EHS & Sustainability Software Buyers Seek Comprehensive Solutions for Compliance Performance
New NAEM Research Benchmarks Core Objectives, Capabilities and Spending for Software Buyers
March 25, 2015 /3BL Media/ - More than half of those shopping for a new environment, health and safety (EHS) and sustainability software are looking for a comprehensive, enterprise-wide system with robust compliance-related capabilities according to new research published today by the National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM).
Executive Director Carol Singer Neuvelt said the association’s latest software benchmark was designed to provide robust benchmarking data for those who are embarking on the software selection process. It is available for public download from NAEM’s website thanks to the financial support of Dakota Software, Enablon, KMI and ProcessMAP.
“Since the late 1990s NAEM has been tracking how companies shop for and use data management systems,” she said. “By honing in on the core needs of software buyers, this latest report sheds new light on the priorities and objectives for those who are in the market for a new system.”
The 46-page report, which includes data from 165 in-house EHS and sustainability leaders, addresses common questions including: system maturity, business objectives, desired software capabilities, peer spending and expected maintenance costs. With detailed analysis that compares first-time buyers to those who are replacing an existing software system, and charts comparing buyers to past purchasers, the report allows buyers to compare their expected spending against the actual amount spent by peers who recently purchased a system.
The results reveal that first-time software buyers are more likely to rely on commonly available tools and internally developed systems than those who are shopping to replace existing software. Both groups of buyers seek a solution with a variety of capabilities to help with various aspects of compliance.
Indeed, the top capabilities software shoppers sought related to incident tracking and audit findings, performance scorecards, compliance tracking and hazard identification.
Sustainability-related capabilities specifically related to energy management and greenhouse gas reporting also rose to the top of the list of desired capabilities, according to the research. The desire to improve external transparency about their EHS and sustainability performance was also the second strongest driver motivating the purchase of a new system among shoppers, the data revealed.
Ms. Neuvelt said the increased scrutiny of a company’s performance among external stakeholders will likely continue to spur new investments in data management systems.
“The software tools that are available today give companies new opportunities to align around goals, improve organizational compliance and drive progress toward sustainability,” she said. “We expect investments in this area to continue to grow as our members strive to meet the expectations for transparency.”
To download the full report or for more information about NAEM's benchmarking program on EHS and Sustainability software, please visit http://www.naem.org/?survey_2015_ehsmis. On March 26 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. (EST), NAEM will host a free presentation of research highlights. To register for the webinar, please visit http://www.naem.org/?wbnr_2015_resehsmis.
About NAEM
The National Association for Environmental Management (NAEM) empowers corporate leaders to advance environmental stewardship, create safe and healthy workplaces, and promote global sustainability. As the largest professional community for EHS and sustainability decision-makers, we provide peer-led educational conferences, benchmarking research, online content and an active network for sharing solutions to today's corporate EHS and sustainability management challenges. Visit NAEM online at www.naem.org.
About this Report
NAEM's 2015 EHS and Sustainability Software Buyers Guide is uniquely designed to meet the needs of corporate leaders who are shopping for new software systems. The 46-page report, which includes data from 165 in-house EHS and sustainability leaders, addresses common questions from a peer perspective, including: existing system maturity, business objectives, desired software capabilities, peers spending and expected maintenance costs. The detailed analysis also incorporates the perspective of past purchasers to provide shoppers with a comparison between their expectations and the experiences of those who have recently gone through the process. The report is available free of charge to the public thanks to the financial support of report sponsors Dakota Software, Enablon, ProcessMap and KMI. To download the full report or for more information about NAEM's EHS and sustainability software benchmarking program, please visit www.naem.org.
