Business profile performance.’
One thing that Russell will not be changing is CIRAS’s excellent application of confidentiality. ‘Without it, staff will not feel they can speak with us.’ As soon as Russell joined CIRAS, he conducted a comprehensive business review which highlighted new as well as previously known challenges. Subsequently, a strategic group addressing the future of CIRAS was formed and this is led by CIRAS chairman, David Morris. ‘This strategy has potentially exciting new areas for CIRAS and again the emphasis is heavily on collaborative learning,’ said Russell.
Safety comes first Russell is clear on one thing: ‘Safety
reporting internally should always come first. It is the quickest and most effective means to get things addressed. However, history reminds us that things can and do go wrong. The easier route sometimes becomes the hardest and CIRAS is there to provide that safety net. We see ourselves as an assurance policy that might prevent something unfolding if it isn’t addressed. As a completely independent, confidential reporting system, we can liaise with the organisation in question and help bring some resolution.’ Part of this drive has seen Russell communicating to subscribers the benefits of having a reporting channel that complements their own internal systems. This involves him reminding them that CIRAS is neither an alternative to a company’s own internal reporting system, nor is it a whistle-blower. These are common misconceptions which CIRAS wants to redress and to build relations between employees raising concerns and the companies in question. Russell claims that when he took over CIRAS; ‘The value of cultural and collaborative learning was questionable.’ When it was first introduced, CIRAS was mandatory. 18 years later it no longer is, yet all companies have stayed. This must be testament to its success. Russell wants to capitalise on this and ensure that it offers subscribers and users the best service possible. One of CIRAS’s assets is that it is a not-for-profit organisation. Russell has
high hopes for its continued success claiming that, ‘We want to become the provider of choice to the industry.’ Another focus of the strategy of change is looking to other transport entities ‘as this provides more learning opportunities’. ‘Collaborative learning within and outside of rail is what will help move us all forward,’ said Russell. ‘Not just dealing with reports but taking it one step further and giving a structured analysis of the data provided is integral to CIRAS’s ongoing success. The reasons and factors behind reports being made to CIRAS are to be investigated further.’ Russell would like to work with people and organisations across the rail industry to gain greater insight into expectations of CIRAS and redress, where necessary, any perceived failings. This will involve liaising with users of the service, trade unions and senior players and feeding back into the industry, giving intelligence as to why CIRAS has been used.
At the centre of the industry CIRAS is very much at the centre of the rail industry. Russell can offer insight into the perception of CIRAS from various railway-driven angles. Subsequently he understands just how important it is to have an independent reporting system that runs alongside, not against, the rest of the industry. He concludes: ‘CIRAS is a small but not irrelevant piece of the jigsaw.’ Contact CIRAS by: Text: 07507 285 887 Tel: 0800 4 101 101 Post: Freepost CIRAS
May 2013 Page 109
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