Sustainability Deeply Embedded in the DNA of RelyOn

Q: What industries does RelyOn serve?

A: For the past 13 years, RelyOn Mexico has primarily provided services to the energy industry, specifically the hydrocarbons sector — everything related to oil and energy. However, more recently, our focus has also shifted toward expanding into other industries and energy sources.

This transition aligns with national projects and developments, such as certain reforms taking place in the country, which initially followed one path and have since adapted to the current national context. As a result, we as a company have also been adapting.

Over time, we have developed offshore training programs in Mexico, while also focusing on industrial safety across any sector that requires training and professional development.

Q: What is the main objective of the managed services you offer?

A: The main objective and mission of RelyOn is to build the competence of the workforce in the 35 countries we operate in. Our focus is to create training plans that can ensure both the safety of the workforce and the safety of the facility or training centers. For example, today we are increasing our presence in the automotive, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors.

It has definitely been a challenge to establish a presence in one particular sector and then suddenly move into others. If we are capable of working offshore and in environments that are prone to accidents, then we can do it in any industry. An instructor trained to extinguish fires or handle a spill on an offshore platform is fully prepared to train others in any industry. Our service and training management involves creating programs that are truly tailored not only to the needs of the worker, but also to those of the company, the industry, and the country where they are operating.

If you take a training course with us, we train you to be competent and able to perform that activity today, but we also support you in ensuring that you remain competent not just today, but tomorrow as well.

Therefore, these managed services do more than just deliver a course. They create an entire training plan that includes the course itself, certification, and administration. They also prepare the company to generate reports, respond to audits, and remain consistently competent.

Q: How does the company contribute to protecting the environment and its clients’ assets?

A: Environmental protection is part of the company’s vision. Our training plans not only include topics such as how to safeguard Mexico, but also how to protect the facility and the environment from a business continuity perspective.

So, in terms of preserving the environment and our planet, this is fully connected to the continuity of a business that requires a sustainable environment to survive. We have well-structured preservation and sustainability plans, drawing on experience from other centers and parts of the world where global warming and pollution levels may be equal to or greater than those in Mexico.

Q: What measures does the organization take to minimize risks in the workplace and promote health and safety awareness among employees?

A: Business continuity is closely tied to operational continuity. To ensure this, we have had to adjust certain standards to comply with specific regulations. Our training and development must come entirely from within. Therefore, you cannot sell what you do not practice.

We have made it a priority to implement internal training programs designed to ensure that all our employees comply with these standards and have the knowledge and tools to meet regulatory requirements and protect the environment.

This is also promoted in a safe work environment — not only because we are training individuals but also because all our employees must feel safe and know that their performance is aligned with risk management as well as environmental improvement. As such, we have robust internal training plans that we are required to meet at the corporate level. We have a human resources department fully dedicated to this compliance. The personnel working in our training centers are punctual and consistent, which compels us to maintain all safety standards and protect our workforce.

Q: How important is it that safety be part of the organization’s “DNA?”

A: Safety is in our DNA as a company and as employees, and that means it’s embedded in everything we do. 

For example, each of us as individuals has different characteristics, but there are certain traits that are passed down through families. You carry part of your parents’ DNA, and your children carry part of yours. The way RelyOn looks at safety is similar: safety is at the core, at the very center of the company, and it extends to each of its team members. 

You can find safety in the content of our services, in our commercial strategies, in our business development strategies, in the selection of materials we use in our services, and in the selection of our suppliers.

Q: What role does sustainability play in this company’s product and service offerings? 

A: Sustainability is also deeply embedded in the DNA of our company. It is not an isolated aspect but an element that strengthens the trust we build with our clients. In an increasingly digital and transparent environment, where anyone can easily access information and understand a company’s vision, it is essential that our values align with those of our customers.

When a company shares ethical principles, responsibility, and sustainability with its business partners, a genuine and lasting connection is created. This is where our strategy gains strength: we aim not only to ensure the operational continuity of the business but also to incorporate sustainability as a key pillar of our value proposition.

Today, we talk about sustainability alongside other fundamental concepts, such as operational efficiency and corporate responsibility. We implement concrete programs that not only optimize costs or processes but also promote a more responsible use of resources.

I am particularly excited that our new corporate presentation includes our sustainability plans within the very first slides. It’s no longer about relegating this topic to the end of the presentation or just a quick mention on the website, but rather placing it at the beginning as a pillar of who we are.

Ultimately, this sustainable approach seeks to generate mutual benefits: supporting our clients in their own sustainability goals while simultaneously strengthening the future of our own company. All of this reinforces trust and creates valuable synergies that drive long-term relationships.

Q: What actions are being implemented at RelyOn to reduce the environmental footprint of operations?

A: Many activities are underway and several execution plans are in progress. However, one of the most relevant, and closely linked to our business strategy, is the digitalization of services.

Digitalizing a service means offering the same quality of training you would receive in person at our center, but virtually. We are complementing this with practical exercises, since we cannot completely eliminate the need for students to perform hands-on tasks related to theory. Even so, we are moving toward simulation as an efficient alternative. 

With this strategy, we are optimizing paper usage, reducing consumption of energy resources, such as air conditioning, as well as the use of physical classrooms. 

Additionally, we are digitalizing other processes such as invoicing and financial documentation. This whole approach should be an integral part of our operation. Finally, we believe that training should not be limited solely to developing job-related skills but also include how to efficiently use the resources the company provides. For instance, in the case of our swimming pools, the water we use is recycled. It is not water that is discarded or lost. This represents a great benefit from a sustainability standpoint. 

We also actively promote virtual training. This form of learning allows us to receive training from home, which reduces the need for commuting. By avoiding travel by car, bus, or even plane, we contribute significantly to reducing polluting emissions. In this way, by reducing mobility, we directly support the sustainability of our activities. 

Another important aspect is training on waste management and separation, which has been implemented in the company for several years. This training is part of the development that all employees receive and reinforces our commitment to the environment.

Q: In which region of the country is the company expanding and why?

A: We are leading a business development strategy based on global guidelines focusing on seeking partnerships. A clear example of this is the Altamira center in Tamaulipas, which faced a difficult landscape right after beginning operations: the pandemic. This is a clear example that united we are stronger.

Currently, we are looking for partnerships mainly in Latin America. We already have projects and are providing our services in other countries. Our advantage is that we can speak Spanish. Thanks to the mobility and digitalization of our services, we can serve Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Cuba. We currently have projects with Panama, Chile, and Colombia. For example, there are shipping companies moving their fleets to work more toward Colombia, a country where we currently have a stronger presence.

Q: What advantages could realistic simulations offer compared to traditional training methods?

A: The use of simulation has come to revolutionize training. In any industry, safety training will always be much more successful and yield better results for the individual, the industry, and the environment, especially if the training is hands-on. But there are certain scenarios where you cannot do actual practice, so you have to simulate that practice. An example would be a natural disaster. Nowadays, we have electrical academies where risk and electrical work simulations are conducted. We also have the simulation academy, where we simulate activities such as crane operations and load handling, or situations like confined spaces in mines, for example. We are also exploring the use of virtual reality. We are looking not only to simulate the practice but to simulate the accident or incident itself.

This also leads us to one of our new academies, which is the Leadership academy. The reality is that I can teach 10 courses on fire handling. I can show you 10 times how to use a fire extinguisher, but if I don’t teach you when is the ideal moment to activate an alarm — based on human behavior — then we are not delivering 100% of the knowledge. What matters is the reaction in the moment. How do we deal with people who scream, run, and push in moments of panic, when all you learned is forgotten because people panic? If the person in charge takes on the role of leader, they will be prepared for such events. That is why we also have the leadership academy. So, simulation definitely works. The purpose of our academies is to complement training.

Q: What are the company’s plans going forward?

A: In Mexico, we are also focusing on petrochemicals. There are very interesting liquefied gas projects about to take place, covering the central and northern regions of the country. 

Strategically, the Altamira center, which is located in Tampico, has very good flight accessibility and is geographically well positioned. There is a high concentration of industry in the north of the country, and therefore, there is a growing demand for specialized training. This has become a very important part of our sector diversification goal. Additionally, we are working on developing hybrid training models. This means our instructors can go to a petrochemical plant or a wind farm and conduct the training course on-site.

We are working in a receptive market, not only in Mexico but throughout Latin America. I would define it as a market that requires our services, as it is a real need — an investment in workforce training.

On behalf of RelyOn and as the commercial business development manager, I continue to emphasize the importance of fostering a safety culture, both in Mexico and Latin America. It should not be seen as an expense but as an investment. 

Another goal is to adapt to new technologies toward 2030 as well  as emerging industries and industrial sectors.