our story
Built on Values,
Owned by Us
From our roots in Southern California to nationwide impact, our journey is defined by integrity, innovation, and ownership.
We are experts in Environmental, Health, Safety, and Sustainability, but it’s our lived Values approach that makes us different. Values aren’t meant to be slogans on office walls or marketing materials, values are to be promoted, recognized, and celebrated – the lens from which all decisions should be made and the basis for creating a brand. Profits are a by-product of doing things right. If we lead with our values and execute accordingly, profits will follow. As a 100% employee-owned firm, our team’s success is our company’s success. With deep expertise across environmental compliance, industrial hygiene, safety, engineering, sustainability, and more—we deliver practical solutions for clients of all sizes, wherever they need us.
Our Origins —
How it all Began
Citadel EHS was founded with a simple but powerful belief: a company is only as strong as the stakeholders it serves (Our Employees and their Families, our Clients, Our Vendors, Our Communities, and the Environment).
In the late 1990s, our founder, Loren Witkin, recognized a gap in the industry—environmental, health, and safety consulting firms often operated in silos, disconnected from the bigger picture of the built environment. With a vision to change that, Loren set out to create something different: a multidisciplinary firm built on technical excellence in every discipline offered, genuine alignment with all of our stakeholders, integrated delivery of services, and a culture of ownership.
From day one, Citadel was designed to be both employee-focused and client-driven. Loren’s mission was to build a team of experts who not only understood environmental compliance and risk management but also recognized how these services fit into the larger context of real estate, business operations, and community health.
In 2003, Loren took that vision even further by establishing Citadel as an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) company. This bold move reflected his belief that “we share what we make with those that make it”, that every employee should have a stake in the company’s future. Employee ownership wasn’t just a financial model—it became part of our identity, fueling a deeper level of commitment, accountability, and shared success.
Over two decades later, that spirit of collaboration, ownership, and impact continues to define who we are. We are proud to be 100% employee-owned, with a team dedicated to protecting people, property, and the environment—today and for generations to come.
Becoming an ESOP
Ownership That Drives Excellence
In 2003, Citadel EHS made a defining decision—to become a 100% Employee-Owned Company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
Why? Because we believe the people doing the work should own the work.
Employee ownership gives every team member a direct stake in the success of our clients, our projects, and our company. It’s more than a benefit—it’s a culture of accountability, pride, and shared purpose.
Our ESOP structure fosters:
- Long-term relationships, not short-term wins.
- Collaboration, not competition.
- Commitment to quality, because we all have skin in the game.
When you work with Citadel EHS, you’re not just hiring consultants—you’re partnering with employee-owners who treat every project like it’s their own. That’s the Citadel difference.
Our Values
At Citadel, we strive to have a positive social and environmental impact not only through the work we do for clients, but also in how we treat our employees and how we conduct our business. Our culture is the foundation of who we are and how we work, and is shaped by these shared beliefs:
Integrity
We’re committed to doing the right thing, in the right way, for the right reasons. Honesty and ethics are what build every relationship, and that includes the relationship we have with our clients and work.
Trust
We look at every project as a way to build long-lasting, meaningful, and honest relationships with our clients—because we believe in people first, always. Our corporate-client relationships are no different.
Excellence
We maintain high expectations of ourselves as we strive to deliver innovative, comprehensive, sustainable solutions to our clients. We take pride in delivering outstanding results.
Aligned Interests
Corporate profit and societal benefit are not mutually exclusive. We develop solutions that decrease costs, reduce risk exposure, and create shared value for stakeholders, employees, clients, the environment, and the community at large.
Empowerment
Our commitment to our employees goes beyond a paycheck. We care about their safety, wellbeing, and financial success. We nurture a culture that empowers our employees, because they are integral to our success.
Environmental Responsibility
We’re committed to reducing our impact on the environment while simultaneously looking out for the clients we serve and the businesses they hold. We practice what we preach and we lead by example.
Joshua Griffin, Solutions Consultant
The Citadel Advantage
We set our standards high, and so should you. Here’s what you can expect from Citadel EHS’ trusted team of experts:
RESPONSIVENESS
Citadel is committed to responding to the needs of our clients immediately, because time is often of the essence. We routinely provide services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
INTEGRATED SERVICES
Citadel maintains an in-house staff of multi-disciplinary professionals, including architects, engineers, industrial hygienists, geologists, safety specialists, and environmental scientists, because we know projects within our industry often require a number of disciplines.
ETHICAL ACTION
Citadel’s staff is committed to ethical business practices, acting with integrity is one of our core operating values. Our actions are not governed by what is most profitable or expedient for us, but what is right for the client, the environment, and the community at large.
EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE
Citadel leverages the experience of our in-house team, each of whom averages 15 years of experience or more in their field of expertise, servicing Fortune 100/500 firms as well as high-profile public entities. Chances are, we’ve been there and done that.
COMMITMENT TO CLIENT SATISFACTION
Citadel is committed to providing exceptional service. As employee-owners, our staff is empowered to work seamlessly with one another, to exceed the needs of our clients.
QUALITY DATA
Citadel is committed to continually improving its effectiveness through a comprehensive Quality Assurance review process, which contributes to providing clients with accurate and timely data and deliverables.
STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY
Citadel maintains the latest, top-of- the-line monitoring and diagnostic equipment and business management software, which assures accurate and reliable results.
FULLY INSURED
Citadel is fully insured with a+xv coverage to protect the interests of our clients – some of the world’s largest public and private organizations.
NATIONAL AND GLOBAL REACH
Citadel regularly services our national clientele throughout the greater U.S., and our international, multilingual staff has serviced many of our clients abroad.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
Citadel regularly services our national clientele throughout the greater U.S., and our international, multilingual staff has serviced many of our clients abroad.
The Citadel Green Promise
Sustainability isn’t an initiative at Citadel—it’s a core operating principle. From a LEED® Platinum workspace to paperless processes and community partnerships, our employee-owners are committed to environmental stewardship and ethical business practices that support long-term prosperity for all.