October 28, 2021

Gap Between Intent and Implementation in Workplace Safety Processes Persists, Sphera’s 2021 Safety Report Finds

Data from Sphera’s New Safety Report reveals that even though safety is part of the corporate culture, companies lack a well-defined roadmap to implement safety improvement measures.

CHICAGO, Oct. 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — While most companies have embraced safety as part of their corporate culture, there are still hurdles to overcome to improve their process safety and personal safety performance, Sphera’s new Safety Report reveals.

Sphera^®, a leading global provider of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance and risk management software, data and consulting services, surveyed nearly 350 risk, process safety and health and safety professionals. Results show that while 75% of the respondents said that safety is part of their organization’s corporate culture, only 40% said they have a well-defined safety performance roadmap in place.

Safety is the foundation of any strong organization and a key component of ESG. According to Sphera’s Safety Report, creating a safety culture is just as important as being compliant, which has impacted the prioritization of performance safety drivers. Respondents indicated that the top three key safety performance drivers are reducing operational and major accident hazard (MAH) risk exposure (60%), regulatory compliance (48%), and corporate and board priority (37%).

Employer awareness of the safety hazards facing their workforce has been heightened during the pandemic. Over a quarter (27%) of respondents indicated that the adoption of centralized Health and Safety processes is lagging.

For five years, Sphera produced the highly anticipated Process Safety Management/Operational Risk Management (PSM/ORM) report exploring industry trends in process safety and operational risk management. However, with the 2021 report Sphera has expanded the overall safety landscape to include health and safety as well. While the occupational safety and health sector has especially felt pressure, companies across all sectors have had to make constant structural adjustments to keep workers safe.

“The pandemic has highlighted just how quickly safety and risk management processes can be thrown off balance. Safety in all its aspects makes for a resilient and sustainable business model, especially in an era when ESG goals are of the utmost importance,” said Sphera CEO and President Paul Marushka. “An effective safety culture and efficient safety process helps ensure a healthy workforce and enhanced business performance. However, we are still seeing a gap in how companies link safety and business performance, which highlights a need for a more holistic approach through data, software and expertise.”

Additional insights:
This year’s survey shows 51% of respondents pointing to limited resources, 43% to conflicting priorities and 31% to limited budgets as the main obstacles to delivering planned safety-critical maintenance and inspections, which has remained consistent. These leading indicators of the underlying problems preventing organizations from achieving improved safety performance and fewer incidents tie back to the gap between safety intent and safety implementation.

The Sphera Safety Report shows that there is still work to be done implementing risk monitoring practices that address the full spectrum of risks across organizational silos. Additionally, a little over half (56%) of respondents indicated that they still track critical safeguards/barriers manually, such as loss of containment and structural integrity, and a mere 19% said that these safeguards are monitored in real time. This further highlights the stronger ties between process and worker safety that emerged during the pandemic and the need for organizations to have a holistic view of safety and risk management.

About the Safety Survey
Sphera surveyed 349 risk, process safety, and health and safety professionals from a cross-section of global industries from across the world evaluating their safety standards for the 2021 Safety Report. Respondents came from several global industries, such as Manufacturing, Oil and Gas, Chemicals/Petrochemicals, Energy, Construction, Professional Services and Government.

About Sphera
Sphera is the leading provider of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance and risk management software, data and consulting services focusing on Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability (EHS&S), Operational Risk Management and Product Stewardship. Learn more about Sphera at www.sphera.com. Follow Sphera on LinkedIn.

For media inquiries or to request a copy of the report, please contact:
Denise Jones, Marketing Communications Manager, Sphera, djones@sphera.com

October 28, 2021

SeeUnity’s Echo Content Synchronization Product Enhancements Expedite Data Updates with Webhooks Option for Microsoft 365 and Filevine Integrations

DENVER, Oct. 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SeeUnity – An Anaqua Company, the leading provider of Application Programming Interface (API)-based content integration and migration solutions for on-premise and cloud-based Enterprise Content Management applications, today announces the release of a significant Echo Content Synchronization (Echo) product enhancement supporting events-driven synchronization via webhooks. This capability is less resource intensive and expedites the notification of content and metadata changes from cloud-based systems to another application, delivering real-time data updates to users.

Echo is a robust content synchronization engine that enables organizations to securely connect and sync data between a document management system and other external applications via API. Echo can sync content and content changes in one direction or bi-directionally on an ongoing and scheduled basis, allowing users to collaborate and access up-to-date content anywhere.

Using webhooks provides an alternative method for syncing data between applications. Webhooks deliver data over the web as changes (events) happen, versus relying on numerous API call requests for changes. API rate limits are often found with cloud-based systems, causing delays and bottlenecks. For customers that require frequent, numerous, and timely data updates, this means they’ll receive the information much faster and more efficiently utilizing webhooks.

“A full Echo API scan is still run periodically to catch events that may have been missed for normally occurring situations, such as internet glitches, downed systems, or database errors,” commented Dan Hunsinger, CTO at SeeUnity. “The combination of webhooks, with the full scan safety net, creates a solid, efficient, and reliable integration.”

Gene D’Aversa, Sr. Director of Knowledge Management & Technology Innovation, IT Department Husch Blackwell: “The adoption of cloud-based applications in the industry continues to rise, and with that comes its own set of intricacies for system integration and content synchronization. SeeUnity invests in the product enhancements and functionalities that meet market challenges and help support enterprise agility. Over the years, we’ve partnered with SeeUnity in an effort to continually modernize and streamline our IT ecosystem, providing our users with more efficient processes. The ROI impact of leveraging these integrations is significant, ultimately benefits our customers, and contributes to our success.”

The Echo webhook sync option for Microsoft 365 and Filevine is immediately available. The capability is being expanded to other cloud-based systems.

About SeeUnity – An Anaqua Company

SeeUnity has led the way in providing API-based enterprise content integration and migration solutions for legal tech and beyond since 2004. We’ve helped over 500 customers and 30 global partners streamline workflow processes, enable secure collaboration, and maintain Information Governance. Our 30+ connectors support most ECM, CRM, IPM, collaboration, and file sharing systems. Now an Anaqua company, SeeUnity has an even greater ability to accommodate expanding IT ecosystem connectivity needs. New connectors under development include: HR, Legal Matter Management, and finance systems. For a complete list of connectors or additional information, please visit https://seeunity.com, Twitter @SeeUnity or LinkedIn.

Press Contact
Jo Becker, Director of Marketing, SeeUnity
jbecker@anaqua.com | +1 970 776-8318

PDF available at: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/6f1dc9d9-6f16-40ed-984e-b550d3813794

October 28, 2021

Sanitation and Water for All at COP26

NEW YORK, Oct. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Sanitation and Water for All is a partner of the first-ever Water for Climate Pavilion at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). The Pavilion, curated by 33 organizations, will highlight water’s critical role in transformative climate action and deliver cutting edge, science-based advice on mitigation and adaptation to climate decision-makers.

“90% of the problems caused by climate change are estimated to be water related, leading to droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events. We need decision-makers to prioritize the human rights above all other uses, and guarantee climate resilient water and sanitation strategies, plans, and budgets, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized.” said Catarina de Albuquerque, CEO of the UN-hosted Sanitation and Water for All partnership. “The first-ever Water Pavilion is an unprecedented opportunity to align climate and water policies so that human rights are realized, climate risks are reduced, and there is more money available for adaptation. Let us seize this opportunity to work together and to deliver on our commitments – for the benefit of all.”

At COP26 and other key events and spaces, SWA partners are calling on Governments to:

Improve the efficient use of water resources and prioritize their allocation among competing uses in a way that gives priority to the realization of human rights
Ensure that marginalized groups, including women and children, gain access to running water, soap, and toilets for their health and dignity, which is a key part of building climate resilience
Work together with corporations and international financial institutions to speed up investment in climate-resilient water infrastructure and services – especially for countries in vulnerable situations

Virtual events from the Water Pavilion include:

Climate finance to support adaptation of basic services and build community resilience: water, sanitation and hygiene

Tuesday 2 November, 9:00am GMT. More information here.

Policy, accountability & monitoring for climate resilient water, sanitation & hygiene: moving from commitment to progress

Saturday 6 November, 11:30am GMT. More information here.

List of other Water Pavilion events.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1441352/Sanitation_and_Water_for_All_Logo.jpg

October 28, 2021

Le Rapport sur la sécurité 2021 de Sphera révèle que l’écart entre l’intention et la mise en œuvre des processus de sécurité au travail persiste

Les données du nouveau Rapport sur la sécurité de Sphera révèlent que même si la sécurité fait partie de leur culture, les entreprises ne disposent pas d’une feuille de route bien définie pour mettre en œuvre des mesures d’amélioration de la sécurité.

CHICAGO, 27 oct. 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alors que la plupart des entreprises ont intégré la sécurité à leur culture d’entreprise, il existe encore des obstacles à surmonter pour améliorer leurs performances en matière de sécurité des processus et de sécurité personnelle, selon le nouveau Rapport sur la sécurité de Sphera.

Sphera^®, un fournisseur mondial de premier plan de services de conseil, de données et de logiciels de gestion des risques et des performances environnementales, sociales et de gouvernance (ESG), a interrogé près de 350 professionnels des risques, de la sécurité des processus et de la santé et la sécurité. Les résultats montrent que si 75 % des personnes interrogées ont déclaré que la sécurité fait partie de la culture de leur entreprise, seules 40 % ont indiqué avoir mis en place une feuille de route bien définie en matière de performance de la sécurité.

La sécurité est le fondement de toute organisation forte et un élément clé de l’ESG. Selon le Rapport sur la sécurité de Sphera, la création d’une culture de la sécurité est tout aussi importante que la conformité, ce qui a eu un impact sur la hiérarchisation des facteurs de performance en matière de sécurité. Les répondants ont indiqué que les trois principaux facteurs de performance en matière de sécurité sont la réduction de l’exposition aux risques opérationnels et aux risques d’accidents majeurs (MAH) (60 %), la conformité réglementaire (48 %) et la priorité de l’entreprise et du conseil d’administration (37 %).

La sensibilisation des employeurs aux dangers pour la sécurité de leur personnel a été accrue pendant la pandémie. Plus d’un quart (27 %) des répondants ont indiqué que l’adoption de processus centralisés de santé et de sécurité était en retard.

Pendant cinq ans, Sphera a produit le très attendu rapport sur la gestion de la sécurité des processus/la gestion des risques opérationnels (PSM/ORM) explorant les tendances de l’industrie en matière de sécurité des processus et de gestion des risques opérationnels. Cependant, avec le rapport 2021, Sphera a étendu le paysage global de la sécurité pour inclure également la santé et la sécurité. Alors que le secteur de la sécurité et de la santé au travail a subi de fortes pressions, les entreprises de tous les secteurs ont dû procéder à des ajustements structurels constants pour assurer la sécurité des travailleurs.

« La pandémie a mis en évidence la rapidité avec laquelle les processus de gestion de la sécurité et des risques peuvent être déséquilibrés. La sécurité sous tous ses aspects crée un modèle commercial résilient et durable, en particulier à une époque où les objectifs en matière d’ESG sont de la plus haute importance », a déclaré Paul Marushka, PDG de Sphera.« Une culture de la sécurité et un processus de sécurité efficaces contribuent à assurer une main-d’œuvre en bonne santé et des performances commerciales améliorées. Cependant, nous constatons toujours une lacune dans la façon dont les entreprises associent la sécurité et les performances commerciales, ce qui met en évidence la nécessité d’une approche plus holistique par le biais des données, des logiciels et de l’expertise. »

Informations supplémentaires :
L’enquête de cette année montre que 51 % des personnes interrogées signalent des ressources limitées, 43 % des priorités contradictoires et 31 % des budgets limités comme principaux obstacles à la fourniture de la maintenance et des inspections critiques prévues pour la sécurité, un résultat constant. Ces principaux indicateurs des problèmes sous-jacents empêchant les organisations d’améliorer leurs performances en matière de sécurité et de réduire le nombre d’incidents sont liés à l’écart entre l’intention de sécurité et sa mise en œuvre.

Le Rapport sur la sécurité de Sphera montre qu’il reste encore du travail à faire pour mettre en œuvre des pratiques de surveillance des risques qui maîtrisent l’ensemble des risques dans les silos organisationnels. En outre, un peu plus de la moitié (56 %) des répondants ont indiqué qu’ils continuent à suivre manuellement les garanties/obstacles critiques, tels que la perte du confinement et de l’intégrité structurelle, et 19 % seulement ont déclaré que ces garanties étaient surveillées en temps réel. Cela souligne davantage l’accent de plus en plus placé sur la gestion de la santé et de la sécurité (HSM) qui a émergé pendant la pandémie et la nécessité pour les organisations d’avoir une vision globale de la gestion de la sécurité et des risques.

À propos de l’enquête sur la sécurité
Sphera a interrogé 349 professionnels des risques, de la sécurité des processus, de la santé et de la sécurité issus d’une section transversale des industries du monde entier en vue d’évaluer leurs normes en matière de sécurité pour établir le Rapport sur la sécurité 2021. Les répondants provenaient de plusieurs industries mondiales, telles que la fabrication, le pétrole et le gaz, les produits chimiques/pétrochimiques, l’énergie, la construction, les services professionnels et le gouvernement.

À propos de Sphera
Sphera est un fournisseur mondial de premier plan de services de conseil, de données et de logiciels de gestion des risques et des performances environnementales, sociales et de gouvernance (ESG) mettant un accent tout particulier sur l’environnement, la santé, la sécurité et la durabilité (EHS&S), la gestion des risques opérationnels et la gestion des produits. Pour en savoir plus sur Sphera, rendez-vous sur www.sphera.com. Suivez Sphera sur LinkedIn.

Pour toute demande d’ordre médiatique ou pour demander une copie du rapport, veuillez contacter :
Denise Jones, responsable des communications marketing chez Sphera, djones@sphera.com

October 28, 2021

Launch of Seegene’s STARlet-AIOS: All-in-One System Fulfills Critical Need for Fully Automated, High-Throughput Real-Time PCR Testing

A true walk away ‘sample to answer’ molecular diagnostic system designed for high throughput testing, offering a time-efficient and seamless workflow for clinical laboratories
Utilizes Seegene’s patented, cutting-edge high multiplex real-time PCR technologies to provide ‘Real’ Ct values of individual pathogens in a single channel.
Incorporates Seegene’s broad menu of molecular diagnostics for syndromic testing, for detection of SARS-CoV-2 and variants.

SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — South Korea’s leading molecular diagnostics (MDx) developer Seegene Inc., (KQ 096530) is addressing the needs of small, mid-sized, and large hospitals and COVID-19 laboratories with its fully automated STARlet-AIOS: All-in-One System (AIOS). First unveiled at the 2021 AACC Annual Scientific Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo in Atlanta, the modular system supports a “hands-free” PCR workflow, automating everything from nucleic acid extraction to the interpretation of results. This can help sites boost their testing capacity while lessening the burden on laboratory and hospital staff.

“Seegene has played a critical role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in large part because of our forward-looking strategy. We moved fast from day one, rapidly developing a reliable assay for the novel coronavirus and then pivoting to multiplexed tests that can detect emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants,” said Dr. Jong-Yoon Chun, Seegene Founder and CEO. “As we look ahead, the most pressing diagnostic need will be for cost-effective and high throughput automated systems that can remove any remaining testing bottlenecks. Our all-in-one system specifically addresses that need for hospitals and laboratories of all sizes.”

More than 3.75 billion people worldwide have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. As daily case counts and fatalities decline, many countries are easing their restrictions and preparing to live with the virus. Doing so safely will require ongoing surveillance, with accurate PCR testing and rapid turnaround times.

The modular design of STARlet-AIOS: All-in-One System unites two standalone instruments––the STARlet IVD and the CFX96™ Dx real-time PCR System––with a custom-built robotic arm. This unique engineering allows customers to either purchase the full AIOS system or integrate existing Seegene instruments already in use. With its compact and intuitive design, the AIOS is accessible to small-to-medium sized hospitals and clinics, along with larger organizations.

Seegene’s current portfolio with an extensive test menu including GI, HPV, STI, respiratory assays as well as a suite of SARS-CoV-2 assays detecting a wide range of variants (namely, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, kappa, Lambda, Mu, etc.) can all be processed using the AIOS. The system will also be compatible with newly developed assays and Seegene’s MOBILE STATION, an innovative laboratory-on-wheels initiative that delivers mass testing capacity to communities that would otherwise lack the necessary infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the company plans to introduce Allplex™ Respiratory Virus Master Assay, in late 2021, a single tube syndromic assay that can differentiate between COVID-19 and other major common respiratory pathogens, such as influenza, RSV, adenovirus, parainfluenza, metapneumovirus, human rhinovirus. The introduction of the new assay will help doctors treat cases more effectively, by differentiating causative pathogens of COVID-19 and respiratory viruses for common flu, which may surge in winter season.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1357790/Seegene_logo_Logo.jpg

October 28, 2021

Voluntary Repatriation of Burundian Refugees Accelerates

The U.N. refugee agency reports more than 60,000 Burundian refugees have voluntarily returned home this year, ending years of exile in five neighboring countries.

The election of Burundi’s then-President Pierre Nkurunziza to a controversial third term in 2015 triggered a mass exodus of refugees from the country. Observers say it took another presidential election in May 2020 to persuade thousands of refugees it was safe to go home.

Evariste Ndayishimiye took office on June 20, following the sudden death of Nkurunziza earlier that month.

The UN refugee agency says the voluntary assisted return program, which began in 2017, has been gathering pace after the country’s elections in 2020.

UNHCR spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo, acknowledges her agency’s concerns about reported human rights violations in Burundi. She says all returns are carefully vetted to ensure that it’s done in safe manner.

A convoy carrying 343 Burundian refugees returned to the country from Uganda earlier this week. The UNHCR reports about half that number have returned from Tanzania, with the rest coming from Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya.

Mantoo says the repatriation operation is moving along in a quick and organized fashion. She says convoys of around 1500 refugees arrive in Burundi every week.

“On arrival at one of five reception centers, returning families are given household items and cash assistance to help them restart their lives. However, more support is needed to achieve sustainable reintegration for these individuals (who) are returning as well as for the communities in Burundi receiving them. Often the required social and economic infrastructure is lacking,” she expressed.

The UNHCR reports it has received just 10 percent of the $104.3 million it needs to support return and reintegration in Burundi. It notes this is a problem given the increasing numbers of people going home.

Since 2017, more than 180,000 Burundian refugees have voluntarily returned home. However, nearly 270,000 Burundian refugees remain in exile.

Source: Voice of America

October 28, 2021

WHO: Five African Countries on Track to Reach 40% Vaccination Goal

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Africa region chief says only five African countries – less than 10 percent of the continent’s nations – are on track to meet the goal of vaccinating 40 percent of their populations by the end of the year.

WHO Africa says Seychelles, Mauritius, and Morocco have already met the 40-percent – goal established during the WHO-sponsored World Health Assembly in May. At the current pace two other countries, Tunisia and Cabo Verde will likely reach the goal as well.

In a virtual news briefing Thursday, WHO Regional Director Matshidiso Moeti said for other African nations to have a chance to meet the goal, they will need to receive 30 million vaccine doses a week – nearly double the current 17 million they are receiving from all sources.

Adding to the vaccine shortage, Moeti said the region is facing the looming threat of a syringe shortage. She said the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) predicts a global shortage of around two billion of the auto-disposable syringes needed for COVID-19 vaccine and routine immunization.

The WHO Africa chief said some African countries, such as Kenya, Rwanda, and South Africa, have already experienced delays in receiving syringes and unless drastic measures are taken to boost syringe production, the continent could face a crisis.

Moeti said the shortages include the 0.3ml auto-disposable syringes used for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination. She warned there is no global stockpile of the specialized syringes, which differ from the 0.5ml syringes used for other types of COVID-19 vaccine and routine vaccination.

The market for 0.3ml syringes is tight and extremely competitive. As such, they are in short supply and will remain so through at least the first quarter of next year.

WHO Africa says the COVAX Facility is working to address the threat by securing deals with syringe manufacturers, and through better planning to avoid vaccine deliveries outpacing the supply of syringes.

Source: Voice of America