Extract From The 2026 EHS Global Corporate Survey: Why Real-Time Visibility And Governance Matter For EHS Leaders

Verdantix has released the 2026 iteration of its EHS global corporate survey, providing EHS leaders with a view of how peers across 25 countries and 24 industries are approaching investment, operational priorities and technology. The survey, based on responses from 302 senior EHS decision-makers, points to a more mature EHS technology market, where improving data foundations and operational visibility are becoming as important as adopting new tools.

Firms are looking for better real-time visibility into risk, and EHS budgets are continuing to rise in the next 12 months to fund this. However, the findings also suggest that achieving better visibility is becoming less about adding another technology layer and more about making better use of the information already being generated across the organization.

Rather than simply a technology ambition, real-time visibility is becoming a broader EHS objective. Increasing use of leading indicator metrics for proactive management remains the top technology goal, with 87% of respondents rating this as either ‘most important’ or ‘very important’ over the next two years. Meanwhile, 79% see real-time data collection and reporting as either ‘most important’ or ‘very important’. This aligns with the continued shift from reactive to proactive EHS management, with teams looking for information early enough to identify emerging risks and intervene before an incident occurs.

The contractor visibility challenge

This direction of travel is particularly evident in contractor management: real-time visibility and control of contractor activities is an important challenge for 82% of respondents. For organizations managing dispersed sites and complex contractor networks, the difficulty goes beyond simply knowing who is working where. EHS leaders need access to timely enough information to understand what is happening in the field and whether emerging risks are being controlled.

The growing need for better visibility also highlights the importance of the data foundations that facilitate this. Improving EHS performance remains the top priority when developing a digital strategy, while data quality, standardization and governance are gaining importance. Interoperability, meanwhile, is a major software buying consideration, reinforcing the need for EHS information to move reliably across systems rather than remain in isolated workflows.

Data readiness for AI

AI has been on the hype cycle and on everyone’s agenda for the past couple of years, but governance is now becoming increasingly important, as organizations actively explore where AI can be applied in EHS. EHS software vendors are slowly commoditizing AI capabilities, while in tandem the survey findings suggest a more pragmatic and realistic approach to AI adoption on the corporate side. Pilot activity is increasing, but widespread deployment remains limited. Data readiness and confidence in AI outputs are significant constraints, with 70% of respondents identifying AI safety, governance and regulatory limitations as either ‘very important’ or ‘important’ barriers. Lack of accuracy and hallucinations are cited by 66%, while 59% point to transparency and auditability challenges.

For corporate EHS leaders, the direction of digital strategy development is becoming clear. The need for real-time visibility is growing, and delivering it at scale will depend on the quality, accessibility and governance of the data behind it. These have historically been major pain points businesses, and the growing use of AI only reinforces their importance. For deeper insights into corporate EHS priorities, challenges and technology preferences, read the full report: Global Corporate Survey 2026: EHS Budgets, Priorities And Tech Preferences.

Beyond these broader trends, it is also important to understand the market and the vendors shaping it is. Look out for Verdantix’s upcoming Green Quadrant: EHS Software (2026) report in late September and Green Quadrant: Contractor Management Solutions (2026) in mid-December for a deeper view of the competitive landscape.