Navigating Ethical Tension with Clarity, Confidence, and Integrity

Doing the right thing is not always easy—especially when competing priorities, organizational pressures, and difficult decisions challenge our professional judgment.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) professionals regularly encounter situations where ethical responsibilities intersect with operational demands, leadership expectations, and workplace culture. Recognizing these moments early and responding with confidence can make the difference between reinforcing a strong safety culture and allowing organizational risk to escalate.

Join the ASSP Three Rivers Chapter for an engaging discussion led by Maribeth Anderson, MPA, CSP, exploring how ethical tension emerges in real workplaces and how safety professionals can navigate difficult decisions with clarity, courage, and integrity.

Through practical examples, structured decision-making approaches, and scenario-based discussion, participants will examine the organizational dynamics that create ethical pressure, develop strategies for effective communication, and strengthen their ability to advocate for responsible outcomes.

Whether you are an emerging safety professional or an experienced leader, this session will provide actionable tools to navigate challenging conversations, reinforce professional accountability, and champion ethical decision-making—even when the right path is not the easiest one.

Objectives:

1. Identify early indicators of ethical tension and recognize common organizational, operational, and interpersonal sources of pressure that may influence safety-related decisions.
2. Analyze organizational dynamics, competing priorities, and leadership expectations that can intensify ethical challenges and influence professional judgment.
3. Apply a practical, repeatable ethical decision-making framework to evaluate difficult situations while considering compliance, transparency, and professional responsibilities.
4. Develop an effective communication strategy to address ethical concerns, engage stakeholders, and advocate for responsible decisions with clarity and confidence.
5. Evaluate and demonstrate appropriate responses to realistic ethical challenges through scenario-based discussions, strengthening accountability, professional integrity, and ethical leadership.

Presenter:

Maribeth Anderson, MPA, CSP
Managing Director | Safety & Risk Resilience Consulting

Maribeth Anderson brings more than 25 years of global experience in safety, enterprise risk management, security, and organizational resilience across the oil and gas, manufacturing, water, and aviation industries.

As Managing Director of Safety & Risk Resilience Consulting, she advises senior leaders and safety professionals on strengthening organizational culture, identifying and mitigating organizational risks, and developing strategies that support long-term resilience.

A seasoned crisis management practitioner, Maribeth has guided organizations through significant challenges, including 9/11, Deepwater Horizon, major hurricanes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical disruption.

Her experience navigating complex, high-stakes environments brings a valuable perspective on ethical leadership, sound judgment, and organizational accountability during periods of uncertainty.

Agenda:

11:30 am                               Lunch & Networking

11:55 am                               Chapter Announcements & Introductions

~Noon to ~1:00 pm           Presentation

Meeting Sponsor:

Not a current member apply here and select Three Rivers as your primary chapter, see you soon!