Global Corporate Survey: EHS Services Budgets, Preferences And Priorities

Bill Pennington

Bill Pennington

06 Aug, 2021

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Executive Summary

This report helps EHS executives benchmark their firms’ EHS services budgets, investment priorities and preferences relative to their global peer group. It also offers EHS service and consulting firms support with decision-making and business planning to better align their offerings with corporate requirements. The 2021 Verdantix Global Corporate survey for EHS services spanned 31 countries and 25 industries. Verdantix conducted telephone interviews between June and July 2021 with 302 EHS decision-makers with direct responsibility for corporate-wide EHS management strategies and initiatives. This report uncovers corporate appetite for different project types and structures, in addition to key differentiators that influence EHS consultancy selection. The survey results also give insight into the impact COVID-19 had on services spend and how ESG metrics will drive further investment in environmental consulting post-pandemic.  

Global EHS Services Survey Discloses Corporate Usage And Demand For Professional EHS Services 
Services Survey Features Insights Of 302 EHS Executives Across Various Geographies And Industry Verticals 

Firms Utilize Service Firm Expertise For A Range Of Technology And Strategy Projects 
Firms Recognize The Value Of Utilizing Services Across Critical EHS Functions 
Firms Rely On External Expertise To Provide Higher Quality Deliverables Without Expending Internal Resources    

Firms Are Emerging From The Pandemic With Enthusiasm To Improve EHS Processes 
COVID-19 Led To Increased Spend On EHS Services Projects In 2020 
EHS Professionals Plan To Increase Services Spend As Firms Triage Post-Covid Priorities 

ESG Pressure Has Driven Increased Spend On Environmental And Sustainability Projects  
Firms Have Matured In Their Environmental Services Requirements
Firms Will Rely On Sustainability Services To Meet Heightened Scrutiny For ESG Metrics 

Technology Services Are Highly Integrated Into EHS Operations 
EHS Service Firms To Play A Pivotal Role In Corporate Digital Initiatives
Data Management And Analytics Services Provide Firms With Valuable EHS Insights 

Firms Select Services Firms On Expertise, Prior Experience And The Ability To Deliver Large Projects 
Subject Matter Expertise Is The Major Differentiator When Selecting EHS Service Firms 
Corporate Firms Show A Preference For Large Scale Projects 

Figure 1. Survey Respondent Industry Breakdown 
Figure 2. Survey Respondent Geographical Breakdown 
Figure 3. Corporate Valuation Of EHS Service Use Cases 
Figure 4. Primary Corporate Decision-Makers For EHS Service Projects 
Figure 5. Benefits That Drive Investment Into EHS Services 
Figure 6. The Effect Of COVID-19 On EHS Service Spend 
Figure 7. The Utilization Of EHS Service Use Cases In The Last Year 
Figure 8. How EHS Service Budgets Will Change Over The Next 12 Months 
Figure 9. The Usage Of Third-Party Led Environmental Projects In The Last 12 Months 
Figure 10. The Usage Of Third Party Led  Environmental Projects In The Next 12 Months 
Figure 11. Corporate Appetite For Sustainability Services In The Next 12 Months 
Figure 12. EHS Technology Implementation Services Used In the Last 12 Months 
Figure 13. EHS Technology Implementation Services To Be Used In The Next 12 Months 
Figure 14. Primary Benefits Of A Technology Solution Packaged By An EHS Service Provider 
Figure 15. The Value Of Data Management And Analytical Services For EHS Use Cases 
Figure 16. Influential Factors Affecting EHS Service Provider Selection 
Figure 17. Preference For Size And Structure Of EHS Projects 

About the Authors

Bill Pennington

Bill Pennington

VP Research

Bill is VP Research at Verdantix, where he leads analysis on the evolving and interconnected landscapes of EHS, quality, AI and enterprise risk management. His research helps ...

Tom Brown

Tom Brown

Manager, Advisory Services

Tom is a Manager in the Verdantix Advisory Services practice, where his focus is on delivering client solutions for EHS and sustainability digitization. Tom joined Verdantix a...

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