The Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Working Group on Leadership and Safety Culture (WGLSC) held its sixth plenary meeting at the NEA headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt from 28 to 30 October 2025. At the event, 20 delegates representing 16 countries exchanged experiences relating to the interrelationship between leadership and safety culture, sharing practical, innovative approaches and tools to support leaders within regulatory bodies.
The group reviewed the deliverables and outcomes of the ongoing programme of work and set the basis for the future programme of work. It was the inaugural meeting of the newly appointed WGLSC chair, Marc McBride, a Principal Inspector for Nuclear Safety at the Office for Nuclear Regulation in the United Kingdom.
Dr Catherine Calderwood, a professor at the University of Strathclyde, delivered a presentation which explored system-based approaches to adverse events. The presentation highlighted that regulatory responses often involve sanctioning individuals, advocating for a more holistic approach. Drawing a parallel with the nuclear energy sector, Dr Calderwood noted that penalising individuals for incidents with multiple contributing factors — including organisational ones — can undermine trust and discourage personal engagement. The meeting provided an opportunity for reflection and discussion on the importance of competency management, especially in developing and maintaining a culture of leadership and safety in regulatory bodies.
Plans are underway to develop pragmatic approaches for the implementation of best practices highlighted in the NEA’s recent reports Practices for Enhancing Leadership for Safety in Nuclear Regulatory Bodies and The Mutual Impact of Nuclear Regulatory Bodies and License Holders from a Safety Culture Perspective.
The WGLSC is part of the NEA Committee on Nuclear Regulatory Activities (CNRA).
