An article was published from Dunn-Edwards Specs + Spaces, recognizing Citadel not only for its work in helping companies Go Green, but also for setting a great example as to how beneficial being Green can be!
Specs+Spaces Citadel Environmental Services: Greening the Workplace
April 18, 2012
April 13, 2012
EHS&S Consultant by Day - Financial Prognosticator by Night
While I practice Environmental, Health, Safety and Sustainability (EHS&S) consulting by day, I’ve been forced to become a financial prognosticator by night. As the Principal of Citadel, a mid-sized, employee-owned EHS&S firm, I’ve always had to make forecasts about the economy, identify industry trends, and formulate corporate strategies. The basis for my decision making could be as sound as making conclusions relying on established business and trade journals or as weak as consulting with the swelling in my trick knee. Either way, it was hard for me to go wrong.
Before the last major recession, “all boats were rising” - I could always dial in growth into the planning process, as we had grown steadily for 15 years. Conversely, for 2008-2010ish, I could forecast reductions or no growth as the entire economy was either in a tail-spin or treading water – “all boats were sinking”.
But a couple of weeks ago, I was given a challenge by a valued Citadel business consultant, Dr. Kim Huynh, to conduct a webinar to a university audience. My responsibility was to share my insights into the EHS&S industry as to its stability, potential for growth, trends, and industry drivers. My challenge was that I was presenting to a mature, international audience that likely wouldn’t merely accept “because my trick knee is never wrong” predictions, and were looking for fact-based assessments. And we all know, anyone making predictions the last couple of years were, either, fools or someone who was going to soon made a fool. But, here I was, being forced to make predictions in the transparency of fog.
I turned to three trusted sources to measure the state of the economy for the EHS&S industry: (1) our existing pipeline, (2) IBISWorld’s August 2011 Report, and (3) our insurance broker.
Unrecognized by most, the environmental industry is a good leading indicator about the strength of the economy or at least investor confidence. We represent several hundred clients in numerous industries including real estate, retail, entertainment, education, energy, manufacturing/aerospace, defense, health care, government, etc. Often, environmental firms, especially those similar to Citadel that service the entire life-cycle of real estate, are the first in on deals, working with the “smart money” before architects and engineers, and well before contractors. Therefore, my first indicator was looking at work in progress, backlog, opportunities, and the telltale billable hours metric. Having reviewed those measures, the first indicator for an economic upturn was a “go.”
The second source was IBISWorld’s August 2011 Report for our industry. After reading about 50 pages of the report and all of the entertaining charts (zzzz), the conclusion was that we could expect 9.4 % annual growth for the next several years. The second indicator was a “go.” So far, so good.
The third source, while ostensibly an odd source, was our insurance broker. For the past 20 years, I’ve turned to our broker as a bellwether as to the state of the economy. Similar to Citadel, his firm represents clients from a cross-section of different industries and are intimately familiar with their clients’ business operations. In the case of our broker, it doesn’t hurt that he is the West Coast President of an insurance brokerage owned by one of the nation’s top-ten largest banks. Having his insight into his customer base and access to his parent company’s economists, he reported back that almost all of his clients were adjusting their strategic plans upward or currently hiring new staff to service existing business or expected business. Our experience is similar to many of our broker’s - we’ve been hiring additional staff (announcements will be forthcoming), investing in real estate and equipment, conducting extensive staff development, and re-tooling our practices of how we work.
The conclusion for my preparation for the webinar was that the EHS&S industry was on solid footing and that a recovery was underway. Now, I recognize that there are some destabilizing factors and some looming threats to the economy such as the presidential election, national debt/spending cuts, Europe’s sovereign debt crisis, and a series of bad options for dealing with Iran, however, it’s time for the bear (at least a timid bear) to come out of hibernation. In won’t be a quick, gangbuster recovery, but it will steadily improve over time.
Now, I just have to hope that I’m not tomorrow’s fool.
Loren Witkin
Principal
April 6, 2012
Citadel Owner & Founder Gives 30 Minute Webinar For American City University!
Citadel Owner & Founder Mr. Loren Witkin speaks with American City University about the Environmental Consulting Services Industries. Follow the link to the 30 minute Webinar:
April 4, 2012
Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response ON-LINE Training
 Citadel was contracted by a major motion picture studio to provide computer-based Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) training. Citadel created a unique E-Learning account for every employee, which allowed users to access the training course modules via the internet from any location at any time. All courses were self-paced with optional audio narration, and all users were granted access to an internal messaging system. The client’s account included access to the seven (7) part HAZWOPER training course that included; • Scope, Application, and Training Requirements of the HAZWOPER Standard • Toxicology, Monitoring, and Medical Surveillance • Hazard, Risk Assessment, and Identification • Respiratory Protection and Personal Protective Equipment • Confined Spaces, Handling Drums and Containers • Site Control and Decontamination • Emergency Response and Spill Prevention All E-Learning modules consisted of interactive flash media presentations, module specific exams with randomized questions, and printable completion certificates. The HAZWOPER course ended with a final exam in addition to individual exams for each of the seven (7) component modules. All courses complied with and met applicable Federal and State training requirements. |
April 1, 2012
Review of California Certified Unified Program Agencies, Hazardous Materials Inventories and Emergency Response Program
Citadel Environmental Services, Inc. was contracted by a major retail company to review the requirements of the California Certified Unified Program Agencies (CUPAs) in anticipation of updating the company's Hazardous Materials Business Plan for multiple retail store locations. The California Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) is a local agency that has been certified by the California Environmental Protection Agency to implement six state environmental programs within the local agency's jurisdiction. The Unified Program includes the Hazardous Materials and Hazardous Wastes Inventory and Business Emergency Response Plan.
Citadel conducted hazardous materials site surveys, as well as prepared Hazardous Materials Business Plans that included compiling Hazardous Material Inventory forms, Emergency Response Plans, Hazardous Waste Generator forms, and other agency-specific reporting forms for the local CUPAs within the jurisdiction of each retail store location.
The Hazardous Materials Inventory and Business Emergency Response Plan Program regulate the use and storage of hazardous materials by business and industry. Chemical Inventory Title 42, Section 11022 of the United States Code and Chapter 6.95 of the California Health and Safety code require the reporting of hazardous materials when used or stored in certain quantities (greater than 55 gallons of liquid, 500 pounds of solids, or 200 cubic feet of compressed gases). A Chemical Inventory was generated for all retail stores that disclosed all hazardous materials and wastes stored, used, or handled above the reporting threshold on site. This disclosure information assists emergency responders in planning for and handling emergencies which involve hazardous materials. The program objective is to safeguard lives and minimize property loss.
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