KTL will be a featured presenter and exhibitor at the 2026 Chicagoland Safety, Health & Environmental Conference in Naperville, Illinois, September 14-16, 2026. The Conference provides timely and relevant environmental management, safety, health, professional development and OSHA/EPA compliance training to EHS professionals, business owners, facility managers, plant managers, supervisors, safety committee members, human resources managers, municipalities, and others who have safety, health, and environmental management and compliance responsibilities.

KTL Sessions

Session T05: The Big Secret: You Already Have the EHS Software You | Tuesday, September 15, 8:30-10:30 am CT
Building an EHS compliance management system doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive—not when most companies already have the software they need. Learn how to build data management tools to collect, track, and report EHS compliance information using the latest Microsoft 365 and Power Platform apps. This session will walk through key features and functionality of an EHS compliance management system, discuss the importance of a plan-do-check-act development approach, and provide tips to ensure successful development and implementation. See working examples and hear directly from EHS and IT experts on how to leverage familiar Microsoft tools to cost-effectively elevate EHS processes and management systems and drive ongoing compliance.

Session W18: Framework for Creating a Best-in-Class Safety Culture | Wednesday, September 16, 1:15-2:45 pm CT
High-profile incidents in industries from energy to manufacturing demonstrate that safety compliance alone is not enough—organizational culture determines whether safety systems thrive or fail. Consistent with OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs and ISO 45001, this session outlines a practical framework for building a best-in-class safety culture focused on ten key attributes: leadership, values, goals and initiatives, organization and structure, employee engagement, resource allocation, systems and standards, metrics and reporting, continual learning, and verification and auditing. This presentation will help professionals create a Safety Culture Action Plan that moves the organization beyond short-term initiatives toward sustainable cultural excellence through proven implementation techniques. Participants will gain actionable insights to strengthen their own safety cultures, improve safety outcomes, reduce incidents, and create organizational resilience.

Stop by KTL’s booth to talk more about your safety, health, and environmental needs. We look forward to connecting with you in Naperville!

KTL is joining Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Green Tier Program for a webinar on the recent changes to ISO 14001 and its implications for your environmental management system (EMS) on Tuesday, August 25 from 12:00-1:00 PM. Click here to register!

This webinar will focus on updates to the ISO 14001 standard, including:

• How to maintain conformance through your EMS.
• Expanded review of environmental conditions that impact or are impacted by your organization.
• Greater emphasis on lifecycle perspective when identifying aspects.
• New clause on managing change.
• Broader role for leadership.
• Updates to managing third-party provided processes and services.
• Alignment with Green Tier Functionally Equivalent EMS elements.

Guest speakers will include Green Tier auditors and DNR staff, who will share how the updates align with Green Tier’s Functionally Equivalent EMS and ‘superior environmental performance’ outcomes defined in law. Expert panelists include:

• April Greene, CSP, CHMM, KTL
• Douglas B. Johnson, Ph.D., KeenWorks LLC
• Kevin Lehner, Environmental Compliance Systems, Inc
• John Senter, The SenterStone Companies
• Jenni Birkholz, Green Tier Project Coordinator, WI DNR
• Weston Wegener, Green Tier Project Coordinator, WI DNR

KTL will be a featured presenter at VPPPA’s 2026 Safety+ Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee, August 30-September 2, 2026. The Safety+ Symposium is a premiere EHS&S event that provides the tools and resources to bring safety and health programs beyond compliance to excellence. It offers attendees the unique opportunity to see safety from all angles and better understand its role in the modern workplace. Designed with continuous improvement at its core, VPPPA’s Safety+ Symposium enables workers from all industries, at all levels, to better themselves as well as their workplace.

KTL will be presenting a breakout session on September 1 at 7:00 a.m. entitled Framework for Creating a Best-in-Class Safety Culture. Improving safety culture is one of the most urgent challenges facing organizations today. High-profile incidents in industries from energy to manufacturing demonstrate that compliance alone is not enough—organizational culture determines whether safety systems thrive or fail. Creating an effective Safety Culture Action Plan requires considering existing culture and honestly assessing which changes are reasonable to implement first. This session provides a tested framework, based on research and field experience, that enables professionals to recognize the building blocks of a world-class safety culture. KTL will discuss real-world practices, leadership behaviors, and organizational strategies that can elevate safety culture from good to truly best-in-class.

We look forward to connecting with you in Nashville!

KTL will be attending at the 2026 College & University Hazardous Materials Management Conference (CUHMMC) at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities August 9-12, 2026. CUHMMC is the premier higher education hazmat conference, bringing together the EHS leaders from across higher education to discuss the challenges faced in an academic environment and solutions and best practices that have been implemented at peer institutions.

KTL will be co-presenting with Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) on Using Microsoft SharePoint and the Power Platform for Hazardous Materials Management. This presentation will discuss how educational facilities can use Microsoft SharePoint and the Power Platform to develop hazardous materials data management tools. We will provide an overview of how the Microsoft platform can be used to address university-specific needs and will demonstrate tools such as a chemical inventory app, waste determination register, waste pick-up workflow, and a training management system.

We look forward to connecting with you in Minneapolis!

KTL will be exhibiting at the American Correctional Association’s 156th Congress of Correction in Pittsburgh, PA, July 30 – August 2, 2026. The Congress features a wide array of workshops and sessions focused on cutting-edge topics for correctional facilities. The educational workshops feature the best in the business, passing on critical knowledge and engaging in important discussions, while the expansive exhibit allows attendees to interact with hundreds of companies serving the correctional industry.

Be sure to stop by and visit KTL at Booth #1106. We’ll be sharing more about our EHS, food safety, and Microsoft 365 information management solutions. We look forward to connecting with you in Pittsburgh!

Many organizations use compliance management systems to help comply with industry standards (e.g., ISO, GFSI), internal requirements, and/or regulations. These systems range from manual, siloed processes to digital systems that support compliance across departments.

Not all compliance management systems deliver the same benefits. When systems are outdated, fragmented, overly manual, or not tailored, organizations can experience frustration and compliance failures. But when implemented effectively, compliance management systems reduce manual effort, increase consistency, and enhance compliance.

Key Elements of a Robust Compliance Management System

While some organizations still rely on paper, many have transitioned to a digital platform for storing compliance and management system information. However, strong compliance management systems go well beyond simply storing documents. They are designed to help organizations track, manage, and demonstrate adherence to industry standards, internal policies, and government regulations.

Instead of relying on scattered spreadsheets, emails, manual tracking, or even paper trails, a robust compliance management system centralizes compliance activities. This includes:

• Policy and procedure management.
• Regulatory and standards monitoring.
• Risk assessment and control.
• Audit preparation and reporting.
• Workflow-driven processes and data collection.
• Continuous improvement and corrective action.

When implementing a compliance management system, the following key characteristics are important in making sure the system is effective at managing compliance requirements, documents, and activities, and will deliver the most value to the organization:

• Centralization and Visibility: Provides a single reference point for compliance activities across the organization.
• Automation of Workflows: Automates repetitive tasks to reduce manual effort.
• Real-Time Monitoring and Alerts: Creates immediate visibility into compliance status, including alerts.
• Ease of Use: Employs customizable, user-friendly interfaces to improve adoption and increase user engagement.
• Audit Readiness: Enables data collection and document management to help organizations quickly demonstrate compliance during audits.
• Scalability and Flexibility: Is customizable, scalable, and adaptable for when organizations or requirements change vs. following a one-sized-fits-all approach.

KTL’s Approach

KTL’s approach to building a robust compliance management system involves leveraging Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform. This allows us to focus on leveraging what organizations already have (i.e., no new licensing) and building solutions in a phased process to add value to the organization at a comfortable pace.

The general process includes the following steps:

• Align Technology with Business Needs: KTL works to understand current processes and compliance requirements to tailor the compliance management solution to the organization’s specific needs, resources, and schedule requirements.
• Follow a Phased Approach: We don’t jump into development; rather, we typically begin with planning and assessing current systems and processes, followed by initial development, review, and refinement. This structured approach helps prioritize needs and build a solution that delivers value while evolving over time.
• Iterative and Collaborative Development: KTL builds our solutions incrementally with continuous input from stakeholders. This allows for adjustments based on feedback throughout the process to ensure the final system meets real-world needs.
• Focus on Practical Outcomes: Our goal is to help organizations centralize data, automate workflows, improve reporting, and reduce risk through a scalable compliance management system that enhances efficiency without unnecessary complexity.

Overall, KTL’s approach is about maximizing value from existing technology while delivering a flexible, user-driven compliance solution that grows with the organization.

Get Started

If your organization is looking to build a new or improve an existing compliance management system, KTL can help you navigate this process by assessing your needs and building a strong system that meets your organization’s requirements. Reach out today to schedule a no-obligation demo to discuss how a compliance management system built in the Microsoft ecosystem can improve your compliance processes.

KTL Senior Associate April Greene, CSP, CHMM, was recently invited to join the Board of Directors for Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful (KNIB), an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. KNIB is an environmental resource center that aims to inspire and educate citizens to take action to improve and beautify their community and environment through waste reduction, recycling, and resource conservation.

A resident of Northern Illinois, April brings over 10 years of environmental, health, and safety (EHS), quality, and food safety experience to her KNIB Board position. She has created corporate programs, plans, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with regulatory and sustainability requirements, as well as a company Zero Landfill Policy by finding creative and innovative solutions for end-of-life material through lifecycle analysis.

As part of the KNIB Board, April is joining a positive force for environmental stewardship and promoting KNIB’s mission to improve the environment through education, public awareness, and community involvement.

Supplier audits play a critical role in protecting food product safety and quality, regulatory compliance, and consumer trust. As food companies continue to expand their networks of co-manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and packaging partners, the ability to identify and address systemic weaknesses has never been more important.

Turning Risks into Opportunities

KTL conducts second-party supplier audits across the food supply chain to assess compliance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standard requirements. These audits have revealed a familiar pattern of vulnerabilities that can pose significant risks if left uncorrected or opportunities to strengthen food safety programs if addressed.

The findings below represent some of the most common nonconformances KTL routinely observes when conducting supplier audits across the food industry and recommendations for how to mitigate them.

FDA/USDA Findings

• Insufficient cleaning and quality inspection before area/equipment release. This is generally a result of sanitation procedures not being consistently followed, documented, or effective and/or pre‑operational (pre-op) inspections not being thoroughly performed. This gap increases the risk of cross‑contamination, introduction of foreign material, and microbial hazards. Recommendations:
  • Implement validated cleaning procedures with defined steps, tools, and chemicals.
  • Use ATP swabbing or microbiological verification before releasing equipment.
  • Conduct pre‑op inspections using standardized checklists.
  • Train sanitation teams and supervisors on verification processes and expectations.
• Noncompliance with personnel Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) requirements. Employees may not be consistently following hygiene requirements, such as handwashing, proper gowning, restricted jewelry, or safe food handling behavior. Recommendations:
  • Provide routine GMP training and refresher sessions.
  • Conduct daily GMP walk‑throughs with related coaching, as needed.
  • Improve signage and visual cues in production areas (e.g., handwashing signs in bathrooms, color coding).
• Inadequate process validation. Process validation helps ensure that critical steps (e.g., cooking, cooling, packaging) consistently deliver the intended food safety outcome. Inadequacies suggest missing scientific data or incomplete validation records. Recommendations:
  • Validate all critical control points (CCPs) using scientific studies or in‑plant data.
  • Document process parameters (e.g., time, temperature, pressure) clearly.
  • Revalidate after equipment changes, formulation changes, or facility modifications.
• Improper handling and storage of materials. Improper material handling (e.g., incorrect temperatures, poor first-in-first-out (FIFO)/first-expired-first out (FEFO) rotation, or exposure to contaminants) can degrade product quality or safety. Recommendations:
  • Enforce FIFO/FEFO inventory practices.
  • Maintain temperature logs for refrigerated/frozen storage.
  • Segregate allergens and chemicals to prevent cross‑contact or contamination.
  • Train warehouse and production teams on handling and storage requirements.

GFSI Findings

• Noncompliance with visitor requirements. Visitors may not be following necessary GMP or biosecurity protocols (e.g., sign‑in, health questionnaires, protective clothing) or the facility may not be properly enforcing procedures, increasing the risk of foreign contamination. Recommendations:
  • Establish a formal Visitor Policy with mandatory orientation.
  • Provide required personal protective equipment (PPE) to visitors and escort them throughout the facility.
  • Maintain accurate visitor logs and health screening records.
• Poor facility maintenance and cleaning. Maintenance deficiencies (e.g., damaged floors, standing water, or buildup in hard‑to‑clean areas) can create harborage points for pests or pathogens. Recommendations:
  • Create a Preventive Maintenance (PM) Program with documented schedules.
  • Address structural issues promptly (e.g., cracked tiles, peeling paint).
  • Perform routine deep cleaning of facility infrastructure.
• Lack of verification of corrective actions taken. This indicates that corrective actions are being implemented; however, no follow‑up verification is occurring to ensure the issue is effectively resolved. This can lead to recurring nonconformances.Recommendations:
  • Require verification (i.e., inspection, testing, documentation) after every corrective action.
  • Track corrective actions to closure and monitor for recurrence trends.
  • Use root cause analysis tools (e.g., 5‑Why, Fishbone) to address systemic issues.
• Poor environmental monitoring. The Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) may be missing, outdated, or insufficient. Weak EMPs fail to detect pathogens like Listeria or Salmonella in time to prevent contamination. Recommendations:
  • Design a robust EMP with Zone 1–4 sampling.
  • Perform routine microbiological testing and trend analysis.
  • Investigate any positive results with immediate containment and vector sampling.
• Lack of pest control mitigation when issues arise. Pest activity is being detected, but corrective measures are not timely or effective in mitigating pest concerns. This can jeopardize both food safety and regulatory compliance. Recommendations:
  • Partner with a licensed pest control operator (PCO) to conduct routine inspections.
  • Implement corrective action steps immediately after any pest activity; track corrective actions to closure.
  • Seal facility gaps, maintain landscaping, and eliminate pest attractants (e.g., standing water, waste).
  • Trend pest control data to identify patterns.

Leveraging Internal Audits

While many of the findings listed above are common, they are also highly preventable if organizations know what to look for. Supplier audits remain one of the most powerful tools for uncovering these weaknesses before they escalate into safety or compliance failures that present significant risk. Beyond compliance, leveraging audit results can help organizations make decisions and require supplier improvements that strengthen brand reputation, reduce operational risk, and create a culture where food safety is embedded in every decision and behavior.

Effectively managing supplier data, documents and records, and performance across a large supplier network requires consistent processes and data management practices to effectively verify food safety compliance and mitigate associated risks. Integrating standardized tools and information management solutions can significantly improve supplier program efficiency and streamline supplier management.

Supplier Management System

KTL’s Supplier Management System comprises custom tools built using Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform to streamline how an organization approves and manages suppliers, help control costs and reduce risk, and support compliance with internal requirements and regulations (e.g., Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) Rule).

The Supplier Management System comprises the following:

• Centralized Supplier Inventory: Maintains a centralized list of all suppliers the organization works with. This includes key details such as contact information, supplied products or services, certifications, supplier-specific requirements, compliance status, performance history, and facility‑specific requirements.
• Supplier Risk Assessment: Evaluates potential and existing suppliers by identifying and analyzing factors that could introduce risk into the supply chain. It examines elements such as compliance status, performance history, documentation quality, and contract adherence. The tool captures any identified risks and helps ensure they are documented, monitored, and addressed as part of an ongoing Supplier Management Program.
• Supplier Documents and Records Management: Provides secure and centralized storage and organization of supplier documents and records. When enabled, suppliers can upload their own documents in a secure folder, reducing internal resource requirements. This tool allows for improved document searchability and accessibility, a clear audit trail, and reduced paperwork.
• Supplier Approval Workflow: Supports a structured, standardized process for both the initial approval and ongoing re-evaluation of suppliers to ensure continued compliance with organizational, regulatory, and performance requirements. This feature uses a standard checklist to review certifications, licenses, risk indicators, and performance history to consistently evaluate suppliers. Through a repeatable process, organizations can reassess supplier performance over time, confirm ongoing compliance, and identify emerging risks or gaps that may require corrective action or follow-up.

Together, these features provide a comprehensive approach to supplier management that improves visibility, consistency, and accountability regarding supplier performance. Implementing a robust Supplier Management System like this can significantly help organizations strengthen supplier relationships, reduce operational and compliance risk, and maintain confidence in their supply chain, particularly when paired with regular supplier audits.

Connecting Supplier Audits

As food companies continue to expand their networks of co-manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and packaging partners, the ability to identify and address systemic weaknesses has never been more important. Onsite supplier audits are a critical component of an effective Supplier Program, providing direct visibility into supplier operations; verifying compliance with organizational, regulatory, and contractual requirements; and protecting food product safety and quality.

KTL’s Microsoft 365-based Audit Tool provides a consistent, data-driven means to conduct, document, and manage onsite supplier audits. The tool allows auditors to capture and verify audit evidence (i.e., compliance status, operational practices), standardizes audit protocol and criteria, and tracks audit progress from initiation through completion. It also monitors identified corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) for each supplier, allowing organizations to quickly assess resolution status and trends.

Centralizing audit data and insights as part of the overall Supplier Program helps inform decision-making regarding suppliers, strengthen supplier performance, maintain ongoing compliance, and drive continuous improvement.

Learn More at the Food Safety Summit

Join KTL at the 2026 Food Safety Summit in the Tech Tent on May 14 at 10:30 a.m. to learn more about the various tools that can improve Supplier Program efficiency and streamline supplier management, including:

• The value of onsite second-party supplier audits.
• Common supplier audit findings and how to address them.
• How supplier auditing tools streamline audit management.
• Ways to centralize and analyze supplier audit data.
• How data-driven tools improve supplier risk prioritization and program efficiency.