Unusually for a room full of EHSQ professionals, no one batted an eyelid when, on Day 2 of the VISIONS conference, over 100 sirens all went off at exactly the same time.
Everyone stayed in their seats, chatting to colleagues or finishing their coffee. I caught up on my notes from the previous session and poured a glass of water.
The sirens – which were coming through every smartphone in the country – were part of Germany’s annual national warning day, when it tests alarm systems to protect civilians in a disaster. Extremely fitting for an event targeting EHSQ and ESG professionals.
This year’s VISIONS, held on 11 and 12 September in Berlin, was the 15th edition of a successful format that welcomes attendees from across Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The packed schedule offered a mix of presentations, interactive workshops, and 1:1 sessions from AMCS staff, partners and users. And although I couldn’t attend every session (for all our innovations, we haven’t yet mastered cloning) I want to share some highlights with you here.
One of the big themes revolved around how EHSQ and ESG can be real drivers of value for businesses – especially if they’re embedded in strategies tailored to the specific company.
Key takeaway 1: AMCS launched Performance Sustainability.
At the opening presentation on Day 1, Dr Torsten Thurmann and Florian Lichtwald introduced Performance Sustainability, the concept behind AMCS’s suite of software tools that help businesses harmonize profitability and sustainability.
The key message was that using innovative technologies and setting clear, relevant goals will help companies ensure they are fulfilling their environmental, economic and social responsibilities – and that operating within the circular economy is a path to growth.
By focusing on Performance Sustainability, companies as engines of the economy can ensure they operate within planetary boundaries. Gathering data, developing strategy and monitoring progress on sustainability are value drivers: In taking these steps, companies can actively and collectively shape a world in which they can survive and thrive.
The AMCS Sustainability Platform is the right management tool for this. The end-to-end solution helps companies manage double materiality, gather and analyse data, and calculate emissions and impacts. A live demo on both days allowed participants to see how the tool helps them meet their reporting obligations.
Key takeaway 2: Companies reap the benefits when they take climate action.
Hendrik Marx-Altkuckatz from Sustainable AG took a cinematographic approach to explaining the why of taking climate action as a company.
Starting from a wide shot of global heating since 1850, he zoomed into the damaging impacts, and then into a close-up of how companies tangibly benefit from taking climate action.
When companies set climate targets that are built on internal data and reflect their specific situation, they do more than just tick the compliance box and help limit global heating:
- Their image improves internally and externally.
- They win customers who will pay more for sustainably produced products.
- A better image and more loyal customers puts them in a more competitive position.
- Good ESG performance can result in better terms on loans and attract investment.
Companies can look to the Science Based Targets initiative for climate action frameworks, to internal carbon pricing as a way of strategically integrating climate action into operations, and to digitalization as support for monitoring, reporting and decarbonization.
Key takeaway 3: A tailor-made safety strategy boosts performance.
Safety can be a real performance driver if companies look at it as more than a compliance issue: For instance, companies with good safety records enjoy higher overall customer satisfaction, more sales and, crucially, higher employee welfare.
At VISIONS, Daniel Ramelsberger introduced us to MAN’s Corporate Safety Solutions (CSS) team and explained how it has developed and anchored a unique safety strategy across all levels of the company.
By creating a shared safety policy with a strong vision and mission, CSS is helping everyone understand the why and how of safety at MAN. The aim is to move away from reacting to accidents, and towards a proactive, collaborative health-and-safety mindset.
To translate its strategy into action, CSS has developed the Safety Performance Index. The SPI provides a qualitative and quantitative framework that makes safety measurable and allows the company to chart its progress towards its goals for 2025.
Key takeaway 4: Beyond the hype, AI has much to offer EHSQ and ESG.
In the AMCS Product Evolution session, Tim Ammann and Christopher Hertel introduced the latest updates and current work on EHSQ and ESG management products. They also looked ahead to innovations and prototypes that are providing inspiration for developments in the coming years.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) was a key topic. It is, after all, entering every sector and fuelling debate, excitement and fear worldwide. Christopher advocated for a sensible level of innovation with AI – one that is rooted in realism not hype, where AI plays a supporting role to data context and domain expertise.
Areas in which AI can help us include ESG reporting and Scope 3 emissions, and monitoring waste collections. Looking further ahead, it could potentially help with EHS data collection, quality and assessment; identify safety issues in photographs; and offer chatbot functions that draw on multiple data sources.
Key takeaway 5: Attending VISIONS is a value driver for EHSQ and ESG professionals.
In their opening presentation on Day 1, Torsten and Florian made it clear that VISIONS would provide ample opportunity for interaction between participants. This was especially visible in the workshop sessions. One example of this is the legal compliance workshop that was hosted by our customer Schnellecke Logistics.
The workshop gave participants insight into best practices for managing legal requirements across a multi-site organization. The presentation was also an effective springboard to a lively discussion among participants about specific issues relating to legal norms and obligations, and how best to manage these in the AMCS Legal Compliance software module.
Although everyone in the room came from different organisations, sectors, and regions, the discussion raised issues that were relevant to everyone. Participants were eager to help each other and offered their own experiences to those who were newer to our software solutions.
It was an excellent example of the value on offer to participants of VISIONS: Access to best practices and expertise on EHSQ and ESG topics, and connection to a strong network of peers across a range of industries. This principle also applied to the many lively discussions that took place in the VISIONS exhibition area, hosted by our team and business partners, including Enhesa, Yordas, ARQUS, IbUQAS, SAT, and Sustainable AG. Our American-style networking dinner provided plenty of scope for further in-depth discussions at the relaxed end of the first day.
At the end of the conference, everyone left with fresh insights and inspiration that will support them in their roles over the coming months. We hope to see them back again at VISIONS 2025!
If you’d like to know more about the event, or how AMCS can support you with EHSQ and ESG solutions, talk to us today.