Watch: How Outside In built a 100% safety culture
“Don’t do it on your own. Get the right support. The EMA can help you find someone to guide you on the journey.”
– Nick Lubeck
“If you want to play with the big boys and work with serious businesses, you’ve got to take health and safety seriously.”
– Nick Lubeck
Kiwi biophilic design and plantscaping company Outside In has grown from a two-person startup into a nationwide business employing more than 100 people across the country, with expansion now underway into Australia. Alongside that growth came a strong commitment to building a safe, supportive workplace culture.
Recognising that health and safety were both a key part of caring for their people and a competitive advantage, Outside In partnered with the EMA to strengthen its systems and processes.
Through EMA Health and Safety Advisor Keith Robinson, the business received practical guidance, regular audits, and ongoing support to improve its standards year by year.
What began as an overwhelming and complex challenge evolved into a culture of continuous improvement, with Outside In achieving multiple consecutive 100% audit scores. The journey highlights how expert support, leadership commitment, and team engagement can turn health and safety into a strategic advantage for growing businesses.
“Our clients require high levels of health and safety compliance, but at the beginning it felt a little overwhelming. I’d known about the EMA for a long time, even before starting the business, so I reached out to see who could help us tackle the problem. We were introduced to Keith Robinson, who’s been a fantastic resource in helping us improve.
“Our first audit score was somewhere in the 30 percent range, so it was a real reality check. But step by step, we focused on getting better each year. It was fantastic to become the first company to receive a 100% audit score — and then achieve it back-to-back for three years in a row.”
— Nick Lubeck