My Role at Chubb

After more than 20 years with the business and a focus on my professional development, I now support Chubb UK & Ireland as QEHS Associate. Much of my role is preventative, working with teammates across the business to maintain compliance with British standards covering quality, environmental impact, wellbeing and workplace safety.

I champion Chubb’s number one value of Protect People First – this isn’t just a catchphrase, it is the way we do business, today and every day, ensuring teammates get to go home safe at the end of every shift. We are all unique and we are irreplaceable to family, friends and loved ones. I encourage everyone to start the day with a ‘Safety Moment’ and to be the best version of themselves, living authentically and in the moment.

Day to day, I support a wide range of projects within the QEHS Team, from engaging teammates from across the business to capture our carbon reporting metrics, partnering with new suppliers, ensuring we are up to date on compliance portals and supporting our Blackburn HQ on all matters of health & safety.

A Proud Workplace Health Champion and Wellness Ambassador

Alongside my QEHS role, I volunteer as a Workplace Health Champion and Wellness Ambassador. I got involved because I am a strong believer in being proactive about wellbeing. Through the Chubb Wellness Community, we have the opportunity to support teammates across UKI and help them achieve a healthy work-life balance. For me, wellbeing looks different for everyone. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and it is about finding what works for you as an individual.

As part of this role, I help support and guide teammates through wellbeing resources, articles and initiatives, including Movember, the activity challenge Race At Your Pace and Mental Health First Aid training for People Managers, our employee experience platform. I also co-lead our team of Mental Health First Aiders and help champion activities that encourage teammates to prioritise their wellbeing.

It is rewarding to see the impact these initiatives can have. The 2026 Wellness Survey showed that teammates are spending more time on themselves and focusing on improving their physical fitness. Through our partnership with Race At Your Pace, 89% of participants reported improved physical wellbeing and 85% reported improved mental wellbeing.

I am passionate about creating a culture where people feel valued, included and supported. By building healthier habits and taking time to look after ourselves, we are better placed to support those around us. As the saying goes, we need to put our own oxygen mask on first before helping others.

Joining Chubb

I initially joined Chubb (back then Initial) in 2005 as an administrator, which I saw as an opportunity to get my foot in the door, learn about the business and build from there. After around six months, I moved into a commercial support role, helping with pre-qualification questionnaires and tenders. That led me into quality, where I spent around 12 years. I worked with inspiring leaders and a great team, and I learned that the people around you can make a huge difference to your experience at work.

In 2020, Quality and EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) merged and my role changed significantly. It was not a move I had necessarily chosen, but it became one of the most valuable development opportunities of my career. Many of my quality skills were transferable, but there was also a great deal to learn. Looking back, I would make that move again in a heartbeat.

Owning My Development

One of the biggest lessons I have learned is that you have to own your development. Your manager can support you, and development plans and objectives are important, but you also need to be clear about where you want to go. I believe it is important to have conversations with your manager and teammates about what you can offer, what you want to learn and where you would like your career to take you.

I have also learned that it is okay to challenge a “no.” When I first put my name forward to join the Wellness Community, I was not initially selected. Rather than accepting that as the end of the conversation, I explained why I felt I could contribute. I shared my experience as a mental health first aider and workplace health champion and made the case for why I would be a positive advocate for the community.

That conversation resulted in me joining the community, and it has become one of the elements of my role that I enjoy most. It reinforced for me that if an opportunity matters to you, it is worth explaining why you are the right person for it.

Making Learning Happen

I try not to wait for development to come to me. If there is something I want to learn, I look for ways to make it happen. I am currently working towards my NEBOSH General Certificate, which is something that will expand my knowledge further.

I have also taken part in leadership development, including Chubb Leader Labs and The 7 Habits. When I knew I wanted to attend the next available course, I reached out and asked to be added to the waiting list for an earlier course rather than simply waiting for a later session that I had been scheduled to attend. A place became available, and I was able to attend sooner.

Development often happens through small actions: asking the question, putting your name forward, joining the waiting list or starting a conversation. Showing that you are committed to learning can make a real difference.

Leadership is a Team Sport

While I believe strongly in owning my development, I could not do it without the support of my manager, Graeme Robinson (QEHS Director), and the wider team.

For me, leadership is a team sport. It is about learning from others, sharing knowledge, supporting teammates and creating an environment where people feel confident to develop.

My advice would be:

• Be clear about what you want to learn and where you want to go.
• Talk to your manager and teammates about your ambitions.
• Do not be discouraged if an opportunity does not work out the first time.
• Make the case for yourself and explain the value you can bring.
• Look for learning in every role, even when it is not part of your original plan.
• Be willing to step outside your comfort zone.

Your career may not always follow the path you expected, but every experience can help build the confidence, knowledge and resilience you need for what comes next.

A Bit About Me

I was born in Littleborough, on the outskirts of Rochdale, and had a very happy childhood. I spent a lot of time outdoors, playing in fields, climbing trees, catching fish in local streams and generally being a bit of a tomboy.

Growing up, I had several ideas about what I wanted to do. At one point, I wanted to be a wedding dress designer, and later I wanted to become a journalist. I went on to study media at university, with ambitions to direct documentaries and tell meaningful stories. I also had the chance to travel around Europe after university, which was an amazing experience and gave me a broader perspective on what I wanted from life.

I began working in television production and over time recognised that I wanted a career that would allow me to build the family life I had always valued. The work was exciting, but the hours were long, unpredictable and often meant missing important occasions with family and friends.

After leaving television, I met my husband and welcomed our twins. They were born prematurely at 33 weeks but are now thriving teenagers.

What I’ve Learned

Working across EHS, wellbeing, environmental sustainability and carbon reduction has shown me the impact that our work can have on teammates and the wider business. I enjoy being part of proactive work that helps people make safer, healthier and more sustainable choices.

Sometimes development comes from an opportunity we actively seek out. Other times, it comes from responding positively when circumstances change. For me, the important thing has been staying open to learning, being flexible and willing to step outside my comfort zone.