Chinese Companies Turn to U.S. Technology to Support GHG Reduction Goals

Earlier this week, members of the Obama administration and representatives from China held meetings to discuss a variety of trade and commerce issues. Discussion topics included the administration’s interest in encouraging the Chinese to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Of course, the official position of the Chinese has been to decline implementation of broad legislation mandating GHG reductions.

However, behind the scenes, some Chinese companies are quietly taking significant steps to manage GHG emissions.

For instance, companies like PetroChina, and its parent CNPC, launched major emission management programs several years ago, including implementation of enterprise-wide technology platforms that serve as the foundation for those initiatives. Although there has been little fanfare surrounding the company’s actions, it’s important to note that PetroChina’s program was a significant step that was taken without external prompting from government regulators. As a major player in oil and gas acquisition and distribution markets, company officials recognized the need to exercise responsible environmental stewardship in order to maintain its standing with its Western competitors.

In Hong Kong, officials earlier this year adopted a regulatory system that provides financial incentives for electric utilities to reduce emissions to regulatory limits. The long-term agreement between Hong Kong and electric generating companies CLP and Hong Kong Electric would allow the companies to adjust rates to generate a rate significant increase, plus a bonus if they reduce emissions below permitted levels.

Of course, ESS is providing technology solutions that support several of these groundbreaking initiatives. That’s why we’ve found it interesting to note that while government negotiators are debating climate change amid broad trade policies, Chinese companies are doing business with U.S. technology companies like ESS to support responsible corporate emissions management. We’re looking forward to many more opportunities to promote effective sustainability programs in China and elsewhere along the Asia-Pacific rim.

Add comment July 31st, 2009

ESS Named Emerging Leader for Enterprise Carbon Accounting Software

During the past few months, I’ve met with numerous corporate decision makers who are looking to align environmental, health and safety (EHS) concerns into their organizations’ core business operations. Many executives are looking for information technology solutions to assure efficient management and monitoring of sustainability-related issues. This trend is driving accelerated market interest in sustainability software platforms, especially in the U.S., thanks to the cap-and-trade legislation currently making its way through Congress.

That’s why I thought it would be helpful to share some insights from a recent analyst report by Groom Energy Solutions, Enterprise Carbon Accounting: An Analysis of Organization-Level Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting and a Review of Emerging GHG Software Products. This report provides useful advice to help corporate decision makers choose the right software to support their carbon emissions management program. Enterprise carbon accounting (ECA) describes the process of calculating, managing, reporting, reducing and trading carbon emissions in compliance with cap-and-trade requirements.

Paul Baier, a Groom Energy Solutions vice president and co-author of the report, said it was designed to help CIOs, CFOs, EHS directors and other executives understand the drivers for GHG/carbon emissions tracking, calculation and reporting and to identify well qualified software vendors.

Key points from the report include:

• Just as organizations purchased financial accounting software to automate financial data management, companies will similarly invest in ECA software to automate the process of carbon data management.
• Companies will need to produce reporting that is based on accurate and verifiable carbon emission data. In that regard, carbon emissions will need to be as rigorously managed as revenue and expenses.

Not surprisingly, the report identifies ESS as an “emerging leader” based on criteria including strength of product/technology offerings, number of customer deployments, financial strength and corporate vision. We are pleased that Groom Energy has affirmed ESS market leadership at a time when a large number of organizations are looking to adopt technology solutions for carbon management. Our company has been at the forefront of the EHS software space for nearly two decades, and we look forward to helping organizations that are ready to navigate through a new generation of regulatory challenges.

Add comment July 14th, 2009

Earth Day and Your Business: Can Cutting GHGs Improve Your Bottom Line?

Is your enterprise ready to meet the challenges of a carbon-constrained business environment?

Earth Day 2009 arrives at a watershed moment for business and industry. If proposed U.S. regulatory changes are adopted, an organization’s ability to limit greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants will be a factor in determining winners and losers in the new economy. Fortunately, a growing corporate sustainability movement – supported by many leading corporate CEOs — shows clearly that Earth Day’s goals aren’t just for treehuggers any more.

This year’s event offers an important opportunity to demonstrate how companies across industry sectors have taken a leading role in slowing the growth of greenhouse gas emissions. A growing number of organizations are participating in voluntary reporting programs sponsored by environmental advocates like the Global Reporting Initiative and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Investor-driven initiatives have resulted in companies publishing performance data from their sustainability initiatives.

It’s a sea change from the days when Earth Day symbolized inefficient, labor intensive regulatory compliance that increased operational costs without gaining any significant business benefit. Corporate sustainability is now recognized as an integral component of sound operational planning and execution. Soon it will be a key factor that will impact your company’s risk profile, brand viability, and its ability to attract capital.

ESS has supported the goals of Earth Day for nearly two decades. During that time, we have enabled thousands of organizations to improve emissions management performance, reduce compliance risk and achieve cost savings through improved information management. ESS’ integrated software platform provides up-to-date EHS data that supports better daily management decisions and empowers users to develop innovative practices to assure environmental best practices – including management of greenhouse gas emissions – and improve energy efficiency. We have even provided free downloads of our Waste Reporter software to help organizations fulfill requirements for the EPA Biennial Hazardous Waste Reporting.

Information management is the key to ensuring that your business can gain a competitive advantage in this rapidly-changing regulatory climate. We hope that this time next year, you will join us in celebrating your company’s success at transforming your environmental challenges into drivers for bottom-line success.

Do you agree that this Earth Day represents a historic opportunity for companies like yours?

2 comments April 21st, 2009

ESS Launches Interoperability Solution that Improves Sustainability Reporting Efficiency

I’m taking a brief departure from sharing perspectives on environmental, health and safety (EHS) and sustainability trends in order to share good news about the launch of ESS Gateway™, a new solution set that efficiently connects our EHS platform with industry-leading enterprise systems.

The first of these interoperability solutions is being implemented in limited availability by several ESS clients, and the general release is just around the corner.

ESS Gateway, in combination with our integrated EHS platform, enables organizations to leverage existing IT investments to improve compliance assurance and enterprise reporting for carbon/greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and corporate responsibility.

Public concerns regarding sustainability, including global climate change, are compelling organizations to align emission management and corporate responsibility initiatives with core business operations. Because executives are closely monitoring their IT costs, streamlining reporting processes becomes a priority that is in keeping with the ‘do more with less’ mantra.

Meeting those demands requires robust information management that collects and processes data from a variety of systems, including Enterprise Asset Management (EAP), Supply Chain, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Manufacturing Execution (MES), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems and Data Historians. Interoperable systems ensure efficient compliance with today’s complex regulatory mandates and sustainability protocols.

Many organizations use time consuming, inefficient manual processes or costly homegrown systems to capture enterprise system data and move it into EHS applications. Manual data entry also increases data accuracy risks. Our team seized on the opportunity to deliver powerful interoperability solutions for streamlined interoperability across a global enterprise.

ESS Gateway provides several advantages over existing IT interoperability processes, by:

• providing EHS executives with direct access to master data from enterprise systems for more efficient and accurate information as it happens;
• reducing implementation costs with an off-the-shelf integration solution;
• minimizing total cost of ownership by eliminating need for custom integration;
• improving resource efficiency by eliminating manual processes
• enabling ESS software to perform calculations on both direct and indirect GHG emissions
• supporting more effective decision making; and
• leveraging existing IT investments.

For readers who are not familiar with ESS, we have been a longtime provider of systems that facilitate seamless data transfer. In fact, system integration is a key ESS market differentiator. We were the first company in our space to develop a platform for EHS and Crisis Management data. ESS Gateway extends the company’s long-term commitment to interoperable systems.

I’m really excited about this new innovative platform. As we get closer to the product release date, I’ll be sharing more details about ESS Gateway.

Add comment February 24th, 2009

Analyst Report Cites ESS’ Strengths as a Leading GHG Management Software Provider

We’ve just learned about a recent analyst report that spotlights ESS as a leader among providers of GHG data collection and reporting software. It was published by The 451 Group, which watches market activity from its offices in the U.S. and U.K. The report entitled, “ESS, Oracle’s Carbon Management Partner, Seeks To Move Beyond Its Healthy Niche,” was written by analyst Lynley Oram.

The 451Group’s report is one of the more extensive analyst evaluations of ESS. While the report is only available to subscribers, it has lots of information that is worth sharing, including comments like:

• “ESS appears to be thriving…”
• “Because this is still an early-stage market, it is difficult to assess where this puts ESS in terms of market share, but the company is clearly established as a leading supplier in this growing sector.”
• “To date, ESS has sold …to specialist environmental health and safety managers in companies with a strong interest in environmental management, such as manufacturers. Many are interested in the entire, integrated suite.”
• “ESS is selling its Carbon Management Solution as a standalone software product, or as part of its environmental management suite, a 23-module product spanning most key aspects of sustainability management.”
• “The company is making good use of partnerships. It has signed a partnership deal with Oracle… to provide the carbon management capabilities that Oracle does not as yet have. ESS has similar initiatives with SAP, Microsoft and IBM.”

Why is this important? Our leadership team has positioned the company to meet the growing demands of businesses that are besieged by local, national and international mandates for sustainability reporting, including GHG/carbon management, health & safety management, crisis management, environmental compliance and corporate responsibility reporting.

Our approach has enabled companies to conduct all of their compliance activities on a single software platform, which can reduce operational costs and risks. Our efforts, in large measure, have been well received in the marketplace. It’s good to see that industry observers like The 451 Group, Gartner and AMR Research, recognize our efforts, too.

Add comment November 20th, 2008

Microsoft Unveils Windows Azure at Professional Developers Conference

Here comes the SUN, err- CLOUD! Microsoft has unveiled the Azure Services Platform for the cloud, which offers unprecedented power of choice and open connections for developers.

During a keynote speech at the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference 2008 (PDC2008), Ray Ozzie, Microsoft Corp.’s chief software architect, announced Windows Azure, the cloud-based service foundation underlying its Azure Services Platform. The presentation highlighted this platform’s role in delivering Microsoft’s software plus services approach to computing.

The Azure Services Platform is an industry-leading move by Microsoft to help developers build the next generation of applications that will span from the cloud to the enterprise datacenter and deliver compelling new experiences across the PC, Web and phone.

Our Microsoft Gold development certification (we also have Powered by SAP NetWeaver® and Oracle development partnerships) enabled ESS to send our chief software architect to PDC2008, giving him a chance to try out Azure’s features and functions and evaluate the platform for our own future development.

Microsoft says the Azure Services Platform promises to transform the way businesses operate and how users access their information and experience the Web. Most importantly, it provides the power of choice to deploy applications in cloud-based Internet services, through on-premise servers or to combine them in any way that makes the most sense for your business needs.

Unlike many of today’s service-based solutions, the Azure Services Platform provides developers with the flexibility and ability to create applications while taking advantage of its existing skills, tools and technologies such as the Microsoft .NET Framework and Visual Studio.

New services technologies, when employed alongside other core technology enablers such as virtualization and modeling, could result in dramatic benefits for customers’ IT departments. Specifically, these technologies enable IT departments to further drive down operating costs, focus their spending on systems that differentiate the business and ultimately enable IT to become a more strategic asset.

I am pleased that ESS continues to be at the forefront of technology innovations that offer the potential to provide new benefits to our customers including those mentioned above. You can be assured that the software development and product management teams at ESS are evaluating these new technologies carefully against our product solution roadmaps for the company’s GHG and carbon management, environmental compliance, health & safety, corporate responsibility reporting and crisis management software solutions.

Add comment November 11th, 2008

Dow Chemical Leverages Unified Sustainability Platform to Save $2 Million

The enterprise is not known for frivolous initiatives. Not to take anything away from the “green” movement, but it wouldn’t last long if it didn’t result in lower operating costs in addition to meeting regulatory compliance mandates.

That’s why I’m delighted to tell you that one of our best clients, Dow Chemical, is using ESS’ unified platform for EHS sustainability as the foundation for its Environmental Reporting Project, which was launched in 2004 to promote regulatory compliance. I mentioned the company’s success in a previous blog post a few months ago when ESS announced that Dow was the “Best of the Best” winner of the ESS Excellence Award program. Now I want to share why the project was so successful.

The project’s innovative new work processes and unified software platform enabled Dow to eliminate more than $2 million in redundant legacy reporting systems and they leveraged existing enterprise information systems that interoperate with ESS enterprise software across all implemented sites. The new platform improves reporting efficiency and accuracy, and enables all of the company’s U.S. facilities to use a common reporting process. Dow’s integrated software platform has the potential to save an additional $2 million over time by eliminating redundant work processes and supporting resources.

The project delivered a standardized solution for Dow’s U.S. sites through the implementation of ESS’ enterprise platform, with applications for chemical inventory management, waste, air and water emissions management, on time and on budget. Dow’s Environmental Reporting Project work processes, procedures and training are housed and accessible on a single Web site. Standard business rules, work processes, material properties, calculations and tools allow for consistency and standardization of multimedia reporting results across the sites and businesses.

To safeguard Dow’s investment, a centralized support organization has been institutionalized. Leveraging centralized resources eliminated the need for a support organization at each site. Use of the global Management of Change process across all reporting sites ensures that the standard configuration is maintained and adapted consistently. A control plan has been put in place to further ensure compliance with the system standardization and work processes.

1 comment September 3rd, 2008

ESS to Hold EXPO.09 User Conference for Sustainability Software in San Antonio

Next year ESS will hold its annual user conference October 4-8, 2009 at the Westin Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio, Texas.

ESS EXPO has a rich tradition of showcasing information technologies that enable EHS, Crisis Management and IT professionals and executives to transform compliance activities into drivers for competitive advantages by reducing operational complexity, risks and costs.

The 2008 conference really took it up a notch from everything in the past, and next year we expect to build on the momentum from ESS EXPO.08, which attracted more than 400 executives and professionals from around the world.

We had in-depth presentations by renowned experts at leading global organizations that use ESS software – including industry leaders such as Alcoa, Dow, PetroChina, Duke Energy and HD Supply as well as public agencies ranging from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Brookhaven National Laboratory to state and local governments.

Our exhibitors always include displays from leading global information technology providers and ESS business partners. Last year’s included Microsoft, IBM, ERM, OSIsoft, CH2M Hill, Data Systems and Solutions (DS&S), T3/Trinity Consultants, Environmental Data Support Group (EDSG), ChemAdvisor, Citation Technologies and Cybertéchnica.

If you are reading this blog, I’m sure you have some interest in the subject, so put this on your calendar. You can see how your peers are leveraging industry-leading information management solutions to address urgent business challenges associated with greenhouse gas management, corporate responsibility reporting, worker health and safety management, environmental compliance, product stewardship and emergency planning and response.

If you wish, you can also participate in a hands-on workshop, where attendees can experience ESS’ latest innovative sustainability applications and solutions, with help from software experts who provide one-on-one consultations.

And San Antonio isn’t a bad place to visit, either

Add comment August 4th, 2008

Scott Lockhart Joins the ESS Team!

As a result of ESS’ continued expansion and the growth in global adoption of our sustainability software platforms, ESS has hired Scott Lockhart as Chief Operating Officer. Scott will be responsible for executive oversight of ESS operations, as well as a member of our executive strategy council.

Scott has 15 years of experience in leveraging enterprise software for asset optimization, EHS and compliance with clients representing a variety of vertical industries, including oil and gas, electric utilities, chemicals, aviation, metals and pulp industries.

Scott comes to us from his previous position as Vice President and Executive Board Member of Data Systems & Solutions (DS&S), a division of Rolls Royce. He was focused on enterprise asset management and optimization, equipment health monitoring, process safety and compliance. In addition to business management and growth objectives on DS&S’ executive board, Scott was responsible for the operations, services and software groups. His previous experience also includes key leadership roles at Trinity Consultants and SAIC.

I have known Scott for many years and admired his proactive approach and success in connecting the dots between environmental, health & safety (EHS) and crisis management software and asset management and optimization information systems (EAM) to enhance enterprise-wide business performance and operational excellence. We both strongly believe that by more closely integrating these key information systems, organizations can identify and ensure common data work together to drive improved levels of EHS compliance while increasing reliability and performance of assets. This translates to increased availability of critical assets to improve both compliance and profitability. Reducing complexity and risk that is associated with disparate data silos within EHS and EAM information systems also ensures higher quality data is delivered to the other sources throughout the enterprise that rely on that information.

I am very excited to have Scott on board and look forward to his contribution toward our future growth and success.

Add comment June 9th, 2008

Mobile Technology Adds Speed, Efficiency to EHS Applications

ESS is currently building an enhanced mobile framework using the latest Microsoft technology and tools. Joseph Jordan, ESS’ director of Mobile Architecture, is heading up this project for us. This framework will be used to build new and enhanced workflow, data collection, data transfer, and data distribution capabilities.

What are the benefits of utilizing mobile solutions for enterprise EHS management and sustainability? For one, using mobile devices makes data collection and monitoring of critical information faster and easier. This technology also makes workers more productive by giving them the ability to respond to all types of business challenges in real time.

The new framework and architecture we are developing gives organizations real-time access to critical data and information, streamlining compliance activities and improving data integrity. Mobile technology has always made it easier for organizations to collect data from the plant or site level so it can be quickly uploaded into their EHS software databases for analysis and communicated throughout the organization. These new mobile development tools now also make preventative and predictive information including metrics, KPIs and business intelligence reports accessible to the operator’s via mobile “push” technologies to help them better manage their areas of responsibility which were previously only available through the desktop. That’s one big reason why we are excited about our plans to add these new mobile capabilities to our EHS and Crisis Management solutions for air, water, hazardous waste, fugitive emissions, chemical inventory management, auditing, incident management and industrial hygiene. You’ll see more about this in the near future.

ESS has been delivering handheld and mobile solutions for over 10 years, beginning with our Waste Management bar code and waste tracking handhelds and Jordan Systems chemical inventory mobile tools. So this technology isn’t new to us. What’s new and better is the higher quality of information available to the users as well as real time and wireless data transfer, improving oversight and decision making while freeing up more time for other important duties.

Another benefit of this new and advanced architecture platform is that it will also enable our customers to standardize on common handheld devices across the entire spectrum of integrated modules within our integrated sustainability platform. In addition to reducing the aggregate cost of hardware for mobile capability this will also result in:

• Easier and more intuitive data entry
• Enhanced data integrity and automation of compliance processes
• Improved productivity. Simpler data collection effort
• Improved field documentation of incident investigations
• Faster identification and implementation of corrective actions by site personnel

These new enhancements will speed up process management and data collection, improve accuracy for all EHS functions and help ensure regulatory compliance, production uptime and injury free workplaces.

Here’s an anecdote that shows the benefits of a mobile device. Mind you, this isn’t even a crisis — just a normal day to day activity in the life of an operator:

A manager of a waste storage facility is currently offsite, but would like to check the status of the overnight preparations for a waste shipment scheduled to take place later that morning:

The Mobile Approach: The manager is offsite and receives an alert on his PDA or smart phone, enabled with mobile technology. With an icon click, information appears on the screen indicating that there may be a problem with a hazardous waste shipment that is incorrectly labeled. The manager makes a quick call to the plant to inquire about the project status and clear up the issue with the overnight supervisor. Upon the manager’s arrival at the facility, waste drums are promptly re-labeled, loaded and ready for shipment.

Typical Desktop Approach: The same manager, without the benefit of mobile technology, drives to the facility, unaware that a problem exists. The manager logs onto a desktop computer, enters the appropriate application, which requires another login and password; uses a navigation tree to drill down to the report menu; uses a pull-down menu to choose the affected facility; and finally clicks the icon to run the report. That’s when the problem is identified.

Because many compliance activities occur away from the desktop, handheld functionality is a critical link in the compliance automation chain. Thanks to innovators like Joseph Jordan and other members of our development and product management team, you’ll see these mobile technology solutions in our offering in the near future.

Add comment May 9th, 2008