside the business.
From a two-person start-up to a team of more than 100 people operating across New Zealand, Outside In recognised that caring for people could not be left to chance. Through strong leadership, expert guidance, frontline engagement and a commitment to continuous improvement, the business transformed its approach to health and safety and built a culture where safety is seen as everyone’s responsibility.
Key outcomes
Grew from a two-person business to more than 100 employees while maintaining a strong focus on health and safety
Improved health and safety audit performance from an initial score in the 30 percent range to multiple years of 100% audit results
Achieved SiteWise 100% scores for several consecutive years
Embedded a network of frontline safety champions across the business
Established a culture of continuous improvement rather than compliance alone
The challenge
Growth was outpacing capability
Outside In was founded in 2014 with a vision to design, install and maintain indoor greenery across New Zealand. As the business expanded rapidly into multiple regions, so did the complexity of managing health and safety.
The founders understood their obligations as employers, but their motivation went beyond compliance. Looking after people was a fundamental part of building the business they wanted to create.
At the same time, customer expectations were increasing. Many clients operated in environments where strong health and safety performance was essential, making it a prerequisite for securing and retaining work. As the business continued to grow, health and safety began to feel increasingly complex and overwhelming. The leadership team knew they needed a structured approach, but they were not sure where to start.
Understanding the risk
A reality check created a turning point
Outside In sought external support to understand where the business stood and what improvements were needed.
The first health and safety audit provided a clear assessment. Their initial score was in the 30 percent range, highlighting significant opportunities for improvement. Rather than viewing the result as a setback, the leadership team saw it as an opportunity to create a roadmap for change.
The question became simple: How do we get better each year? Instead of pursuing perfection immediately, the business focused on steady progress, identifying practical improvements and building capability over time.
The response – building a system that could scale
Outside In recognised that sustainable harm reduction required leadership commitment, expert guidance and strong internal ownership. Several key changes helped drive this transformation.
Leadership commitment
The founders took responsibility for setting expectations and making health and safety a visible priority.
Health and safety became part of business decision-making rather than a separate compliance function. Importantly, leadership viewed investment in safety as a strategic decision rather than a cost.
Expert support
External auditing and advisory support provided independent insight, accountability and a clear pathway for improvement.
Annual reviews helped identify the most important areas for development, allowing the business to focus on the changes that would have the greatest impact.
Building internal capability
Outside In recognised that culture cannot be driven solely from the boardroom. The business invested in dedicated internal health and safety resources, ensuring systems, documentation and processes were consistently maintained and improved.
Frontline ownership
A health and safety committee brought together representatives from across the organisation to act as safety leaders within their teams. These champions became a vital link between leadership and frontline workers, helping identify risks, encourage participation and strengthen accountability throughout the business.
“Our first audit score was somewhere in the 30 percent range, so it was a real reality check. But step by step, we focused on getting better each year. It was fantastic to become the first company to receive a 100% audit score — and then achieve it back-to-back for three years in a row.”
– Nick Lubeck, Owner
Moving beyond compliance to create a culture where people speak up
As systems and processes improved, Outside In identified a new challenge.
Achieving compliance was not the hardest part. Embedding health and safety into everyday behaviours was.
The organisation worked to create an environment where employees felt comfortable raising concerns, identifying risks and suggesting better ways of working.
The goal was not simply to meet requirements. It was to create a workplace where people actively looked after themselves and their teammates.
This shift in mindset helped move health and safety from a compliance activity to a shared responsibility.
The impact – harm reduction through continuous improvement
Over time, Outside In achieved significant improvements in its health and safety performance.
The organisation moved from an initial audit score in the 30 percent range to achieving 100% audit scores over multiple consecutive years. It also achieved SiteWise 100% scores for several years running. While these milestones were important, the leadership team viewed them as evidence of something deeper.
The biggest achievement was building a culture where health and safety became part of everyday conversations, decisions and behaviours across a growing workforce. The business also recognised that no organisation gets everything right. Incidents still occur, but they are approached as learning opportunities, helping strengthen systems and prevent future harm.
This commitment to continuous improvement remains central to Outside In’s approach today.
Key lessons – what you can learn from Outside In
Get help early
Health and safety can feel complex, particularly in high-growth organisations. Seeking expert guidance can accelerate progress and provide clarity on where to focus.
Focus on improvement, not perfection
Meaningful change happens through consistent, incremental improvements rather than trying to solve everything at once.
Leadership matters
Culture starts at the top. Leaders set the standard by demonstrating that safety is a priority and backing that commitment with action and investment.
Build frontline ownership
The people closest to the work are often best placed to identify risks and opportunities for improvement.
Treat safety as a strategic investment
Strong health and safety performance supports employee wellbeing, business resilience and long-term growth.
Share your story
Your workplace safety story is a lesson learned for your team. If you throw it wide, this story could help your peers to start a conversation, to make change – it could even save lives.
Got a story worth telling? Get in touch with us today.
No obligations, just an opportunity to share what worked, what didn’t, and what you did about it.