Becoming "future-ready" is not just a trending buzzword circulating through corporate circles. At its core, it means an organisation is taking proactive, calculated steps to ensure its practices align with sustainable, environmentally friendly approaches.
The value of having dedicated sustainability programs and teams in place has a far-reaching impact on an organisation, delivering three key benefits:
- Short-term financial costs and benefits
- Social impact
- Long-term financial benefits through sustainable performance
The conversation around sustainability programs is no longer just theoretical. Companies across industries—from manufacturing and automotive to innovation-driven products, cement, and even oil and gas sectors—are now documenting and demonstrating their sustainability initiatives. What’s becoming more important than the immediate financial bottom line is the long-term longevity of an organisation. More and more companies are realising the necessity of adopting and implementing sustainable practices.
Here are four approaches to help your organisation become future-ready:
1) Enhance Your EHS Program:
One of the first steps organisations can take is to improve their Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) programs. This involves not just adopting cleaner technologies in production and manufacturing but also refining reporting systems. By employing more reliable, digital reporting platforms, companies can improve operational efficiency, reduce downtime, and make more informed decisions. Automated systems can model the specific needs of an organisation, enabling better management and precision that traditional methods (like pen and paper) cannot achieve.
2) Identify and Track Sustainability Metrics:
Defining sustainability metrics and understanding the difference between lagging and leading indicators are crucial for any sustainability program. Key performance indicators (KPIs) can range across various domains, including environmental metrics (such as air quality, water usage, waste management, and greenhouse gas emissions) and workforce management. Leveraging software to track these metrics provides real-time insights, far outperforming traditional manual inspections. This approach allows for better data management and faster response times, helping organisations become more sustainable both operationally and in terms of workforce efficiency.
3) Minimise Waste Across the Organisation:
A simple yet impactful step towards sustainability is reducing waste. Many organisations have explored frugal design practices to cut down on waste, but one straightforward approach is to reduce paper usage. By adopting automated tools and software, organisations can minimise paper usage, which in turn reduces paper waste. Digital platforms can replace paperwork, helping save the environment while simultaneously improving operational efficiency. This small change can have a big impact on the company’s sustainability efforts.
4) Work Towards International Accreditation and Certification:
Achieving international accreditation or certification for sustainable practices, such as environment-friendly operations, can serve two important purposes: it can enhance your company’s brand image and motivate employees. These certifications recognize organisations that meet high sustainability standards, which not only boosts reputation but also instills a sense of pride in the workforce. A resilient, future-ready organisation relies on the collaboration between operations and workforce, facilitated by transparent and responsive systems. Automation technologies can play a vital role in supporting these efforts, making it easier for companies to implement and sustain their environmentally-friendly practices.
Conclusion:
The growing challenges of resource constraints, changing demographics, and globalization have made it clear that sustainability cannot be ignored. These pressures are evident not only in large corporations but also in public sector units and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Automation and digitalization are already shaping the next wave of sustainability initiatives, driving precise, accurate reporting and improving detection and inspection capabilities.
To learn more about how automation and EHS solutions can help your organisation become future-ready, visit Core EHS.
By integrating these approaches, organisations can take a step closer to a sustainable future, building resilience while improving their social, financial, and environmental impact.