Author: sHq_LoGiNz

As organizations expand their operations across multiple geographies, they encounter new opportunities as well as significant challenges. Chief among these are the complexities of understanding local regulations, cultural nuances, and legal requirements. To address these challenges, Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) leaders must acquire comprehensive knowledge of both the regulatory environment and the cultural context within each region.

What is an EHS Regulatory Register?

An EHS regulatory register¹ serves as an essential tool by offering a centralized, precise, and current repository of compliance requirements. This resource not only saves considerable time but also ensures that all stakeholders have access to pertinent compliance details. When strategizing for geographic expansion, the establishment of a regulatory register should be regarded as a fundamental step to facilitate efficient and successful operations.

Challenges

Maintaining regulatory registers can be a complex and resource-intensive task. Here are some common challenges that organizations face:

• Resource Intensity: Compiling and maintaining accurate, up-to-date regulatory information is a resource-intensive process. EHS managers and their teams often find it daunting to keep track of all the necessary details.
• Variability of Regulations: EHS regulations and requirements can vary significantly between regions and even municipalities. This variability makes it challenging to create a one-size-fits-all register.
• Time Constraints and Language Barriers: Overcoming time constraints and language barriers is another significant challenge. Understanding the local EHS ecosystem and ensuring compliance can be difficult when dealing with different languages and time zones.
• Management System Requirements: In certain instances, maintaining an up-to-date register is not merely advantageous but is also a mandatory aspect of the organization’s management system² . This adds an extra layer of complexity, as organizations must ensure that their registers are always current and compliant with management system requirements.
• Navigating Local Nuances: Regulatory registers are particularly beneficial for organizations operating in or expanding into new jurisdictions. However, understanding regional EHS requirements and cultural nuances, while also navigating language barriers, can be challenging.

Advantages of Implementing a Regulatory Register

Registers serve as evidence that requisite programs are in place and supply valuable EHS insights³. They further support the proactive management of regulatory changes prior to their official enactment.

EHS regulations and requirements can vary significantly between regions and, in some cases, even between municipalities. A regulatory register helps to overcome obstacles associated with time constraints and language barriers, thereby enabling a clearer understanding of the local EHS ecosystem and promoting safe, compliant business practices.

Furthermore, the register provides a universally accessible resource for EHS leaders at all organizational levels, aiding both decision-making and budgetary justifications. Through implementation at the corporate, regional, and facility levels, organizations can obtain a comprehensive overview of their EHS obligations.

• Facility Level: At the facility level, a meticulously maintained register supplies specific, actionable requirements, such as site-specific permit conditions.
• Regional Level: Regional managers utilize registers to gain insight into the distinct EHS programs of various countries. Registers clarify where standardized solutions—such as uniform chemical labeling and storage training—may be adopted, and where unique, site-specific requirements necessitate customized approaches.
• Corporate Level: At the corporate level, registers enable leadership to assess the organization holistically, identify potential EHS burdens, set appropriate budgets, determine priorities for compliance (for example, heightened focus on higher-risk countries), and establish a consistent schedule for global audits to ensure ongoing compliance.

Utilizing Local Resources

Regulatory registers are particularly beneficial for organizations operating in—or contemplating expansion into—new jurisdictions. These registers deliver a thorough understanding of regional EHS requirements and account for cultural distinctiveness, while also assisting in the navigation of language barriers.

Strategic partnerships, such as those with Inogen Alliance, afford organizations access to local expertise from more than 70 Associate companies worldwide, thereby facilitating the creation of accurate and detailed registers.

With over 200 offices situated on every continent, Inogen Alliance enhances global capacity and geographic reach. This network enables organizations to engage local EHS professionals through a singular point of contact, ensuring that the resulting registers are tailored and contextually relevant. Consequently, organizations benefit from region-specific information, fostering a more nuanced understanding of the EHS landscape.

Regional insights permit registers to be refined to the facility level, thus allowing organizations to distill extensive EHS data and retain only the information that is necessary and applicable to each site. This approach renders the final register more manageable and effective.

With more than 200 offices located on every continent, we provide you with an enhanced global capacity and geographic reach. Through one point of contact we unlock global capacity with local EHS professionals who will tailor content to provide you with a customized EHS register. This partnership can ensure that the knowledge and data are specific to the region and will offer a greater understanding of the EHS environment.

Gaining region-specific insight enables the register to be scaled down to the facility, meaning you can take the large pool of EHS data and sort out only the necessary and applicable information, making the final register more manageable.

To find out more read the full blog from our associate Antea Group USA, check out our services or contact us.

Inogen Alliance is a global network made up of over 70 of independent local businesses and over 6,000 consultants around the world who can help make your project a success. Our Associates collaborate closely to serve multinational corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations, and we share knowledge and industry experience to provide the highest quality service to our clients. If you want to learn more about how you can work with Inogen Alliance, you can explore our Associates or Contact Us. Watch for more News & Blog updates, listen to our podcast and follow us on LinkedIn.

 

[1] https://www.inogenalliance.com/service/regulatory-compliance-and-registers

[2] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oZixGIrwGOl6bKPYXs3IWdoDCg9XIUBpZZpsxRQTl0k/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0

[3] https://www.inogenalliance.com/blog-post/2021-ehs-and-sustainability-industry-global-insights

 

Author: John Ruksenas, Antea Group USA

The story below was conveyed to FedEx from Heart to Heart International. FedEx has supported Heart to Heart with cash and in-kind transportation support for decades. The story reflects how FedEx Coldchain capacity came to the rescue.

Here’s the story:

FedEx played a critical role in ensuring our point of care laboratory training could happen for a clinic that was impacted by the California Wildfires.

Last week, our Point-of-Care Labs team was in Glendale, California, installing equipment and conducting training for our newest partner, Medical Mission Adventures, a clinic serving under-resourced communities, many of whom have been directly impacted by the recent Los Angeles wildfires.

During training, the team realized a critical Coldchain component was missing. Without it, the clinic would not be able to complete training or begin testing. The challenge was that the issue was discovered late in the day, with only one training day left on site.

Thanks to FedEx Priority Overnight service, we were able to ship the component after the normal collection time by dropping it directly at a FedEx location. This ensured the time and temperature sensitive item entered the FedEx system immediately, arriving in time for training to be completed and the lab to go live.

Your reliable service made it possible for us to keep our commitment and empower this clinic to provide essential testing to a vulnerable community at a critical time.

Thank you again for all that you do for HHI.

Click here to learn about FedEx Cares, our global community engagement program.

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

The Aflac Childhood Cancer Foundation (ACCF) has announced recipients of their 2025 Child Life Grant awards benefitting 15 hospital programs that will help bring comfort, support and guidance to pediatric patients, their siblings and families experiencing a cancer or blood disorders diagnosis. Since 2018, 83 grants totaling $152,500 have been awarded by the foundation to Child Life programs across the U.S.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to once again support the vital role child life specialists play in helping young cancer and blood disorders patients and their loved ones navigate their journeys through diagnosis and treatment,” said ACCF president Kerry Hand.

Because insurance does not typically cover Child Life programs, charitable donations are vital for some hospitals to be able to include these therapeutic and educational interventions that help minimize stress, promote coping and help children and families adjust to medical experiences, he added.

This year’s grantees are Children’s Health Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK – Nourishing Hope; Children’s National, Washington, DC – Super Sib Day; East Alabama Medical Center, Opelika, AL – Sickle Cell education; Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, Danville, PA – Head wraps and care packages; James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital, Greenville, NC – Canine Crew; Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Atlanta, GA – coping support resources; Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, Tacoma, WA – developmental play items; New York Presbyterian Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY – support group; Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Miami, FL – Memory Making; Christus Children’s, San Antonio, TX – Puppyatrics ; Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Phoenix, AZ – sack lunch program; UCSF Benioff Hospital, Oakland, CA – Patient and Sibling Resiliency Initiative; UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital, Gainesville, FL – sibling care packages; University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS – proton therapy patient blankets; and Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia, Augusta, GA – pup companion. Stay tuned to newsroom.aflac.com for more stories about the impact of these programs.

You can join the Aflac Childhood Cancer Foundation in its mission. One hundred percent of donations to the Aflac Childhood Cancer Campaign directly benefit children with cancer and blood disorders and their families through grants supporting treatment and research at hospitals and organizations across the U.S.

Aflac WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, GA 31999

Z2500878 
Exp 9/26

By Jigar Shah and Jonah Wagner of Constructive

The world is short on power ― and time. Global electricity demand jumped 4.3 % in 2024, nearly double the past-decade average, and is projected to increase at 4% annually through 2027. From AI clusters in Virginia to air-conditioner peaks in India, grids are groaning worldwide. Governments now face a dual imperative: keep bills affordable today and accelerate the deployment of electricity solutions to unlock unprecedented economic development opportunities.

The challenge of meeting load growth occurs against the backdrop of significant global restructuring and change ― and a retrenchment in local supply chains. The Carlyle Group sees nations will pivot toward local, clean electrons to cut import risk and price volatility.

How to meet load growth quickly and competitively In most regions, renewables paired with batteries have recently become the fastest and least disruptive solution to meet rising electricity demand while maintaining affordability. Utility-scale solar can be financed and built quickly, with grid-scale batteries completed in just 100 days. The U.S. added an estimated ~50GW of solar plus storage in 2024 ― nearly 2X the prior year — accounting for 81% of all generating capacity.

Read the full article here including their Five policies to meet the power crunch with clean affordable power – https://greenmoney.com/new_version/meeting-the-power-crunch-how-proven-technologies-and-policy-can-deliver-affordable-clean-power-at-speed

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ATLANTA, September 15, 2025 /3BL/ – The Women in Sustainability Leadership Awards (WSLA) Alumnae Group is delighted to announce the appointment of several new board members and associates, expanding its leadership team to further strengthen the mission of recognizing, connecting, and supporting women driving sustainability forward.
The new board members include:

• Terri Stewart, Chief Finance & Administration Officer, The American Institute of Architects
• Elaine Salewske, Founder, Elaine Salewske Consulting, Inc., specializing in Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability
• Vlada Kenniff, President, New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust

Joining as board associates are:

• Aidan Ganzert, former Global Manager, GP Strategies Corporation
• Eniola Ore, Sustainability Analyst, Lhoist

The newly appointed board members shared their enthusiasm for joining the WSLA Alumnae Group’s Board and the opportunity to advance its mission:

“I’m looking forward to supporting the important work of this group of women who recognize and celebrate the contributions of their peers towards building a more sustainable world,” said Terri Stewart.

Elaine Salewske expressed, “It’s an honor to join the WSLA Alumnae Board alongside women leading bold sustainability efforts. I look forward to celebrating, connecting, and empowering those creating meaningful progress for our planet and communities.”

Vlada Kenniff emphasized, “I am honored to join the WSLA Board and work alongside such an inspiring group of women leaders. Our greatest strength lies in recognizing and uplifting women who are fearless in advancing sustainability, ensuring their voices and impact continue to shape a more resilient and equitable future.”

The new board members will join existing board members as follows:

• Rochelle Routman, (President, WSLA Alumnae Group), Corporate Director
• Lisa Colicchio (VP, WSLA Alumnae Group), Sustainability Director, Metrolink
• Sandra Leibowitz (Treasurer, WSLA Alumnae Group) Managing Principal, Sustainable Design Consulting, LLC
• Heather Clancy (Secretary, WSLA Alumnae Group) VP, Editor At Large Trellis Group (formerly GreenBiz)
• Maureen Eisbrenner (Chief Development Officer, WSLA Alumnae Group), CEO and Founder, arbnco
• Duygu Erten, Founder and Global Head of Sustainability, TURKECO Construction and Energy, Inc.
• Kelly W. Fisher, Head of Corporate Sustainability, HSBC Bank USA N.A.
• Heather White, Author, Founder & CEO of One Green Thing

“This entire group of new and existing board members brings even greater expertise, passion, and leadership to WSLA. The synergy of these strong leaders, each with unique skills and capabilities, will elevate the organization by better serving the members and the community at large.” said Rochelle Routman, President & Chairperson. “We are honored to have the involvement of these talented women, and look ahead to a year of growth, collaboration, and continued recognition of women making an impact in sustainability.”

About WSLA Alumnae Group
The WSLA Alumnae Group, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, is a community of past Women in Sustainability Leadership Award winners: over 135 of the most influential women* trailblazers who have become a powerful force in the profession of creating a more sustainable world. The group’s annual awards program, summits, service activities, and mentorship opportunities continue to pave the way in sustainability and for future leaders in the field. For more information, visit https://www.wsla.global.

*WSLA welcomes a diversity of women to unite as a strong collective of unique lived experiences and perspectives committed to sustainability and impactful environmental stewardship. WSLA is a strong proponent, advocate, and practitioner of equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice, and as such is an organization open to all women. Our definition of women is expansive and includes those who may identify as non-binary, genderqueer, gender-expansive, two-spirit, and otherwise do not exist within a gender binary.

# # #

Press Contact:
Rochelle Routman, President & Chairperson
WSLA Alumnae Group
Email: wslaglobal@gmail.com
Website: www.wsla.global

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A Safer Home for Ronald

For over 50 years, Ronald worked as a truck driver, crisscrossing the country to keep America moving. After decades on the road, he settled into his home 22 years ago; a place filled with memories, love, and community.

Even in retirement, Ronald continued to dedicate his life to others, volunteering with a local charitable organization focused on self-improvement, community building, and making the world a better place.

But over time, his home became increasingly unsafe and inaccessible. On a fixed income, Ronald couldn’t afford the critical repairs he needed to continue living independently.

Thanks to DuPage and Chicago South Suburbs Habitat for Humanity and the Regional Repair Collaborative, sponsored by Wesco, Ronald’s home has been transformed. He now has a sliding patio door, a new front door and screen, a wider 32-inch door connecting his house to the garage, an overhead garage door with a new opener, and most importantly, a wheelchair ramp that allows him to safely enter and exit his home.

With tears of gratitude, Ronald shared, “My home was alright, however the new improvements make me feel like a new man!”

Learn more about Wesco’s commitments to make a positive and lasting impact within the communities where our employees work and reside here.

Originally published on Tork Newscenter

Research-backed guide teaches facility leaders how to transform restrooms into a business asset that drives repeat visits, stronger satisfaction scores, and fewer complaints

Tork, an Essity brand and the global leader in professional hygiene, launched The Inclusive Hygiene Playbook – a first-of-its-kind resource that provides research-backed tips for facility managers to improve hygiene in one of the busiest spaces in a facility: the restroom. This builds on the ongoing efforts by the Tork Coalition for Inclusive Hygiene, which was launched earlier this year to explore and help solve for the hygiene barriers that people face in public restrooms. These barriers arise from a mismatch between a person’s abilities, needs or circumstances and their environment.

The hidden business impact of inadequate public restrooms
According to a recent survey from Tork, only one in five public restrooms meet users’ hygiene and cleanliness expectations. And when public restrooms fail to meet users’ needs, it directly impacts the overall experience, business reputation, and depending on the facility type, revenue. For example:

• 52% of people have acted upon a poor restroom experience* such as limiting how much they eat or not returning at all.” **
• In office buildings – where people spend a significant portion of their day – restrooms account for over 45% of building complaints.***

This is because a significant number of people face barriers to hygiene in public restrooms that often go unknown to the people who own, manage or operate public restrooms. Some of these barriers are visible; others are not. For example, a barrier can include anything from soaps that use harsh chemicals and thus aggravate a person’s skin condition, loud air dryers that overwhelm individuals who are neurodiverse, or faucets and paper towel dispensers that are difficult to operate for those with limited hand mobility due to a condition like arthritis. Research shows that 54% of venue visitors contend with some form of physical or cognitive challenge* and 44% of people feel anxious about using public restrooms and often plan their days around access to proper hygiene.**

“The Inclusive Hygiene Playbook was designed to help facility managers reevaluate the role of restrooms — not just as operational necessities, but as strategic assets that can elevate the user experience and drive business results,” said Amy Bellcourt, VP of Communications at Essity. “Backed by over 50 years of professional hygiene expertise and informed by ethnographic research conducted in 20 cities across North America, this playbook delivers actionable insights to transform public restroom spaces into business advantages.”

How to drive inclusive hygiene and unlock business outcomes
The Inclusive Hygiene Playbook offers research-backed guidance to help businesses understand the challenges people face when using public restrooms and how to solve for them so the hygiene needs of as many people as possible can be met and thus drive business performance and reputation. The research revealed that today’s restrooms often feel unhygienic, uncomfortable and uncared for.

The playbook outlines the following three key design principles and recommendations for addressing hygiene barriers and driving inclusive hygiene in public restrooms.

1) A clean and safe environment is paramount to encouraging return visits and boosting business performance

“When restrooms fail to meet hygiene expectations, businesses pay the price, said Ron Clemmer, Director of the Global Handwashing Partnership, who partnered with Tork on an inclusive hygiene roundtable in Washington D.C. in June 2024. “If people feel at risk of inadequate hygiene solutions and getting sick or they just don’t want to use a dirty restroom – it damages trust, hurts customer experience, and ultimately impacts the facilities’ goals.”

2) Put the “rest” back in restroom: design a comfortable and private space to increase user satisfaction and promote a better work environment.

“Smart businesses are discovering that exceptional restrooms drive competitive advantage,” said Dr. Steven Soifer, Treasurer, American Restroom Association, Co-Founder of the International Paruresis Association (IPA). “When facilities subject users to strong odors, excessive noise, and inadequate privacy – making restrooms feel overwhelming or even threatening – they fail the needs of people they serve. Forward-thinking organizations across industries are investing in comfortable, private, sensory-friendly design instead. In today’s market, the quality of your restroom facilities can make the difference between someone feeling welcomed and valued resulting in a return visit or feeling overlooked.

3) The restroom should feel cared for: signal care with communications that showcase your business values.

“Your restroom communicates your brand values whether you realize it or not,” said Uma Srivastava, Executive Director of KultureCity and the newest member of the Tork Coalition for Inclusive Hygiene. “Every detail – from signage that guides users with sensory sensitivities to accessible product placement and amenities – sends a message about the quality of experience your facility offers. Organizations that get this right not only exceed expectations but also foster a sense of community

“Restrooms have long been overlooked in the evolution of human-centered design, but that needs to change,” said Lee Moreau, Founder of Other Tomorrows and Professor of the Practice in Design at Northeastern University. “The Inclusive Hygiene Playbook is a one-of-a-kind resource that not only challenges outdated norms, but empowers facilities with specific, actionable steps to create more humane, thoughtful and high-performing restroom environments.”

To learn more and take actionable steps toward improving the restroom experience, download the Inclusive Hygiene Playbook here: https://www.torkglobal.com/us/en/about/inclusive-hygiene#playbook

To learn more about Tork, visit website and social media channels across LinkedIn, X and Facebook. 

*Tork Insight Survey 2025, conducted in US, UK, Germany, France, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Spain, Sweden, Netherlands and Poland among 11,500 from the general public and 1,000 cleaning staff.
**Tork Insight Survey 2024, conducted in US, UK, Germany, France and Mexico among 6000 end-users and 900 businesses.
***Statista: North America; Average across 2017 to 2021; 185 respondents; Building service contractors / commercial cleaning providers.

About Tork
The Tork brand offers professional hygiene products and services to customers worldwide ranging from restaurants and healthcare facilities to offices, schools and industries. Our products include dispensers, paper towels, toilet tissues, soap, napkins and wipers, but also software solutions for data-driven cleaning. Through expertise in hygiene, functional design and sustainability, Tork has become a market leader that supports customers to think ahead so they’re always ready for business. Tork is a global brand of Essity and a committed partner to customers in more than 110 countries. To keep up with the latest Tork news and innovations, please visit www.torkglobal.com/us/en/.

About Essity
Essity is a global, leading hygiene and health company. Every day, our products, solutions and services are used by a billion people around the world. Our purpose is to break barriers to well-being for the benefit of consumers, patients, caregivers, customers and society. Sales are conducted in approximately 150 countries under the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and other strong brands such as Actimove, Cutimed, JOBST, Knix, Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Modibodi, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, TOM Organic and Zewa. In 2024, Essity had net sales of approximately SEK 146bn (EUR 13bn) and employed 36,000 people. The company’s headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden and Essity is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. More information at essity.com.