An interview with Josef Leber, Head of Safety, Health and Environment at Coveris.
To mark the UN’s World Day for Safety & Health at Work on 28th April 2025, we spoke to Josef Leber, Coveris’ Group Head of Safety, Health and Environment (SHE).
With over 35 years of experience in the field, Josef joined Coveris in early 2024 and has been instrumental in shaping our group-wide approach to health, safety and environmental responsibility.
We caught up with Josef to hear about his career journey, what building a safety-first culture really means, and why more people should consider a career in health and safety.
Hi Josef, how did you end up working in Health & Safety?
I got into Health and Safety by accident, without knowing what was really behind it at the time. That was about 35 years ago - and I'm still in it and still love my job!
What does building a strong safety culture at Coveris look like?
Traditionally, safety focuses on machines and physical environments, ensuring that access to machinery and dangerous zones is restricted, and that the working environment is safe.
We’re shifting the focus to the human side of safety. This means a better understanding of people’s behaviours and creating a balance between production and protection. We highlight the benefits of working safely together, for the individual and the team, with our ‘live safety first’ value.
Why is continuous learning vital in this field?
The working world is evolving rapidly. Continuous learning is essential, not only in health and safety but across the entire organisation.
Ongoing training, education, and good onboardings are vital to delivering our safety strategy and ensuring we’re always improving. It’s how we maintain the highest possible standards
What makes Health & Safety a rewarding career path?
More people should consider it!
I think that Health and Safety is a great career for anyone who doesn't like routine, it presents new challenges every day and requires a broad range of skills and knowledge.
It's one of the few professions where you have the opportunity to talk and work with so many different people across a company. It's a job that keeps you motivated over a long period of time and offers a sense of achievement every day.
As Josef says, safety is everyone’s responsibility, and this World Day for Safety and Health we’re reflecting on how we can all play a part in creating a safer workplace.