Intelex at NAEM’s 2013 EHS and Sustainability Software Conference

Today more than 20 leading software companies and service providers are gathering at the Blake Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina to discuss their solutions with EHS and sustainability professionals.

The event is the 2013 EHS and Sustainability Software Conference, presented by the National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM). This conference is a two-day event and is the only conference dedicated to presenting the big name EHS and sustainability software solutions in one place for your consideration.

In addition to being a sponsor, Intelex is well-represented at this year’s gathering – our Vice President of EHSQ solutions, Elie Mouzon, is attending with sales director Bevin Lyon and account executive Jeremy Mawson. But we’re most excited to hear from one of our clients in the Food & Beverage industry, who will be presenting on Intelex this afternoon at 3:30pm.

One of the unique features of this particular conference is the live software demonstrations, which are presented by the users themselves. Our client will be discussing successful system design and implementation of the Intelex solution.

Our clients use Intelex globally for a wide variety of functions that include:

  • Property, safety, environmental and regulatory incident and near miss reporting, investigation and corrective action development.
  • Corporate wide safety metrics.
  • S&E Compliance task management.
  • Document control.
  • Corporate and self-audit completion, tracking and reporting.
  • Sustainability data management and reporting

If you’re an attendee and would like to speak to someone at Intelex about your needs, you can find us at booth #303!

The National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM) empowers corporate leaders to advance environmental stewardship, create safe and healthy workplaces, and promote global sustainability. Visit NAEM online here.

Notes from NSC, Michaels on the Health and Safety ‘bell curve’, U.S. close to reaching 2020 emissions targets, and more on EHS This Week

On this week’s edition of EHS This Week we’ve got the week’s top stories in environment, health and safety news:

  • Notes from this week’s National Safety Council (NSC) Congress and Expo, including remarks from OSHA head Dr. David Michaels.
  • ASSE and OSHA’s work on risk in the Oil and Gas industry.
  • The U.S.’s progress to meeting 2020 emissions goals, and more.

Remember to write us with your suggestions, questions and comments at paul@ehsthisweek.com. Also, if you are an industry expert and ever want to take part in the program, we’d love to have you. 

Until next week, enjoy the program! 

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Yes, even tourism and hospitality businesses benefit from streamlined environmental management

Monitoring environmental impacts by tracking sustainability KPIs is essential for any business in the hospitality industry. But, from a financial perspective, how these environmental metrics are tracked is as important as the fact they are tracked. Results increasingly show a software-based EMS is the most effective way of improving environmental performance and boosting revenue.

Environmental management has been overcomplicated in recent years, and business leaders often feel overwhelmed by the perceived array of complex requirements associated with environmental performance. But it is actually quite simple. On a rudimentary level, it involves tracking and reporting on four critical metrics: waste and wastewater output, water usage, and air emissions. After analyzing these factors, a resort can develop and implement new policies to mitigate its environmental impacts and save money. 

But the most substantial savings of environment management arises from the implementation of a software-based EMS. The return on investment (ROI) from a system that tracks, analyzes and reports on all of the metrics associated with your environment program can be enormous, and manifests in a number of ways:

  • Efficiency: As with Grand Teton, in many resorts, environment management personnel commit a substantial amount of time and effort to basic tasks, including the collection, assessment and reporting of environmental data. These are all elements of an environment program that can be streamlined through software. For example, consider all the time an environment manager or full-time equivalent spends manually inputting data into a traditional spreadsheet program, assessing the data and generating reports based on the data. The right software will allow staff across all locations to input the four critical environmental metrics into a web-based platform and automate the processes of assessing and collecting data.
  • Risk Avoidance: Often resorts face substantial fines from permit violations as a result of poor management of wastewater output and air emissions. A robust software-based EMS is capable or correlating real-time emissions and wastewater statistics to permit thresholds and issuing automatic email notifications to warn environment management personnel that a permit violation is likely or imminent. This allows a resort to proactively manage emissions sources and discharge points to ensure permitted tolerances are not exceeded and costly fines are avoided.
  • Brand Image: As the world becomes more environment-conscious, the value of a legitimate green, environmentally progressive brand image is substantial. But the perception of a progressive environmental agenda is only as effective as the environment program supporting it. A software-based EMS will curb the amount of time spent on the minutiae of managing an environment program, freeing-up time for environment managers to focus on improving environmental performance by implementing aggressive sustainability policies. Also, real-time access corporate environment KPIs and live reporting capabilities will enable a resort to prove its environmental performance with current data at any point.

A fulsome software solution will also provide cost savings associated with continual audit preparedness, the elimination of duplicate data, and the tracking of (and automatic following-up on) corrective actions. As with companies like Grand Teton Lodge Company, which achieved the goal of implementing a paperless office, results continually show environment management software is the most effective and efficient means of implementing and maintaining a robust EMS as well as ensuring continued compliance with regulatory and legislative standards.

Intelex electrifies at EUEC 2012

The year of 2012 is already well underway, and Intelex is gearing up for an action-packed year of events to attend to around the world.  The first on the list is the 15th annual Energy, Utility and Environment Conference (EUEC) in Phoenix, Arizona. 

Taking place January 30th to February 1st, this exciting event plays host to the top environmental leaders, energy executives, NGOs and government policy makers from around the globe in to the name of exchanging best practices and working toward renewable energy solutions for the future.

As a returning solutions provider, Intelex is thrilled to be involved.  “EUEC is always a great event to connect with top industry specialists,” says Intelex’s own senior solutions expert, Fraser Dickie. “We’ve developed valuable relationships from this show in previous years and we’re excited to be back!”

Be sure to visit the Intelex team this week at booth 214/216.

Intelex makes a strong presence at NAEM EHS forum

I’m currently at the EHS NAEM Management Forum in Tucson, Arizona, and I wanted to update you all on what a fantastic experience everyone is having so far.

The main trade show floor is electric, with top industry personnel networking on best practices in environmental, health and safety management. I’m a big advocate of all the information sessions that have been held throughout this show as well, a powerful incentive for folks attending this conference from around the world.

In addition to the show, I’ve been asked to be a part of the NAEM Council on behalf of Intelex Technologies, and I couldn’t be more proud.

The Intelex family has grown significantly from NAEM events over the years, with valuable relationships established.  As seen in this photo, here are a few of our friends. Dawn Krueger from 3M (middle), Marty Moran from General Mills (left). That’s me on the right.

 

Campbell’s on the evolution of sustainability

Sustainability can be incorporated into corporate culture if concepts relating to environmental and social impacts are communicated in clear and meaningful ways, according to Dave Stangis of Campbell’s Soup Company who recentlysat down with GreenBiz.com’s Nature of Business Radio for a chat on the evolution of sustainability.

As VP of Corporate Social Responsibility at Campbell’s, an Intelex client, Stangis has championed environmental and social responsibility and in three short years has made Campbell’s a leader in CSR, having cultivated an environment of collaboration within the company.

According to Stangis, business leaders must “translate these concepts of social impact, environmental performance improvement, employee engagement, community involvement into ways to make their jobs better, more impactful, and improve their innovation and productivity, it’s a whole different world. All of a sudden it’s a tool and not an obstacle. And that’s really the goal.”

Listen to the entire chat over at Greenbiz.

Is a software-based EMS the only way to effectively improve sustainability performance?

Monitoring environmental impacts by tracking sustainability KPIs is essential for any business that wants to improve or report on environmental performance. But, from a financial perspective, how these environmental metrics are tracked is as important as the fact they are tracked. Results increasingly show a software-based EMS is the most effective way of improving environmental performance and boosting revenue.

Environmental management has been overcomplicated in recent years, and business leaders often feel overwhelmed by the perceived array of complex requirements associated with environmental performance. But it is actually quite simple. On a rudimentary level, it involves tracking and reporting on four critical metrics: waste and wastewater output, water usage, and air emissions. After analyzing these factors, a business can develop and implement new policies to mitigate its environmental impacts and save money. 

But the most substantial savings of environment management arises from the implementation of a software-based EMS. The return on investment (ROI) from a system that tracks, analyzes and reports on all of the metrics associated with your environment program can be enormous, and manifests in a number of ways:

  • Efficiency: Environment management personnel commit a substantial amount of time and effort to basic tasks, including the collection, assessment and reporting of environmental data. These are all elements of an environment program that can be streamlined through software. For example, consider all the time an environment manager or full-time equivalent spends manually inputting data into a traditional spreadsheet program, assessing the data and generating reports based on the data. The right software will allow staff across all locations to input the four critical environmental metrics into a web-based platform and automate the processes of assessing and collecting data.
  • Risk Avoidance: Often businesses face substantial fines from permit violations as a result of poor management of wastewater output and air emissions. A robust software-based EMS is capable or correlating real-time emissions and wastewater statistics to permit thresholds and issuing automatic email notifications to warn environment management personnel that a permit violation is likely or imminent. This allows a business to proactively manage emissions sources and discharge points to ensure permitted tolerances are not exceeded and costly fines are avoided.
  • Brand Image: As the world becomes more environment-conscious, the value of a legitimate, environmentally progressive brand image is substantial. But the perception of a progressive environmental agenda is only as effective as the environment program supporting it. A software-based EMS will curb the amount of time spent on the minutiae of managing an environment program, freeing up time for environment managers to focus on improving environmental performance by implementing aggressive sustainability policies. Also, real-time access corporate environment KPIs and live reporting capabilities will enable a resort to prove its environmental performance with current data at any point.

A robust software solution will also provide cost savings associated with continual audit preparedness, the elimination of duplicate data, and the tracking of (and automatic following-up on) corrective actions. Further, environment management software is the most effective and efficient means of implementing and maintaining a robust EMS as well as ensuring continued compliance with regulatory and legislative standards.

Sustainability reporting, minus the burden of reporting

Thinking of reporting on your sustainability efforts through an outlet like the GRI? Good for you.

That said, you may have encountered some opposition to the premise, or criticisms highlighted by Corporate Social Responsibility guru Mallen Baker, who has pointed to an oft-cited flaw in the GRI approach, namely the fact a report is essentially a company’s own narrative of its sustainability performance.

“All the current models of reporting expect the companies to provide their own narrative — to tell the story complete,” he noted on his blog. “And yet that doesn’t work, because the end user actually doesn’t read the reports, and doesn’t trust the company to provide its own context. There are no expert interpreters of this information. All the focus on assurance is about checking data — but that isn’t the real issue. People by and large don’t think the companies will lie about the data — but they fully expect them to paint the best gloss on what the data actually means.”

Yet, somewhere between GRI and friends’ overzealous focus on reporting standards and the noble spirit of making sustainability reporting as comprehensive and transparent as financial reporting, there is a golden mean that is arguably more passive, less resource-intensive, and — quite appropriately — completely sustainable. Businesses that implement a streamlined, electronic EMS featuring configurable reporting capabilities and real-time dashboards stand to benefit from two critical advantages.

Firstly, if all sustainability metrics are monitored and inputted across all business units on an ongoing basis and rolled up across administrative levels, much of the time spent measuring, collecting and analyzing data and generating reports that comply with reporting models will be eliminated. The time and effort associated with generating comprehensive sustainability reports has been a major gripe among participant organizations and critics, and a streamlined, software-based reporting process curbs the time and manpower required.

Secondly, with real-time dashboards indicating the status of sustainability KPIs (GHG emissions, for example), an organization is able to monitor the pulse of its sustainability performance and gauge the impact of new initiatives. In essence, instead of gauging and reporting on sustainability performance on an annual basis, an organization real-time dashboards and integrated reporting capabilities provide a means of perpetual monitoring and reporting.

Successful Sustainability Strategy Series: Tip #5 — Communicate your performance

We’ve covered the importance of developing a proactive plan, quantifying financial gains, understanding the role of metrics, and using software to manage your sustainability program for the most effective results.

Today let’s talk about the often overlooked element of a winning sustainability program: communicating your progress.

5. Communicate Commitment/Performance to Stakeholders: While the primary function of sustainability initiatives will be the returns they deliver through conservation efforts and a number of other cost-savings effects, don’t miss the boat on the wealth of opportunities that accompany clearly communicating sustainability efforts and accomplishments to stakeholders. When developing a sustainability strategy, consider incorporating an ongoing sustainability reporting plan that conforms to existing frameworks (such as the IIRC, GRI and others).

While some critics have complained that comprehensive sustainability reporting can dominate resources and distract from essential business operations, proper planning, resource allocation and the use of software solutions (with configurable reporting capabilities) can render reporting a seamless and automatic process.

Even before sustainability benchmarks have been achieved, once a commitment to sustainable development has been solidified by way of a documented sustainability strategy, an organization can begin touting its agenda. The marketing, publicity, sales and customer relations benefits that flow from flaunting environmental, social and financial sustainability are too substantial to ignore.

In closing

We hope you’ve enjoyed our overview of the elements we believe are integral to a successful sustainability strategy. Please share your thoughts with us! We’ve barely scratched the surface of what can be a nuanced, multilayered file, but we’ve tried to provide some beginner-level guidance to the uninitiated organization that aspires to be more sustainable. 

As a parting thought, do not fall into the trap many newcomers to the sustainability game find themselves in by being either overly ambitious or forgetting to frame priorities accurately. Remember that your organization is a business first and foremost: instead of framing your business priorities in terms of environmental issues, frame environmental issues in terms of your business priorities.

Successful Sustainability Strategy Series: Tip #4 — Forecast and track with software

So far in our week-long discussion on building a successful sustainability strategy, we’ve reviewed the importance of developing a proactive plan, quantifying financial gains, and understanding the role of metrics.

Now let’s turn our attention to another critical aspect and something that’s dear to our hearts at Intelex: the role of software. Yes, it could be argued we’re more than marginally invested in the role software plays in sustainability, but we still deeply believe it is an essential part of building an effective program.

4. Use Software to Track Metrics and Forecast: Certainly, though conventional paper- and spreadsheet-based platforms can be and are used to track environmental, social and economic performance, the advantage of integrated software solutions over such archaic means is undisputable.

In particular, some configurable software products already geared towards streamlining the management of EHS systems can be extended to cover most if not all aspects of a complete sustainability program.

Moreover, some systems are prepared to capture, correlate, assess and automatically report on sustainability data, eliminating the time and effort spent on manual data collection, entry and assessment by employees—personnel that could most likely focus their energy on improving the caliber and scope of your sustainability program.

By automating the assessment and reporting on key sustainability metrics with software, organizations can analyze trends and forecast to streamline the allocation of resources and identify potential weaknesses in their sustainability programs and, critically, cut costs.