Sustainability Dashboard

A: Our Sustainability Dashboard Tool is designed for organizations of all sizes. It does NOT require dedicated personnel or someone with a degree in computer science in order to manage it. Our Dashboard is designed to be user-friendly and is affordably priced for small organizations.

Q: Is there any software or hardware that is required to use this tool?

A: No, our tool is web based and requires no additional hardware or software. This means you do not have to spend extra money or waste precious time waiting for updates to install!

Q: Is the Sustainability Dashboard tool compatible with MACs and PCs?

A: Yes, our tool is compatible with both MACs and PCs, and supports a variety of web browsers such as Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, and Chrome.

Q: I know you say that the Tool is designed to be simple and easy-to-use, but some of this doesn't look as simple as you make it sound.

A: With our Dashboard, you can go at your own pace. The Sustainability Dashboard is designed around 6 primary categories (energy, transportation, waste/recycling, water, office supplies, and cleaning products). Within each category we have pre-populated the Tool with templates that allow you to begin using the categories that make sense for you.

Furthermore, the Tool is NOT an "all or nothing" proposition. You can start with the easy things, such as entering your bills for utilities (energy and water), waste, fuel, and transportation information. Thus, with a relatively small amount of data entry each month, you will have generated important Greenhouse Gas reporting, and you are already on your way. Then, each subsequent month, you can add more categories or even begin adding individual product subcategories at a pace that is right for you.

PRICING

Q: Do we have to keep buying new editions each time an update comes out?

A: No, all updates to the tool are included for all subscribers at no extra charge.

Q: The Sustainability Dashboard is pretty inexpensive compared to similar products on the market. Is it adequate for what my organization needs, and can I showcase my results?

A: With the Sustainability Dashboard, we have found a way to generate 95% accuracy for 5% of the cost compared to competitive products. The Dashboard is specifically designed for small to mid-size organizations who can’t afford to hire dedicated staff to manage an enterprise software tool. Our ultimate goal is not to create complex reporting systems, but to provide actionable, accurate reporting that helps your company become more sustainable.

Q: My organization has three locations. Do I need a subscription for each one?

A: Yes. The Sustainability Dashboard has been designed for use at each individual location, because our primary mission is to help organizations improve their performance. We believe this will happen only when people at the local level (rather than at the corporate headquarters) take ownership. After all, it is the local managers who will ultimately be responsible for making improvements. (And getting the credit for them.)

Q: How long is the contract period?

A: Yearly contracts are available with credit card purchase.

Q: Do I have to pay subscription fee for each user that accesses the Dashboard?

A: Additional users are not charged. Because we want to help you create a ‘culture of sustainability’ in your organization, we encourage you to invite as many users as needed.

Q: If I buy subscriptions for multiple locations, does the Tool provide overall information for my entire organization?

A: Yes. You can see a top-level view of your organization to highlight performance measures of interest, track achievements and indicate potential problems. The Sustainability Dashboard offers a portfolio comparison for your entire organization and this is one of the most effective ways to find areas for cost savings. Perhaps you would like to know which of your locations had the highest and lowest energy cost last quarter. Or perhaps one of your locations showed a puzzling increase in usage of paper or other supplies, vs. your other locations. The Sustainability Dashboard will make all of these differences completely transparent.

DATA LOADING AND SECURITY

Q: How do I get my data into the Dashboard?

A: There are three ways of entering data:

You can upload large data files electronically.
You can manually update the data in ‘edit page’ mode.
You can have our staff enter your data as an extra service.

Q: How long does it take to upload data?

A: It is very easy to load historical data into the Dashboard. If your data is in electronic format, the initial setup time can range from 1 to 4 hours depending on how many categories you wish to track. Updating the Dashboard takes about 1 hour a month.

Q: Will my data be secure and safe?

A: The Dashboard uses SSL (Secure Socket Layer) connections for all our internet transmission of client data, including all web pages displayed to clients after login and all data they submit from those pages. We have a corporate SSL Certificate used to establish SSL web connections. Additionally, we back everything up daily on a second server.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Q: What kind of customer support will I have?

A: Sustainability Dashboard provides online technical support via email, available 24 hours a day, with a response from our professional support team provided within one business day, or less. Additional support is customized to meet your needs according to your pricing plan.

SUSTAINABILITY

Q: How is the GHG calculated?

A: The GHG graphs show the Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e) calculated in metric tons (MT) based on the EPA’s most recently published calculation for CO2e estimations; more information on this calculation can be found here. The EPA identified three main sources of carbon emitters associated with running your facility – Energy, Transportation, and Waste/ Recycling. Note: These calculations are specific to the state where the facilities are located.

Energy: The energy graph calculates the CO2e for each of the different energy types that you are consuming.

Transportation: In the Transportation category, the CO2e is an estimate of carbon emissions for each vehicle, based on the amount of fuel consumed and the type of fuel (gasoline, propane, or diesel).

Waste/Recycling: The waste and recycling graph shows the amount of carbon emissions associated with the waste and recycling discarded by your facility. Though it is better to recycle waste materials, even recycled materials produce carbon emissions. Ultimately, reducing consumption is the best way to reduce your organization’s carbon footprint.

Q: My understanding is that sustainability addresses three areas - environmental, financial and social, but it appears that your Tool only addresses the first two. Is this correct?

A: What you are seeing is the 1st module of what will ultimately be a suite of Tools. This module is focusing on operations and will provide information on the impacts from warehousing, logistics, internal operations, products and more. In the future we will develop modules specifically for your HR departments to report on human rights, training and other sustainability initiatives.

Q: Can the Dashboard Tool help with LEED reporting?

A: Yes. The Sustainability Dashboard Tool is designed to capture data consistent with LEED-EBOM reporting. For example, our Tool will help document the data you will need for your submittals in the following prerequisites and credits: EA Prerequisite 2: Minimum Energy Efficiency Performance; MR Credit 1: Sustainable Purchasing - Ongoing Consumables; MR Credit 2: Sustainable Purchasing - Durable Goods; MR Credit 4: Reduced Mercury in Lamps; IE Q Credit 3.3: Green Cleaning - Purchase of Sustainable Cleaning Products and Materials; IE Q Credit 3.4: Green Cleaning - Sustainable Cleaning Equipment

Q: I know Steve Ashkin has been a leader in the Green Cleaning Movement; how has this influenced the development of the Sustainability Dashboard?

A: Steve has been a leader of the green cleaning and green building industry and the Sustainability Dashboard reflects his vision for providing inexpensive and easy-to-use Tools specific to the needs of organizations who are tracking their sustainability efforts. While Steve has been intimately involved with the issue of sustainability and is quite knowledgeable, the Tool itself relies on the appropriate "frameworks" such as the Global Reporting Initiative, Carbon Disclosure Project, US EPA, and USGBC's LEED-EBOM requirements. Furthermore, we have relied on Steve's personal relationships with leaders of the Green Building Movement developed over the past 20 years to help provide the "improvement tips" which help organizations succeed in their sustainability efforts.