Held with the unmistakable energy and camaraderie of longtime collaborators and change-makers, Benchmark Gensuite’s Impact 2025 customer conference offered fresh perspectives on digital enablement and next-gen EHSQ & Sustainability leadership.
From keynote insights to executive panel perspectives, Impact 2025 offered a clear message: innovation in EHS is accelerating—and AI is at the heart of the transformation.
Let’s dive into some of the most compelling moments from the event.
First-to-Market: Agentic AI for EHS & Sustainability
In his opening remarks, Benchmark Gensuite Founder & CEO R. Mukund called on attendees to shape the future of AI in EHSQ, Sustainability, and Operational Safety—not as spectators, but as collaborators. He announced the launch of Benchmark Gensuite’s EHS AI Special Agents—designed to act, not just analyze—and positioned these tools as the next evolution of frontline enablement.
“The future is in our hands. AI will not just happen to us. We can—and must—be part of deciding where it goes.”
— R. Mukund
From “helpers” that generate content and summaries, to intelligent AI agents that complete actions and adapt over time, Benchmark Gensuite is continuing to lead the way in practical, secure, and scalable AI for daily operations.
📥 For a closer look at how EHS professionals are leveraging AI, download our 2025 EHS Benchmarking Report: Leveraging AI to Predict & Prevent Injury
David Metcalfe on the Mindset Shift for EHSQ Leaders
David Metcalfe, CEO of Verdantix, delivered a compelling address focused on the structural changes required for next-generation EHS leadership. He emphasized the importance of aligning digital transformation with financial value, functional integration, and leadership development. His insights underscored the need for EHS professionals to position themselves as strategic enablers within their organizations.
His talk centered on six key elements every EHS leader should prioritize today.
The Vision for Frontline Enablement
Donavan Hornsby, Chief Market Strategy Officer at Benchmark Gensuite, facilitated a discussion on emerging priorities for functional leaders—from building a data-driven culture to embracing tech innovation without losing sight of people.
Donavan Hornsby invited attendees to reflect by leading a mindful breathing exercise. This served as a powerful segue into his central message: leaders must learn to engage with the “20,000 daily moments” experienced by frontline workers—just as consciously as they might think of those 20,000 breaths.
Hornsby’s presentation focused on the critical shift from simply engaging frontline workers to enabling them. Drawing from Benchmark Gensuite’s own innovations—like real-time microlearning at the point of action and ergonomic assessments powered by 3MotionAI—he urged leaders to think beyond traditional management systems.
His call to action? Embrace AI-powered decision-making and frontline enablement as the next evolutionary leap in functional leadership.
Insights from the Field
Our standout panel discussion with partners and senior leaders from our subscriber community brought theory into practice, with practitioners sharing their real-world wins and challenges.
Key voices included:
- Allison Montgomery, VP of EHS at Applied Materials, shared how her team built ROI calculators to showcase the business value of EHS technology. Montgomery also highlighted the importance of integrating EHS into business operations early in the digital journey. “We couldn’t have done this without Benchmark Gensuite as a partner.”
- Brian Bartal, Chief Safety Officer at Unifi, wowed the room with UniFi’s application of predictive and prescriptive analytics. He described how data modeling helped reduce OSHA recordables by 18.6%. Bartal’s team ties performance data directly to compensation and accountability. “Our model connects safety scorecards to frontline behaviors. If it’s not measured, it’s not improved.”
- Doug Pontsler, Chairman & Managing Director at COVE, emphasized the shift toward actionable, leading indicators. “Focus on the metrics that matter most. The goal isn’t more data—it’s better decisions.” A longtime advocate for visual literacy and frontline empowerment, Pontsler also reminded the audience that while AI is powerful, it’s people—not just data—that drive change. His call: invest just as heavily in building human capability, communication, and critical thinking as in technology.
- Helen Watts, Global HSE Director at Atmus Filtration Technologies, explored how to engage a multigenerational workforce through digital tools. Coming from her previous role at a large corporation (Cummins) to a lean team of three at Atmus, Helen also emphasized the agility and innovation possible in smaller, fast-moving environments. She spoke to the importance of selecting the right digital partner—in her case, Benchmark Gensuite—to build a foundational management system and bring frontline risk data to life. “We’re building a culture that lets the frontline see risk differently—by design, not by chance.”
Taking the Next Step
Impact 2025 lived up to its name: it was a forward-looking, thought-provoking, and practical forum for leaders committed to evolving EHSQ and sustainability into powerful business enablers. With the Benchmark Gensuite ecosystem supporting their transformation, this community of change-makers is well positioned to shape the next era of safety, sustainability, and operational excellence.
As Donavan said it best—each of us has 20,000 moments a day. What matters is what we do with them.
Ready to explore how AI and automation can elevate your EHS program? Here are a few ways to continue the conversation:
Looking for more even more takeaways from Impact 2025? Book a meeting today! We’d love to connect with you about your goals for 2025 and beyond.
