Monsanto Selects Locus’ Cloud Software for Sustainability Management

Leading Agricultural Products Technology Company Selects Locus for Sustainability Reporting

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 2 June 2014 — Monsanto Company, a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality, has selected Locus Technologies (Locus) to provide a comprehensive, integrated software platform for sustainability management and environmental stewardship throughout the corporation’s facilities.

Monsanto has adopted the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework, a comprehensive sustainability reporting structure that is widely used around the world to more effectively measure, build upon, and communicate its current sustainability efforts. As a member of the GRI G4 Pioneers program Monsanto is utilizing the Locus enhanced data collection process to enable the transition to the new GRI G4 platform.

Locus’ award-winning EH&S and sustainability software platform is already implemented and provides Monsanto with enterprise tools to organize the GRI indicator collection and reporting solution for its corporate sustainability group. Monsanto site personnel are now able to enter GRI Indicator data by site, and produce reports for their sites. Corporate personnel are able to produce reports of data aggregated across the entire organization for use in preparing and automating their GRI Reporting.

“We are very pleased that Monsanto has selected Locus’ cloud-based software to organize its GRI information,” said Neno Duplan, President and CEO of Locus Technologies. “The GRI Guidelines are the world’s most widely-used sustainability reporting framework and we are very pleased to support Monsanto in their reporting requirements. Both Monsanto and Locus are GRI Organizational Stakeholders,” added Duplan.

Exelon Nuclear Selects Locus’ Software for Data Management at its Nuclear Generating Stations

The use of Locus’ cloud-based, environmental software confirms Exelon’s commitment to environmental stewardship

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 27 May 2014 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in cloud-based environmental compliance and information management software, announced today that Exelon Nuclear is using Locus’ EIM and ePortal software at its nuclear generating stations and expanding this year to additional sites.

Exelon Nuclear is a business unit of Exelon Generation, which is one of the largest competitive U.S. power generators, with approximately 34,700 megawatts of owned capacity comprising one of the nation’s cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company has made a long-standing commitment to the environment and in 2013 two separate global authorities on corporate sustainability—the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) and CDP—recognized Exelon for its sustainability performance and climate change performance and reporting. Exelon is the only U.S. utility on CDP Global Indexes for Climate Performance and Disclosure.

Locus systems have been fully implemented to collect, manage, and organize environmental information at Exelon’s and their subsidiaries’ nuclear power stations.

“With the increased focus on nuclear power safety, and the decommissioning of older-generation power plants, we are proud that Exelon has chosen our cloud-based software to manage its operational data, which are subject to a different set of regulatory requirements from those typically seen at other sites. This award validates Locus’ long-term commitment to helping the utility industry improve sustainability performance at all levels,” said Neno Duplan, President and CEO of Locus.

“At Exelon, our commitment to the environment is integral to our customers and corporate strategy. Since its inception, Exelon has focused on the business value of reducing its impact on the environment, better meeting the needs of our customers, employees and the communities we serve,” said Francis Leone, Chemistry, Radwaste, and Environmental Manager for Exelon Nuclear. “We selected Locus as a strategic technology partner because of its advanced domain expertise, scalable cloud-based technology, comprehensive vision of centralized analytics of environmental management systems, and deep understanding of the nuclear industry. We are very pleased that we now have complete ownership of and easy access to our data, allowing us to continue operating our fleet in a transparent way so that the company and public can witness first-hand our commitment to long-term sustainability.”

Locus has been collaborating with the Electric Power Research Institute and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) over the last several years to develop and implement advanced information management systems at nuclear power plant sites and weapon complexes and is the leading provider of environmental and radionuclides information management in this important industry.

Exelon Nuclear will use Locus EIM and ePortal software to improve its data gathering and management, monitoring and reporting at its nuclear sites. Locus’ web-based software EIM is specifically designed to manage data from these types of operations, and provides an unmatched level of data security. The software will also help Exelon enforce an extensive set of QA/QC requirements on all uploaded data. The system helps reporting entities enforce data quality in accordance with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or other standards, such as NQA-1, and ANSI/ISO/ASQ Q 9001:2000, and to validate incoming analytical data.

 

ABOUT EXELON
Exelon Corporation is the nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with approximately $24.9 billion in annual revenues. The Exelon family of companies participates in every stage of the energy business, from generation to competitive energy sales to transmission to delivery. Headquartered in Chicago, Exelon has operations and business activities in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. Exelon is one of the largest competitive U.S. power generators, with approximately 34,700 megawatts of owned capacity comprising one of the nation’s cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company’s Constellation business unit provides energy products and services to approximately 100,000 business and public sector customers and approximately 1 million residential customers. Exelon’s utilities deliver electricity and natural gas to more than 7.8 million customers in central Maryland (BGE), northern Illinois (ComEd) and southeastern Pennsylvania (PECO).

Exelon Nuclear Selects Locus’ Data Management Software

Exelon Nuclear will use Locus Technologies’ EIM and ePortal software to improve its data gathering and management, monitoring and reporting at its nuclear sites, the cloud-based environmental compliance and information management software company says.

The use of Locus’ cloud-based, environmental software confirms Exelon’s commitment to environmental stewardship

Originally Posted on Environmental Leader

SAN FRANCISCO, California —May 27, 2014 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in cloud-based environmental compliance and information management software, announced today that Exelon Nuclear is using Locus’ EIM and ePortal software at its nuclear generating stations and expanding this year to additional sites.

Exelon Nuclear is a business unit of Exelon Generation, which is one of the largest competitive U.S. power generators, with approximately 34,700 megawatts of owned capacity comprising one of the nation’s cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company has made a long-standing commitment to the environment and in 2013 two separate global authorities on corporate sustainability—the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) and CDP—recognized Exelon for its sustainability performance and climate change performance and reporting. Exelon is the only U.S. utility on CDP Global Indexes for Climate Performance and Disclosure.

Locus systems have been fully implemented to collect, manage, and organize environmental information at Exelon’s and their subsidiaries nuclear power stations.

“With the increased focus on nuclear power safety, and the decommissioning of older-generation power plants, we are proud that Exelon has chosen our cloud-based software to manage its operational data, which are subject to a different set of regulatory requirements from those typically seen at other sites. This award validates Locus’ long-term commitment to helping the utility industry improve sustainability performance at all levels,” said Neno Duplan, President and CEO of Locus.

“At Exelon, our commitment to the environment is integral to our customers and corporate strategy. Since its inception, Exelon has focused on the business value of reducing its impact on the environment, better meeting the needs of our customers, employees and the communities we serve,” said Francis Leone, Chemistry, Radwaste, and Environmental Manager for Exelon Nuclear. “We selected Locus as a strategic technology partner because of its advanced domain expertise, scalable cloud-based technology, comprehensive vision of centralized analytics of environmental management systems, and deep understanding of the nuclear industry. We are very pleased that we now have complete ownership of and easy access to our data, allowing us to continue operating our fleet in a transparent way so that the company and public can witness first-hand our commitment to long-term sustainability.”

Locus has been collaborating with the Electric Power Research Institute and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) over the last several years to develop and implement advanced information management systems at nuclear power plant sites and weapon complexes and is the leading provider of environmental and radionuclides information management in this important industry.

Exelon Nuclear will use Locus EIM and ePortal software to improve its data gathering and management, monitoring and reporting at its nuclear sites.  Locus’ web-based software EIM is specifically designed to manage data from these types of operations, and provides an unmatched level of data security. The software will also help Exelon enforce an extensive set of QA/QC requirements on all uploaded data. The system helps reporting entities enforce data quality in accordance with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or other standards, such as NQA-1, and ANSI/ISO/ASQ Q 9001:2000, and to validate incoming analytical data.

About Exelon
Exelon Corporation is the nation’s leading competitive energy provider, with approximately $24.9 billion in annual revenues. The Exelon family of companies participates in every stage of the energy business, from generation to competitive energy sales to transmission to delivery. Headquartered in Chicago, Exelon has operations and business activities in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. Exelon is one of the largest competitive U.S. power generators, with approximately 34,700 megawatts of owned capacity comprising one of the nation’s cleanest and lowest-cost power generation fleets. The company’s Constellation business unit provides energy products and services to approximately 100,000 business and public sector customers and approximately 1 million residential customers. Exelon’s utilities deliver electricity and natural gas to more than 7.8 million customers in central Maryland (BGE), northern Illinois (ComEd) and southeastern Pennsylvania (PECO).

Latest National Climate Assessment Reinforces Severity of Climate Change

The recently produced study, known as the National Climate Assessment, has found that the effects of human-induced climate change are being felt across the United States. The involved scientists found that an average warming of less than two degrees Fahrenheit over most areas of the country in the last century has resulted in a decrease in water in dry regions, an increase in torrential rains in wet regions, and an escalation in more severe droughts and wildfires.

The study was supervised and approved by a large committee representing a cross section of American society, and is the third national report of its kind in 14 years. “Climate change, once considered an issue for a distant future, has moved firmly into the present,” the scientists stated in the new report.

The National Climate Assessment was released by the White House in hopes to increase the sense of urgency among Americans about climate change, and strengthen the support behind the new climate change regulation that President Obama plans to issue next month.

In an interview following the release of the report President Obama declared “This is not some distant problem of the future. This is a problem that is affecting Americans right now. Whether it means increased flooding, greater vulnerability to drought, more severe wild fires—all these things are having an impact on Americans as we speak.”

The report stated that although many U.S. states and cities had begun to take steps toward limiting their emissions, these efforts were not yet enough. “There is mounting evidence that harm to the nation will increase substantially in the future unless global emissions of heat-trapping gases are greatly reduced,” the report warned.

An important element in addressing climate change will be collecting, aggregating and reporting emission sources data so that credible information can be generated to tackle the problem at its source—emissions. The good news is that technologies for dealing with this planetary challenge exist and start with big data management and cloud computing. As the old business adage goes, what is important must be measured, and what’s important enough to be measured must also be managed.

Locus’ Software Functionality Addresses City-Specific Reporting

Locus Technologies has expanded its environmental information management (EIM) software to automate the generation of self-monitoring report forms (SMRFs).

Locus’ EIM Software Automates the Generation of SMRFs for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)

Originally Posted on Environmental Leader

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – In response to industry and customer requirements, Locus Technologies (Locus), the leader in cloud-based environmental compliance and information management software, has expanded its award-winning Environmental Information Management (EIM) software to automate the generation of Self-Monitoring Report Forms (SMRFs).

Locus EIM solves the problem of expensive, labor-intensive manual SMRF generation by completely automating the process. SMRFs are required by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, and are meant to meet the monitoring and reporting requirements as set forth by each facility’s Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) or Reuse Permit. An example form may include data such as sample date, analysis date, lab ID, reported concentration or method, and can incorporate other extremely specific information.

Thanks to Locus’ new functionality, once arranged in EIM, companies can generate SMRFs within minutes in the approved formats, using validated data. Companies can set up EIM for all permitted facilities and realize immediate cost and time savings during each reporting period. Relevant data are directly uploaded to the system, reviewed and validated, then reported in the proper regulatory required formats. These new output formats can be easily modified to generate the exact format needed by other cities that are required to submit similar self-monitoring report forms.

“Incorporating the automatic generation of SMRFs within our EIM software is a testament to the true flexibility of Locus’ software platforms,” said Neno Duplan, President & CEO of Locus Technologies. “It is our goal here at Locus to automate reporting by providing as many off-the-shelf standard reports as possible. SMRF reports are just one of many examples. By automating reporting  our customers streamline their management processes, so that they increase operational efficiencies and lower reporting costs.”

Locus Expands Software Functionality to Address City-Specific Reporting Requirements

Locus’ EIM software automates the generation of Self-Monitoring Report Forms (SMRFs) for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 22 April 2014 — In response to industry and customer requirements, Locus Technologies (Locus), the leader in cloud-based environmental compliance and information management software, has expanded its award-winning Environmental Information Management (EIM) software to automate the generation of Self-Monitoring Report Forms (SMRFs).

Locus EIM solves the problem of expensive, labor-intensive manual SMRF generation by completely automating the process. SMRFs are required by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, and are meant to meet the monitoring and reporting requirements as set forth by each facility’s Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) or Reuse Permit. An example form may include data such as sample date, analysis date, lab ID, reported concentration or method, and can incorporate other extremely specific information.

Thanks to Locus’ new functionality, once arranged in EIM, companies can generate SMRFs within minutes in the approved formats, using validated data. Companies can set up EIM for all permitted facilities and realize immediate cost and time savings during each reporting period. Relevant data are directly uploaded to the system, reviewed and validated, then reported in the proper regulatory required formats. These new output formats can be easily modified to generate the exact format needed by other cities that are required to submit similar self-monitoring report forms.

“Incorporating the automatic generation of SMRFs within our EIM software is a testament to the true flexibility of Locus’ software platforms,” said Neno Duplan, President & CEO of Locus Technologies. “It is our goal here at Locus to automate reporting by providing as many off-the-shelf standard reports as possible. SMRF reports are just one of many examples. By automating reporting our customers streamline their management processes, so that they increase operational efficiencies and lower reporting costs.”

Locus Recognized as a Top SaaS Provider in Green Quadrant EH&S Software Report by Independent Analyst Firm Verdantix

Locus’ software recognized for its configurable architecture, flexible implementation, and water and waste water management capabilities

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 17 April 2014 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the leader in cloud-based environmental compliance and information management software, has been recognized as one of the top 13 global environmental health and safety (EH&S) management software suppliers in the report “Green Quadrant® EH&S Software, April 2014.” This report by Verdantix, an independent analyst firm who provide data, analysis and advice in the areas of energy, environment and sustainability, reveals that Locus offers a lower cost, user-configurable Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that meets the needs of multiple industries by allowing for the incorporation of firm-specific functionality.

“The new platform, recently released by Locus Technologies, is designed to put power in the hands of users,” said Jordan Nadian, Verdantix Analyst. “This reflects broader trends in software development, where non-technical business analysts get to design small-scale apps. It also reflects a product strategy designed to side-step the significant costs and risks of developing detailed feature sets for industry-specific processes.”

The Verdantix report also acknowledges Locus for its strengths in data capture, data security, hazardous waste management and water and waste water quality management. Locus’ software reflects its more than 17 years of experience in the market and incorporated feedback from its impressive customer list. A major differentiator for Locus is that the company is a passionate advocate of single instance, multi-tenant architecture. “The supplier has developed an architecture which successfully separates the technology platform (workflow tools, master data management, integration, etc.) from specific EH&S business processes such as air emissions management or chemical inventories,” said Nadian.

The report recognizes a widespread movement toward offering integrated EH&S solutions as hosted software services. It acknowledges significant challenges with the implementation and maintenance of older and disconnected software applications installed on customers’ infrastructures. While there was no separation between true SaaS and traditional on-premises software providers in the report, Locus was identified as one of the top three leading SaaS vendors.

“With new regulations, risks, and business improvement opportunities arising so frequently today, companies’ EH&S management and reporting requirements are constantly expanding,” said Neno Duplan, President & CEO of Locus. “At Locus, we strive to offer our customers a cost-effective, integrated software platform that can mold to fit their business-specific processes now, and evolve along with their changing needs in the future.”

EH&S domain content in the Locus SaaS platform is configurable by business analysts or domain experts with no underlying code change and is not hard-coded for any specific solution. The separation of domain from software framework makes it easy for Locus customers to enjoy the rolling upgrade program without incurring costly upgrades associated with traditional on-premises software installations. Locus’ framework is coded to render and process configuration at runtime, and supports any domain and customer-specific content. The platform is fully wizard-driven via a graphical configuration workbench.

ABOUT VERDANTIX

Verdantix is an independent analyst firm, providing authoritative data, analysis and advice to help clients resolve their energy, environment and sustainability challenges. Through global primary research and deep domain expertise, they provide clients with strategic advice, revenue generating services, best practice frameworks, industry connections and competitive advantage.

For further information, please visit www.verdantix.com.

Enterprise EHS Information Management

Despite impressive growth of environmental and sustainability management industry, some troubling trends persist within the industry.

Most notably is the industry’s failure to embrace the information management cloud revolution.

Not adopting the latest technologies for storing, distributing, and managing information increases costs and delays the implementation of cost-saving resource management initiatives and management of climate change information, which are necessary to better understand the causes of climate change phenomena.

The way companies with environmental liabilities manage and store their environmental information and data stands in marked contrast to the model they have adopted for all their other key data.

Historically, companies have used narrowly focused applications built on spreadsheets and client/server databases to serve the complex software requirements of this market.  Today’s landscape of available technology options has consolidated; new and better options exist.

While planned IT spending on environmental software is rising, organizations are still struggling to identify software that can scale.  They are also looking for service providers that can support environmental information management in the manner to which they’ve become accustomed with other enterprise initiatives and enterprise software, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), and supply chain management (SCM).

Why is this the case?

EPA Takes Cross-Country Road Trips for New Climate Rules Targeting Coal-fired Power Plants

Ms. Gina McCarthy, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator and chief architect and emissary to President Obama’s plan to fight climate change, has recently taken to the road to pitch new climate change regulations.

While these EPA regulations set limits on carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants and are meant to decrease greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., the rules could also be so strict that they result in a large number of plants being shut down and mining jobs lost.

The EPA is set to roll out the two new rules by the end of Mr. Obama’s presidency. This past September the EPA announced the draft of the first rule, which would limit carbon pollution from future power plants, and this upcoming June 2014 the EPA will release the draft of the second rule, which is said to require emission cuts at existing coal-fired power plants. Final versions of both rules are expected by June 2015, and states will have until mid-2016 to submit compliance plans.

While the EPA will establish a federal standard for reducing carbon emissions, individual states will be in charge of carrying out these new rules. This is meant to give each state the flexibility to configure its own plan. However, this creates the possibility that states who oppose these new rules may attempt to refuse or delay them from taking effect.

These trips to various U.S. states are a new ploy for the EPA and Ms. McCarthy, who is well aware of how cutting-edge these set of rules are and the intense scrutiny that they face. The rules will impose additional cost to the coal industry in order to stay in compliance and will require better information management and reporting tools.

Exxon Mobil to Report on Asset Risks Due to Evolving Climate Policy

Exxon Mobil just became the first oil and gas company to agree to publish information about the risks that stricter limits on carbon emissions would place on their business. According to the New York Times, this decision stems from increasing pressure from shareholder activists to warn investors of the possible consequences. The energy giant has agreed to publish this information by the end of the month.

The agreement comes from an effort by Ceres, a coalition of investors and environmentalists interested in making companies more environmentally responsive. The Ceres campaign started with a letter that was sent to ask 45 of the top fossil fuel companies if they were addressing the risks posed by the changing climate policy. What gave this letter such influence is the fact that it was sent by shareholders representing $3 trillion in assets to these companies.

These risks come from a growing realization that the changing policies on global warming and the value of fossil fuel assets may not by synced with one another. For instance, if carbon emissions are reduced by 80 percent, a goal stated by President Obama, then extracting oil reserves in certain areas where it is more expensive will become uneconomical. The concept that the two goals of extracting reserves and reducing carbon emissions are in direct conflict is undoubtedly coming to light.

Exxon Mobil has also agreed to project how further carbon emission restrictions would affect its future projects, and explain why new fossil fuel reserves that it invests in are not at risk of decreasing in value. Overall Exxon Mobil’s reporting agreement should provide for a better stewardship of sustainability and will help other companies come forward with their reporting.

Accounting for carbon emissions will put more focus on environmental software companies that can scale and provide solid platforms for an integrated approach to not only carbon management but all of their other environmental and sustainability risk management activities such as water quality and air emissions.