Integrated Risk Management Equals Global Competitiveness

Q: What role does LRQA play within Mexico’s energy industry?

A: As a global leader in risk management and a strategic partner, our work focuses on helping organizations mitigate risks within the industry. These include operational, regulatory, technological, sustainability, and reputational risks, which cannot be managed in isolation; ours, is a holistic approach.

The potential impact of these risks can extend well beyond the energy sector itself, affecting academia and industries that depend heavily on a reliable and resilient energy system.

Our commitment in Mexico, as well as at the regional and global level, is to connect all these dimensions of risk in an integrated manner. The future of management systems clearly points toward integration. Historically, organizations addressed quality, environment, sustainability, occupational safety, food safety, and information security separately. Today, reality requires that these systems be integrated.

Q: How do you assess the current state of Mexico’s energy industry, including oil and gas projects, in terms of compliance, planning, and professionalization? What pressures are companies facing, both internally and externally?

A: Internal and external factors are rapidly shaping the industry. On the external side, the geopolitical environment is exerting significant pressure. Our approach is to help companies go beyond basic compliance.

While local and global requirements may not always appear fully aligned, competitiveness inevitably transcends borders. The performance of an organization’s processes and systems increasingly determines its ability to meet global demands. When companies meet those global expectations, they are often already well positioned to comply with local requirements.

Issues related to social responsibility, governance, environmental performance, sustainability, and human rights are becoming increasingly important across industries, and the energy sector is no exception. We see a strong and growing need for structured support in these areas, and we expect this demand to continue increasing in the coming years.

Our role is to be present for our clients when support is needed, but always with a clear focus on integration. Addressing issues in isolation may solve a short-term problem, but if other aspects are overlooked, they will eventually resurface. That is why we encourage clients to take a transparent approach, openly assess their current situation, and work with us to define a clear roadmap. This includes setting priorities, determining what is most urgent and important, and addressing each element within an integrated framework that supports long-term sustainability.

Q: What role can certifications play as a differentiator for the energy industry at this moment, particularly in addressing challenges such as energy efficiency and decarbonization?

A: Trends such as nearshoring have acted as indicators of how prepared organizations truly are. Looking ahead, the upcoming USMCA review will add further pressure, particularly in sectors linked to renewable energy, specialized services, and advanced manufacturing.

This environment has accelerated demand for solutions that guarantee operational integrity and alignment with global standards. As a result, we have seen increased adoption of assurance services and supply chain risk management solutions, from basic to highly sophisticated levels.

Going beyond compliance is essential. Certifications should not be treated as a simple box-ticking exercise, but as tools to generate real added value. Companies face logistical and regulatory challenges, supply chain disruptions, and intense competition from both global providers and local solutions. This competitive landscape forces organizations to differentiate themselves, and the energy sector is no exception.

Although the industry has experienced periods of pressure or contraction, these cycles tend to behave like pendulums. Expansion will return, and the key is to be prepared. Quality, sustainability, and resilience must be strengthened in advance, always aligned with existing regulations and reforms.

Many organizations, particularly SMEs, wait until opportunities or demands are already present before taking action. At that point, they often find themselves rushing to meet requirements that could have been anticipated earlier. We are seeing growing awareness in areas such as information security, digital risk, and the adoption of artificial intelligence as part of digital transformation. However, there is still a significant opportunity to bring order and clarity to an environment saturated with information.

What organizations increasingly need is a trusted partner that can help them clearly understand their current situation, identify and prioritize risks, and build a realistic and structured path forward. That is how we see our role, considering also the context of Mexico’s ongoing energy reforms: supporting clients as they navigate complexity with clarity and confidence.

Q: What do you identify as the main short-term risks for energy companies, and what role do you want to play in helping them address and overcome these hurdles?

A: One of the most immediate risks is technological innovation. This is an area where there is still significant work to be done across the industry. Growth today is increasingly tied to the adoption of global standards and to a more preventive approach to risk management. When organizations are able to anticipate regulatory risks, they are already addressing a substantial part of the challenge, but the industry as a whole still needs to make a decisive leap in technological maturity.

This leap is closely linked to data analysis and the use of artificial intelligence, but always in parallel with robust management of information technology and cybersecurity risks. Digitalization of markets and operational processes is advancing rapidly and is unavoidable, yet it also brings a new set of vulnerabilities that must be managed with the same level of rigor as traditional operational risks. Accompanying companies in this technological and innovation journey, while ensuring that risks are properly identified and mitigated, is therefore critical.

Another key area is environmental and social responsibility. The environmental dimension, in particular, has become a central issue for the industry. It is no longer optional or secondary. All stakeholders are part of the same ecosystem, and every organization contributes, directly or indirectly, to environmental outcomes. As a result, expectations around environmental performance, accountability, and transparency will only continue to increase.

Our role is to support companies as they navigate these challenges in an integrated way, helping them strengthen their technological capabilities while embedding risk management, sustainability, and responsibility into their core strategies.

LRQA is a leading independent global provider of assurance,certification, inspection, and training services. LRQA helps clients anticipate, mitigate, and manage complex risks across operations, supply chains, and environmental performance.