The Skills EHS Leaders Urgently Need in 2026

For years, being technically strong, compliance-focused and armed with the right certificates was enough to build a solid career in safety. But the ground is shifting fast. This conversation with Lucas Dominguez, founder of the Safety 4.0 Academy, cuts straight through the noise around AI and digital transformation and asks a much bigger question: are today's EHS leaders actually equipped for what's coming next? From boardroom influence to digital fluency, this one is a wake-up call for anyone who wants to stay relevant, credible and genuinely effective in the years ahead. Highlights: Technical skills alone are no longer enough: Compliance gets you in the room, not heard. AI is not replacing safety, but it is reshaping it: Augmentation, not automation. Digital fluency is becoming a core leadership skill: Understanding tech to make better decisions. Safety leadership is shifting from rule keeper to change maker: Influence, not enforcement. AI can remove low-value admin: More time for real safety work. The biggest risk is playing catch-up: Early adopters gain the advantage. Human skills still sit at the centre: Empathy, judgment and critical thinking matter more than ever. Resources and actions:  Download Lucas' free e-book "Become the Safety 4.0 Leader": https://newsletter.getshield360.com/ebook Explore the Safety 4.0 Academy (IOSH-approved and CPD-certified): https://www.safetyacademy.tech/ Sign up for a future Safety Roundtable: https://safetyroundtable.co.uk/  Connect with Lucas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-domingues-msc-cmiosh-49b2b820/  Connect with Christian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-harris-slip-safety/