The guide is built around core principles that help directors align their responsibilities with New Zealand’s health and safety laws. Directors are encouraged to lead from the top by embedding health and safety into their governance systems, making it a key part of decision-making and organisational culture. One of the central messages of the guide is that health and safety governance should not be seen as just compliance with legal requirements but as a commitment to worker well-being and business resilience.

Boards are required to exercise due diligence, which means they must be actively involved in understanding health and safety risks, ensuring appropriate resources are allocated, and maintaining oversight of health and safety performance. The guide outlines six key due diligence steps for directors:

1. Acquire knowledge of health and safety matters: Directors must stay informed about current health and safety laws and practices.
2. Understand the operations and associated risks: Directors need to be aware of the specific risks that are present in their organisation’s operations.
3. Ensure appropriate resourcing: Boards should allocate sufficient resources (staff, time, budget) to health and safety management.
4. Ensure health and safety risk management: Directors must make sure that health and safety risks are effectively identified, assessed, and controlled.
5. Verify health and safety performance: Boards are responsible for ensuring health and safety systems are in place and effective through regular monitoring and audits.
6. Monitor board health and safety governance: Directors should continuously evaluate their own governance practices and make improvements where necessary.

The Health and Safety Governance: A Good Practice Guide is a must-read for New Zealand directors looking to create safer workplaces. By following its principles, boards can ensure they are not only complying with legal obligations but also fostering a culture of safety that benefits everyone in the organisation. A commitment to health and safety governance strengthens business resilience, worker well-being, and, ultimately, long-term success.