Reshaping Risk Management to Deliver Critical Reforms in a Complex Environmental Organisation

This presentation reflects on using Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) to reshape risk management in a complex environmental organization, Natural England. Tasked with delivering reforms and increasing risk-based decision-making, the team used rich pictures, conceptual models, and iterative exercises to navigate ambiguity, surface organizational tensions, and align stakeholders around risk responsibilities. SSM provided a structured way to hold honest conversations with senior leaders, clarify roles, and empower individuals—particularly the risk lead—while fostering team cohesion. The experience highlights how systems thinking tools can enable meaningful change even for novice practitioners in complex, high-stakes environments.