DuPont Sustainable Solutions (DSS) today launched The Risk Factor, a new personal risk awareness approach that applies the latest research in neuroscience and affective psychology to help employees make safer decisions on and off the job.

“Most companies operate in complex environments with many variables that undergo constant change. The Risk Factor is designed to help employees manage their reactions to unexpected events that arise during everyday operations in a way that minimizes risk and results in a safe outcome,” said John L. Chrosniak, president, DuPont Sustainable Solutions “Rules, systems and associated consequences are not enough anymore to provide the expected protection. The conscious and subconscious mind need to work in alignment to maximize risk reduction.”

Research shows that 95 percent of our decision-making takes place in the subconscious mind[1]. These subconscious decisions are reinforced through feelings associated with expected outcomes. By applying the techniques detailed in The Risk Factor, employees can elevate their risk awareness and make conscious, deliberate, choices to reduce risk within the organization.

This new approach to safety management focuses on the human element and helps employees recognize how feelings and emotions affect their decisions and actions. The Risk Factor, developed and tested in multiple operating environments, consists of a four-step capability building solution: Own It, Choose It and Change It for all employees, and Champion It for leaders and change champions. Each of these steps is designed to build different capabilities and to equip organizations with awareness, tools and techniques that will lead to sustainable change in safety and other areas.

Own It helps participants understand what influences their subconscious decision-making and realize how many decisions they make every day. Choose It provides a new perspective on how people perceive, approach and analyze risk. Change It illustrates how people choose elements that govern their risk choices, from rewards to emotions and other drivers.

Champion Ithas been specifically designed for supervisors to help them reinforce elements from The Risk Factor workshops among employees.

With the increased awareness, deep understanding and tools and techniques provided by The Risk Factor, organizations will be able to add to or transform existing risk management processes, like incident investigation, observations, overall learning and development, communication and leadership development, to ultimately reduce risk. For further information on The Risk Factor, please visit http://www.theriskfactor.dupont.com.

DuPont Sustainable Solutions (DSS) is a leading provider of world-class operations consulting services to help organizations transform and optimize their processes, technologies and capabilities. DSS is committed to improving the safety, productivity and environmental sustainability of organizations around the world. Additional information is available at: www.sustainablesolutions.dupont.com

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802.  The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders, we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit: www.dupont.com.

[1]Zaltman, Gerald.  How Customers Think: Essential Insights into the Mind of the Market.  2003.