Leading Change Forward in the UK’s Fire Industry

Environmental obligation is no longer peripheral to fire safety governance. Rather it’s central to all sectors. The emergence of regulatory scrutiny around perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and the wider per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) family of chemicals has created a defining leadership moment for our sector.

Often referred to as ‘forever chemicals’, these substances have historically been used in certain firefighting foams due to their exceptional suppression performance. However, their persistence in soil and groundwater has triggered heightened regulatory oversight across the UK.

The transition away from PFOA is not merely a technical shift. It’s also a leadership evolution. Historically, leadership in the fire industry has been rooted in technical competence and regulatory awareness. Compliance was the benchmark. Meeting British Standards was the objective and enforcement was the motivator. That model served the industry well for decades.

However, environmental governance requires a different posture: one that’s anticipatory rather than reactive. The adaptive leader doesn’t wait for prohibition: they prepare for inevitability. They assess stock holdings of legacy foams. They commission environmental risk reviews. They consult licensed waste contractors for safe disposal routes. They engage manufacturers about fluorine-free alternatives before clients request them.

This shift from reactive compliance towards proactive environmental stewardship is now defining high-performing organisations.

Intensified scrutiny

Across the UK, the scrutiny of PFAS contamination has intensified. Environmental monitoring, groundwater sampling and site remediation discussions are increasingly intersecting with fire safety installations. Insurance providers are asking new questions. Public sector frameworks are embedding sustainability metrics. Construction governance is linking fire performance with environmental impact. In this landscape, leadership style matters.

Command and Control-type models may achieve short-term compliance, but collaborative and transparent leadership builds long-term resilience. Teams must understand why change is occurring. Engineers and technicians must feel confident explaining environmental transitions to clients. Procurement managers must balance performance, cost and sustainability with clarity.

The British Standards landscape is also evolving. Standards-focused committees are demonstrating greater integration between built environment safety and environmental responsibility. While traditional fire detection and suppression standards remain grounded in life safety performance, sustainability considerations are becoming part of strategic dialogue and future programme priorities through 2026-2027.

This reflects a broader systemic truth: fire protection can no longer operate in isolation from environmental governance.

Practical steps

The practical steps forward are both structured and measurable. Organisations should undertake comprehensive audits of foam stocks and suppression systems. They should document chemical compositions, review safety data sheets and verify disposal channels. Environmental due diligence should become embedded within internal audit processes.

Training programmes must evolve accordingly. Technicians should understand the performance differences between legacy AFFF products and newer fluorine-free alternatives. Sales teams should be equipped to articulate environmental value alongside suppression capability. Leadership should provide clarity on long-term procurement direction in order to avoid fragmented decision-making, but this isn’t solely about foam.

Environmental obligation extends into waste minimisation during servicing operations. It includes vehicle emissions strategies for mobile engineers. It incorporates digital certification to reduce paper consumption. It considers responsible sourcing of components and Environmental, Social and Governance awareness within supply chains.

Clients increasingly expect demonstrable sustainability credentials, particularly so in public sector and commercial construction frameworks. Organisations that embed environmental leadership early position themselves competitively. There’s also a reputational dimension.

The fire industry operates within communities. Contamination incidents, disposal failures or lack of environmental transparency can erode public trust on a rapid basis. Conversely, organisations that communicate openly about transition plans, disposal protocols and sustainability goals build credibility.

Leadership in this era must therefore balance four pillars: life safety, regulatory compliance, environmental stewardship and organisational integrity. These pillars are interdependent, not competing.

Visible intersection

Reducing PFOA and addressing PFAS legacy risks represents one of the most visible intersections of these pillars. Yet the opportunity extends further. By embedding environmental governance into corporate strategy, the fire industry can redefine what protection truly means.

Protection is no longer confined to flame and smoke. It encompasses soil, water and future generations. Adaptive leadership recognises this broadened definition and acts accordingly.

The question facing every organisation is simple: ‘Are we waiting to be directed or are we prepared to lead?’ As standards evolve and regulatory frameworks strengthen, the organisations that thrive will be those viewing environmental transition not as a burden, but as professional evolution.

The UK’s fire industry has consistently demonstrated innovation in response to risk. From advancements in detection technology through to improvements in suppression systems, progress has always followed awareness. Environmental obligation is simply the next chapter.

By aligning leadership style with sustainability strategy and embracing the cultural evolution required to reduce forever chemicals and adapt industry practice, we ensure that fire protection continues to protect not only life and property, but also the environment that sustains both.

Protect life. Protect property. Protect the future.

Simon Lyons MIFSM AMIFPO is National General Manager of the Independent Fire Engineering and Distributors Association (IFEDA) (www.ifeda.org)