Enablon’s SPF Americas provides an incredible focus on people, processes and technology. Be sure to narrow your focus at the event in order to get the most value out of it. If you’re implementing digital EHS, you may want to ask peer companies and vendors their thoughts on what works and what doesn’t during implementation.
At Arcadis’ 2019 EHS MIS Thought Leadership Forum, part of our ongoing global event series, we analyzed digital EHS implementations across various industries to uncover new insights. EHS leaders and strategists from aerospace, retail, technology and other sectors shared their experiences in implementing digital EHS that attendees could apply to their own projects.
An attendee survey made one point clear: EHS teams are struggling to optimize their systems and processes. Forty percent stated that their organization isn’t using its current solution effectively, and, on average, a moderate amount of proactive risk management data was being lost or overlooked.
Six areas emerged as critical facets to digital EHS implementation projects:
- Maximizing deployment speed. EHS leaders stressed a need to deploy programs quickly. Organizations are sunsetting inadequate or dated systems in favor of globally integrated platforms.
- Agile vs. Waterfall: Which approach is best? Presenters had differing opinions on whether to use an agile or waterfall methodology for implementations. Each has its distinct advantages and disadvantages. Reflecting on organizational strengths and weaknesses, as well as project parameters such as scope and schedule, should help you determine the best plan for action.
- Balancing implementations with “day jobs.” Presenters and attendees agreed that balancing digital EHS implementations with day-to-day EHS work can be an arduous task.
- Adopting globally integrated platforms. Many organizations at the event were dealing with disparate systems that don’t communicate with each other or optimize the data they collect.
- Include all key stakeholders early in the project. Remember that digital EHS implementation is about process and people as much as technology. Corporate and business unit operations, IT, EHS stakeholders and other cross-functional teams should be partnered with early in the process.
- Planning for continuous improvement. Recognize that implementation isn’t an endpoint. It’s the start of an optimized EHS that improves workplace safety and efficiency.
Learn more about insights from the Forum.
If you’re planning to attend SPF Americas in Chicago on June 19-21, please stop by the Arcadis booth. I look forward to meeting you and discussing how we can help address your challenges. And if you have not registered yet, consider joining the hundreds who already have.
