The costs associated with environmental compliance software are numerous, but in a misguided effort to save money, some corporations look for ways to reduce non-compliance costs by reducing staff. But the fact is, companies can save the money in the long run & complying with environmental regulations by investing in a robust environmental, health and safety software.
Your environmental, health, and safety (EHS) team is worth the investment. They are on the frontlines helping the company stay compliant and developing robust EHS policies and procedures. Leveraging environmental compliance software helps them ensure that the company is adhering to all relevant regulations.
What Can Non-Compliance Cost You?
Executives know that that non-compliance isn’t an option. Failure to comply with environmental, health, and safety regulations can have numerous ramifications on your business and the costs to the business go far beyond the fines and penalties that may be assessed by regulators. You stand to lose business. there may be significant damage to your reputation, and legal fees could significantly impact your ability to operate.
Environmental non-compliance can lead to your business being temporarily shut down until you address the problems. This can lead to lost productivity and lost business while you’re closed, and it can also lead to future loss of business. For example, a customer may not be able to wait until you’re able to restart your operations, so they may have to take their business to a competitor, and they may choose to stay with that competitor rather than giving you another chance. In extreme situations, the government may also revoke your license to operate, which would be devastating to your business.
The government and your customers may not be the only ones to penalize you. Any professional organizations that you are a part of may also censure you for failing to live up to their standards of conduct. Likewise, if your violations are egregious enough, the media may pick up the story and subject you to the court of public opinion.
How to Avoid an Environmental Health and Safety Debacle
Anyone who understands the true costs of non-compliance realizes that it’s worth the investment and effort to uphold environmental health and safety standards. The question then becomes, what is the best way to remain compliant?
EHS management software makes it easy to be aware of all of your regulatory requirements and track your adherence. Proper use of environmental compliance software can help you spot dangerous trends, such as emission or effluent levels before they exceed permissible levels or perhaps approaching deadlines for submission of regulatory reports. Being aware of these things not only keeps you compliant, it can also save you money by helping you identify inefficient processes and equipment.
In the event of an unavoidable mishap, incident reporting software ensures that you fill out all of the proper reports and paperwork to fulfil your legal obligations. This information can be shared with insurance companies and medical providers as needed, as well as any regulatory bodies that need to be informed of the incident.
It’s Worth the Effort
Maintaining environmental compliance is the smart choice for any business. The long-term costs of failure are difficult to bear. The rewards of success include a healthy business, good standing within your community, and the knowledge that you’ve chosen to do the right thing.
