NAEM Conference Tech23: What we’re excited for in Tucson
The National Association for Environmental, Health & Safety, and Sustainability (NAEM) has a solid track record of putting on great conferences. NAEM has a dozen great events per year, and the upcoming NAEM conference of note is Tech23, which is in Tucson in mid-March and part of the bigger EHS and ESG Tech Week. We are a Gigabyte sponsor for the event, and we’ll have some teammates out there.
Here’s how NAEM themselves describe Tech23:
TECH23 is designed to help leaders develop a strategic integration of technology systems and reporting approaches. This knowledge-building, idea-sharing event not only showcases a wide range of software and technology solutions, it also supports leaders in operationalizing their system through a host of case studies, best practices and lessons learned from corporate environments.
- Ready to drive continuous improvement for Scope 3 data collection and management
- Interested in the ways sensors and meters can improve carbon data capture and monitoring
- Looking for insights into ESG software selection
- Preparing to aggregate and disclose KPIs across E, S, and G
- Want guidance on using data for climate risk scenario planning
- Seeking the best ways to collect and organize EHS management and compliance data
Data (and making things easier for people around ESG and HVAC/R) is at the center of everything we do. Of course we’ll be in Tucson. Besides a host of transformative conversations, though, what else are we looking forward to from the NAEM Conference agenda?
Tuesday at the NAEM Conference
On Tuesday, which is predominantly a registration day for many at the NAEM Conference, there are two really good workshops listed. In the afternoon, you have one promoted by Arcadis on demystifying net zero. That’s 1:30pm local and it’s open to only in-house EHS&S professionals. At 3:30, Huco Consulting is sponsoring a workshop on developing a digital EHS and ESG plan, noting the following should be addressed:
- Creating a digitization plan that aligns objectives, schedule and scope
- Validating relevant and thorough requirements (beyond functional) against proven solutions
- Avoiding common pitfalls and mistakes that waste effort and money
- Understanding market trends and risk (e.g., ESG buzzwords vs. reality; risk of M&A activity)
- Planning for implementation
The NAEM Conference opening keynote
That will be from Velislava Ivanova of EY Americas, and she’ll be discussing how to prepare your systems for the complexity of data requirements; which internal business functions to engage, including finance, operations, risk, supply chain, sustainability, and investor relations; and how to work with external partners such as auditors and verifying services.
From our perspective, the answer is always: make things simpler. ESG is a confusing space for a lot of people. So is compliance. So is sustainability. And despite different political headwinds, more companies are prioritizing these things now, and these types of investments, and this type of future. You may suddenly be on the hook for “ownership” of these topics without fully understanding how the pieces all fit together. It’s confusing. Our approach is around simplicity and quality reporting.
We look forward to what Velislava says.
Some more Wednesday NAEM Conference standouts
There’s a panel with this title at 11:15 am on Wednesday: Unifying Environmental Compliance Data for Positive Business Outcomes. It will be led by Stephanie Sparkman, the Global Environmental Governance and Systems Senior Leader at Amazon, and Luke Jacobs, the CEO of Encamp.
In the Wednesday afternoon block, there’s a diverse panel about “lessons from first-time software implementations.” We see this a lot in the space: people who were managing ESG reporting and compliance in bulky, hard-to-share-and-edit spreadsheets. There’s no data transparency. At this panel, you’ll hear from companies who switched over to software for ESG and compliance, and what they learned. Here’s how the panel is framed up:
Join this panel with two diverse organizations who have recently implemented new EHS digital systems. If you are challenged with limited resources or have been managing your data in paper or spreadsheets and want to understand how a digital system can be a game changer, then don’t miss this engaging conversation. Panelists will share a variety of lessons learned from their implementation journeys as well as highlight the new opportunities and insights their new systems are yielding. Come away with a greater understanding of what digital systems can deliver and tips and best practices for mid-sized organizations or anyone implementing a digital system for the first time!
In the late afternoon NAEM Conference Wednesday block, there’s a good-looking panel on Best Practices and Benefits of Corporate ESG and Sustainability Reporting. It seems like it will be framed up for people newer to this world, and how best to get ready for all the demands of reporting and compliance.
Thursday at the NAEM Conference has two keynotes
It’s two keynotes and one panel track on Thursday. The opening keynote is from Maria Montenegro, the SVP of Strategy and Innovation at Wolters Kluwer. It’s described as such:
This session explores how top organizations are doing more than simply connecting operational and financial data. Learn how they are breaking silos to establish a single, integrated view of data that goes beyond reporting and allows them to effectively manage risk and accelerate their ESG performance.
The later keynote is from Michelle Li of Clever Carbon, and “(she) will explain the meaning of carbon literacy and share tools to help individuals determine their carbon footprint in a fun and relatable way. She will also help us see how more transparent carbon data can influence daily choices from what coffee you drink to how you travel. Come away empowered to educate and engage your employees and with new tools that keep a data-driven approach to emission reductions at the center of our thinking.”
A bit of a throwback to our earlier trade show days.
Very nice.
That middle panel track on Thursday at the NAEM Conference has three good sessions to choose from. We’re excited about a panel on the connection between better ESG reporting and compliance outcomes and employee wellness and health; that might be a final tie to get more companies on board with what needs to be done in the next 10-20 years.
How can Trakref help those attending the NAEM Conference?
The big picture we discussed above: simplicity, push-button compliance, and real-time policy updates. We worry about that stuff so that you can focus more on your core business needs and goals. We get 10+ calls per day that start with “Hey, are we compliant?” People trust us to know that. That’s what we deliver.
At a 35,000-foot level, there’s more to understand about ESG regulation and Trakref’s role, though.
First: we are always getting involved in these public conversations and open comments about ESG regulation, legislation, definition, and language. As we put this post together, we’re also responding to some new guidelines and protocols in Canada. Our subject matter knowledge is your peace of mind. That’s good for you.
Think of Trakref along three continuums as regards ESG regulation:
- Operational
- Compliance
- Sustainability
There’s more, but those are the three big buckets.
Trakref’s features at the intersection of ESG regulation and operations
- Comprehensive asset insight and management throughout refrigerant lifecycle
- Communication among stakeholders increases system uptime and performance
- Lower cost of ownership through leak, service event and depreciation tracking
- Vertical integration of essential data via one central benchmark-enabling tool
- Asset management made easy with digital tagging, tracking and reporting
That leads to these operational benefits for you:
- One user-friendly, intuitive interface requiring no equipment or downloads
- Fast track long-term sustainability by greening your operations on day one
- 100% regulatory compliance guaranteed, every time
- Designed from within the refrigerant industry with best practices built-in
- Tested, proven and currently in use by dozens of Fortune 500 companies
Cold, clean, and compliant: Trakref at the intersection of ESG regulation and compliance
What you get:
- Frictionless Compliance tracking & reporting
- Proper HVAC/R asset governance ensures compliance with regulations and industry standards.
- Compliance gap analysis and auto reporting built in
- Comprehensive asset insight and management throughout refrigerant lifecycle
- Lower cost of ownership through leak, service event and activity tracking
- Rules process to guide your teams
- Level up Work Order Data to accommodate Compliance
And Trakref at the intersection of ESG regulation and sustainability
- A fast Track way to accurately provide Scope 1 Reporting
- 100% audit ready, every time, every transaction
- One user-friendly, intuitive interface requiring no equipment or downloads for your entire team
- Real-time policy updates deployed into Trakref’s software, so you can Leapfrog sustainability hurdles.
- Accommodates all IPCC, and sustainability frameworks
Hope to see you at the NAEM Conference Tech23 in Tucson. If you’d like to connect before then, feel free!
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