Independent Director — Environmental Service Risk and Assurance

Test the risk picture

Review the principal risks and the evidence supporting management's assessment. Ask how service interruption, environmental incidents, contractor failure and information weaknesses could interact. A list of separately scored risks may conceal common dependencies or cumulative pressure on the same resources.

Examine whether controls described in reports are operating in practice. Require clarity on assurance scope and limitations, including reliance on internal review or external providers. Where evidence is weak, the board should know the implications and the plan for improving confidence.

Follow corrective action to its effect

Scrutinise material incidents and recurring findings for lessons about process, capability and governance. Management responses need accountable owners, realistic resources and evidence required for closure. The director should challenge closure based only on a revised policy where the original issue concerned behaviour or operating capacity.

Experience, independence and board responsibility

Candidates should bring senior utility, environmental, risk or governance experience with direct exposure to operational accountability. They need the ability to question technical and financial evidence while recognising when specialist advice is required. Prior committee experience is valuable if it demonstrates proportionate, decision-focused oversight.

The director acts collectively with the board. Executives retain risk management and incident response, and independent assurance providers retain their own responsibilities. The seat does not authorise direct instructions to operational teams.

The contribution should improve the board's understanding of residual exposure and the choices needed to manage it. Candidates must disclose relevant commercial or advisory relationships. They should be able to support reasonable risk-taking where service needs require it, while resisting unsupported reassurance that all exposure has been eliminated simply because a control exists on paper or a risk score has been reduced in the latest report.