Locus Technologies Announces Alfresco Enterprise Content Management and Collaboration Tools Integration With its ePortal Platform

Integration of the latest Web 2.0 technologies optimize environmental management and corporate social reporting

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 22 June 2009 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in web-based environmental compliance, sustainability and GHG information management software, announced today a key release of their ePortal platform, which incorporates both enhanced corporate sustainability reporting tools and Web 2.0 collaboration tools, provided by Alfresco Software (www.Alfresco.com), the leader in open source enterprise content management (ECM) solutions. The addition of Alfresco’s ECM capability to Locus’ popular ePortal product enables distributed teams working online to securely share, track and manage environmental content, as well as automate reporting within and across companies.

Locus’ ePortal environmental management solution integrates its environmental management modules into a single software solution through a single sign on (SSO) for large and small enterprise applications. Locus’ ePortal automates environmental information management workflows, as well as compliance, sustainability and greenhouse gas reporting at the enterprise level through its environmental Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings. Locus’ enhanced release due this summer expands corporate sustainability and GHG reporting and adds collaboration tools powered by Alfresco.

“Corporate sustainability reporting is all about measurement, metrics and improvement as companies strive to be better stewards of the earth while conducting their business and lowering costs,” said Rick Bergquist, Chief Software Evangelist and former CTO of PeopleSoft. “By adding the power of collaboration using Alfresco, Locus’ ePortal can track sustainability progress, sharing best practices among far flung corporate divisions to further enhance a company’s return on investment. This is part of the key Locus vision to provide rich, easy to use, on-demand software tools that streamline environmental reporting and foster continuous improvements through active collaboration,” added Bergquist.

“Locus has provided online sustainability solutions since 2002, covering the core Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) indicators for environmental performance, labor practices and decent work,” said Locus President and CEO, Neno Duplancic. “Although GRI reporting can be complex, our system provides an easy-to-use multi language user interface that streamlines data entry and requires little or no user training,” said Duplancic.

“Locus’ inclusion of Alfresco into their solution provides a cost-effective way for organizations to address their environmental management and corporate social reporting requirements,” commented John Powell, CEO of Alfresco Software. “Alfresco has been designed to provide flexible collaborative content services well suited to the SaaS delivery model. ”

In addition to GRI-compliant sustainability reporting, Locus’ ePortal includes auditable and actionable compliance task-based tracking with automated notifications, environmental data management using a powerful online database, regulatory permit tracking, asset tracking and document management. Robust business analytics and on-board mapping with Google maps enable enterprise users to manage and track trends at divisional or corporate levels on configurable dashboards. Locus provides unprecedented access and environmental information control across all enterprise environmental content repositories, structured and unstructured. This functionality enables a new generation of solutions and modules that can intelligently leverage information to automate tasks previously requiring human action, providing significant ROI.

Locus and Ecotek Team to provide new Cloud Computing Platform for Greenhouse Gas Management

Upcoming changes to regulatory reporting requirements drive new solutions

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 27 April 2009 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in web-based environmental compliance and information management software, today announced a development relationship with Ecotek, a leader in helping industry navigate the complexities of Federal and State air and greenhouse gas (GHG) regulation compliance reporting.

The environmental industry is at a critical point in determining how businesses, government agencies, and community organizations respond to unprecedented legislative mandates to reduce greenhouse gas to curb global warming. The California Air Resources Board recently adopted the proposed Scoping Plan for implementing AB32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act. And, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed the first comprehensive national system for reporting emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases produced by major sources in the United States, the Federal Mandatory GHG reporting Rule.

Business will be required to provide the best possible environmental information and Locus and Ecotek are teaming to make that possible. Progressive companies should be acting now to prepare. Locus is a leader in cloud computing solutions for the environmental industry. Historically, Locus has emphasized environmental data management for complex analytical data with their Environmental Information Management (EIM) system, used by Fortune 100 companies to manage environmental data and risk. Locus’ ePortal is the industry’s first on-demand environmental software that automates environmental information management workflows, compliance, and reporting at enterprise level through Locus’ Software as a Service (SaaS) environmental software offerings. Locus’ ePortal already offers eEHS, a streamlined enterprise corporate sustainability and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) tracking application that includes Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions tracking and key Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) environmental and labor indicators. GRI is independent institution (started in 1997 by the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES) and became independent in 2002) whose mission is to develop and disseminate globally applicable Sustainability Reporting Guidelines. The GRI is an official collaborating centre of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The GRI performance indicators are grouped under three sections covering the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of sustainability.

CSR, corporate sustainability and corporate governance collectively are shaping the identity of organizations and are therefore increasingly integrated into the business strategy of successful corporations. Consequently, the field of responsible business strategy and practice is becoming one of the most dynamic and challenging subjects corporations are facing today and possibly one of the most important ones for shaping the future of the world.

Ecotek is a key player in development and support of air emission and air regulatory reporting software and provides expert air compliance consulting services to a strong base of private sector companies and public agencies. Ecotek’s areas of expertise include EPA Title V and California Air Quality Management District (AQMD) Annual Emissions Reports (AER) and upcoming Greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations. Ecotek is a Climate Action Leader with the California Climate Action Registry and a founding member of The Climate Registry.

“Locus’ eEHS application, in use since 2004, was already tracking the Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions and GRI sustainability indicators as well as calculating carbon footprint for customers. It was natural to take the next step and round out the offering by covering the current (AB32) and proposed (Federal) air quality indicators and GHG reporting requirements expected later this year,” said Locus President and CEO, Neno Duplancic. “Locus selected Ecotek based on their superior qualifications and deep domain expertise in both old and new air regulatory reporting requirements and their excellent reputation with the California South Coast AQMD, as evidenced by their twelve year relationship providing support for that agency.”

“Ecotek is excited to work with Locus on enhancing their popular on-demand software suite,” said Ecotek President, Natasha Meskal. “We have long believed that the advantages of SaaS software applied to air emissions reporting was a perfect match and would offer a wide range of users subject to State and Federal regulations an easier and better way to comply with the current and future requirements, which are only getting more complex.”

“Business owners have so much on their plates to comply with requirements and keep up with regulatory changes, having an easy online tool to streamline that process for all their various reporting needs will be a huge benefit.” concluded Meskal.

 

ABOUT ECOTEK
Ecotek is a leading environmental engineering company providing environmental compliance consulting services and information technology solutions to a strong base of private sector companies and public agencies. Ecotek specializes in the design and implementation of strategies that provide practical compliance and emission reduction solutions that are not only cost effective, but also improve process efficiency and allow businesses to optimize their growth potential. Ecotek manages data to minimize the regulatory impact, by the development and implementation of a customized, proactive compliance programs, applying technological innovations. Ecotek is a Climate Action Leader with the California Climate Action Registry and a founding member of The Climate Registry.

For more information, visit www.locustec.com or contact Ms. Marian Carr at (650) 960-1640.

Locus to Present Cloud Computing for EHS Management at EUEC 2009 in Phonenix, AZ

Join Locus at the EUEC 2009 Annual Conference & Expo in Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix, AZ., 1-4 February 2009 |Booth #827 —Locus will present a paper on Cloud Computing solutions for the EHS industry and display our newest cloud computing products (eEHS and eTask) as well as our flagship product EIM.  Please visit us at Booth 827 and see the systems that are changing how environmental professionals manage, analyze, and report environmental data and information.

Is a large portion of your environmental data sitting in spreadsheets and home-built databases?

Robust enterprise databases are standard tools in other industries, but, for whatever reason, the environmental business has failed to fully embrace them. What happens to the sampling and analytical data generated from the investigations, cleanups, air emissions monitoring, or operation and maintenance of a company’s sites? For many, it is entered into spreadsheets, a commercial client/server database, or a home-grown database—with spreadsheets often being the most popular of these alternatives.

Let’s suppose a company has 10-million analytical records stored in spreadsheets and databases dispersed across multiple offices. Our research shows that the average cost to organize, manage, and report this data through independent systems over a 3-year period would be more than $2 million. Stop by Locus’ Booth #827 and let us demonstrate how using our Locus EIM on-demand data management system can drop your number by 85%—or more than a staggering $1.7 million.

 

Locus Presents | Cloud Computing Solutions for Global Environmental Sustainability Reporting, by Marian Carr and Robert Albo | Session G5: EMIS and EHS | Tuesday, 3 February 2009 1:40 pm

Locus’ Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) SaaS Module Offers Expanded Greenhouse Gas Tracking

Locus’ Enhanced eEHS Moves Corporate Sustainability Reporting Higher into the Cloud

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., December 22, 2008 — Locus Technologies, the industry leader in web-based environmental compliance and information management software, announced today the roll out of its updated eEHS on-demand environmental health and safety software, specifically designed to serve the multi-national marketplace.

The updated eEHS module enables enterprises to collect compliance information from any location at any time via a native Web 2.0 platform, using a simple, intuitive interface. eEHS enables customers to easily review and evaluate data, spot issues or trends, and create reports and roll ups on corporate EHS status. With eEHS, companies centrally manage and report in real time all governance, risk and compliance (GRC) data, including greenhouse gas (GHG), Sarbanes-Oxley, energy consumption and water and waste usage information.

In response to an increased focus on greenhouse gas reporting, environmental sustainability and GRC reporting, Locus revamped its eEHS application, enhancing environmental and sustainability indicator tracking and reporting. Key new features include the addition of a robust ad hoc query capability that produces boardroom quality reports with a single mouse click—all delivered through Cloud computing or SaaS. eEHS’s new multi-language capability significantly enhances the user experience and reduces training. Because eEHS is offered via the Internet, there is no software to install and no hardware to purchase, streamlining global roll outs and reducing costs.

One of Locus’ long term customers, Alstom, an international leader in equipment and services for power generation and rail transport solutions, recently deployed the enhanced Locus eEHS worldwide. Operating in more than 70 countries and employing some 76,000 people, Alstom is enjoying the improved work flow and ease of data collection offered by eEHS. Sustainable development is central to the Alstom strategy and Locus software is helping Alstom meet its strategic goals.

“Locus eEHS is elegant in its simplicity,” said Locus President and CEO Neno Duplancic. “Collecting and reporting KPI information from hundreds of global locations is a challenge faced by every company operating internationally. Locus’ eEHS solves this problem by offering a very targeted software application via the Web, making data collection painless.”

“Our web-based eEHS provides businesses instant access to global information at a fraction of the cost of any installed on premises system,” continued Duplancic. “With the new regulations dealing with global warming issues just around the corner, companies must manage EHS issues carefully to avoid the risk of non-compliance. Now Locus’ customers have an on-demand software tool that consolidates all reporting activities into a single platform and that carries no implementation risk.”

Locus Introduces eTask for Real-Time Messaging and Notification, Simplifying Compliance Management

Retooled and revamped, notification and messaging layer, rounds out Locus’ environmental solutions suite

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., October 6, 2008 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in web-based environmental compliance and information management software, announced the release today of eTask, a comprehensive task management module, rounding out Locus’ award-winning on-demand environmental compliance software portal suite.

Armed with eTask, executives in companies responsible for Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) and Enterprise Performance Management (EPM), now have a powerful tool to support Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) regulatory compliance. eTask provides automated notifications of task initiation, management and completion, spanning all of Locus’ portal suite applications. Locus’ eTask streamlines and automates daily environmental compliance activities through key features such as asset level tracking and compliance activity reminders.

With the proliferation of new regulations such as greenhouse gas requirements, managers must track EH&S carefully and on time. eTask simplifies the job by graphically monitoring key performance indicators (KPI) through dashboard reporting. eTask employs a graphical interface based on Web 2.0 technology that immediately notifies appropriate personnel of critical actions, ensuring the company stays in compliance, potentially saving both dollars and reputation.

eTask tracks a permit’s status relative to regulatory requirements and generates associated task assignments. It provides automated graphical ticklers and e-mail notification, logs when tasks have been completed and sends alerts when tasks are pending or overdue. These requirements can be linked to corporate assets or entities, or to any other vertical application such as EIM or even third party applications. Compliance status management reports can be rolled up to any level within the organization and are fully auditable and verifiable by eTask.

While many businesses analyze corporate performance by looking in a rear view mirror—crunching historical data to link results with causes and resolving problems after the fact, Locus software enables its users to proactively manage environmental compliance. Because Locus’ software suite helps analyze EH&S performance and operations in real time, organizations can more effectively capitalize on opportunities and reduce cost.

eTask features a robust database and reporting engine along with a high degree of user customization. Users can create assets, place assets in groups, assign single or grouped assets to tasks, and assign tasks to multiple staff with configurable notifications based on customer specific workflow.

As with other Locus solutions, eTask is offered as Software as a Service (SaaS), so customers do not need to install any software, or buy and maintain specialized servers to run the application. When purchased with ePortal and eSite modules, eTask includes the compliance dashboard for user-profile based views of actionable compliance tasks and status. eTask can be used for single sites or over an entire portfolio of sites.

“Locus eTask is the ‘action engine’ of our ePortal,” said Locus President and CEO Neno Duplancic. “eTask software aggregates information from distributed assets or permit submittal requirements and keeps responsible parties informed of necessary actions. It gives businesses insight into which compliance events will have the greatest operational impact so they can focus their resources to seize opportunities and mitigate risks” added Duplancic.

Environmental Business Journal Interviews Locus’ CEO

Locus Technologies seeks to pioneer environmental information management through on-demand approaches.

Read full article here.

Locus Technologies Receives Another Environmental Business Journal Business Achievement Award in Information Technology

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., February 20, 2008 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the world leader in on-demand environmental data and information management software, today announced that it has received a 2007 Business Achievement Award in Information Technology (IT) from the Environmental Business Journal (EBJ). This award recognizes Locus for achieving record sales to new Fortune 100 customers and for adding more than 30,000 new sites to its popular EIM database, representing a 600% increase over 2006.

Locus was also recognized for introducing the environmental industry’s first “software as a service” (SaaS) environmental portal (ePortal) to its Fortune 100 customers. Locus’ ePortal provides customers with a user-friendly interface to environmental information, business analytics and direct integration with Locus’ EIM environmental database. ePortal is based on next-generation portal technology that enables seamless information integration across multiple sources and includes sophisticated data mashups for enhanced environmental data visualization.

“We are honored to be recognized by the Environmental Business Journal for our sales and technical achievement,” said Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus Technologies. “2007 was an outstanding year for Locus. We introduced an entirely new category of product for the environmental industry, and we significantly enhanced our Fortune 100 customer base who embraced our new offerings.”

Locus plans to keep the momentum going in 2008 with continued innovation in its products. According to Duplancic, “It’s no surprise that consumer social networking sites are driving business demand. After all, all the new Web 2.0 features people use everyday become so ingrained in our lives, we begin to demand the same features in business products.” Social Computing is radically changing today’s definition of collaboration and ECM (enterprise content management), prompting corporate environmental managers to reconsider how to make it easier for teams of environmental professionals to collaborate and securely manage content both inside and outside the organization.

After adopting the ePortal platform in 2007, Locus is perfectly positioned to add the features to ePortal that environmental customers are demanding, including enhanced collaboration and communication tools and more data mashups. Already in progress are enhanced linkages with Google Earth and GIS programs to extend ePortal’s mapping capabilities and enhanced business analytics to report enterprise environmental sustainability parameters.

“Business Achievement Award in Information Technology,” Environmental Business Journal, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., February 20, 2008 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the world leader in on-demand environmental data and information management software, today announced that it has received a 2007 Business Achievement Award in Information Technology (IT) from the Environmental Business Journal (EBJ). This award recognizes Locus for achieving record sales to new Fortune 100 customers and for adding more than 30,000 new sites to its popular EIM database, representing a 600% increase over 2006.

Locus was also recognized for introducing the environmental industry’s first “software as a service” (SaaS) environmental portal (ePortal) to its Fortune 100 customers. Locus’ ePortal provides customers with a user-friendly interface to environmental information, business analytics and direct integration with Locus’ EIM environmental database. ePortal is based on next-generation portal technology that enables seamless information integration across multiple sources and includes sophisticated data mashups for enhanced environmental data visualization.

“We are honored to be recognized by the Environmental Business Journal for our sales and technical achievement,” said Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus Technologies. “2007 was an outstanding year for Locus. We introduced an entirely new category of product for the environmental industry, and we significantly enhanced our Fortune 100 customer base who embraced our new offerings.”

Locus plans to keep the momentum going in 2008 with continued innovation in its products. According to Duplancic, “It’s no surprise that consumer social networking sites are driving business demand. After all, all the new Web 2.0 features people use everyday become so ingrained in our lives, we begin to demand the same features in business products.” Social Computing is radically changing today’s definition of collaboration and ECM (enterprise content management), prompting corporate environmental managers to reconsider how to make it easier for teams of environmental professionals to collaborate and securely manage content both inside and outside the organization.

After adopting the ePortal platform in 2007, Locus is perfectly positioned to add the features to ePortal that environmental customers are demanding, including enhanced collaboration and communication tools and more data mashups. Already in progress are enhanced linkages with Google Earth and GIS programs to extend ePortal’s mapping capabilities and enhanced business analytics to report enterprise environmental sustainability parameters.

Locus Technologies Wins Environmental Business Journal’s 2007 Business Achievement Award for Information Technology

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., 9 January 2008 — Locus Technologies has won Environmental Business Journal’s 2007 Business Achievement Award, for achieving record sales to new Fortune 100 customers, adding more than 30,000 new sites using its EIM database, representing a 600% increase over 2006, and more than 20 million records, which constituted a 20% increase. In May 2007, Locus introduced what it claims is the environmental industry’s first “software as a service“ (SaaS) environmental portal (ePortal) to its Fortune 100 customers, providing them with a user-friendly interface to environmental information, business analytics, and direct integration with EIM. The ePortal is based on next-generation portal technology that allows seamless information integration across multiple sources. According to Locus, the facility gives users access to Web 2.0 features and allows customers access to important data and information in a single, customizable dashboard. Locus is poised to add another 10,000 EIM and ePortal sites and millions of additional records in early 2008 with existing signed contracts.

 

ABOUT EBJ BUSINESS ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
For more information on the EBJ Business Achievement Awards go to: www.ebionline.org.

Fortune 500 Chemicals Company Selects Locus Technologies SaaS for Environmental Data Management

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., November 19, 2007 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the market and technology leader in on-demand environmental data and information management software and services, today announced that Fortune 500 Chemical Company (The Company) has selected Locus’ award-winning Environmental Information Management (EIM™) on-demand system and ePortal environmental information portal to manage and organize their environmental information. The Company chose Locus’ SaaS EIM system to manage formerly inaccessible analytical laboratory data and will use ePortal’s strong business analytics to reduce overall environmental risk. As an On-Demand web-based solution, Locus’ EIM environmental database meets all project requirements for robust environmental data management, including quick deployment and multi-party access.

Established in 1912, The Company is a leading producer of specialty chemicals used in making a variety of products for home, office, and industrial markets. The Company joins more than 35,000 EIM sites of all sizes, industries, and locations now benefiting from Locus’ single centralized, comprehensive environmental data management solution, accessible at anytime, anywhere in the world.

With EIM, The Company can query and report a variety of data—visualize and spatially query environmental information through Locus Web 2.0 technologies, as well as create on-the fly Google Maps and boring logs all within an intuitive, user-friendly interface. The Company will also enjoy ePortal’s customized dashboards to display site-specific environmental compliance alerts. These advanced features will open a whole new world of environmental decision-making, as well as streamline existing business processes for The Company.

“Before EIM, The Company was using stand-alone systems and was unable to effectively share their environmental data or efficiently perform key business analytics or reporting. By putting the data back into the hands of the data owner, and providing a robust set of tools for environmental data management and visual analysis, The Company project managers and their suppliers will be able to quickly organize and share data on their projects, while significantly reducing the data management effort and cost,” said Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus.