Partnership for CO₂ reduction at the Schulthess Clinic
Together against the flood of packaging materials: Operative procedures at Schulthess Klinik are becoming more sustainable thanks to a partnership with Mr. Green and Johnson & Johnson MedTech Switzerland. This enables a circular economy and, as a first step, leads to a reduction in annual CO₂ emissions of up to 37 tons.
Editorial office - September 26 2023
Circular economy and CO₂ reduction at the Schulthess Clinic, thanks to collaboration between Mr. Green and an implant manufacturer. (Image: Schulthess Clinic)
In a test phase, it was checked whether the mixed collection of the various packaging materials could be integrated into the operating room operation without hindering it. Here, too, the feedback has been almost exclusively positive. For example, the waste generated was always a thorn in the side of the operating teams. The fact that this problem is being addressed is pleasing to all involved. The largest proportion of materials collected was cardboard, followed by plastic composites, pure plastic film, mixed plastics and aluminum.
The discarded materials should not lose quality
In the future, the Schulthess Clinic, which is committed to sustainability and certified to ISO 14001:2015, will return all clean waste generated to the cycle with the help of Mr. Green. A final test phase will be conducted by the end of the year to ensure that the quality of the discarded materials remains high and that the recycling process runs as efficiently as possible. This example shows that such a partnership between different players is a win-win for everyone. All in the spirit of "Healthy People need a Healthy Planet".
PUBLIREPORTAGE Quality tools are essential in quality management because they provide structured methods, enable data-driven decision making, increase process efficiency, and ultimately contribute to the delivery of high-quality products and services, customer satisfaction, and overall business success.
Editorial office - September 25, 2023
Interactive Power BI Skill Matrix. (Image: BPA Solutions)
8D Troubleshooting
8D problem solving is a systematic and structured approach (problem solving method) that organizations use to identify, analyze and solve complex problems or issues. "8D" stands for "8 disciplines," which represent the eight steps or phases in the problem-solving process. BPA provides tools to simplify problem solving, automate processes, develop teamwork, and identify commonalities with AI.
Process flow diagram
A process flow diagram is a visual representation of a sequence of activities or steps within a process and helps organizations document, analyze, and improve their processes. Process flow diagrams are used because they provide a clear, detailed overview of how a process works. By using visual process maps in BPA software, end users understand how their organization works and learn more about regulations.
Risk analysis
Risk analysis is a systematic process for identifying, evaluating, and addressing risks that could potentially affect the quality of a product or service. Risk analysis helps organizations proactively identify and mitigate potential issues that could affect quality. BPA software helps them assess and manage risk, based on methods such as FMEA, GAMP5 and HACCP, and reminds responsible individuals when risks need to be assessed.
Skill Matrix
A Skill Matrix is a tool or document used to assess and manage the skills and competencies of people within an organization, especially in the context of quality management. BPA software offers solutions to assess the skills of employees to perform their tasks and visualize the results in an interactive Power BI Skill Matrix.
Customer satisfaction surveys
Customer surveys are a valuable tool in quality management because they provide actionable insights, drive continuous improvement, and help organizations align their products and services with customer expectations, ultimately leading to better customer satisfaction and business success. BPA software and Microsoft 365 provide easy tools to create your own surveys at no cost to customers and deliver interactive power BI reports on customer satisfaction.
Control 2024: For the 18th time with special show "Non-Contact Measuring Technology
As part of Control 2024, the leading international trade fair for quality assurance, which will take place in Stuttgart from April 23 to 26, 2024, the Fraunhofer Vision Business Unit in cooperation with P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG to host the special show "Non-Contact Measurement Technology" for the 18th time.
Editorial office - September 25, 2023
Control 2024 will once again include the special show on the topic of "Non-Contact Measurement Technology". (Image: P.E. Schall Messen GmbH / Fraunhofer Gesellschaft)
The special show will present a cross-section of innovative technologies, applications and system components from the field of non-contact measurement and testing technology on an area of around 300 square meters and will offer users initial guidance in selecting the technology suitable for tackling their own testing tasks. (Companies, research institutes and universities interested in participating are requested to submit an exhibit proposal to the Fraunhofer Vision Business Unit by October 13, 2023, including a title and brief description: vision@fraunhofer.de).
Special show as an integral part of the trade show
In recent years, the special show "Non-Contact Measurement Technology" has successfully established itself as a place for communication and the exchange of innovations for exhibitors and trade fair visitors. It is now firmly integrated into the program of events at Messe Control. The performance and flexibility of modern systems are constantly growing, so it is not easy for users to find their way around the market.
As every year, the latest developments and innovative measuring and testing systems are to be presented which, in terms of their principle, operate without contact. On the one hand, the focus will be on the inspection or measurement of external or visible features of components or materials. Relevant technologies for this are, for example, light sectioning, fringe projection, photogrammetry, white light interferometry, holography, time of flight or confocal measuring methods. In addition, a platform is also provided for measurement and inspection techniques for the interior of materials that operate in the non-visible part of the wavelength spectrum, such as thermography, X-ray, ultrasound or terahertz, or spectroscopic methods such as hyperspectral imaging.
The special show also offers an excellent opportunity to present exhibits in the field of artificial intelligence and machine learning in image processing. This is particularly relevant as there is considerable interest among potential users for information on this topic.
Control 2024 aims to build on the success of 2023
Quality inspection and quality assurance have gained unprecedented importance. Production-integrated testing of properties and the condition of workpieces and products is essential for manufacturing quality. Efficiency, resource conservation and sustainability can only be implemented through modern methods of measurement and testing. Control brings suppliers and users together at eye level. Control 2024 aims to build on the success of Control 2023 - according to organizers, participants and exhibitors, it was pure enthusiasm. "What a great week at this year's Control show!" This was the résumé heard from exhibitors and trade visitors everywhere at Control 2023 in May. Thus, impressive and groundbreaking solutions for quality assurance should once again be on display in the exhibition halls at Control 2024.
Securing critical infrastructure with new OT firewall
Open Systems, a provider of managed SASE solutions, makes firewall services available for the Operational Technology (OT) domain . This OT firewall operates at the center of OT networks, increasing visibility and control over IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) traffic. In this way, enterprises are able to detect and remediate malicious operations faster, according to the company.
Editorial office - September 20, 2023
An OT firewall protects sensitive Industrial IoT systems. (Symbol image; Pixabay.com)
Many manufacturing companies are turning to the Internet of Things (IoT) as part of their digitalization and Industry 4.0 strategies. However, the increasing interconnection of OT and IoT devices with IT networks increases the risk of cyberattacks and security breaches in their OT environments. Also due to the increasing number of hacker attacks on critical infrastructure, a robust OT security strategy is no longer optional but mandatory and must be a top priority for enterprises.
OT firewall as a ring of defense in production
This serious threat situation especially increases the need for a firewall that not only protects the IT environment, but also puts a ring of defense around the Operational Technology in manufacturing plants. Open Systems' OT Firewall is now designed to provide companies with complete visibility and control over network communications within their critical infrastructure. To ensure this, it includes features for segmenting the network and setting up dynamic IP groups, among other things. According to the manufacturer, the OT firewall is particularly suitable for companies with multiple locations due to its architecture, which provides for different security and trust zones. In this way, manufacturing companies are not only able to control and regulate communications between their software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) and the Internet. They can also protect certain zones from internal threats, such as hackers gaining access to a security zone.
Round-the-clock support
The Open Systems OT Firewall also includes round-the-clock technical support from the managed SASE solutions provider's team of experts. It helps users successfully implement meaningful network segmentation across the OT Firewall, which they can then easily manage through policies. "Few organizations have complete visibility into their OT environments. While many can identify threats as soon as data leaves a factory for the Internet, by then it may be too late," warns Stefan Keller, chief product officer at Open Systems. "Companies therefore need to bring transparency to their operational technology environments. With the Open Systems OT Firewall, we offer them central functions of a network security monitoring system: from traffic monitoring and threat detection to their mitigation via network isolation." "The demand for information from production, for example through sensor data, is increasing visibly, which is why a secure OT environment is crucial," adds Dirk Theissen, Enterprise IT Security Architect at GEA, an early adopter of the OT Firewall. "By implementing Open Systems OT Firewall, we have the security we need as a 24×7 service. We appreciate the trusted partnership with Open Systems in securing critical infrastructure."
Whereas until a few years ago initiatives for more sustainability in one's own company were, so to speak, part of good manners and offered the opportunity to positively distinguish oneself from the competition, many customers and investors today take it for granted to have a coherent sustainability strategy.
Editorial office - September 18, 2023
Wilhelm Heckmann explains how the carbon footprint can be tracked via SAP. (Image: CNT Management Consulting)
In the field of environment and climate protection, the carbon footprint has established itself as a relevant metric. Companies are confronted with the extent of the emissions they cause - depending on the area of activity, for example in the manufacture of their products. But the focus is also on the selection of business partners, such as suppliers, and their behavior. Wilhelm Heckmann, Managing Director of CNT Management Consulting in Switzerland, a consulting firm specializing in digitalization, explains how decision-makers can use SAP to compare relevant factors and thus obtain a transparent picture of how far they have come in achieving their goals.
Pressure on companies increases
Sustainability and climate change have become relevant topics for decision-makers in the Swiss economy. This is also shown by the results of the Deloitte 2023 CxO Sustainability Report. Four out of ten Swiss CxOs surveyed rank climate change among the top three priorities for their business, and in three out of four organizations, sustainability investments have increased in the past year. Strikingly, decision-makers at Swiss companies feel strongly affected by the impacts of climate change compared to their international peers. For example, 48 percent of respondents in Switzerland say they feel pressure from shareholders, compared with a global average of just 41 percent. 47 percent also perceive pressure from civil society, compared with only 38 percent internationally.
Focus: CO2 targets
Large Swiss companies will be required by law to report on their CO2 targets from 2023, affecting around 250 companies. Many Swiss companies, not only those required by law, are increasingly addressing sustainability targets and digitizing their progress. This often affects the entire value chain, including suppliers and subsidiaries. Sustainability should be considered comprehensively to avoid risks from uncooperative business partners.
Carbon footprint and digital managing
Various software solutions from SAP offer a smart way to conduct professional sustainability monitoring. SAP Sustainability Footprint Management enables companies to measure and analyze the carbon footprint of their products and optimize it throughout the entire lifecycle. By providing conclusive data on energy and water consumption and other sustainability factors, decision makers can act on this data and identify opportunities for improvement. "SAP Ariba Supplier Risk, in turn, is designed to track not only the financial stability of suppliers, but also their sustainability performance with real-time data and alerts," Heckmann explains. The "SAP Responsible Design and Production" solution enables data-driven, environmentally friendly product development and manufacturing, reducing the amount of plastic, for example. Finally, the SAP Sustainability Control Tower brings together data from different levels and gives managers an overview of various sub-areas.
SCRT and Telsys now operating under the name Orange Cyberdefense Switzerland
The Swiss companies SCRT and Telsys, which were acquired by Orange Cyberdefense in 2022, will operate under the name Orange Cyberdefense Switzerland with immediate effect.
Editorial office - September 15, 2023
Nicolas Lutz, Managing Director of Orange Cyberdefense Switzerland. (Image: zVg)
Orange Cyberdefense is accelerating the expansion of its cybersecurity activities in Switzerland following the acquisition of SCRT and Telsys last November. Both sister companies, based in Morges (VD), have around 100 experts in cybersecurity and related services in Morges, Geneva, Bern and Zurich, and will operate under the name Orange Cyberdefense Switzerland with immediate effect.
Within four years, the company has acquired and integrated four new companies. This underlines its ambitions to become number one in Europe by 2027. Last year, the European market grew by 9 percent, while Orange Cyberdefense saw growth of 14 percent in its global operations, generating revenues of €977 million.
The integration of SCRT and Telsys under the Orange Cyberdefense brand allows to fully exploit the increasingly significant synergies between expertise in the cloud and cybersecurity. In Switzerland, the company will therefore expand its portfolio of secure cloud offerings by providing comprehensive support to enterprises and government agencies while expanding its competencies in back-up and recovery. In return, customers will benefit from what the company says is a world-class level of security that meets the highest market standards. Thanks to synergies with Orange Business, Orange Cyberdefense Switzerland is able to support multinational companies and international organizations globally.
In the first half of 2023, the new developments have already led to growth of almost 20 percent in cybersecurity and sales of over 25 million Swiss francs (CHF) in the Swiss market. The company's recruitment policy aims to build the largest cyber community in Europe. It is also being progressively implemented in Switzerland to strengthen the teams' capabilities and meet the diverse and growing needs of customers.
Nicolas Lutz, Managing Director of Orange Cyberdefense Switzerland since January 2023, emphasizes: "The integration of SCRT and Telsys into our company, a European leader in cybersecurity, represents a new milestone in the history of our company, of which I am proud."
ChatGPT & Co.: How can companies avoid data leaks?
AI tools like ChatGPT, Bard, and Copilot are growing in popularity, but they put data security at risk. How can companies successfully prevent confidential information leakage and data breaches?
Editorial office - September 14, 2023
AI tools like ChatGPT have already established themselves in many companies. However, they can also be causes of data leaks if used improperly. (Image: Unsplash.com)
Generative AI is already a great help for numerous tasks in everyday work. It answers questions, creates texts for marketing, translates emails and documents, and even optimizes source code. So it's no wonder that employees are eager to use these tools to make their work easier and more productive. However, this creates risks for data security in the company: Confidential or personal data can easily end up in ChatGPT, Bard or Copilot and thus possibly even in the replies for other users. Finally, providers use not only data available on the web, but also user input to train their AI models and improve their responses.
Firewall against data leaks: not an ideal solution
If companies don't want to lose control of their data, they have to take action. The easiest way is to train employees in the security-conscious use of generative AI, but mistakes happen - in the hustle and bustle of everyday work, attention can lapse so that employees still upload sensitive data to the services. That's why some companies choose to firewall the URLs of the various AI tools, but that's not an ideal solution either. For one thing, the blocks do not provide sufficient protection because employees can easily bypass them by accessing the services from outside the corporate network. For another, companies hinder their workforce from working productively and potentially cause frustration.
Zero trust approach as an alternative
To regulate access to AI tools and protect data, companies would be better off adopting a zero-trust approach. Here, security solutions such as Secure Web Gateway (SWG) and Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) ensure that only approved services are used, and only by authorized employees - regardless of where they are located and what device they are using. A central policy set reduces management overhead and makes it easier to prevent security breaches across all AI tools, communication channels, and devices.
In addition, consistent control of the data provided by the services is necessary. Only when companies recognize that employees are in the process of sharing personal data or source code with intellectual property via chat or file upload with the AI tools, for example, can they put a stop to this. This requires classification of data and policies that regulate and monitor how the data is handled. Data loss prevention (DLP) solutions combine both and minimize setup effort because they come with ready-made classifications for a wide range of data and a large set of predefined policies.
Focus on data worth protecting
In addition, companies usually do not need to classify their entire data stock - it is sufficient to focus on the data that needs to be protected. The individual departments usually know exactly what the data is and can provide examples: customer lists, presentations, contracts, code snippets. DLP solutions analyze these and are then able to reliably identify similar data. Depending on how sensitive the data is, they allow for graduated responses: For less critical data, it is usually sufficient to notify the employee of a possible data security breach; for more important data, approval by the supervisor may be required, while the upload of particularly sensitive information is blocked directly.
"ChatGPT and other AI tools solve even complex tasks within seconds. This is extremely convenient in everyday work, but can lead to data breaches if employees accidentally enter confidential or personal data into the services," emphasizes Frank Limberger, Data & Insider Threat Security Specialist at IT security service provider Forcepoint. "With DLP, organizations can reliably protect their data without restricting the use of AI tools, which would inevitably impact employee productivity and motivation. The solutions can be deployed faster than companies often assume, delivering initial results in just a few days or weeks."
If a company is offline, it quickly costs a lot of money, even if an interruption only lasts a few minutes. Not to mention other problems that can be associated with unavailability. To prevent this, it makes sense to set up a concrete business continuity plan.
René Claus - September 12, 2023
No connection and offline: This state can be expensive for companies. That makes it all the more important to have a business continuity plan in the drawer. (Symbol image; Pixabay.com)
Every minute that a company is offline is not only expensive, but also entails other problems. For example, it is difficult to restore a company's reputation if it is unavailable to its customers due to problems. To prevent this, it makes sense to set up a concrete business continuity plan. That way, in the event of a disaster, such as a ransomware attack or a natural disaster, everyone responsible in the company knows what to do. And it ensures that the company has the necessary resources to keep operations running.
The following 6 steps can be used to develop a business continuity plan.
1. risk assessment
Regardless of a company's size or structure, managers should know where the risks of failure lie. The idea is to list all potential threats to business operations, assess them, and consider how those risks can be most effectively mitigated or eliminated. This risk assessment should be a team effort across the enterprise that considers every business aspect and type of threat, including natural disasters, cyberattacks, ransomware, human error, unplanned downtime, power outages, data corruption and system or hardware failures.
2. analysis of potential effects on the business
It is important that the business continuity planning process includes an analysis of the impact on the business. This may include lost revenue, increased expenses, compliance impact and other factors. As part of this analysis, the individual recovery time objective (RTO) - the downtime a business can tolerate - and recovery point objective (RPO) - the amount of data a business can lose if necessary without the impact being too great - must be defined.
3. identification of critical systems
Once the organization is aware of the risks and potential impacts, the next step is to identify the systems and functions that are critical to an organization. This overview can be used to ensure that these systems are prioritized for protection and recovery. When developing the individual business continuity plan, mapping the network, hardware and software topology, as well as their interdependencies, can help locate and fix problems early on to speed recovery.
4. reliable data backup
Even if a company already backs up its data reliably, risk assessment and analysis of potential impacts should form the basis for choosing the most effective backup strategy. One proven strategy is the 3-2-1-1 backup rule. This calls for keeping three backup copies of data on two different media - for example, hard disk and tape - with at least one copy in the cloud or secure storage and one copy in immutable storage.
5. recovery plan
Every business continuity plan should include a disaster recovery (DR) plan. This plan should take into account the nature of the technologies needed to meet the previously defined RPOs and RTOs. It should also define the recovery strategy - from file-based recovery to virtual machine (VM) recovery and cloud-based recovery. With cloud-based backup and disaster recovery, for example, Arcserve Cloud Service ensures business continuity at all times, no matter what.
6. regular review of the business continuity plan
If you need to put a business continuity and disaster recovery plan into action, there is no time to waste. At the same time, it is important to then test this plan to ensure that it will work in the event of an emergency.
Conclusion
There's a lot to consider when developing a business continuity plan. When it comes to backup and disaster recovery, it pays to talk to an expert. Not only do they have extensive expertise, but they also know the platforms and solutions available on the market to help turn such plans into reality.
Author: René Claus is EMEA MSP Sales Director at Arcserve.
Force transfer standards according to ISO 376 class 00 and better
International metrological institutes and accredited calibration laboratories use force transfer standards of the type KTN from GTM for round robin tests. Thus, these reference force transducers are a central component for the uninterrupted traceability with all measurement uncertainties from the national standard to the industrial measuring equipment.
Editorial office - September 11, 2023
Force transfer standards (KTN) from GTM are characterized by the highest repeatability, long-term stability and precision; they are particularly suitable for use as reference transducers or master sensors (from left: KTN-Z/D, KTN-D, KTN-LF). Image: GTM GmbH.
Force transfer standards (KTN) from the manufacturer GTM are characterized by high repeatabilities of ≤50 ppm with different standard force measuring devices and ≤20 ppm under comparable test conditions. Thereby, eccentric loads, disturbing forces or bending moments have only a minor influence on the measuring accuracy. According to the manufacturer, other positive features include long-term stability, hermetic encapsulation, extensive options such as double measuring bridges or bending moment measuring circuits Mx, My, as well as the comprehensive ISO 376-compliant mechanical accessories. This makes the force transfer standards particularly suitable for use as reference transducers or master sensors: In these applications, they are used directly in the test or calibration equipment.
Reference Force Transducer Series KTN-D
ISO 376 is the internationally recognized standard when it comes to the calibration of force transducers; class 00 is the highest classification. GTM has defined a standard with the factory accuracy class VN, which can exceed the class 00 many times over. The reference force transducers of the KTN-D series comply with GTM accuracy class VN (measuring range 40 % to 100 %) and ISO 376 accuracy class 00 (measuring range 10 % - 100 %). Thus, GTM offers the highest precision available on the market for comparison of national metrology institutes with each other or for traceability of accredited calibration laboratories. Other typical users are companies that offer force transducer calibration as a service or where a large number of force transducers are used that need to be calibrated regularly. Models of the KTN-D series cover a nominal force range from 10 kN to 5 MN.
Reference Force Transducer Series KTN-Z/D
Force transfer standards of the KTN-Z/D series are designed for measuring tensile and compressive forces with the highest precision according to ISO 376 Class 00. They can also be used as reference force transducers or master sensors with a nominal force range from 5 N to 1 MN in calibration machines. GTM manufactures the force transfer standards of this series according to ISO 376 class 00 and class 0.5 (measuring range 10 % to 100 %).
Force transducer series KTN-LF
GTM has developed the force transducers of the KTN-LF series for large nominal forces from 1 MN to 30 MN combined with low weight - they are available according to ISO 376 class 0.5 (measuring range 20 % to 100 %). The best-in-class force transfer standards for high static compressive forces are extremely robust and reliable, and also particularly tolerant of overload. According to the manufacturer, this makes them the optimal choice for calibrating testing machines at changing locations.
Source and further information: www.gtm-gmbh.com. The company will show the mentioned products among others at the SPS 2023 trade fair in Nuremberg (November 14 - 16).
How egos hinder digitization
When digitization projects fail, the reason is often outdated organizational structures - or personal vanity. In the experience of one IT project manager, it's egos that get in the way of digitization, and there's a lack of reflectiveness and flexibility.
Editorial office - 07 September 2023
When egos get in the way: Many IT projects fail because of personal sensitivities. (Image: Depositphotos.com)
Today, no department in an administration and no department in a company can do without IT. The digitization of work processes, interfaces to customers, other departments or suppliers, and information and reporting tools are affecting every single workplace. On the other hand, there are the traditional hierarchies and superiors who only rarely have IT expertise, but who can look back on a long career. This combination causes many IT projects to fail. If external IT project managers are added to the mix, many projects get completely out of hand. "Those who have the expertise are external, and those who are in charge are outside the field. Both encounter employees who are not necessarily eager for new technologies," says Oliver Meinecke, describing a common situation from his professional practice. Meinecke is an IT project manager and is considered an expert on efficiency in IT. His thesis: Many projects fail because of egos. Egos not infrequently hinder the digitization of entire divisions and agencies.
When egos get in the way
"Hierarchical guidelines and authority based on the experiential knowledge of the analog world are no substitute for the expertise it takes to introduce new software or map complex processes digitally," Meinecke is convinced. "To think is not to know. Technical processes cannot be changed by decree." According to the IT and digitization professional, it is not uncommon, especially in administration and at the management level, for a great deal of paper to be produced stating how the world should be: from security issues to functionalities to the meticulous project process from procurement to implementation. With the power of the function, these specifications are then enforced, often against the professional and technological expertise and without the participation of the subsequent users. "So in the end, everyone has to live with the consequences, both those responsible for the project and those involved and later users."
Many projects failed because of this. "Rules and specifications are increasingly becoming dogmas. Changing them would mean a loss of face for one or the other. Many supervisors in public authorities and managers in companies are incapable of taking countermeasures, admitting mistakes or having specifications measured against reality or questioning them," Meinecke knows. Agile project management, creative solutions and spontaneous optimizations would thus become almost impossible. They simply fail due to ego.
Don't just digitize bad analog processes
The digital expert is convinced that a new culture is needed: away from being absolutely right and toward the recognition of changes of opinion and direction. "Consistency is often confused with stubbornness. Those who change their opinions all too often are seen as fickle. Thus, people are denied the opportunity to turn new insights and knowledge into successes. What is needed here is a flexible culture of error, insight and improvement," says Meinecke. Especially when external experts are hired to implement a project, it makes sense to use their competent view of the matter and their perspective from the outside. "Consultants must be allowed to play to their advantages. Unrepentant egos in neuralgic management functions stand in the way."
Digital transformation will not succeed if poor analog processes are simply digitized. It is necessary to rethink, to focus on the customer, the user and the technological processes, not on the career ladder of the decision-makers. Anything else costs time and money and produces exasperation, Meinecke said. "Sometimes it will be necessary to put managers in their place or even replace them as part of IT projects - in the interest of the cause and the goal," concludes the IT expert. What is needed are creative problem solvers instead of hierarchically thinking checklist abhakers - even on the executive floors.
Sustainability tools should generate complete reports
According to a study on sustainability and IT, three out of four companies expect a sustainability tool to handle the entire reporting process. Increasing regulatory pressure - such as the obligation to report on sustainability - calls for more automation.
Editorial office - 06 September 2023
Moritz Röder of Lufthansa Industry Solutions still sees a lot of optimization potential in sustainability tools, especially for the creation of reports. (Image: Lufthansa Industry Solutions)
Sustainability reporting will become mandatory in more and more countries in the future, especially for large companies. This increases the pressure to act for many companies. This is because heterogeneous data sources, poor data quality and complex regulatory requirements represent a major challenge that can only be met with the appropriate tools and a high degree of automation. So far, many companies still rely on the on-board tools of large software and cloud providers and thus leave a lot of optimization potential unused, as the current "IT & Sustainability - Maturity Index 2023" shows. For the study, the market research company PAC surveyed 150 IT and business decision-makers from the automotive industry, the manufacturing sector and the logistics sector on behalf of Lufthansa Industry Solutions.
Sustainability tools on the wish list of many companies
"To meet the regulatory requirements of sustainability reporting, companies have to collect, analyze and prepare a lot of data. Managing these tasks manually is not only too time-consuming and personnel-intensive, but also very error-prone," says Moritz Röder, Associate Director Supply Chain Management & Sustainability at Lufthansa Industry Solutions (LHIND). For the "IT & Sustainability - Maturity Index 2023" LHIND has therefore determined a sub-index for the "Tooling" area. The sub-index takes into account whether companies prepare their sustainability report with the help of tools and in an automated manner, whether they carry out a risk assessment of their suppliers and which tools they use for this purpose. On a scale of "0" (immature) to "10" (mature), the sub-index achieved a value of 6.4. "The index shows that companies are already intensively addressing the issue of sustainability and the tools required for this," says sustainability expert Röder.
And what must such a tool do from the companies' point of view? In addition to calculating the carbon footprint (93 percent), 82 percent of respondents want support in making sustainable purchasing decisions and 78 percent want complete sustainability reporting. For 70 percent, recording the status quo is important in order to be able to improve sustainability, and 61 percent expect a holistic view of financial and sustainability KPIs.
Only 15 percent of companies have automated their sustainability reporting
To date, every second company surveyed for the study has already produced a sustainability report, either voluntarily or as required by law. Four out of ten of these companies still do this manually and are supported to varying degrees by a reporting tool. 44 percent of the companies already produce their report at least partially automatically. Often, sustainability monitoring tools are used that are already established in the company as part of the software portfolio of large software or cloud providers. But only in 15 percent of the companies is the report generation already largely automated. Moritz Röder: "Contrary to what the sub-index might suggest at first glance, there is still considerable potential for optimization here."
The same applies to supplier risk assessment. Two-thirds (67 percent) of the companies already carry out a risk assessment on the sustainability of their suppliers today, and a further 26 percent have this in planning. Less than a third of these companies have largely automated this process to date. In contrast to sustainability monitoring, specialized tools are generally used for supply chain assessment. LHIND consultant Röder: "To improve their own maturity level and drive automation, companies do not need a bouquet of different tools, but a single source of data truth. A tool that guides them step-by-step through reporting while providing supply chain visibility."
Cloud-based solution on the market
To avoid unpleasant surprises when implementing the tool, companies should also make sure that it is in line with process governance and reporting guidelines and that it can be adapted both to the requirements of the finance department and to future organizational structures. "If these requirements are met, such a tool ultimately enables the data-based sustainability management that companies need to achieve their climate targets," says Moritz Röder.
LHIND has therefore developed the cloud-based solution EPACTO (ESG Performance Accounting Tool) as the digital centerpiece for sustainability management. EPACTO brings together all relevant data, uses it to calculate the company's current sustainability performance, and shows a development path towards planetary impact limits.
100th company receives "Friendly Work Space" label
More and more companies and organizations are realizing that a systematic commitment to good working conditions and healthy employees pays off, also financially. Health Promotion Switzerland has already awarded the "Friendly Work Space" label to the Civil Engineering Office of the Canton of Graubünden, the hundredth organization to do so.
Editorial office - 05 September 2023
The Civil Engineering Office of the Canton of Graubünden - here a view of the capital Chur - has become the 100th company to receive the "Friendly Work Space" label. (Image: Pixabay.com)
Today, the 100 label companies and organizations in Switzerland and Liechtenstein include well-known names such as SBB, Swisscom, Migros, Lidl, V-Zug, the Zurich and Bern cantonal banks, and the insurers Suva, Visana, Helsana, and Swica. As of this week, the Graubünden Civil Engineering Office is also one of them. "We are proud of this milestone. It shows that investing in workplace health management is worthwhile," says Thomas Mattig, director of Health Promotion Switzerland. The shortage of skilled workers in certain industries and the realization that occupational health management also pays off financially are among the important drivers for a steady increase in the number of label companies. "In terms of systematic occupational health management, the 100 Label "Friendly Work Space" companies and organizations are the flagship companies in Switzerland and are thus fully in line with the trend," Thomas Mattig continues. According to the representative BGM Monitoring 2020, the proportion of companies with 50 or more employees that systematically implement BGM rose from 22.7% (2016) to 26.3% in 2020, with a further almost 50% implementing BGM for the majority. This means that the proportion of companies that are implementing OHM measures today is likely to be over 75%.
Those who are a "Friendly Work Space" showcase company meet six BGM quality criteria that can be easily integrated into existing quality processes. "Thanks to the assessment, we were able to clearly identify where there is still potential for improvement. That's where we are now targeting our efforts," says Reto Knuchel, Cantonal Engineer at the Civil Engineering Office of the Canton of Graubünden. Certification is not only a reward for successfully implemented OHM, but also an obligation to continuously invest in good working conditions and healthy employees. After passing the assessment, the companies and organizations can use the label for their internal and external communication for three years. After that, they are each recertified at a reassessment for a further three years. "Our goal is not only to use the label to appeal to potential employees in the long term, but also to be and remain attractive to our employees," Reto Knuchel continues.
The online tool FWS Check shows interested companies and organizations within a few minutes where strengths lie and, if necessary, improvements can be made. After that, the certification process can be tackled alone or, if necessary, by an external, independent and certified consultant or a consultant accompanied. Independent, certified assessors then check the quality criteria on the assessment day.
Notice: All 100 companies and organizations awarded the "Friendly Work Space" label can be found at here. Companies and organizations will receive the latest developments in occupational health management and especially in the area of New Work at this year's National Conference for Occupational Health Management 2023 on the topic "Healthy new world of work?" on September 20, 2023 in the Kursaal Bern. Around 900 participants have already registered. www.bgm-tagung.ch