Environment, health, and safety (EHS) is a concept that is strongly intertwined with sustainability. These two ideas are essential to minimise environmental impact, promote responsible resource usage, and maintain safe working conditions.
This is especially crucial for companies in heavy industries, where they face immense pressures in terms of environmental liability and rigorous health and safety laws. In order to overcome these problems, cutting-edge EHS solutions have emerged as a vital tool. By adopting these modern technologies, companies can definitely perform better when it comes to achieving their EHS and sustainability goals.
Defining EHS and Sustainability
What is EHS?
Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) is a multidisciplinary field that preserves and promotes the well-being of people and the environment, while ensuring compliance with legal regulations and standards in the workplace. It involves implementing and managing policies, procedures, and programmes to minimise risks and create a safe and healthy work environment.
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability is the concept of supporting a process over a long period of time. It’s most commonly associated with environmental conservation, and relies on not depleting resources for future generations.
Sustainability also includes the health and safety of people and communities. As such, sustainable practices consider not only the environmental impact but also the social and economic consequences of company actions.
For example, a company aiming for sustainability may prioritise energy-efficient measures, such as using renewable energy sources. They may also sustain employee well-being by implementing robust safety protocols and providing training on occupational hazards.
By addressing both EHS and sustainability, businesses demonstrate their commitment to fostering a healthier, safer, and more sustainable work environment for everyone involved. Consequently, this helps companies to build trust with employees, customers, suppliers, investors, and the broader community.
Is EHS part of Sustainability?
Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) is undoubtedly linked to Sustainability. EHS focuses on protecting employees, the public, and the environment from risks associated with various business operations. EHS initiatives often include compliance with laws, regulations, and the implementation of workplace safety programmes.
The connection between EHS and sustainability lies in aligning the organisation’s goals with the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit. Organisations that prioritise workplace safety and the well-being of their employees are more likely to achieve long-term success and remain sustainable. The same goes for prioritising environmental sustainability, where 90% of 200 studies found that EHS standards lowered the cost of capital and led to success.
Aligning business practices with EHS principles demonstrates an organisation’s dedication to the long-term health and well-being of its workforce, as well as a commitment to responsible environmental stewardship.
Best Practices for Integrating EHS and Sustainability Programmes
Integrating EHS and sustainability programmes can provide numerous benefits to organisations, such as reduced risk, cost savings, and support/grants for achieving sustainability goals. These are some of the best practices that integrate both EHS and Sustainability goals.
1. Leveraging Technology
Technology plays a pivotal role in integrating EHS and sustainability programmes. Organisations that make use of Connected Worker Platforms and IIoT technology can progress further in their EHS goals.
For instance, SOL-X and ecoMax, offered by Magellan X, enhance worker safety and contribute to decarbonisation efforts respectively. SOL-X’s Crew Protect provides a holistic approach to workers’ well-being, with health tracking and near real-time situational awareness. Our cutting-edge system utilises a SmartWatch to manage workers’ well-being in hazardous work zones. This technology enhances part of an existing Safety Management Systems by providing health and safety benefits, near real-time visibility, and enhanced situational awareness.
Another example, ecoMax, is a decarbonisation technology that provides data-driven reporting and analysis solutions aimed at improving greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory accounting and reducing emissions. It offers near real-time machine and engine monitoring, performance insights and alerts, certification of tamper-proof carbon emissions, and automated reporting. This technology is designed to help businesses reduce their carbon emissions and achieve net-zero goals.
2. Measuring and Reporting Performance
Accurate measurement and reporting of EHS and sustainability performance are essential for tracking progress, identifying areas for improvement, and demonstrating compliance with regulatory standards.
One way to accomplish this is through Magellan X’s PROPELLER with Asset Performance Management (APM) and Inventory Optimisation. It is, a mobile and Real-Time Location System (RTLS) inventory management solution. This digital solution provides real-time visibility of inventory, enabling better demand forecasting and minimising inventory holding costs. AI-powered insights and analysis of EHS data can also assist in identifying potential areas for improvement. This type of self-directed sustainability reporting reduces waste and optimises resource use, making it a gold standard in the industry.
3. Involving Stakeholders
Involving stakeholders (e.g., management, supervisors, workers, and investors) early in the planning and strategy processes can help develop practical and feasible solutions that are aligned with the organisation’s overall objectives. The National Association for EHS&S Management (NAEM) emphasises the importance of involving stakeholders to promote global sustainability. environmental factors
As a platform that emphasises worker safety and well-being, SOL-X helps organisations coordinate with their workers, keeping them on the same page regarding EHS objectives. SOL-X has been used to increase situational awareness in workers, ensuring that they stay alert in hazardous environments.
By following these best practices, organisations can effectively integrate EHS and sustainability programmes into their operations.
Case Studies: Successful Integration of EHS and Sustainability Programmes
Magellan X played a pivotal role in helping companies further their EHS efforts and meet sustainability requirements. One such company was a Major Energy & Petrochemical Company, which adopted Magellan X’s solutions for their shipping needs.
The Problem: The company’s shipping division faced challenges in improving crew well-being, human reliability, and safety outcomes.
The Solution: The company implements the SOL-X solution by Magellan X.
First, they equipped their workers with our wearable SmartWatch, providing near real-time situational awareness to the crew and supervisors.
Second, SOL-X enabled safety leaders to apply data-driven interventions and process/policy improvements. The SmartWatch gave contextual notifications and alerts, helped to manage workloads, detect falls, and monitor environmental exposure such as heat and noise.
Finally, SOL-X provided a means to accurately collect and standardise health data, via a virtual Dashboard. This data helped to create safety performance metrics, allowing them to measure and report on the status of workers.
The Outcome: The company takes a step forward in its EHS and sustainability goals.
By leveraging technology to improve communications, Magellan X’s solution helped to strengthen collaboration between stakeholders.
With a better way to track safety metrics, the company could implement data-driven policies and procedures to manage and mitigate fatigue-related risks.
The Future of EHS and Sustainability Integration with Magellan X
The integration of EHS and sustainability efforts is becoming increasingly important. Organisations are recognising the need to address current challenges and anticipate future trends. Through these 3 best practices, companies can stand out in the field and create a culture of safety, responsibility, and sustainability that benefits everyone.
Magellan X offers solutions that can help streamline this process, providing organisations with the tools and insights they need to make a lasting positive impact in the world. Contact us now to find out more today.
