Why
Technical, legal and financial matters are examined in depth in most deals, while HSE often gets a single checkbox. We show which duties are fulfilled, where the gaps are and what they mean once you own the business.
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Acquiring a company, an energy project or an asset, financing one, or buying a service provider? We assess how health, safety and environment are actually managed on the ground and translate our findings into a traffic-light rating, cost drivers and an action plan for the first 100 days.
An HSE due diligence examines how health, safety and environment are actually managed before you acquire a company, a project or an asset. It is designed for investors, buyers, lenders and corporate M&A teams. SAFETEE delivers a traffic-light report with red flags, cost drivers and actions for the first 100 days after closing.
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Technical, legal and financial matters are examined in depth in most deals, while HSE often gets a single checkbox. We show which duties are fulfilled, where the gaps are and what they mean once you own the business.
As a red flag review before signing, when you need to know quickly whether anything puts the deal at risk. As a full review before closing, when the purchase agreement, warranties and integration plan need solid findings.
A traffic-light report for each review area: findings, rating, cost drivers and actions, ranked by urgency. Plus a plan for the first 100 days that your team or the new operator can put into practice straight away.
We work to the timetable of your deal and agree scope and depth with you and your advisors up front.
Clarify the deal structure, sites, the questions of the investment committee and data room access. Tailor the review list to the target.
Review organisation, risk assessments, appointments, inspection records, permits, incident statistics and contractor documents. Turn gaps into questions for the seller.
Walk the operating site or construction site and talk to management, HSE leads, the occupational safety specialist and site management. Check whether paper and practice match.
Rate each review area, name the cost drivers and prioritise actions. Findings in a written report and a close-out session with your deal team.
In a share deal the company remains employer and operator, so its duties, shortcomings and pending proceedings stay with it. In an asset deal you take over plants or projects and must organise the operator duties within your own structure from the transfer date. Each structure shifts where we put the emphasis.
We provide the technical HSE findings: what is in place, what is missing and what it means for operations. The legal assessment, for example of warranties, indemnities or notification duties, remains with your lawyers. Legal and HSE due diligence complement each other without duplication.
A compact review before signing. It shows whether any HSE issues call the price, the structure or the deal itself into question.
A complete review before closing, so that the purchase agreement, warranties and integration plan rest on solid findings.
After closing we support implementation until the most important gaps are closed and responsibilities are clearly assigned.
We examine these areas for every target. Weighting and depth depend on the sector, project phase and deal structure. German legal references are given where they apply.
Who is responsible for what? Are duties delegated in writing (section 13 of the German Occupational Safety and Health Act, ArbSchG) and is supervision exercised?
Complete, current and documented under sections 5 and 6 ArbSchG? Do measures and effectiveness checks match the work actually done on site?
On construction sites: has the coordinator been appointed under section 3 of the Construction Site Ordinance (BaustellV), and is the health and safety plan in place and kept up to date?
Selection, induction and coordination under section 8 ArbSchG and section 6 of DGUV Regulation 1, and control in the field.
Incident statistics, statutory accident reports under section 193 of Book VII of the German Social Code (SGB VII) and the quality of investigations: are causes understood and actions effective?
Are the HSE-relevant conditions from permits and official orders on file, and is compliance with them documented?
ISO 45001, SCC and other certificates: valid, with the right scope and backed up by practice?
Safety instructions under section 12 ArbSchG, qualifications and competences, documented completely and up to date.
Inspections under sections 14 to 16 of the Industrial Safety Ordinance (BetrSichV), appointments and records: what must be in place in your organisation on day one?
Financial institutions that apply the Equator Principles require an independent environmental and social consultant to review the assessment for all Category A projects and, as appropriate, Category B projects (Principle 7). In Germany, a Designated Country, host country law takes precedence, including occupational safety law. An HSE due diligence provides the technical basis for this review.
Source: Equator Principles EP4, in force since 1 October 2020; website as of 4 August 2026
Under the Omnibus Directive (EU) 2026/470, in force since 18 March 2026, the CSRD only applies to companies with more than 1,000 employees and net turnover above EUR 450 million. Member States must transpose it by 19 March 2027. Many targets will therefore not report themselves. Their occupational safety duties under German law remain unchanged.
Source: Directive (EU) 2026/470, Official Journal of 26 February 2026; IHK Südlicher Oberrhein, accessed 1 October 2026
HSE due diligence is a module of our Safety Consulting. These services follow on from it:
Know, delegate and document the duties of the new operator.
In-depth expert assessment of individual findings, for example after an accident.
HSE management on site that puts the 100-day plan into practice.
An HSE due diligence is a review of the health, safety and environmental management of a company, project or asset as part of a transaction or financing. It assesses organisation, documents and practice on the ground and shows which risks, costs and actions come with the acquisition.
For wind, solar, storage and grid projects we focus on the operator's organisation, risk assessments, the health and safety plan and site coordinator during construction, contractor management, incident data, HSE-relevant permit conditions and the inspections and appointments required during operation.
A red flag review fits early, before signing, when you need to know quickly whether HSE issues affect the deal or the price. The full review follows before closing, when warranties, indemnities and the integration plan need solid findings. After closing we can support the first 100 days.
The red flag review concentrates on material risks and works mainly with the core documents in the data room. The full HSE due diligence covers all nine review areas, adds a site visit and interviews and delivers the complete traffic-light report with cost drivers and a 100-day plan.
In a share deal the company remains employer and operator, and existing duties and shortcomings stay with it. In an asset deal you take over plants or projects and must ensure appointments, inspections and records within your own organisation from the transfer date. Your law firm provides the legal assessment.
It depends on the shortcoming. Missing documents can usually be put in place with moderate effort. Missing qualifications, overdue inspections, technical retrofits or an organisation that has to be rebuilt cost more. After an accident, downtime, proceedings and reputational damage come on top. The due diligence makes these cost drivers visible in advance.
No. We assess from a technical point of view whether occupational safety and operator duties are organised and practised. The legal assessment, for example of liability, warranties or notification duties, is done by your law firm. The two reviews complement each other, and we are happy to coordinate directly with your lawyers.
Since the Omnibus Directive (EU) 2026/470, the CSRD only applies to companies with more than 1,000 employees and net turnover above EUR 450 million. The due diligence clarifies whether the target is subject to reporting. Duties under occupational safety law apply regardless.
Target, deal phase, timetable: with these three details we can tell you which level of review fits, and we will get back to you promptly. We are happy to sign a non-disclosure agreement in advance.
