Month: March 2024

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced new rules requiring many large U.S.-listed public companies to disclose climate-related risks that have a material impact on their financials, operations, or business strategy.

Specifically, companies registered with the SEC now must disclose their Scope 1 and 2 emissions, as in those resulting from both their direct emissions and purchases of electricity and fuel.

Calculate your carbon footprint from cradle to gate with SAP technology 

Learn more

Critics of the ruling say it adds to the burden of reporting to multiple government agencies. Others believe the SEC is not going far enough, as its decision does not require the disclosure of Scope 3 emissions, which are generated by a company’s suppliers and customers.

Among the reasons the SEC decided against mandating the disclosure of Scope 3 emissions was the potential difficulty in collecting and measuring this data as well as potential high costs.

At SAP, we embrace the SEC’s ruling not just as a regulatory measure, but as a promising avenue for companies to thrive by leveraging technology to harness the power of business data.

We are not merely observing from the sidelines; we are actively partnering with our customers to empower them in accurately monitoring emission, reducing energy costs, and streamlining their business processes.

Our commitment goes beyond compliance — we are dedicated to enabling companies to stay agile in both voluntary and mandatory reporting, recognizing the ever-evolving landscape of emissions disclosure regulations. This sentiment is underscored not only by the recent SEC rule but also by the stringent laws such as the one passed last year in California and the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

SAP has the technology to make Scope 3 emissions accurate, granular, and stable. We are seeing customers adopt digital technologies that will enable them to comply with all existing and anticipated regulatory requirements around the world up and down their value chains to track emissions accurately, including Scope 3, where applicable.

From our experience, sustainability management solutions from SAP can benefit businesses while helping them stay compliant with local and global regulations. SAP makes end-to-end carbon management seamless by embedding it into business processes through a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. This offers companies the ability to create a green ledger by connecting their financial data with accurate and verifiable emissions data. When this data is connected, they can innovate their operations and supply chains to be more sustainable and competitive.

The essence of the SEC’s impact lies in our unwavering belief in collaboration. Our business-to-business network enables our customers to meet the challenge of disclosing emissions data under various reporting requirements. This ability to accurately track emissions allows companies’ stakeholders, including their supply chain partners, to access that information on public websites or mobile apps so they can meet and even exceed the most stringent reporting requirements.

With SAP’s enterprise solutions, companies can operate today while increasing the overall availability and transparency of carbon data. These same solutions also allow for the proactive identification of supply chain partners so companies can further decrease their carbon emissions. Concurrently, government agencies can easily access companies’ emissions data using already available enterprise software to improve their emissions reduction goals.

SAP’s Holistic Approach to Cloud-Based Sustainability and Business Transformation

The reality of our future economy is that it is cloud-based and sustainable. That’s why we see our customers transitioning to more agile business models that drive sustainable outcomes.

SAP guides them through this new reality by providing the technology that allows for their business process shifts across their value chains. Whether they are new local or regional emissions rules, plastic taxes or extended producer responsibility requirements, SAP is ready to work with customers to minimize any disruptions with these new reporting requirements.

With a comprehensive and integrated approach to sustainability, SAP solutions move beyond compliance and operationalize sustainability across companies’ operations. Customers can build on their ERP solutions over time, transforming business processes for maximum sustainable impact. Companies can also deploy SAP Business AI to inform, predict, and optimize sustainable outcomes. These same tools can leverage sustainability regulations and help companies achieve business process transformation.

We are hopeful that governments will advance carbon accounting globally. Taking that step will harmonize regional and global reporting frameworks and ensure optimal reuse of companies’ existing data flows and business processes.

This SEC decision makes it more important than ever for companies to use digital technologies to track their emissions accurately and not rely on estimated data that often undercounts carbon emissions.

Regulations can actually drive innovation. We are in a world where businesses must pivot quickly due to externalities like economic shocks, political shifts, and climate-related disasters. SAP has the technology to help companies rapidly adapt to these changes and new regulations.

Life is good. We’ve all heard this saying used to describe past and current sentiments. It is often said to gauge our emotional, professional, personal, and even financial goals. When I decided to leave the retail management sector to use transferable skillsets, I never expected how rewarding it would be. No longer am I working 80 hours a week to execute on every holiday sales event, prepping for inventories for 6 weeks in a 130k-square-foot big box, or worrying about daily sales, shrink, etc.

Although that was rewarding in many ways, my current role as a Logistics Manager for Quest Diagnostics has a whole different level of rewards. We all know how important our couriers’ responsibilities are delivering patients’ specimens to our labs for testing, and I’ve been fortunate to watch it as a first shift and second shift Supervisor before being promoted to Manager. But if you don’t know how the Route Service Representative (RSR) performs their role, I’m here to tell you it is a beautiful, choreographed dance every day and night. It is rewarding to watch the RSR be empowered to suggest and make changes that not only benefit Quest, but the client in many ways. They are in control of their route. I’ve seen RSRs blossom, knowing we put our trust in them to help make the right decision that impacts quality and specimen arrival times to labs, reduces nonproductive stops, and conveys accurate messages so any number of people covering the route can do so successfully. RSRs are actively involved in daily route updates and optimizations. It is their tribal knowledge that helps us achieve the most productivity and efficiencies. I am proud to lead a team toward our shared common goals of Quality, Service, Safety, and Productivity. I appreciate Quest Diagnostics leadership for having trust in me to deliver results and take care of our employees who make it happen every day. Life is good.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are all over the news. Many of us already realize they pose a health risk to humans and the environment. Manufacturers of PFAS play a huge role in slowing the release of these substances into the environment. In fact, some facilities are required by law to test for PFAS in their wastewater.

While the requirements to test for PFAS in wastewater can vary depending on the jurisdiction and the specific regulations in place, many manufacturers of PFAS, municipal wastewater treatment plants, and facilities with known or suspected PFAS contamination may be required to test influent (incoming) and effluent (outgoing) wastewater for PFAS.

However, it’s important to realize that even if you think your organization will not be asked to sample wastewater for PFAS because you are not a manufacturer of PFAS or your industry is NOT on EPA’s priority list, think again. With constantly changing proposed regulations, you should be prepared to sample your wastewater for PFAS.

So, how do you know if you need to test your wastewater?

Why Would my Facility Need to Test its Wastewater for PFAS?

First and foremost, exposure to PFAS-contaminated wastewater can pose risks to the environment and human health. PFAS wastewater discharge can disrupt local ecosystems and degrade water quality around a facility. Communities living near industrial facilities or downstream of wastewater discharge points may be particularly concerned about exposure to PFAS and its potential impacts on their health. In fact, some PFAS compounds have been associated with adverse health effects, including developmental and reproductive toxicity, immune system dysfunction, and certain types of cancer.

But, that’s not all. Regulatory compliance is a huge driver in an organization’s decision to test for PFAS. More and more, PFAS has drawn increasing regulatory attention worldwide. Countries and regions have established regulations and guidelines for PFAS in water, soil, air, and consumer products to limit exposure and protect human health and the environment. Companies discharging wastewater containing PFAS may face regulatory scrutiny, compliance requirements, and potential legal consequences.

In summary, the overarching trend is that testing for PFAS in wastewater will become a more common requirement for organizations. Regardless of why you might need to test your wastewater, finding the right lab for the job is easier said than done. How do you know you’re choosing the right lab? What can you do if you suspect your test results aren’t accurate? Below, we have some tips to follow for choosing a lab and getting the most accurate results.

7 Tips for Choosing a Lab and Testing your Wastewater

Be sure to qualify and approve more than one laboratory through your procurement – Many labs have a 6 to 16 week turn-around-time for PFAS sample result reports, and some are too busy to take more samples.Consider prescreening wastewater for less money rather than using Method 1633 for $500 plus USD. Either of the two below methods should be considered:Use certified laboratory Method 1621 for total adsorbable organofluorine (AOF) as a “first pass” to determine whether PFAS may be present above roughly 2 ppb.Use a noncertified field test kit for select PFAS compounds to roughly 1 ppb.Collect both an influent and wastewater effluent sample – It is not uncommon to observe PFAS in water coming into a facility from the municipality-supplied water.Collect quality assurance samples – Matrix spike and matrix spike duplicates, duplicate samples, and blank samples are great ways to validate and confirm data integrity.Consider obtaining results from more than one lab – Wastewater has a stigma with laboratories. Wastewater with many chemicals can damage laboratory equipment or cause down time due to cleaning. As such, the laboratory may decide to dilute your sample. Due to the dilution process, we have observed erroneously elevated PFAS concentrations compared to laboratories that did not dilute the same sample.Consider collecting samples at various times of the day – PFAS concentrations can fluctuate throughout a 24-hour period.Ensure a trained professional collects the sample – Sample collection should be completed by a trained professional experienced with potential PFAS sources to eliminate doubt in the sample results and prevent potential cross contamination. Avoid any conditions that may add doubt to your sample. Keeping other non-sampling personnel out of the sample collection area can help prevent potential cross contamination.

What can I do if I suspect my results are inaccurate?

What happens if you get your results back and they don’t seem accurate? Well, we recommend reviewing the testing procedures used to collect and analyze the wastewater samples. Ensure that the procedures followed are consistent with recognized standards and protocols for water quality testing. This may include checking the credentials of the laboratory conducting the analysis (which should have been performed during initial laboratory selection), verifying that they are accredited and certified to perform the required tests, and also talking with the sampler to ensure proper sampling techniques were followed.

In addition, if you have concerns about the accuracy of the initial results, consider retesting the wastewater samples using a different laboratory or testing method (as long as the samples are within holding time). This can help confirm the accuracy of the results and identify any potential discrepancies between the initial and subsequent tests.

Finally, Antea Group recommends seeking expert advice. If you are unsure about how to interpret the testing results or address potential inaccuracies, consider seeking advice from experts in water quality testing and analysis who can provide guidance and assistance in interpreting the results and identifying potential sources of error.

Key Takeaways: Testing Matters

In conclusion, the increasing focus on PFAS has underscored the importance of wastewater testing for these harmful substances. Regardless of industry or direct involvement in PFAS manufacturing, organizations may find themselves subject to regulatory scrutiny and public concern regarding their wastewater discharge. By prioritizing responsible wastewater management and proactive testing measures, organizations can play a vital role in mitigating the impact of PFAS contamination and foster a safer, healthier environment for all.

Do you need help with your wastewater testing? We’re here to help! Contact our Wastewater experts today!