Tag: 3BL

Originally Published on ForConstructionPros.com

Safety and efficiency have significant impact on employees’ and customers’ experience. Being 5S certified is one way to signal to rental customers that your company is committed to operational efficiency and their well-being.

The efficiency and safety of rental providers matter customers. These factors have significant impact on their experience, affecting the condition of the equipment they rent and perhaps even the price customers pay. Being 5S certified is one way to signal to rental customers that your company is committed to operational efficiency and their well-being.   

5S at United Rentals

At United Rentals, 5S is not a one-time activity to clean the shop. It is a component of the company’s “safety first and always” culture, which is instilled in every employee.

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The 8th annual “State of Smart Manufacturing Report” from Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK) shares recent survey findings from manufacturers worldwide. Survey results from the 7th annual report indicated the driving factors for pursuing sustainability and (Environmental, Social, and Governance) ESG policies were fostering a collaborative environment and addressing social inequalities. This year, the top reason cited was to improve efficiencies, a trend which suggests sustainability is now recognized for its operational improvement capabilities and impact on the bottom line along with the positive social impact.

The drive to maintain quality surfaced when participants were asked about sustainability and ESG. Product quality or safety is the most important element in ESG and sustainability programs, followed by reducing manufacturing waste and recycling. Responses revealed the growing attention on the circular economy, which is based on eliminating waste and pollution by designing products and processes to maximize efficiencies and extend product life with a particular focus on repair and reuse.

In general, the survey’s results reveal a focus on an increasing adoption of technology to build resilience, enable agility, increase sustainability, and address workforce challenges.

Download the full report to learn how leading manufacturers are harnessing technology to improve quality and sustainability. View the on-demand webinar, Mainstream Sustainability: Meet Consumer & Regulator Demand, to see what priorities are driving ESG and sustainability strategies around the globe. Note: Upon registration, you will receive an email with a link that will take you to the pre-recorded, 1-hour webinar.

Report Methodology 
The 8th annual “State of Smart Manufacturing Report” analyzed feedback from 1,353 respondents from 13 of the top manufacturing countries with roles from management up to the C-suite and was conducted in association with Sapio Research and Rockwell Automation. The survey covered discrete, process, and hybrid industries across a balanced distribution of company sizes with revenues spanning $10 million to over $10 billion, providing a wide breadth of manufacturing business perspectives.

Danielle Boyer wants every kid to have a safe space to learn science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) skills. The kind of fun, inclusive space she never had. That’s why this robotics inventor and youth advocate founded The STEAM Connection. Danielle is an Indigenous (Ojibwe) and Queer woman and is this month’s Logitech MX #WomenWhoMaster feature. She shared what led her to launch her nonprofit, who inspires her, and why uplifting Indigenous communities is important to her.

Q: When did you first get into robotics?

I was homeschooled for most of my life. Then when I got to high school, I joined a robotics club. It was a really big deal because it cost hundreds to participate. I was so excited but it was a difficult time. I was the only girl and was not treated well. A lot of the guys bullied me. I was stalked with drones and harassed a lot. It was really discouraging because I just wanted to learn about robots. I ended up quitting the team.

My experience prompted me to start my own charity, The STEAM Connection, because no kid deserves to have a space where they don’t feel safe learning, especially young girls.

Q: What is The STEAM Connection?

The STEAM Connection is a nonprofit that works to increase technical education accessibility for Indigenous students. There are a lot of large accessibility gaps within STEM, especially for Native students. Specifically lack of internet access and lack of representation — there is less than half a percent of Native people in engineering. We create safe learning spaces for students to learn STEM skills. Over four years we have given more than 600,000 kids free technical learning resources.

Q: What are the top STEM skills the next generation should learn?

Coding, 3D design, and electrical engineering are the most important skills. Base-level skills in artificial intelligence and augmented reality are also important. Those are all things that we teach with the robots and we have even implemented a new augmented reality curriculum. Also, our new robots work on artificial intelligence and internal base systems that work without Wi-Fi, because that’s a huge accessibility gap for many of our communities.

Q: The EKGAR robot is a big part of The STEAM Connection. What does EKGAR stand for?

I created EKGAR when I was 18 years old. The name stands for Every Kid Gets a Robot. It’s a free robotics kit that’s made out of recycled plastic and has gone to over 8,000 kids. It’s like a little remote-controlled car that students build, wire, and code themselves. I created EKGAR for $18.95 because I was seeing robots cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars and I was like, “There has to be something better out there.”

Q: What other robots have you built?

We have a lot of different creations, but my favorite is the SkoBot, an Indigenous language learning robot. It’s the first cultural robot ever created. It’s wearable and teaches Indigenous languages. Kids can customize SkoBot too. In our communities, we have different regalia or cultural clothes. Students are able to decorate the robot with their regalia. It’s really exciting to see the kids relate so much to the robots.

A lot of the work that we’ve done at The STEAM Connection surrounds cultural and language preservation. My language, Ojibwemowin, is endangered.

“Creating resources to uplift students in a way that they relate to — whether it’s having role models in STEM who are Native or providing classes, resources, or robots that resonate with kids — matters a lot to me.”

Q: What have been some student reactions to your robots or The STEAM Connection that have meant the most to you?

One student said I was the first Native woman who builds robots that she’s ever met and that it made her want to do it too. That was a huge encouragement to me to keep doing what I do.

I’ve experienced a lot of racism and harm in STEM spaces, and it can be very discouraging. Hearing from my students pushes me to keep going. I appreciate comparing where students today are to where I was at their age. It’s exciting to see kids today as leaders and creating really cool things because

“Indigenous peoples were always scientists and innovators but a lot of that was taken from us because of colonization.”

So now being able to decolonize modern STEM spaces and create safe learning environments to reinvest in skills that we’ve always had, is really important. And seeing the kids thrive in that makes me so excited for the future.

Q: While you were launching The STEAM Connection, who were the mentors who helped you and gave you advice?

Even though my mother and grandmother are not really technical people, they helped me the most. My grandma inspired me to create my work. She always calls me and sends me encouraging messages. She also reminds me to be myself, a good role model, and a good relative.

My mom says to pour into others, you have to pour into yourself first. Investing in yourself, investing in self-care, and taking care of your mental health is the foundation to uplift other people.

Q: How do you bring your whole self to work?

By working with students and people who have the same background and share my experiences. Not having to explain myself or talk about difficult things I’ve experienced is really important. In many spaces, I have to teach people or advocate for myself and my community. When I work with other Native people, I don’t have to do that. I can just be myself and I love that so much.

Q: Where do you hope the industry goes in the coming decade?

I want to see more accessible routes toward academia and STEM careers for everyone, safe spaces to work in, and more leaders who are minorities at major tech companies. There are so many early barriers to entry in STEM, it’s difficult to even get to the spot where a good university is a choice. Then when students get into STEM careers, it’s not a safe space.

“I also want to see the knowledge of people outside of traditional academia respected. A lot of our knowledge comes from elders. But in academia, people don’t take that seriously.”

They don’t see it as a verifiable source for papers or studies. There’s a huge disconnect between Indigenous knowledge and ways of relating to the world and spaces in academia or tech.

Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. Learn more about her work on her own website or at The STEAM Connection.

Women Who Master puts a spotlight on women who have made outstanding contributions to STEM fields. The goal of the series is to celebrate those contributions, inspire future leaders, and help close the gender gap in technology.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., April 19 2023 /3BL Media/ — Black & Veatch, a global leader in critical infrastructure solutions, today announced that Newsweek has named it as one of “America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity” in 2023.

The award results from the publication’s analysis of what it identified as the top 1,000 companies that both celebrate diversity and have policies that cultivate inclusive workplaces. Black & Veatch’s recognition, in part, was attributed to its high levels of employee satisfaction among women, LGBTQ+ individuals and other historically marginalized groups.

“Our work in DEI is rooted in the belief that every employee-owner brings a valuable perspective to Black & Veatch, which enables a variety of solutions to tackle complex problems,” said Silas Dulan, Black & Veatch’s new associate vice president and global director of diversity, equity & inclusion. “We strive to cultivate a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where all professionals thrive. This recognition from Newsweek really emphasizes the value and care we place on diversity and proves that we are making strides in the right direction.”

The company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in management, as well as its reporting on diversity and sustainability, also contributed to the recognition.

“Receiving this award brings gratification as we continue to strengthen our inclusive, equitable and collaborative culture where we respect each other’s differences and as a result, enhance the ways we work together,” said Mario Azar, Black & Veatch chairman and CEO.

Contact Black & Veatch for more information.

Editor’s Notes: 

The Newsweek “America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity 2023” survey collected over 350,000 company reviews from employees of U.S.-based companies. Learn more here.Read about Black & Veatch’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion here.Black & Veatch has also been awarded Glassdoor’s “Best Places to Work 2023”

About Black & Veatch 
Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2022 were US$4.3 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.

Media Contact Information:

MEGHAN LOCKNER | +1 201-977-1628 | locknerm@bv.com

24-HOUR MEDIA CONTACT | Media@bv.com

 

In celebration of International Women’s Day, we spoke to three of our Lenovo Innovators, who share their empowering stories of overcoming adversity in their respective careers and what it means to EmbraceEquity.

Highlighted below are three women whose mission is to build an inclusive and equitable world for all:

Cat Capon

Zoologist, filmmaker, and Ecotourism Specialist

Joan Marie

NASA Engineer & women in STEM advocate

Karla Huerta

CEO of Daisies, a platform that provides accessible healthcare to women

What does International Women’s Day (IWD) mean to you?

Cat Capon: For me, IWD means giving women an equitable opportunity to choose how to live their lives. I believe that every human has an innate sense of purpose within them – a deep understanding of what they can achieve in their lifetime. Whether that’s becoming a scientist, a sportsperson, an artist, a CEO, or a caregiver, IWD is a moment to celebrate the successes of women and to understand and change where discrimination, prejudice, and bias still exist.

Joan Melendez-Misner: To me, IWD is a day to acknowledge and honor women trailblazers around the world, both past and present, who have and continue to pave the way for women to one day have equity and equality in society.

Karla Huerta: Being a woman is a superpower; it’s incredibly powerful to have the ability to intertwine and manage professional, emotional, and physical situations. I believe that women are very connected to their emotions and we have the innate ability to apply this energy into our daily lives, personally and professionally. We have the ability to recognize this in others and empower people to follow and activate it within themselves, but beyond all, we have the special capability to raise other women.

This year’s International Women’s Day theme is EmbraceEquity. What does embracing equity mean to you?

Cat Capon: Embracing equity is all about inclusion. We must understand that every person has different experiences, opportunities, and resources available to them. To give everyone what they need to be successful will look very different for each individual. It’s also worth educating oneself on the difference between equality and equity. As the saying goes, “It’s not enough to give everyone a shoe, they need a shoe that fits.”

Joan Melendez-Misner: Equity means that each individual or groups of individuals are given the same resources and opportunities as everyone else. For me, growing up in a lower-middle-class family meant I had to seek out jobs at an early age. Whether it was mowing grass to help pay for a laptop or starting my first real job at 15, I knew that I would have to fund my own college classes if I wanted to attend.

Being a first-generation Latina to graduate college, I had to navigate applying for scholarships and other financial aid in order to make my dream of becoming an engineer a reality. I remember studying and working a full-time job to make ends meet while my friends were able to go out and enjoy their college experience. It was at that point I realized that we are not given the same opportunities as others. Some have to work twice as hard to get to where they want to be. That’s why I am honored to be working with Lenovo as a #LenovoInnovator to provide the necessary tools to underrepresented communities to give them a leg up in achieving their dreams.

Karla Huerta: Embracing equity sometimes means taking whatever you firmly believe and being open to the possibility of changing that thought and taking intentional action. Sometimes, we may even have to re-educate ourselves and teach others new possibilities – which I think is exciting because we are human, and we are allowed to change and evolve. Embracing equity means shifting the way we were taught things and evolving it into a new and powerful perspective.

Have you faced any barriers in your career due to being a woman? If so, how did you overcome them?

Cat Capon: Yes, I certainly have. Unfortunately, too many to list separately here. If you search ‘TV adventurer’ on the internet, you’ll be scrolling for a long time before you find a woman. This means that many kids might grow up asking, “Can only men be adventurers?” They simply haven’t been exposed to seeing many women explore, survive and navigate hostile environments. That’s not to say that there aren’t amazing women out there doing incredible things in the world; however, the media hasn’t supported them equally. I’ve been told things like, “You don’t look like an adventurer,” and, “I’ve had to fire women from expeditions before because they are too distracting.” These aren’t even the worst of the sexist remarks I’ve been subjected to in my career.

I’m still working on overcoming these barriers, as are many other women in this industry. Now that I have a daughter, I’m even more passionate to not give up and to show the younger generation that women can dive with sharks, track grizzly bears and thrive in the most inhospitable places. Whenever I’ve heard the word “No,” I’m just inspired to find another way!

Joan Melendez-Misner: I have faced many challenges in my life, especially as a woman in a very male-dominated space. One example that always sticks out to me was the first time I led a project as the Lead Engineer. It was our first in-person meeting and I immediately noticed I was the only female in a room full of male colleagues. One of those colleagues walked up to me and asked, “Would you mind taking notes during the meeting?” I remember being shocked and angry. Why was the only female in the room asked to take notes?

Women have come a long way, and I know I stand on the shoulders of women trailblazers before me. However, I also recognize we have a long way to go in order to achieve complete equality in the workplace. When I am confronted with a situation like this, it takes me a long time to find my voice. I’ve learned over the years that when these situations arise, you need to have a combination of two things: 1) being empowered to call out the behavior by speaking to the individual in private and 2) having male allies in the workplace. Now, as a Lead Engineer, I make sure to call on everyone and give equal opportunity for suggestions from all members of the team, no matter their gender.

Karla Huerta: I believe social inequality, sexism, racism, and lack of women in authoritative roles are a few of the biggest struggles women face. When experiencing these challenges, women often have two options: we can either be the “game changers” that will face these struggles head-on in an effort to try to solve them or find resources and support groups that will fight with us. We should aim to evolve as a society to tackle these issues. The world needs this kind of unified power, along with empathy, to solve these challenges that are affecting women all around the world.

What is a piece of advice that someone gave you that has always resonated with you?

Cat Capon: To regularly ask yourself these questions:

How do I feel about myself?How do I leave an impact on the world?What are all the great things in my life right now?

When things get tough, it’s easy to lose sight of the positives, but asking myself these three questions always brings me back to my purpose.

Joan Melendez-Misner: I have two favorite quotes, the first is: “Failure is not the opposite of success, it is part of every success story.” In the age of social media, it has become the norm to only post about your successes. From an outsider’s perspective, it must appear that I have an amazing life being a NASA Engineer who has no struggles. However, that’s not true at all, which is why I make it a point to share my obstacles and how I overcame them. It’s easy to focus on the iceberg that’s visible above the surface, but most people don’t see the rest that’s underneath the water. We should look at failure as an opportunity to learn and grow, rather than viewing it negatively.

The other motto I live by is, “Network to get work.” I truly believe that the connections you make along the way, whether personally or professionally, will open doors you never knew existed.

Karla Huerta: Prepare yourself and master something. As leaders and CEOs, we have to prepare ourselves and inspire others through powerful actions and intelligence. The way to create a virtuous circle is by helping and supporting other women. When women are placed in powerful positions, learn from them, teach them, and make them unstoppable, while also encouraging men to support and grow. That’s how one can create a team and encourage equality.

Do you have any advice for the next generation of young women who are thinking about their careers?

Cat Capon: Take the time to explore your strengths and weaknesses. We all have them! You’ll then be able to combine your passion and skills with what the world really needs right now. This will be your true calling.

Joan Melendez-Misner: My advice is to take up space. Women in male-dominated careers tend to not go for the promotion or apply to jobs they don’t think they are qualified for. We need to take up space and apply for those jobs, aim for the promotion, speak up in meetings and make room for other women at the table. We have not achieved equal representation yet, but by continuing to take up space, we will get there one day.

Karla Huerta: Honestly, be as smart as you can be, work on your emotional intelligence, develop leadership skills and be aware of the power and magic around you. Create a balance in everything you do and learn how to question yourself and your team. Situations and humans are always evolving – learn how to question everything around you and be prepared to evolve as well.

Follow Cat, Joan, and Karla’s LenovoInnovators journey and learn more about their individual missions on making the world a more equitable place for women.

Nearly a billion people across the world experience the effects of food insecurity, or insufficient access to enough safe and nutritious food.

LyondellBasell is committed to increasing food security in our communities by supporting food banks around the world. In alignment with our sustainability approach and goal to support a thriving society, as well as the United Nations sustainable development goal of zero hunger (SDG 2), we are dedicating our 2023 annual day of service, Global Care Day, to supporting World Food Day on October 16.

In 2022, the company donated more than $100,000 and matched $60,000 in employee giving to support food security globally across 29 community partners.

Stichting Voedselbank Rotterdam

In the Netherlands, LyondellBasell donated €25,000 to Stichting Voedselbank Rotterdam to provide access to healthy food options for the 2,000 families the food bank supports. Stichting Voedselbank launched Rotterdam’s first food bank supermarket in 2019. The innovative market helps reduce food waste and removes queues for clients as they are able to select their own groceries and choose products that meet the needs of the size of their families.

“It is important for sustainability so we make sure that as little food as possible is wasted because we can better determine what people can take,” said Susan Vermunt, manager, Food Bank Supermarket “There is less wastage here compared to the crates.”

Since 2019, LyondellBasell has donated nearly €120,000 towards Stichting Voedselbank’s mission, as well as an electric car to help the organization deliver groceries to those who are unable to get to the market.

“This is an opportunity for LyondellBasell to be a good neighbor, and more importantly, help families in the Rotterdam area,” said Jean Gadbois, senior vice president, O&P EAI Manufacturing.

Houston Food Bank

In the U.S., LyondellBasell donated $25,000 to the Houston Food Bank in 2022 in support of the Houston Food Bank’s transportation fleet, as part of a three-year commitment.

The Houston Food Bank distributes 2.3 million meals and 283,000 snacks annually at 326 meal sites in the greater Houston area.  Two co-branded delivery box trucks help disperse meals for Kids Café, a program aiming to alleviate child hunger through free nutritious meals. LyondellBasell trucks have metered more than 209,000 miles and transported 262,000 pounds of produce to meal sites in Harris and surrounding counties since 2019.

Since 2017, LyondellBasell has donated more than $443,000 and matched an additional $140,000 in employee giving to the Houston Food Bank, which serves around one million people in southeast Texas.

Global support

By supporting a thriving society, LyondellBasell makes an impact far beyond the company when improving society by investing in programs that strengthen communities. Other food security initiatives in 2022 included:

$10,000 to Tri-State Food Bank’s Tons of Turkey fundraiser in Evansville, Indiana, which purchases Thanksgiving turkeys and hams for people in need in a 33-county area, equivalent to more than 17,500 meals€10,000 to La Banque Alimentaire Des BDR in France for the purchase of new refrigerators and general program support$5,000 to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank in Ohio, which provides more than 30 million pounds of food annually to individuals and families in need$4,000 to the We Care of Grundy County food pantry in Morris, Illinois, for new multi-leveled pallet racks for back stock storage€2,000 to Tafel Bayreuth e. V. in Germany to offset increased food and energy costs€2,000 to Voedselbank Moerdijk in the Netherlands supporting food distribution

Beyond its Advancing Good program, LyondellBasell products are essential to the fight against food insecurity by enabling more efficient food production, transport, and storage. Our materials go into products like protective agricultural netting, food packaging, and cling-films that help maintain freshness and extend shelf-life.

For more information on other initiatives in LyondellBasell’s Advancing Good program, refer to our sustainability report.

As published in Qualcomm’s 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

In 2022, we expanded our ISO 50001 certification to our Singapore and Wuxi manufacturing facilities.

ISO 50001 is the global standard for energy management systems, which demonstrates the commitment of our leadership to efficiently use energy in our manufacturing facilities. ISO 50001 helps to evaluate and prioritize the adoption of new energy efficient technologies and improve energy efficiency, promote best practices and behaviors in energy management, provide a framework for promoting energy efficiency throughout the supply chain, and facilitate improvements in energy management for projects to reduce GHGs.

An essential element of ISO 50001 is continuous improvement. This applies for the improvement of management processes as well as technical processes. To stay informed, our German manufacturing facility joined an industry network organized by FfE. A research institute for energy economics and industry, FfE has experience in supporting companies in energy efficiency projects and enabling the design of sustainable energy systems. FfE organizes regular meetings between cross-industry companies, enabling us to connect with peers and exchange best practices.

We have also implemented more than 50 energy savings projects across our manufacturing facilities. The projects range from building infrastructure improvements, such as upgrading to state-of-the-art windows, to technical infrastructure improvements, such as rectifying compressed air leaks and upgrading vacuum pumps, resulting in more than 10,000 MWh of energy savings.

Learn more in Qualcomm’s 2022 Corporate Responsibility Report

Originally published on TriplePundit

Public perceptions around food are changing. As more people understand the impact their food choices have on the environment, many consumers are eager to support those who produce food that is not only better for their health, but also for the planet. 

But with the proliferation of green certifications, labels and marketing claims, consumers are uncertain about sustainability generally. And the lack of transparency and consistency around these claims has left consumers confused and distrustful about which agricultural products are truly sustainable. 

Raising awareness of regenerative agriculture practices

In the world of food production, regenerative agriculture has been touted as an untapped solution to the climate crisis. Using a holistic approach to farm management, regenerative agriculture aims to preserve the health of the soil, water, livestock, biodiversity and people of the farm for generations to come, while also serving as a critical means of carbon sequestration.

Unlike other designations, such as certified organic — which, in countries around the world, comes with legal frameworks — there are no regulatory or legal definitions for regenerative agriculture. Scientists and farmers widely acknowledge it includes production practices like cover-cropping, low-till farming, and rotational grazing that improve ecosystem health while sequestering carbon, as well as utilizing nature to its best extent. 

Many consumers have heard about the benefits of regenerative agriculture. But with no set standards or measurements for impacts and outcomes, the farmers and ranchers utilizing these practices are working to understand the ecosystem and adapt their approach without set guidance. Meanwhile, brands are challenged to educate and engage a consumer base that may be confused or even skeptical. 

Lessons from New Zealand, a regenerative agriculture principles pioneer 

While the concept and practice of regenerative agriculture is spreading around the world, New Zealand is one country that has long utilized these practices. Thanks to the island nation’s advantageous climate and landscape, coupled with the local culture and commitment to sustainability, many farmers and ranchers have been following the practices of regenerative agriculture for decades, and are on a path of continuous improvement.

“Regenerative practices like rotational grazing caught on here in New Zealand in the 1960s,” said Pat Maher, CEO of Atkins Ranch, a network of family-run ranches raising grass-fed lamb. “All of our farmers operate through a rotational grazing model. What we’re working on now is actually making sure that we can verify those farming systems.”

The standardization and labeling of regenerative practices would help farmers and ranchers implement and market these practices to their customers. “Ensuring regenerative standards and the environmental outcomes can be independently audited and verified is critical to creating trust between farmers and consumers,” said Nick Beeby, general manager market development at Beef + Lamb New Zealand.

Further, regenerative standardization at the global level would amplify the efforts of the farmers and ranchers who have been utilizing these principles for generations. Many of the ranchers within the Atkins Ranch network, for example, are fifth- and sixth-generation farmers whose families have been raising livestock on their land for over 150 years. 

“When we talk about these standards with our farmers here in New Zealand, it’s not that we are asking them to do anything different — they’ve been implementing regenerative practices and focusing on continuous improvements for a long time,” Beeby continued. “Regenerative verification means we’re now asking them to prove it and the environmental outcomes.” 

Why set the standard for regenerative agriculture? 

Standardization and communication of regenerative practices and outcomes will help both consumers and producers better support the products of this system, but that’s not the only benefit of setting a verified standard. Defining regenerative agriculture has positive implications for the entire food supply chain, as stakeholders from retailers and manufacturers to consumer brands set their own environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals. 

An industry-wide consensus on regenerative agriculture would not only allow retailers and brands to provide their customers with the sustainable products they’re looking for, but it would also help them to fulfill their own sustainability commitments.

Further, standardization and consistent labeling will ensure that the term “regenerative” can no longer be misused as a vague and greenwashed marketing term. By eliminating customer confusion and amplifying the sustainable practices of farms like those in New Zealand and others around the world, standardization can help make regenerative agriculture a global movement. 

While industry-wide standardization is necessary to elucidate these practices to retailers and consumers, the establishment of these standards inherently presents a critical challenge: Regenerative agriculture, at its core, is regional — each farm must adapt to its own landscape and environment under the guidance of the farmer who knows what is best for the farm and the land. 

However, this inherent regionality ultimately helps define regenerative agriculture for what it truly is: a local, community-based solution to a global climate crisis. Some voluntary verification programs, such as the U.S.-based Savory Institute’s Land to Market, aim to take local distinctions into account by measuring desired outcomes, rather than requiring the very same practices to be adopted on every farm. 

Atkins Ranch was one of the first companies in the world to join Land to Market, and is working with the New Zealand government to get more farmers verified. 

“This project will help open up a new opportunity for more of our farmers to demonstrate the good work they’re doing,” Steve Penno, director of investment programs at New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries, said in an October statement. “And with a few tweaks, they can be rewarded for it.”

This article series is sponsored by Beef + Lamb New Zealand and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team.

Image courtesy of Beef + Lamb New Zealand

AEG’s LA Kings, together with Shoes That Fit, an organization that outfits children in need with new shoes, distributed over 200 pairs of Adidas sneakers to students at Grant Elementary in Los Angeles, CA on April 17, 2023.

As part of the G.O.A.L.S. program sponsored by Blue Shield of California and supported by Adidas, the LA Kings Hockey Development Team, LA Kings Ice Crew, and mascot Bailey joined forces to distribute brand new shoes to students. Following the shoe distribution, students then had the chance to test out their new sneakers and participate in a ball hockey clinic led by the LA Kings Hockey Development team.

“We’re so excited to once again partner with Shoes That Fit to provide children in our community with brand new shoes,” said Jennifer Pope, ‪SVP Community Relations and Hockey Development, LA Kings. “By providing these students with new shoes, an often-overlooked everyday item, we are hoping to build self-confidence, boost their physical activity, and increase their overall behavior.”

The Kings Care Foundation has had a longstanding partnership with Shoes That Fit having donated over 1,000 pairs of athletic shoes to students in need over the past decade. 

Shoes That Fit tackles one of the most visible signs of poverty by giving kids in need new athletic shoes to attend school with dignity and joy.

The LA Kings G.O.A.L.S. program with Blue Shield of California equips children in Los Angeles with the practical skills and tools they need to lead healthy lives by championing Green solutions, Open outlooks, Active bodies, Local leaders, and Sharp minds. To learn more about the program, click here.

Management systems have been around for decades, and they are a key way organizations plan, develop, and implement practices to continuously improve their operations. They lay the foundation for organizations to conduct business in a deliberate and streamlined manner, and they provide efficiency and help improve an organization’s overall safety and health culture. Effective management systems are understood and implemented throughout the organization and support the bottom line.

In our webinar moderated by Jon Pesicka, Senior Consultant, Kelly Sampliner, MBA, CSP, Consultant, and Stephanie Farley, Manager of Safety Compliance and Training for South Jersey Industries, our experts discussed management systems specific to pipeline operators. More specifically, they discussed the American Petroleum Institute (API) recommended practice 1173 framework (API RP1173). In their discussion, they explain what the API 1173 framework can do for you, how to start your own journey, and how South Jersey Industries implemented their own API 1173 journey.

If you missed it, check out the full webinar on-demand below.

Watch On-Demand

What is a Pipeline Safety Management System? 

A Pipeline Safety Management System (PSMS) is a management system that is specific to pipeline operators. PSMS was developed by the American Petroleum Institute (API) to address several significant pipeline incidents. The goal of developing this framework was to assist operators in defining methods for organizations to reduce the number of incidents by managing operational and occupational health and safety risks.

What is API RP 1173? 

The API Recommended Practice (API RP) 1173 framework was developed in collaboration with the US Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, along with state regulators and expert members of the public to help pipeline operators gain the benefits of having a safety management system.

The API 1173 framework focuses on the development of best management practices to improve pipeline safety and integrity. It also includes a systematic approach to identify and manage risk, while still driving continuous improvement and defining the elements that are needed to identify and address safety concerns for the lifecycle of the pipeline. The framework is flexible enough to help those that are new to management systems, as well as though with sophisticated existing systems. It’s scalable and allows operators both large and small to benefit.

The American Gas Association (AGA) is one of the organizations that strongly recommends that all pipeline organizations implement the American Petroleum Institute’s RP 1173 as a best practice.

What are the Core Elements of API RP 1173?

Leadership and management commitmentEngagement of stakeholdersManagement of riskOperational ControlsIncident Investigation, evaluation, and review of lessons learnedSafety assuranceManagement review and continuous improvementEmergency preparedness and responseCompetence, awareness, and trainingDocumentation and recordkeeping

These steps are meant to provide a framework to build upon an operator’s existing practices by taking into account industry best practices, lessons learned both within the operator’s organization and within the pipeline industry, and existing standards.

Worker Participation in PSMS is Key 

All pipeline employees are responsible for being involved in the implementation of the PSMS. Workers bring a unique perspective to the table that others might not be privy to, and that allows for a more holistic approach in implementing a management system. They’re closer to the work, which allows them to introduce ways of improvement. Without a truly open line of communication between operation-level employees and management, bias can occur, and improvement can be delayed as a result.

Some specific responsibilities might include assisting in the development of processes and procedures, implementation of the PSMS, communicating risks to leadership, maintaining awareness and taking action when necessary, and identifying improvement opportunities and shared learning. Shared learning allows for organizations to identify areas of improvement and brainstorm ways to ensure the situation can be avoided in the future, and it also brings the organization together.

The Importance of Framework 

Your organization might be implementing one or two components of a PSMS, or even all 10, but it might be lacking a framework that ties all the parts and pieces together.

Having a framework in place, such as API 1173, allows for each element of the PSMS to talk to one another and to make sure the business operations are interconnected. It helps define roles and responsibilities while reducing operational risk.

It’s important to ensure there is a dedicated team that is committed to defining what makes a PSMS successful, and that those teams have clear responsibilities to support the management system. Driving PSMS at multiple levels of the organization is ideal, as mentioned above regarding the worker participation components. Having sufficient worker representation is key when thinking about a team to drive this process.

Working directly with leadership to understand your organization’s overall goal will help define a policy statement that drives the organization towards its goal and enhances the organization’s safety culture.

Where Should Your Organization Begin? 

Take a step back and conduct a gap assessment and develop a road map.Review the road map with a dedicated team and define actions to close gaps.Identify and understand who the internal and external stakeholders are.Define core values of stakeholders.Clearly define business goals, as this provides actionable steps to ensure the management system is defined, implementable, and monitored to ensure the outputs align with the organization’s overall strategy.

South Jersey Industries’ Implementation of a PSMS – What It Looks Like in Real Life 

For a great example of what implementing a PSMS can look like in real life, Stephanie Farley of South Jersey Industries (SJI) discussed her organization’s process – which started in 2017. At the time, injuries and illnesses were on the rise, so SJI desired to improve their operations and conform to API RP 1173 to instill safety into their daily operations.

In 2017, they completed their initial gap assessment for South Jersey Gas, their natural gas utility, which provided a baseline to see where they stood. Between 2017-2020, the organization underwent leadership changes and they also acquired Elizabeth Town Gas.

This spurred them to complete a follow-up assessment to look at both South Jersey Gas and Elizabeth Town Gas. Results of the gap assessment showed progress at South Jersey Gas since 2017, but it also provided best practices from each of the utilities. They used this to benchmark themselves against utility peers, which led to SJI conforming to the API RP 1173 standard since other peers in the industry used that as their best practice management system.

Next, they began their API RP 1173 journey in 2020 by evaluating their current safety culture. They did this by engaging all levels of their organization, from leadership to union leaders to frontline employees and more. A diverse interview schedule gave a complete look at the safety culture of the organization from the top down.

This revitalized the organization and gave leaders the information they needed to move them forward. The organization updated their core values and identified their priorities. SJI also developed roadmaps and defined next steps at the department and organizational level.

They started implementing initiatives such as a Safety Manual review, update, and harmonization project. They also developed an improved quality assurance plan, and using the results of the gap assessment, SJI began to explore learning management platforms and used elements of API RP 1173 to establish training pillars to guide them to the best solution for SJI.

SJI also educated their organization on why they started this journey, branded their safety management system to make it feel more like SJI, implemented an improved reporting and investigation tool to capture the full life cycles of incidents and near misses, and developed a QR code to make reporting of those incidents and near misses easier in the field.

Finally, since internal stakeholder engagement is so important, SJI used safety culture surveys to understand how employees perceive safety at the organization and to get a pulse on their current safety culture. Today, SJI is in the stages of a second safety culture survey, and they expect to see areas that they have improved upon and what direction we need to be in to keep moving forward. According to Farley, “SJI has made substantial progress in just a few years, and we’re excited for what lies ahead.”

Key Takeaways 

Management Systems are formal top-down organization wide sustainable solutions to managing risks and ensuring the effectiveness of risk controls and systematic implementation of procedures, practices, and policies. A PSMS such as API RP 1173 provides a performance-based framework to effectively manage risks specific to pipelines. Implementing your own PSMS means you’re committing to continuous improvement in your organization, and SJI is a great example of how to start. Remember, this is not a small undertaking; it is a continuous journey.

Don’t know where to start with your own PSMS journey? Read a real-life case study of the implementation process of a PSMS. Then, reach out and get help with Safety Management System Support, including API RP 1173 from our team today. While this is a continuous journey, you don’t have to experience it alone!