On March 10, 2009 the United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) announced a proposal for the first nation-wide system for reporting greenhouse gases.

"The new reporting requirements would apply to suppliers of fossil fuel and industrial chemicals, manufacturers of motor vehicles and engines, as well as large direct emitters of greenhouse gases with emissions greater than a threshold of 25,000 metric tons per year." March 10, 2009 EPA News Release.

Organizations effected by the new regulations would be required to submit their first annual report to the EPA in 2011, with the exception of automobile and engine manufacturers who would submit their first report for model year 2011.

If you’re interested in learning how your organization can begin to track and report greenhouse gases submit a request for more information or ask for a live demo.

In an environment where corporations are demanding that their suppliers and business partners assume greener corporate processes, Standard & Poor’s launched the S&P US Carbon Efficient Index as a means of measuring the performance of large US companies with relatively lower carbon emissions.

According to Standard & Poor’s, the companies listed on the new US Carbon Efficient Index had a 48% lower carbon footprint when compared with the average company on the S&P 500. There are currently 362 companies listed, with plans to examine all 4,500 companies recognized on S&P’s indices.

To calculate the carbon footprint, S&P is working with the environmental research organization Trucost PLC. Trucost arrives at a figure by dividing greenhouse gas emissions by annual revenues.

With the potential for new and more conservative emissions regulations just around the corner, and an increase in consumer demand for socially responsible products and services, it appears that tracking corporate greenhouse gas emissions is evolving from an optional business initiative to a mandatory one.

Click here to read a recent press release addressing how Intelex is enabling organizations to improve their sustainability efforts through greenhouse gas emissions tracking and reporting.

In honor of Intelex’s founder and former CEO, Intelex held its first annual Ted Grunau Day on February 18, 2009, which was also Ted's birthday. After a delicious catered lunch (thanks Jessica!), President and CEO Mark Jaine, handed out eleven awards to employees who displayed the qualities and strengths that Ted valued most. Congratulations to all of the recipients.

(Above: EUEC Energy & Environment Conference 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona)

(Above: Intelex's Steve Ross & Dan Marcus with Intelex Users and colleagues)

The EUEC Energy & Environment Conference was a great source for industry news and best practices, but this year's conference was particularly relevant in light of President Obama's proposed renewable energy initiatives, which include "Implementing an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050," and "Helping create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future." (White House Agenda - Energy & Environment).

Information on managing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and other environmental initiatives.

Congratulations to Energizer on becoming 21 CFR Par 11 compliant!

In the digital age, electronic records and signatures have made paper documents and hand-written signatures an increasingly rare occurrence. To address this shift in standard business procedures, the US Code of Regulations instituted Title 21 CFR Part 11, which legitimizes electronic records and signatures by clearly defining the criteria under which an electronic record or signature can be accepted as valid. 

Industries most commonly affected by Title 21 CFR Part 11 typically fall under the regulatory standards established by the USA Food and Drug Administration. To help our clients achieve Title 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, Intelex has added dual-signature functionality to our system. This means that like Energizer, other Intelex Users can assign dual-signature authorization requirements to their critical business records.

It's not uncommon to hear about organizations working feverishly to develop effective quality and environmental management programs so that ISO 9001 or ISO 14001 certifications can be attained. While securing these certifications is a great accomplishment, implementing a web-based software application after the fact is a trend Intelex's Account Managers are not unfamiliar with.After discussions with organizations such as these, it’s often the case that the ISO implementation team was unaware that web-based quality and environmental management systems can actually help work toward this certification, as opposed to simply maintaining a compliant status.

Intelex's web-based Quality and Environmental Management Systems are designed to help organizations implement ISO standards and maintain ongoing compliance. Both Intelex's Quality and Environmental Management Systems function as frameworks enabling organizations to define an ISO registration schedule, identify project objectives, record policies, assign and track ISO tasks, manage all ISO-related documents, and provide real-time implementation progress reports. And because the Intelex System operates on a web-based platform, your organization's "ISO Portal" can be securely accessed by any approved employee with access to the internet.

The main takeaway here, is that organizations that purchase web-based quality or environmental management systems like the Intelex System, consistently report faster ISO registration turnaround times and more effective use of intellectual resources. When combined, these factors typically translate into significant cost savings.

If your organization has identified becoming ISO 9001:2008 or ISO 14001 registered as a business objective in 2009, save yourself time and money by speaking with an Intelex Account Manager first. Our account managers will be able to provide valuable insights, implementation best practices, and a no-obligation quote.

What’s wrong with paper-based ISO 9001, workplace inspection, and audit checklists or questionnaires?  They’ve worked for years, right? Wrong.

The reality is that paper-based checklists/questionnaires are a relatively effective means of collecting information, but they’re extremely ineffective in terms of reporting capabilities. Not to mention that human error associated with manually inputting data from hundreds or even thousands of questionnaires commonly skews results and wastes valuable intellectual resources.

So what can you do to make your next organization-wide questionnaire more efficient and worthwhile? You can use Intelex’s new Checklist/Questionnaire Generator Tool. This new functionality enables organizations to send out questionnaires, collect answers, compile data, and report the results in a series of easy-to-read, real-time reports. The automated process also means greater reporting accuracy, which in turn enables more accurate forecasting, target setting, etc.

The Intelex Checklist/Questionnaire Generator can replace any paper-based form. Specific examples include:

• ISO 9001 checklists
• Supplier Evaluations
• Workplace inspection checklists
• Audit checklists
• Employee satisfaction surveys
• Workplace hazards checklists
• Behavior-based safety checklists

For more details about the Intelex Checklist/Questionnaire Generator please submit a quick request for information. Existing clients can contact their Account Managers.

In May 2008, a revision of ISO 9001, the world’s most popular standard for quality management systems (over one million certificates issued in 170 countries), was submitted for approval.

The International Organization for Standardization’s official press release (June 17, 2008) explained that “The proposed ISO 9001:2008 does not introduce additional requirements compared to the last edition in 2000 and does not change the intent of ISO 9001:2000.”

The November 2008 issue of Quality Digest magazine said ISO 9001:2008 “clarifies requirements in outsourcing, document control, and customer relations ... Many of the changes are designed to bring about better compatibility between ISO 9001 and the ISO 14001 environmental management systems standard.”

For a document detailing ISO 9001:2008 requirements visit the International Organization for Standardization’s website.

With initiatives such as the Kyoto Protocol and the Western Climate Initiative, tracking greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has become a necessity for many organizations. To help our customers address this business need, Intelex developed a Greenhouse Gas Emission Tracking Module in 2008.

Like all of Intelex’s systems and modules, the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Tracking Module is designed to be both scalable and configurable; in turn, making the system applicable to all emitter types and constituents.  The Intelex System has the ability to track a single point source at a single location or thousands of point sources around the globe. Larger emitters with multi-locations and diverse point sources will benefit greatly from the built-in location-oriented logic that allows all emissions of a common type to roll up to a top location for a top-down view of all point sources.

Organizations using the Intelex GHG Tracking Module have the ability to:

• Define any number of point sources for GHGs or other air contaminants
• Determine point source emission factors that can be applied organization-wide or made specific to each location or source (many emission factors can be found in the USEPA AP-42 document)
• Outline the method and frequency for capturing GHG or air contaminant activities. Energy consumption, vehicle usage, fuel used, etc.
• Create organization-wide tasks for any company representative to complete GHG-related activities
• Automatically convert all GHGs to CO2e and define normalization factors for all organization locations
• Outline multiple emission factors per location and source
• Create frequency-based emission tasks
• Emission inventories  for single locations, divisions , business units with organization-wide data roll up 
• Define and maintain permit levels at each location or as an organization
• Chart normalized trends across point sources and locations
• Gain unparalleled transparency of carbon credits
• Facilitate transparency across all sources and locations to identify GHG and air contaminant abatement program

Intelex would like to congratulate Metso Minerals on their newly implemented, global safety program! The following article was featured in Mining News Magazine and discusses Metso's proactive approach to safety.

Safety Is No Accident

Metso Raises the Bar with Global Standards

Mention safety to most mining industry people and their first picture is of protective headgear and reflective vests. But according to Chris Adkins, global health and safety specialist for Metso Mining's Life Cycle Services (LCS) team, the future of safety is more in software than in hardhats. "There'll come a time," he says, "when we'll be able to remotely monitor what every single job site is doing from a safety point of view."

To achieve this goal, the LCS team has launched a Safety Management System using Intelex, a web-based safety software application, which is both completely configurable and globally accessible. Best of all, according to Adkins, is the way the system can be specifically tailored to meet the needs of the user.

Configurable System

"With the Safety Management System now operational," he says, "Metso supervisors and managers can manage safety documents, report employee incidents and draw upon continuously updated best practice guidelines from Metso operations worldwide." Furthermore, safety guidelines and information can be configured according to the legal or linguistic requirements of different countries.

Adkins explains that the new Metso system "can also be specified for various levels of management and education, including safety training for particular machines or service contracts." Training courses will be able to cover every aspect of mining safety or can be individualized for subjects as varied as mills, confined spaces and road safety. The Intelex program can also help to assess relevant conditions at a job site and to monitor local governmental or environmental standards.

Standard Practices

There are currently over 440 safety-related documents in a variety of languages in the system and running "live" in eight countries. The remaining countries where Metso operates service contracts should be "live" on Intelex by the end of 2008, by which time the management reports section of the system will also be operational.

Adkins sees Metso's Safety Management System as vital in establishing a uniform code of safety behaviors. "Part of my role is to create standard practices that are equal in every region," he says. "With verifiable results I can help protect and maximize the potential of Metso's greatest resource, our employees".

Adkins concludes, "People are realizing that safety is not a fad. We're here to stay."

"We'll be able to remotely monitor what every job site is doing from a safety point of view." – Chris Adkins

Photo left to right - Neil Hughes (Legal Services & Risk Manager, Australia), Chris Adkins (Global Health & Safety Specialist, Life Cycle Services), Howard Savage (SHEQ Manager, Australia) & Pieter Geldenhuys (SHE Manager, South Africa)

Metso's safety program is powered by the Intelex Safety Management System. Speak with an Intelex Account Manager about how your business can benefit from an organization-wide safety program.