EY has launched a Sustainable Operating Blueprint designed to help organizations move sustainability out of standalone reporting functions and into core strategy and execution. The framework is structured to guide companies from setting ambition to implementing change across the enterprise, with a focus on embedding environmental and social considerations into governance, capital allocation, risk management, and operational decision-making.
The Blueprint is organized around two pillars—strategic clarity and operational embeddedness—supported by nine operational levers that break down into functional areas across the business. The model walks organizations through defining a clear sustainability direction, assessing current capabilities, and prioritizing targeted actions. It also includes tools aimed at helping leadership teams map key stakeholders, align incentives, and equip sustainability leaders with practical steps that can be implemented quickly while laying groundwork for broader transformation.
For companies that have already made public climate or ESG commitments, the framework offers a structured path to translate those commitments into management systems and measurable execution. By tying sustainability goals more directly to operating processes and performance oversight, the approach aims to reduce internal fragmentation and give functional leaders clearer guidance on how to integrate sustainability into everyday business decisions.