At our recent Power Mixer, April Hanes from CP Chem shared her practical strategies for overcoming common environmental compliance challenges. With rapid change, staff rotations, and rising regulatory demands, staying agile is essential, and April has learned to see these challenges as opportunities for growth.

Seeing rapid change in a positive light

At CP Chem, change is part of the culture, with employees given the opportunity to move into new roles every 18 months. This rotation gives team members a chance to build new skills and grow in their careers and keeps the company flexible and ready to adapt as the industry evolves.

These regular shifts bring fresh ideas and perspectives, but they can also mean things occasionally slip through the cracks—a missed detail in the handover or a document saved in the wrong place. Little things like this can create knowledge gaps or repeated work.

“Luckily, some of us have been here a while,” April shared with a laugh. With seven years under her belt, she often helps new team members pick up right where the last person left off. “I can say, ‘Hey, we’ve already done this, let’s just continue from here!’”

This mix of fresh faces and experienced hands keeps ideas flowing while making sure that essential knowledge doesn’t get lost along the way.

Facing rising regulatory pressures with agility

With regular staff rotations, April and her team often need to revisit the basics of environmental compliance with different departments to keep everyone on the same page.

But the challenge doesn’t stop there. Like many in the chemical manufacturing industry, April faces a complex regulatory environment. Federal and state regulations are only the beginning—CP Chem has also committed to national policies that support global environmental initiatives.

“Even if you struggle with change, you have to be open to it,” April noted. “We each have our own way of keeping pace with the industry, and agility is key.”

Balancing the human/digital spectrum

April tackles these challenges with a two-part strategy: focusing on human performance on one end of the spectrum and digital transformation on the other.

On the “human” side, April believes in understanding how work is actually done across departments. Environmental compliance touches every part of the company, so each department has an impact—often without even realizing it. Many operators don’t see how their tasks directly support compliance, so April is on a mission to show everyone how their role fits into the bigger picture—a mission that’s easier said than done!

She shared a recent example from an internal audit where she had to comb through a permit line-by-line, translating complex compliance requirements into everyday actions. By diving into standard operating procedures and training materials, she created “Plain English guidelines” so that compliance steps are clear and accessible.

“Operators don’t always realize that what they’re doing ties back to compliance,” she explained, “but with straightforward guidelines, they can see how their work supports our environmental goals.” This people-centered approach turns compliance into something everyone can understand and actively support.

Then there’s digital transformation. April’s focus here is on eliminating paper processes and finding digital tools that genuinely make work easier. CP Chem has invested heavily in digital solutions, but choosing the right ones can be a challenge. “There are endless options,” April joked, “and we want to make sure whatever we use actually fits with what we’re trying to achieve.” For her, it’s not about having every shiny tool on the market, it’s about finding the ones that truly help.

And she was quick to add, “The tech’s only as good as the people who know how to use it. If we don’t have someone who really understands the software, we can turn to our partners, like TenForce, to help us make the most of these tools.”

By taking a human-centered approach and embracing new technology, April is helping compliance and daily operations work hand-in-hand. Her story shows that with some strategy and a lot of clarity, companies can make compliance feel like a natural part of the workflow.

Working with TenForce, now and in the future

In her role, April manages human tasks around compliance and data compilation. She’s created an in-house checklist system to flag issues, though she admits it’s a bit of a work in progress. “We’re a manufacturing company, not IT developers!” she laughed. “That’s where PDC and TenForce come in to support us.”

April is excited about deepening these partnerships. “Working with TenForce’s team will only make our data management systems stronger,” she said

April’s journey at CP Chem highlights how adaptability and collaboration are key to modern environmental management. As technology advances and regulations become stricter, she and her team are paving the way for a more sustainable, efficient future—where people and digital tools work together to create a safer environment for all.