For more than twenty years, ERA Environmental Management Solutions has been blazing the trail for Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) software. It set the pace for the industry as one of the world’s first firms to develop air emissions management software.
The company’s first projects tackled air emissions reporting for the cabinetry industry. The surge in demand for environmental reporting automation led to an expansion into dozens of other sectors. Today, ERA’s environmental management designs are powered by an extensive set of features that cover every element of a business’s EHS footprint.
Standing Tall in a Crowded Market
There are many things that set ERA apart, but one of its core strengths is its team. All ERA solutions are designed from the ground up by expert environmental scientists and EHS specialists who have hands-on experience in the manufacturing industry.
ERA only offers EHS software solutions that are truly grounded in the complex chemical regulatory science that drives compliance with federal and state requirements. In short, chemical expertise and science is the driving force behind its software.
The other factor that puts ERA ahead of the competition is that there is nothing generic about the company’s software. Its SaaS solution is configured by an in-house team to each client’s specific processes and chemical inventory.
ERA’s analysts work with the client’s EHS managers to map out their entire manufacturing process. Every material, piece of equipment and control technology, and everything that comes out of the software is meticulously tracked by ERA’s platform to give crystal clear Key Performance Indicators about their operations.
Too often, EHS software providers sell clients an empty database that cannot hit the ground running. On the other hand, ERA ensures that its clients’ platforms are fully functional and tailored to their exact specifications during the in-house implementation process.
Strong Leadership
ERA Environmental Management Solutions was Cofounded by Gary Vegh and Sarah Sajedi. They started the company as a small consulting firm but turned to software development upon recognizing the need for automation in environmental compliance reporting.
Today, Sarah is the acting CEO and Director of R&D, while Gary is the Senior Toxicologist and Lead Project Analyst. Sarah is an award-winning entrepreneur, with recognitions from RBC as a National Woman of Influence, a recipient of the Sara Kirke Award for High Technology, and is featured in high school chemistry textbooks.
Tackling Complex Scientific Challenges
ERA is known for tackling the most complex scientific challenges in the industry, and that is basis on which its software has grown.
The company follows two principles when asked to define a solution. First, that every challenge is an opportunity to learn about a new client that will ultimately lead to better software, and second, that improving the environmental footprint of entire industries requires collaboration. ERA works closely with its clients and federal regulators to tackle challenges collaboratively. It believes that clients are its best educators and welcomes every new request or challenge they present.
According to ERA, it is always developing something! Recently, it rolled out a new dynamic Business Process Mapping form is are completely customizable and incredibly robust.
It allows ERA to model any EHS business process, completely automate data collection, and create real-time reports through one simple form. It can be customized so each client controls the exact look and feel of the software, and creates their own bespoke processes.
ERA presents this as the ultimate solution to every company’s desire for complete control, backed by the proven business logic and calculation engine of ERAs’ software.
Unique Business Model, Shared Future
ERA’s business model is significantly different from that of its competitors. The company prides itself on an incredible implementation winning streak at a time when the vast majority of enterprise software packages by others fail at this crucial stage.
Its implementation is never outsourced, and development does not start until ERA has fully understood the client’s processes and needs. The procedure is performed by its own team of environmental scientists who have worked in close and constant collaboration with the client’s environmental team.
Another key difference is that ERA ensures the software is fully functional by back-filling as many years of data as possible.
The company’s relationship with a client does not end at payment, which is somewhat of a rarity in the industry. Instead, ERA runs reports and even provides free training for life to ensure each client who uses their software gets the maximum benefits.
ERA has outgrown its old headquarters and moved recently into a larger building.
In terms of software, one can expect continuing innovation in its sustainability tools. ERA is developing new capabilities that will not only help companies track and report their existing sustainability projects but actually apply business intelligence to identify where their processes can be made more efficient through automated recommendations.
One of the primary challenges with sustainability is knowing where to start, and ERA will be able to identify where companies can start saving the most money immediately.
