Using gamification to develop process safety culture at Vale

Abstract In response to major industrial incidents that marked the Brazilian mining sector, Vale initiated a cultural transformation in 2019, recognizing the urgent need to strengthen its Process Safety and Risk Management practices. Building a robust safety culture, however, demands leadership engagement and the active involvement of all employees. To address this challenge, Vale adopted a gamification‐based learning strategy and developed a training game using the Learning Map methodology. The game combines role‐playing and board game elements to simulate realistic operational scenarios, encouraging participants to reflect on their responsibilities and decision‐making processes. Since its implementation in 2023, the program has trained over 200 employees and generated strong demand across the organization. Early qualitative results indicate a positive cultural shift with participants reporting a broader systemic understanding of risk and safety. Some noted that their perspectives on Process Safety would have been significantly different had they experienced the training earlier in their careers. Despite challenges related to facilitator selection, scalability, and quality assurance, the gamified approach has proven effective in enhancing engagement, knowledge retention, and alignment with safety principles. The methodology also offers flexibility for future expansion, allowing new narratives to be developed and additional safety topics to be addressed.