The EHS Maturity Model

Changing expectations and disruptive technologies can create new environment, health and safety (EHS) challenges that should be considered. To help address these issues while maintaining compliance, EY has developed the EHS Maturity Model to guide you on your journey.

Related topics Assurance Environment health and safety issues Climate change and sustainability Financial accounting advisory services Workforce

The team

Mathew Nelson

Mathew Nelson

EY Oceania Chief Sustainability Officer

Jessica Wollmuth

Jessica Wollmuth

EY Americas Climate Change and Sustainability Services Deputy Leader

Rebecca Dabbs

Rebecca Dabbs

Ernst & Young Australia Climate Change and Sustainability Services Partner

What EY can do for you

The EY EHS Maturity Model can help you assess your organization against seven practical levers and create an action plan to guide you on your EHS maturity journey. This can include:

  • Assessing your organization’s capabilities using an interactive process tailored to your organizational needs. In this process, EY teams can help you identify your organization’s current position and where you could be in the future.  
  • Creating an action plan that sets out the activities that may help to close the gaps between your current state and aspirational goals. The actions should then subsequently be prioritized to suit your needs. 
  • Aligning your leaders and workforce to deliver the action plan. EY teams can help you prioritize your actions and deliver a consistent message, helping support workforce alignment toward a common EHS purpose.
EY EHS Maturity Model

EY EHS Maturity Model


Underpinned by years of working with companies and EHS leaders across all industries, the EY CCaSS team has developed the EY EHS Maturity Model framework which can help evaluate and guide you on your EHS maturity journey.

Connect with us and start your journey

The framework underpinning the EHS Maturity Model is the product of years of working with numerous companies and EHS leaders across all industries. Unlike traditional EHS maturity models, the EY model can help identify opportunities to enhance EHS maturity and adopt better practices through continuous improvement activities, rather than providing a finite score or measure of success.

Learn more about each of the seven levers:  

  • Strategy

    Assessing the maturity of the organization’s EHS model covering:

    • The organization’s strategic approach to identifying and managing EHS risk, and leverage opportunities.
    • How the organization considers the value of EHS, and how these values are used within the organization.
    • The clarity provided to management and the workforce on their key responsibilities.
    • How the organization drives EHS continuous improvement.

  • People

    Measuring the level of capability, competency, capacity and motivation of the workforce to manage EHS risks, covering:

    • How competency requirements are established and embedded across the organization.
    • The expectations of the workforce to implement and take ownership for the organization’s EHS strategy.
    • Whether the culture of the organization empowers the workforce and supports the EHS risk profile and strategic approach.
    • How the organization supports the health and wellbeing of the workforce.

  • Leadership and governance

    Relating to the maturity of the leadership and governance of EHS of the organization, covering:

    • The formal structure of EHS accountabilities within the organization.
    • The extent of leadership support required to support the management and the workforce to execute the EHS strategy.
    • The level of influence, reward and recognition required to achieve positive EHS performance.
    • The maturity of the governance structures in place to support knowledge flow and commitment to EHS improvement.

  • Systems and structure

    Understanding the maturity of the systems and organizational structures by which EHS is managed within the organization. This includes assessing the maturity of:

    • Structures for EHS consultation, communication and collaboration.
    • The organization’s overarching EHS policies and standards.
    • Work design, processes and procedures related to EHS.
    • Roles, responsibilities and reporting lines for EHS.

  • Assurance and reporting

    Assessing the maturity of the reporting processes and assurance activities of the organization, including:

    • The quality and robustness of processes for capturing and reporting data and information to both management and the board.
    • Understanding whether EHS reporting is used to inform decision-making.
    • The maturity of processes for providing assurance to management and the board, and in assessing controls across the three lines of defence.
    • Considering whether outcomes of assurance processes are used to drive continuous improvement and inform EHS strategy.

  • Risk and opportunity

    Evaluating the maturity of processes for:

    • Identifying and assessing EHS risk and opportunities.
    • Determining effective controls to manage critical risks.
    • Hazard and incident reporting.
    • Determining stakeholder requirements for EHS risk management.

  • Digital technology

    Assessing the maturity of an organization’s use of technology to support EHS risk management and continuous improvement including:

    • The level of workforce capability and development for EHS digital technology.
    • Evaluating whether the organization uses data analytics to better manage EHS and drive continuous improvement.
    • Utilizing technology where possible to eliminate or control EHS risks.
    • The maturity of processes to support innovations and investment in technologies to manage EHS risks.

Certain services and tools may be restricted for EY audit clients and their affiliates to comply with applicable independence standards. Please ask your EY contact for further information.

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