EHS Compliance, EHS Dashboard, EHS Program Management

EHS-Dashboard™: From Best-In-Class Data Control to Better Still 

Posted on by John Baycroft

The Software Solution Playing Field 

Against the backdrop of a heightened focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) by corporations, the strong push for renewable energies and long-term sustainability by global leaders, and a demand for accountability from both consumers and regulatory bodies alike—Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) teams within organizations of all sizes have been asked to think strategically, expand their scope, and demonstrate success and improvement every step of the way. The last few years have shown that for many EHS teams, the fundamental requirement to implement such proactive change, and the biggest hurdle to overcome without it, is in establishing a centralized system for the collection and management of data from across an organization.  

A primary focus of the presenters and participants at the National Association for Environmental, Health and Safety, and Sustainability Management (NAEM) InnoTech Conference of 2019 was to shine a spotlight on the need for the “effective management of EHS data,” “software solutions,” and the “successful integration of systems within companies,”.  The NAEM wrap-up report from the conference that year revealed that “software integration is the top purchase criteria for those returning to the market,” and is necessary for increasingly complex organizational design and global operations.  The report also concluded that  “the best approach may not be a software system, but a software ecosystem.1 Additionally, the Verdantix report Green Quadrant: EHS Software 2021, found that “the last several years have seen spending on EHS software grow in value to exceed $1.3 billion.”  

While some of the larger software packages are designed to replace all working EHS systems within an organization, other, more targeted solutions can establish a centralized control hub that brings together disparate systems while still maintaining working processes. Another key differentiator between the growing array of product offerings is the inclusion of “EHS training content and related support…with strong dedication to customer success,2 as a major distinguisher for positive customer experience and retention. 

Capaccio’s Premier Data Management Platform 

Capaccio’s world class EHS-Dashboard™ has distinguished itself as an unequaled software solution that is designed and supported by highly competent EHS Industry Experts.  The EHS-Dashboard™ is a customizable, cloud based SAAS platform that offers real-time data sourcing, integration, and analysis.  By empowering EHS teams with this real-time data, they can shift to a more proactive, and even predictive approach for achieving their objectives.  In fact, one of Capaccio’s own experts expressed that it was, “The tool I wish I’d had when I started in this industry twenty years ago.”   

One of the key advantages of Capaccio’s solution over other software systems has been its ability to integrate with, rather than replace, established and successful data collection channels within an organization.  By merging systems into one centralized data hub, a company is able to begin using the EHS-Dashboard™ without having to do a wholesale changeout of existing systems that would drive up costs and create unnecessary disruptions.  A second major differentiator of Capaccio’s approach for EHS success is our holistic strategy to EHS support that includes expert consultation from Capaccio’s team of seasoned EHS professionals—ranging from data integration specialists, strategic implementation experts, and on-site scientists and engineers to help mold sites and systems for goal-oriented efficiency. 

The combination of the EHS-Dashboard™ with Capaccio’s Consultation Services, including the EHS+ Optimize program (Winner of the 2019 Environmental Business Journal’s – Business Achievement New Practice Award), has enabled some of Capaccio’s clients to rise to the Forbes 500, the Newsweek Green 500, and the World Economic Forum (WEF) Top 100 World’s Most Sustainable Corporations! 

Even with such successes under their belt, Capaccio’s ethos of innovation, and system of goal setting and ongoing metrics driven efficiency improvements, does not allow for resting on laurels.  The EHS industry is constantly changing and adapting to the world and rules around us, so the tools and techniques we use to become best-in-class for EHS program management must continually evolve to be better still.  Experience has shown that the EHS-Dashboard™ holds vast capabilities, and Capaccio understands the importance of aligning any system with “where you are” for our clients.  This understanding provides Capaccio a unique perspective as to how to best guide our clients toward achieving their goals in an organic and intuitive way.  

The EHS-Dashboard™ Continues to Evolve in 2023 and Beyond  

In essence, the purpose of the EHS-Dashboard™ is to empower our clients to have more control and customization of the collection, use and appearance of their data, while also providing an engaging way for users to interact with organizational programs and systems.  The Capaccio differentiator remains a combination of our innovative software platform coupled with our consultative services and support.  

Capaccio’s years of innovative EHS engineering have been distilled into a predictive modeling framework that is powered by a client’s data rather than restrictive code. This structure allows for a streamlined onboarding process that provides the opportunity for each user to customize their environment for their own needs.  

The EHS-Dashboard™ has been optimized to get clients from where they are to where they need to go via a directed roadmap. For example, an initial questionnaire to establish client needs and baselines, and technical guides within the software are just two of the features within the EHS-Dashboard™ that provide each user with a baked-in knowledge base that allows them to monitor compliance with a glance.  

Adding to the existing functionality of the EHS-Dashboard™, the product in 2023 will provide our clients with the added features of: 

  • GPS tagging to key data points 
  • Flowchart views for creating and editing the “nodes” of your program 
  • User managed Dashboard 
  • Increased performance and upgraded scalability 
  • A more powerful and flexible importer 
  • An upgraded form builder experience with improved workflows for data gathering 

From a technical perspective, key areas within the application have also seen an upgrade:  

  • Brand new User Interface (UI) – Improves performance, trackability, security & authentication, and stability to allow for smoother onboarding and more engaging system management. (e.g., Flow Chart for system organization/visualization, Global Search Table, Map View) 
  • Application Programming Interface (API) – Expands the customization and integration options for current and future partners. (e.g., Smart Meters, Regulatory Data Feeds) 
  • Smaller Services – By breaking out the systems core components into smaller service bundles, we’ve created greater stability and performance with a more “elastic” system to scale to demands of users. (e.g., larger jobs can run on separate hardware to not impact load on web server)  

Why Capaccio?  

Simply put, we are experts, we’ve been at this for a while, and it is our mission to ‘Help Industry and the Environment Prosper.’  Capaccio was founded in 1992 at a time when EHS teams and initiatives had yet to find their place within organizations and the public consciousness.  Since then, our thirty years in the trenches of environmental engineering and consulting have shown us what works, and where the industry is headed. The tools and techniques we utilize and promote work both for our own company, as well as for our clients.  Furthermore, our EHS-Dashboard™ has become our flagship product, and it’s loaded with all of the features, scalability, and knowledge we have compiled over the years. Through our EHS-Dashboard™, we have mastered the process of EHS data management, and now our team’s collective resume has been infused into the software itself. We have come to view it not just as a software tool, but as a delivery mechanism by which we can share our decades of consultation expertise.   

To achieve the potential of what EHS programs can and should be in a more sustainable corporate culture, EHS professionals need to be able to embrace the creativity and innovation that can spark bold steps to lift organizations and entire industries alike. It all boils down to available time and focus. With the EHS-Dashboard™ from Capaccio, these two invaluable resources can be reallocated back toward reaching benchmarks and driving audacious innovation for continual growth and long-term sustainability. 

 

[1] NAEM Staff. Five Big Ideas from NAEM’s 2019 InnoTech Conference. NAEM.org, Mar. 18, 2019. https://www.naem.org/connect/blog/read/green-tie/2019/03/18/five-big-ideas-from-innotech-conference

 

[2] Yaowen Ma, Rodolphe D’Arjuzon, Bill Pennington. Verdantix, Green Quadrant: EHS Software 2021. Verdantix.com, January, 2021.