- Global health, safety, and environmental expert Faisal Majeed says cutting-edge computing could propel Pakistan onto the world stage in workplace safety
The global health, safety, and environmental (HSE) industry is in a period of rapid expansion, fueled by tighter regulations, rising ESG expectations, and fast-moving advances in digital technology. Once viewed primarily as a compliance checkbox, HSE has become a strategic function that protects people, safeguards the environment, and strengthens corporate performance and reputation.
Recent industry research shows that the HSE software market alone is valued at $ 2.24 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $ 3.73 billion by 2030, growing at a 10.7% CAGR. Services, including consulting, implementation, and managed solutions, account for roughly 60% of the market, underscoring that technology adoption is inseparable from expert guidance. This momentum extends beyond software: demand for audits, risk assessments, training, and compliance management is rising as organizations seek integrated solutions that blend digital tools with on-the-ground expertise.
Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region, while North America remains the largest market. The next wave of HSE innovation is being defined by artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). AI-driven platforms can forecast incidents by analyzing historical events, sensor data, and workforce patterns, allowing safety leaders to target interventions before hazards escalate. VR and AR are transforming training and hazard identification: teams can rehearse emergency responses in realistic simulations, while AR overlays can deliver live hazard alerts, procedural prompts, and maintenance guidance.
The result is better outcomes, lower risk, and reduced downtime and training costs. “The convergence of safety science with modern computing is not theoretical anymore. It’s here, and the organizations that integrate both will outperform on safety and on business results,” Faisal Majeed, expert on global health, safety, and environmental issues, said. Global labor market data point to steady growth in occupational health and safety roles over the coming decade. But the skill profile is changing. Tomorrow’s HSE leaders must be as comfortable interpreting data dashboards and configuring AI-driven risk models as they are conducting site inspections. This hybrid profession blends engineering, compliance, and technology integration, creating an opening for countries with strong IT talent pools to lead.
WHY PAKISTAN SHOULD PAY ATTENTION
Pakistan’s software industry has already proven its ability to deliver competitive, high-quality solutions in fintech, e-commerce, and enterprise software. Yet the HSE technology niche remains largely untapped. With the global market expanding at double-digit rates, there is a clear opportunity for Pakistani firms to build and export HSE software, analytics platforms, and immersive training solutions. By targeting this sector, the country can diversify its export portfolio, move up the value chain into higher-margin services, and contribute to global safety and sustainability goals.
Demand extends beyond large industrial clients; mid-sized enterprises, municipalities, and NGOs are seeking affordable, scalable HSE solutions. A leading proponent of this opportunity, Faisal Majeed, founder and Board Member of WorkSafePlace AI, believes Pakistan’s software houses are well positioned to capture a share of the HSE technology market. “We have the engineering talent, the cost advantage, and the ability to deliver globally competitive solutions,” he noted. “What’s needed is strategic focus, and the vision to see HSE not just as compliance, but as a driver of operational excellence and brand value.”
BRIDGING SAFETY EXPERTISE AND TECH CAPABILITY
Faisal Majeed, by virtue of his world-leading HSE credentials, Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Machinery Safety Engineer (CMSE), and Fellow of the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management, emphasizes that Pakistan must establish its own institutions and professional bodies capable of developing internationally recognized certifications and credentials in HSE management. He suggested these institutions could serve as local chapters or form strategic partnerships with internationally-recognized boards and independent professional bodies, accelerating capability-building in the HSE sector.
Such collaborations would groom HSE professionals in Pakistan to feed the global HSE talent pool in traditional frameworks and enable them to help shape the technology-driven revolution transforming the field. Drawing on two decades of HSE leadership across diverse FMCG industries and experience developing and deploying global HSE policies, procedures, and standards in multibillion dollars multinational companies at both regional and global levels, including award-winning HSE initiatives, Faisal Majeed stresses that Pakistan’s universities must introduce dedicated degree programs in occupational health and safety engineering and management.
At present, there is not a single university in the country offering undergraduate or postgraduate programs specifically combining the health, safety, and environmental engineering domains. Without producing well-educated graduates in these disciplines, Pakistan risks missing the chance to build a pipeline for global and regional roles in multinationals and to replicate world-class standards in local industries and other occupational sectors. He emphasizes that these new programs should go beyond traditional HSE curricula to integrate modern, high-impact disciplines such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, computer vision, and virtual reality.
An interdisciplinary approach would equip the next generation to perform predictive risk assessments, implement real-time hazard monitoring, design immersive safety training, and make data-driven decisions. Blending HSE fundamentals with emerging technologies would strengthen Pakistan’s ability to compete globally while empowering local industries to contribute to the technology-led transformation of workplace safety worldwide.
THE ROAD AHEAD
Regulatory frameworks are tightening, ESG expectations are rising, and digital tools are making high safety and environmental performance more attainable and cost-effective. For Pakistan, the path forward is clear: mobilize its tech sector, build domestic HSE credentials and institutions, and launch university programs that fuse safety engineering with AI, analytics, and immersive technologies. “The future of HSE belongs to those who can merge deep safety expertise with cutting-edge computing. Pakistan has the talent to lead if government, industry, universities, and investors act together and act now,” Majeed concluded.
