There’s a quiet conviction in the way Lisbeth Frømling talks about her work. She doesn’t boast, but she leaves little doubt that the role she plays – and the mission she’s on – is anything but ordinary.

As Senior Vice President of Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) at Danish renewable energy giant Ørsted, Frømling holds a pivotal role in one of the world’s most ambitious energy transitions. Since 2020, she has been at the centre of the company’s efforts to build a global offshore wind business that prioritises not just green electricity, but also human lives.

Now, she’s taken on an even bigger challenge: steering the safety agenda across the entire offshore wind industry in her newly appointed role as Chair of G+, the sector’s global health and safety organisation.

‘It’s about making sure people get home safe. That’s the simplest way I can put it.’

It’s a message she returns to often – not as a slogan but as a personal compass that has guided her through decades of working in some of the world’s most high-risk industries.

High-stake environments
Frømling’s path to offshore wind began long before wind turbines became the icons of clean energy they are today. She’s worked in rail, oil and gas, marine engineering, and on some of Europe’s most significant infrastructure projects. Her time at companies like Network Rail, Rolls-Royce Marine and Maersk Drilling, exposed her to everything from the challenges of fatigue risk to fabrication hazards and system-wide cultural change.

Despite the sector switches, the work has always had a common thread. ‘We’re always dealing with culture, systems, processes and technology. And while the context changes, those four pillars remain,’ she says.

She maintains that it’s the technology that evolves fastest – particularly in renewables. Frømling talks about how artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are reducing risk by removing people from dangerous environments. But she’s equally clear-eyed about the cultural side of the work – and how far offshore wind still has to go.

‘Our industry is still young. We’re making progress. But we still have work to do in building a deep-rooted safety culture,’ she remarks.

Coaching not policing
One of the most striking things about Frømling is how much her leadership style has shifted – and how she speaks about that change.

‘Twenty years ago, safety leaders were seen as the enforcers. We had rules and we made sure people followed them. But that’s not the model anymore. Today, it’s about coaching. It’s about trust. We’re not the police – we’re partners,’ she insists.

It’s a shift that hasn’t always come easily to traditional industries. But Frømling believes it’s the only way to lead in a world that is more complex, faster-moving and more human than ever.

She often talks about empowerment, collaboration and the importance of creating environments where people feel psychologically safe. ‘We understand each other more now,’ she says. ‘The diversity and inclusion journey in our industry has grown. And with that comes a more mature approach to leadership.’

At Ørsted, that’s meant shifting not only processes, but also mindsets.

Frømling and her team have led internal training on everything from mental health first aid to safety leadership and coaching – with the goal of building a culture where speaking up is seen as a strength.

‘Putting mental health and psychological safety at the top of the agenda takes significant effort across the organisation,’ she explains. ‘But at Ørsted, we’re fortunate to have a top management team that not only supports this shift, they’ve made it a personal ambition to foster psychological safety across the company, alongside protecting the health and safety of everyone who works here.’

'We’re always dealing with culture, systems, processes and technology. And while the context changes, those four pillars remain.’ – Lisbeth Frømling, Ørsted’s Safety Chief and newly appointed Chair of G+

Putting mental health on the agenda
Whereas safety used to mean hard hats and compliance checklists, Frømling has helped expand that definition. One of her key priorities at Ørsted has been pushing mental health and psychological safety to the forefront – an area that gained momentum during the pandemic but has now become a long-term strategic focus.

‘We never start a meeting without touching on psychological safety. It’s not just a nice-to-have. It’s a fundamental part of performance across our business,’ she says.

Ørsted has introduced training programmes to equip managers with tools to support their teams, launched resources for employees, and this year made mental health the central theme of its global safety day. ‘People are under pressure. From inflation, supply chain disruption and from personal circumstances. We have to respond to that,’ she says.

And Frømling believes that good mental health is not only an ethical responsibility, it’s a critical lever for reducing risk. ‘When people feel safe speaking up, we make better decisions. We avoid incidents. It all connects.’

For Frømling, psychological safety and physical safety are inseparable, each reinforcing the other.

Lifesaving rules
One initiative she’s especially proud of is the roll-out of the Lifesaving Rules – a clear, concise set of behaviours aimed at preventing serious injuries and fatalities. Originally discussed in G+ board meetings, the rules were rolled out at Ørsted and shared across its supplier base in 2024.

‘They’re easy to understand. They’re visible. And they’ve had a real, immediate impact,’ she says.

At wind turbine fabrication sites – where most severe incidents occur – the rules are now posted on massive banners, tens of metres wide, to keep them front of mind for workers. Breaches are tracked, actions are taken and, most importantly, the culture is shifting.

‘My dream is that eventually, these rules are used across the entire industry. Just like in oil and gas. No matter where suppliers work, they’ll see the same expectations,’ she says.

This work ties closely to her new role at G+, where she’s aiming to bring more clarity and focus to the organisation’s output. 'We’re looking closely at our workstreams. I want us to do fewer things – but do them really well. And I want to be sure the guidance we produce is actually being used,’ she explains.

That means stronger oversight, more feedback loops and better data on adoption. ‘We want to understand what works. And if something’s not being used, we need to know why and adjust.’

Leading with openness
Throughout the interview, Frømling is refreshingly candid. She doesn’t shy away from talking about menopause, parenting or the realities of being one of the only women in the room – because, she says, ‘it matters’.

‘Women go through different life stages. We’re built differently. And we need to be able to talk about that,’ she says.

She’s clear that flexibility is key to attracting and retaining women in technical and leadership roles. But so is visibility. ‘We need role models. And we need spaces where women can talk to each other, compare notes and support each other.’

Her own career, she says, has been marked by luck. Working for organisations that gave her opportunities and for leaders who wanted her to succeed. But she also credits a mindset she picked up from male colleagues: saying ‘Yes’ before feeling ready.

‘I learned to take on roles where I didn’t tick every box. And I always tell the younger people I mentor “Just do it”. Put your foot in the door,’ she says.

Looking ahead
Ask her what’s next, and Frømling points to the increasing complexity of offshore projects: larger turbines, harsher conditions and expanding global footprints. But she also highlights climate change as an operational risk.

‘We’re seeing more extreme weather. Earthquakes, storms, typhoons. These are no longer one-offs. We have to adapt our operations to that reality,’ she reflects.

At the same time, she says the industry must build the systems, processes, and shared data infrastructure to support consistent safety across regions and partners.

That includes better use of health and safety data, more standardised processes, and a continued focus on the sectors where incidents remain highest: particularly in steel fabrication. ‘That’s top of my list. It’s where we still see too many severe incidents.’

But for all the complexity, Frømling still comes back to something simple. ‘The motivation is people. That’s what keeps me going. Knowing that the work we do means someone makes it home at the end of the day.’ It’s not a tagline. It’s her truth.

And in a world chasing megawatts, growth and gigatonnes of CO₂ avoided, it’s people like Lisbeth Frømling who quietly ensure that human safety isn’t left behind.

• Further reading: ‘Understanding health and safety for offshore wind’. No longer in its infancy, the global offshore wind industry is nevertheless still in a dynamic growth phase and is perhaps the key future electricity generation option. 
• Find out how to establish an effective framework for mental health in the workplace.