Client Success Manager

How biopharma leaders are advancing contractor safety & risk management. Biopharma has never moved faster. Capital projects and facility expansions are ramping up across key hubs, while global supply chains and contractor relationships grow more complex and interdependent. Yet in many organizations, contractor and supply chain safety is still managed with a patchwork of local processes, spreadsheets, and site-specific norms. This leaves real blind spots in some of the highest-risk work environments. At the third annual EHS for Biopharma Summit East in Boston, Massachusetts; Veriforce and the National Safety Council brought together senior Environmental Health and Safety leaders from Alkermes, Charles River Laboratories AbbVie, and Repligen to discuss what's working, what's not, and where contractor risk management needs to go next. Its panel discussion, Building a Unified Approach to Contractor & Supply Chain Safety in Biopharma, revealed what many biopharma EHS leaders experience daily: supply chains are only as strong as the least visible contractor on the job. The panel emphasized that leading organizations are responding by raising their own bar above local regulation, applying risk-based prequalification, and treating contractors as partners in safety rather than just vendors to police. 7 key panel insights. 1. Fragmentation is the core risk in biopharma contractor safety. Global biopharma organizations often have a single EHS framework on paper, but site-level practice varies widely by country, culture, and individual interpretation, especially around contractor prequalification and permit-to-work. That inconsistency is exactly where incidents slip through. 2. Visibility and control often laps with lower-tier contractors. Most owners feel reasonably confident in the first and second tiers of their contractor network, but beyond that the reality is "if they're breathing, they're qualified." Lower-tier subcontractors are frequently performing the highest-hazard tasks with the least oversight. That is a structural blind spot across the industry. 3. Minimum compliance is not enough for capital-intensive, high-hazard work. Regulations differ dramatically across regions; relying only on local minimums isn't compatible with the risk profile of large biopharma projects. Forward-leaning owners are deliberately setting higher, non-negotiable safety expectations and requiring dedicated safety resources based on the risk and scale of the work. 4. Prequalification is risk-based and dynamic, not one-and-done. Not every contractor, vendor or supplier requires the same level of scrutiny; but high-risk trades (electrical, heavy lifts, complex construction) absolutely do. Leading programs are moving from one-time, document-heavy checks to ongoing, risk-based profiles that adapt as conditions, projects, and partners change. 5. Culture and relationships matter as much as checklists. Compliance walks and documentation are always necessary, but you can't checklist your way to a better contractor culture. Contractors will always align to your values and make safer decisions in the field when owners invest time in joint meetings, shared orientations, and day-to-day relationship building. 6. The right technology and data strategy will extend safety culture into the supply chain. Technology and AI can help owners build more accurate, evolving pictures of risk. Ingest and organize large volumes of contractor data, including safety stats, financial health, insurance, contract worker-level qualifications, even live site signals. The challenge is embedding these capabilities into a standardized global process so local teams can act on the insights. 7. Partnership is the mindset shift that unlocks all of this. When contractors understand that higher standards exist to protect their people as much as yours, and when they're given a real voice in how work is done, they become true partners in safety, not just entities to push forms at. That's the only sustainable path from fragmented oversight to a unified, resilient safety culture across the biopharma value chain. Moving from contractor compliance to Contractor partnership. Biopharma's rapid growth, complex global supply chains, and aggressive timelines are colliding with fragmented contractor management practices, creating real exposure at the project and worker level. Visibility drops sharply beyond first- and second-tier contractors, "one global framework" often fractures into site-by-site interpretations, and cost and schedule pressure still drive too many key decisions. Treating contractors as partners by inviting them into planning and safety meetings, communicating expectations well before worker mobilization, and aligning on "what good looks like" together fosters stronger safety cultures. Moving away from one-size-fits-all to risk-based pre-qualification ensures highest-hazard trades receive the deepest scrutiny and ongoing checks, while low-risk vendors don't get bogged down in unnecessary administrative work. Ease contractor collaboration by looking beyond paperwork compliance to a dynamic view of contractor risk that includes safety performance, financial stability, insurance status, and worker-level qualifications - ideally all centralized in a single system of record. Contact Veriforce for more insights, tools, and technologies designed to help standardize contractor prequalification across global sites and tiers. Dr. Simon Goncharenko, PhD, CSP, CSHO is the Head of Expert Services at Veriforce, LLC, and member of the Veriforce Strategic Advisory Board. Having been born and raised in Eastern Europe, Simon's 30 years of professional experience have seen him lead teams on three continents and in various industries, including oil and gas, construction, and data centers. His most recent employment prior to Veriforce was with Meta Platforms, Inc. formerly Facebook, where Simon supported construction of multi-billion-dollar hyperscale AI data centers. Dr. Goncharenko has authored or contributed to over 80 articles, including in the Professional Safety Journal, and 6 books, including Save Lives: Pushing Boundaries in Human Factors, and Operationalizing Safety for Today's World: A Humancentric Practical Guide. The companion training to the book, entitled Save Lives Global Human & Organizational Factors (C), the world's first and only human factors program designed specifically for the operators, builders, and contractors of mission critical facilities, has been widely popular with hundreds of participants around the globe. Simon is an animated and engaging professor and Master Trainer, charismatic keynote speaker, and podcaster of the Save Lives Global Podcast.

Evotek partners with Veriforce Canada to enhance contractor safety management français. Feb 26, 2026, 07:00 ET CALGARY, AB, Feb. 26, 2026 /CNW/ - Veriforce Canada, the country's largest network of contractor and client relationships, is pleased to announce its new partnership with Evotek Consulting Inc., a Calgary-based environmental consulting firm serving Western Canada. Evotek will leverage ComplyWorks, a Veriforce product and a leading compliance management solution, to streamline contractor prequalification and strengthen compliance, supporting safer worksites and a more consistent approach to risk management. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to protecting people, communities, and the environment while strengthening the safety standards that industries rely on. For Veriforce Canada, it represents another step forward in delivering on its mission to ensure every worker returns home safely, while reinforcing Veriforce's global leadership in building safer, more resilient supply chains through trusted compliance and risk intelligence. "Safety and compliance are essential to how we work and deliver value to our clients. Using ComplyWorks ensures that every contractor we engage meets the same high standards we hold ourselves to, helping us maintain a transparent and trusted process at every stage," shared Ryan Moorman, Chief Operating Officer, Evotek Consulting Inc. "Evotek's decision to adopt solutions from the Veriforce product portfolio reflects a clear commitment to protecting people through intelligent, scalable technology. We're proud to support Evotek with a platform that augments human decision-making, reduces risk, and enables responsible, secure operations across every site, every day," said Henriette Bichai, President of Veriforce Canada. About Veriforce Canada Veriforce Canada is the largest network of contractor and client relationships in Canada. Its mission is simple but powerful and uncompromising: to bring every worker back home safe. Through its portfolio of industry-leading solutions, including SafeContractor and ComplyWorks, Veriforce Canada helps organizations reduce risk, strengthen governance, and scale compliance across complex supply chains nationwide. Veriforce Canada combines advanced technology with accredited health and safety expertise through a hybrid model that balances digital efficiency with human insight. Backed by 1800 employees globally, 300 of which are in territory, supporting locally, the company delivers consistent, high-quality service, enabling organizations to set and maintain auditable standards for contractor compliance, improve visibility across supply chains, and proactively prevent incidents. With multilingual experts based in Toronto, Montréal, Calgary, and Shawinigan, Veriforce Canada provides hands-on, local support grounded in regional legislation and real-world workplace challenges. Today, thousands of contractors are connected with hiring clients across a wide range of industries, supporting safer work, stronger partnerships, and more responsible operations nationwide. About Evotek Consulting Inc. Evotek is a Calgary-based environmental consulting firm specializing in environmental site assessments, soil and groundwater assessment, remediation, and reclamation. Serving clients across Western Canada, Evotek challenges the status quo with integrity-driven, technically rigorous solutions that support sustainable development, regulatory compliance, and responsible environmental stewardship. Powered by experienced field and office teams, Evotek is committed to delivering practical outcomes for both clients and communities. SOURCE Veriforce Canada

Veriforce, a global leader in contractor and supply chain risk management, has announced its acquisition of Highwire.