Shirley Parsons: building an industry platform that drives pipeline
Context
Shirley Parsons wanted a more consistent way to build relationships and generate conversations across their core market.
Operating globally in the Health, Safety, Sustainability and Quality profession, the business works at senior levels where credibility, expertise and long-term relationships matter.
But like many recruitment businesses, there was a broader challenge:
How do you move beyond being seen as “just a recruiter”?
The result was Rethink HSEQ — an event series that has evolved into both a recognised industry platform and a consistent source of market conversations and pipeline, bringing together senior HSEQ leaders from across major organisations.
The Challenge
Growth was heavily dependent on individual effort
BD activity varied across consultants.
Marketing activity wasn’t consistently leading to conversations.
There was no structured way to engage senior stakeholders over time.
And like many recruitment businesses, there was a wider challenge:
How do you move beyond being seen as “just a recruiter”?
The goal wasn’t just to run events
It was to create something that:
brought the right people together
elevated how the business was perceived
and generated consistent, high-quality conversations
“I’ve always believed that people do business with people. When you create the right environment for professionals to come together, share ideas and challenge thinking, relationships naturally follow.
Rethink HSEQ was created for the good of the profession — to bring people together and move the conversation forward. Mike Ellingham and his team helped us turn that vision into a platform that engages the community while strengthening our market visibility, building trusted relationships and generating real momentum in our business development pipeline.”
— Shirley Parsons, Brand Ambassador and Founder at Shirley Parsons
This wasn’t a campaign
Working alongside the Shirley Parsons team, we helped design the concept and structure behind Rethink HSEQ as part of a broader recruitment marketing and positioning strategy.
This included:
• defining the positioning and narrative of the platform
• shaping the themes and structure of each event
• identifying and engaging the right senior audience
• aligning consultants and BD activity around the initiative
Alongside this strategic work, we also supported the operational delivery of the platform.
This included:
• CRM integration and follow-up processes
• digital promotion and supporting content
• end-to-end event delivery
Everything was designed to connect activity with perception, engagement and conversation.
The approach
Rethink HSEQ was positioned as more than an event series.
It became a platform for insight, discussion and progression within the industry.
Each event focused on a specific theme — from behaviour change to communication and data — creating depth, credibility and ongoing relevance.
The format combined:
expert-led sessions
facilitated discussion
peer insight
and structured networking
But more importantly, it created space for:
shared learning
industry dialogue
and professional development
This is what shifted perception.
From recruiter — to contributor.
Each event brings together senior HSEQ leaders to explore a specific challenge facing the profession
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Rethink Language
THAMES WATER, SEPTEMBER 2025
Examining how language shapes understanding and behaviour — helping attendees communicate more clearly and ensure messages land effectively across organisations
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Rethink Data (Making Data Attractive)
HOSTED BY HEATHROW, MARCH 2025
Focused on turning data into compelling stories — helping professionals communicate insights in a way that drives action and engagement.
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Rethink Behaviour Change
HOSTED BY MCLAREN CONSTRUCTION, NOVEMBER 2024
Exploring how behavioural design can influence real-world outcomes — giving attendees practical tools to drive change and embed better HSEQ practices.
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Art of the Pitch
HOSTED BY CLANCY GROUP, JULY 2024
Focused on how HSEQ professionals communicate value — helping attendees apply modern sales and communication techniques to influence stakeholders more effectively.
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Creativity & Communication: The Hackathon
VISA, SEPTEMBER 2023
A collaborative, hands-on session designed to improve how ideas are communicated — including interactive problem-solving and real-world scenarios to build engagement and clarity.
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Back to the Future
HOSTED BY QUINTAIN @ WEMBLEY PARK, FEBRUARY 2024
A forward-looking session exploring how the HSEQ profession will evolve — from AI and automation through to the skills and behaviours needed to remain relevant in the future.
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Rethink Purpose
HOSTED BY ARUP, NOVEMBER 2022
The inaugural event focused on rethinking and reimagining the purpose of the HSEQ profession — bringing together senior leaders to challenge traditional thinking and explore what the function should represent.
The Result
The series has now been running for almost four years
It has:
• brought together 200+ senior HSEQ professionals
• established a recognised and respected presence in the market
• created an engaged community around the brand
More importantly:
It is now one of the business’s primary sources of pipeline and market conversations.
It gives consultants a structured way to engage their market — not through outreach alone, but through shared value and ongoing relationships.
What this shows
For recruitment businesses, perception matters.
The ones that stand out are the ones that:
• contribute to their market
• create value beyond roles
• show up consistently over time
Rethink HSEQ shows what that looks like in practice.
Not just activity — but a platform.
Not just visibility — but credibility.
This is the kind of approach we help organisations build through our recruitment marketing and positioning work.
