Aramark convened safety and operations leaders from across its global enterprise at the 2025 SAFE Leadership Conference in November. The two-day conference—themed Lead. Grow. Inspire.—brought together more than 150 safety professionals, strategic partners, and senior leaders to share best practices, explore innovations, and strengthen leadership capabilities in pursuit of Aramark’s Target Zero vision: zero harm to people and the environment.
“Safety is the thread that connects every part of our business, from stadiums and hospitals to schools and remote worksites,” said Allan Fernandes, Vice President of Global Safety & Risk. “This conference is about equipping our leaders with the tools, mindset, and community to lead with care and accountability. We’re not just building safer workplaces; we’re building stronger leaders and better experiences for everyone we serve.”
Aramark’s approach to safety goes beyond compliance to cultivating a culture of care, accountability, and continuous improvement. Leaders like Chris Culver, Vice President of Hospitality Enablement, and Fernandes emphasized this in their opening remarks, reinforcing that safety leadership is essential to delivering exceptional hospitality experiences.
Equipping Leaders to Drive Cross-Industry Change
The conference featured keynote addresses, technical and leadership development sessions, and a Presidential Panel with business leaders from across Aramark’s portfolio. Attendees explored topics ranging from food allergen safety and OSHA readiness to environmental compliance and digital safety innovations. The agenda was designed to equip leaders with the tools and mindset to drive a culture of care and accountability in every business line, from sports and entertainment venues to healthcare facilities and educational institutions.
Highlights included:
- An opening keynote by Sasha Day, President and CEO of Aramark Destinations, on leading with resilience and purpose at parks, public lands, conference centers, and recreation businesses across the U.S. Day spoke of the challenges and opportunities that arose within her first months of leading hospitality operations as well as the strategy and heart that Destinations put forth to surmount those issues and look to the future.
- Breakout sessions spanning three tracks: Technology, using digital tools to strengthen safety culture; Workplace Safety, offering practical solutions to operational risks; and Compliance, focusing on regulations and environmental responsibility.
- A panel discussion with Aramark presidents—Alison Birdwell from Sports+Entertainment, Gary Crompton from Workplace Experience Group, Pat Leibler from Refreshments, and Steven Prisco from Aramark Canada—to share insights on aligning safety with strategic growth and how their views on that framework evolved with their breadth of experience.
- A closing session on authentic leadership by communication expert Bronwyn Saglimbeni. Saglimbeni delivered a deeply engaging keynote and workshopping address that encouraged safety leaders to develop their full potential as dynamic communicators and presenters.
“This conference reflects our belief that strong safety leadership is essential to delivering operational excellence and environmental stewardship,” said Fernandes. “It’s a powerful reminder that our vision of Target Zero—zero harm to people and the environment—is achievable when we lead with purpose, invest in our people, and collaborate across every level of the organization.”
Sign Up for News Alerts
