EHS programs around the world and across a variety of verticals will share some common priorities in 2018, with standardizing procedures topping the list, according to a new study from Cority. Sharing EHS data across the enterprise and using predictive analysis round out the top three.
As technology in EHS management has advanced, standardizing procedures has become a simpler task and will be the trend having the biggest impact on EHS program performance over the next year, EHS professionals from over 25 countries and across 12 industry verticals said.
While all of the emerging tech trends explored in the survey are integral to operational excellence and maintaining a competitive advantage, EHS leaders looking to kick-start 2018 program performance will focus on streamlining and standardizing procedures, in part because of the GDPR compliance deadline which is fast-approaching, and the ISO 45001 that will be published soon, according to the study.
More Top Trends Including IoT…
- In manufacturing, respondents say they will make a priority of sharing EHS data across the enterprise. Breaking down data silos will improve data accuracy, enable better decision-making, and drive operational excellence particularly in multi-plant environments.
- Respondents in larger companies (5,000-50,000+ employees) believe adopting predictive analytics will provide the biggest opportunity for EHS improvement. Results show that EHS professionals will delve deeper into their data in 2018 to proactively identify and mitigate risk and improve total worker health.
Benchmarking, simplifying user experience, and mobile functionality will also be important this year. And the most forward-thinking companies will be exploring integration with IoT devices like wearables, RFID tags and beacons.
Moving Forward
While standarizing procedures is a top priority among EHS professionals who responded to the survey, and while technology is enabling companies to improve standardization, the process is “not as easy as it sounds,” Pamala Bobbitt, director of product marketing and channels at Cority told Environmental Leader. Bobbitt, a former EHS manager herself, suggests companies make sure they include representatives from each geography and business unit in the process. “It may take a bit of extra time to get everyone in agreement but your efforts will generate better results than expected,” she told us.