27/03/2025
"FonCSI 4" Program
Industrial Safety of the Future: A Day of Workshops and Forward-Thinking
On Tuesday, March 25, 2025, Foncsi welcomed around forty participants — sponsors, partners, and members of its community — to its headquarters for a day of workshops focused on global transformations and their impacts on industrial safety. Here's a look back at this day of foresight and discussion.
The Safety of the Future in the Face of Major Societal, Environmental, and Industrial Changes
Climate change, digitalization, globalization, financialization, the restructuring of markets and companies, platformization, economic and (geo)political tensions... the world is changing radically and rapidly. Uncertainty and complexity are increasing, and new societal expectations are emerging. The management and governance of safety will inevitably be affected — and in many cases, already are.
This was the observation made by the Foncsi team through monitoring, foresight, and analysis work initiated in 2024. The initial findings were published in a “Cahier de la sécurité industrielle” (Industrial Safety Notebook), which served as a basis for discussion during a day of workshops on the future of industrial safety with sponsors, partners, and representatives of society.
Industrial safety in the age of “living with”
Uncertainty, complexity and rising expectations
A Day of Exchange and Collective Reflection
Participants
To address these emerging issues, Foncsi organized a day of workshops on March 25, 2025, at its offices in Toulouse. Around forty participants took part, including representatives from industry, regulatory authorities, trade unions, local associations, and more:
- AFPCNT
- Airbus
- Anssi
- ASNR
- Bouygues Construction
- CGT
- DGAC
- EDF
- Enedis
- EPSF
- FCE-CFDT
- FO
- GRDF
- IMDR
- IRT Saint-Exupéry
- Mad Environnement
- Natran
- OPPBTP
- RTE
- SNCF
- Suez
- Systra
- Thales
- TotalEnergies
- UIC
- City of Toulouse
- Vinci Construction
Topics
After an initial presentation of Foncsi’s work in the morning, participants split into groups according to their profiles — executives, method designers, industrial operators, and representatives of society — to engage in peer discussions about the major disruptors to the traditional — and still dominant — model of safety management and governance:
SHIFTING PRIORITIES
Industrial safety — which currently shows strong performance — is gradually losing prominence in collective concerns, as new security issues (national security, cybersecurity, climate, etc.) take center stage.
TRANSFORMATION OF THE INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE
New industrial strategies are emerging. A skills gap is becoming apparent. Moreover, the diversity and heterogeneity of co-activity are increasing.
CHALLENGES TO THE SOCIAL CONTRACT
Technologies like AI, which now permeate both private and professional spheres — including high-risk industries — are developing outside any real social debate. The traditional European social contract regarding high-risk industries is becoming a minority model globally and is increasingly being called into question.
RESPONSIBILITY IDENTIFICATION
As the number and diversity of stakeholders involved in industrial activities grow — such as algorithm and data providers — the question of responsibility is taking on new dimensions. Furthermore, not all situations will be able to rely on established frameworks or standards.
THE ROLE OF CITIZENS
Citizens are seeking greater involvement and a stronger voice in discussions about industry. In some cases, they are already exerting significant pressure on organizations. In times of crisis, they often prove to be effective actors.
After the morning group discussions and the plenary feedback session on these observations of change, the afternoon was dedicated to exploring ways to adapt to these major transformations. Once again, participants worked in groups — this time mixing all profiles — to propose avenues for development and share examples of adaptations already underway. Following the plenary presentations, the discussion continued with all participants.
René Amalberti, Director, and André-Claude Lacoste, Chairman of the Foundation, concluded this day rich in exchanges by inviting participants to continue these reflections as part of Foncsi’s future work.
Continuing the Conversation
In addition to the “Cahier de la sécurité industrielle” published last year, Foncsi is currently working with international experts on an academic book to be released in the coming months as part of its collection with Springer.
Finally, the workshop day was filmed, and highlights will soon be available in a series of short videos.
See you again soon!
