Empowering EHS&S Leadership Amid Uncertainty and Change
NAEM Staff
October 20, 2025
In his new book, Organizational Risk Management, Charles Redinger, PhD, offers leadership guidance for those navigating this tempest of uncertainty. Four guiding themes—awareness, integrated thinking, the commons, and agency—shape the narrative. Together, they form the foundation of what he calls Field Leadership, demonstrated through the integrated Risk Matrix presented in his book. NAEM recently sat down with Charles to learn more.
What is your goal in this new book?
Organizational Risk Management shows EHS&S professionals how to create frameworks and build capacities to impact their company’s strategic advantage while leveraging the growth of human, social, and natural capitals. The book emphasizes organizational risk management (ORM) and risk-based strategies as the platform and demonstrates how to use EHS&S as a vehicle to achieve results. A key focus is empowering EHS&S teams and executives in their leadership and effectiveness.
Why is organizational risk management an important topic right now?
Risk management has been rising as a top organizational governance concern. Central to risk management are value creation and preservation; these are embedded in sustainability and ESG reporting pillars – governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets. EHS&S is ideally situated to impact value creation and preservation due to its focus on protecting health and well-being inside the company, as well as outside (e.g. people in value chains, communities, and consumers). However, EHS&S’s value is often not recognized, or is underappreciated or underutilized in this way.
What impact do you hope this book has on EHS&S professionals?
I hope this book empowers EHS&S professionals to move beyond compliance-based risk management to leveraging their leadership abilities and opportunities. The book’s integrated ORM framework (Risk Matrix) offers a groundbreaking approach to improve integrated thinking, decision-making, and action—all of which lead to value creation and increased impact to an organization’s success and viability.
What actions can EHS&S professionals start taking now?
Start paying attention to your decision-making processes. In doing this, consider the extent to which integrated, risk-based thinking and awareness of organizational purpose are included in them. Consider the extent to which your current frameworks and systems promote organizational learning and a culture of health.
You can also read my book. A free copy of Chapter 1 can be downloaded from Wiley. You can also learn more about applying the Risk Matrix on my blog.
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About the Author
NAEM Staff
The National Association for Environmental, Health and Safety, and Sustainability (EHS&S) Management (NAEM) empowers corporate leaders to advance environmental stewardship, create safe and healthy workplaces and promote global sustainability. As the
leading business community for EHS&S decision-makers, we provide engaging forums, a curated network, peer benchmarking, research insights and tools for solving today’s corporate EHS&S management challenges. Visit us online at naem.org.