Leslie Davis, vice president and principal at Harbor Environmental & Safety of Little Rock, co-founded the environmental, safety and engineering consulting firm with Trena Adair in 2007. Davis specializes in acquisition assistance and implementation of compliance management systems. She has more than 20 years of experience in the industry and has served on several regulatory committees in Arkansas. A North Little Rock native, Davis earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental health science from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
In February, Harbor acquired Blaylock Threet Engineers of Little Rock, a move that expanded engineering and added surveying capabilities to its portfolio of services.
How important is it for businesses to focus on environmental and safety issues?
I believe we are finally at a point where businesses see the value in proactive environmental and safety programs. In the last 10 to 15 years, we have seen our clients’ focus shift from just permit compliance to management systems that take a more complete view of environmental requirements. We spend a lot of man-hours auditing management systems and making recommendations on improvements that eventually translate to the bottom line through more efficient operation of those systems within the business. Some businesses have conquered compliance and are now focused on sustainability programs, such as zero landfill, energy management, etc.
Do most businesses apply the appropriate amount of thought and effort to those issues?
Most businesses do focus on current environmental and safety issues appropriately. However, the industry is always moving. The Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration and our local regulatory agencies are changing the rules almost daily.
It is so important that businesses recognize that they have the opportunity to effect change in those rules and in how the regulations are developed and implemented locally. Business owners should take advantage of opportunities to comment on new laws, proposed changes to existing regulations, even draft copies of their own permits. We always recommend a proactive approach with regulatory agencies whether it is through direct agency contact, a consultant or an industry association. Most agencies, especially at the local level, are usually very willing to discuss your specific situation and try to find ways to develop more flexible compliance requirements.
Describe your experience as a female founder. Any extra hurdles to clear?
I’m not sure there were any additional hurdles to clear, but I do think being a woman in an industry heavily populated with men has sometimes been a challenge, especially early on in our business. My partner, Trena Adair, and I probably put more pressure on ourselves to “prove” we could compete in the field than was actually out there. Like most business owners, we are definitely wired to try to excel at everything we do.
Which is the most important of the services Harbor provides?
Several years ago, I had a client tell me he “could finally sleep at night” with Harbor on board. In my mind, that makes education and peace of mind the most important services we provide. Our job is essentially to help clients, which include both individual business owners and corporations, understand how complex rules and regulations apply to their business and what is required of the business for compliance. Most business owners want to excel at everything they do. It’s how we are wired. So, any issue of non-compliance, whether it’s environmental, safety, or even taxes, can keep business owners up at night. At Harbor, we strive to be such an integral part of the client’s business that owners and compliance managers have confidence their requirements are being met and they can focus on making the business better.
Experienced any dangerous situations at a job site?
Consulting is not necessarily espionage, so I am not sure how many “dangerous” situations I can name. However, one of the best parts of my job is getting to see how things are made in Arkansas and across the country. Over the years, I have pushed the button in a gypsum mine, seen explosives being cured for warheads, rode pipelines for miles through the Ozarks on an ATV, chased a runaway turkey at a processing plant, and even rode in a speeding Cadillac with a lively farm manager across the levees in the Delta. It’s a different job every day, and I love it.
What does the future for this industry look like?
We are seeing a transition in this industry from strictly “enforcing” compliance to businesses taking the initiative to reduce environmental impact and improve safety before regulations are even imposed. Corporations are developing policies for sustainability that go above and beyond what regulatory agencies require. From a safety perspective, corporations are realizing that heavy-handed rule enforcement is not the most effective way to achieve a safe work environment. Behavior-based safety culture is at the forefront. Some companies are even taking that a step further by teaching environmental and safety concepts that apply to their employees’ home lives. We are definitely seeing a more holistic view from businesses, which is very exciting.
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