Green Quadrant: Inside Verdantix’s Risk Management Report
As risk profiles evolve and regulatory pressures grow, organisations are increasingly turning to enterprise risk management (ERM) consulting services to remain resilient.
The 2025 Green Quadrant report by Verdantix provides a comprehensive benchmark of the 15 most prominent ERM consulting providers globally.
The ERM leaders are based on a rigorous methodology involving vendor briefings, a 50-point questionnaire and an assessment of capabilities and momentum.
Key trends in ERM consulting
Demand for ERM services is rising as businesses seek to address emerging risks, from ESG obligations and cyber threats to AI adoption and third-party exposure.
Verdantix’s report identifies two tiers of service providers, the first one being the Big Four — Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC — which lead large-scale, technology-integrated ERM transformations.
The second tier involves mid-market specialists, offering niche services tailored to specific industries or regions.
Despite advisory layoffs, the long-term outlook remains positive — driven by regulatory complexity, ESG scrutiny and the need for digital risk strategies.
Leaders in integrated risk management
Ernst & Young (EY) emerged as a Leader in the Green Quadrant report, with high scores in capabilities across risk advisory, financial risk, operational resilience and risk data analytics.
EY leverages its sector-specific expertise and partnerships with firms like Microsoft, SAP and ServiceNow to embed advanced technologies and AI in its risk solutions.
“As connectivity takes an increasingly central role in industrial digitalisation, telecommunications companies should take care to identify risks that are emerging outside their organisation, whether these relate to existing supply chains, changing customer needs or more complex policy and regulatory environments,” says Cédric Foray, EY Global Telecommunications Leader.
“This is particularly true of cybersecurity, where attack vectors and surfaces are evolving at speed.
“GenAI’s impact on employee and customer experiences also requires attention to mitigate downside risks, while telcos should stay alert to evolving regulatory imperatives designed to build confidence in AI.”
With 25,000 risk professionals and a US$51.2bn global footprint, EY supports large multinationals in regulated sectors such as finance, energy and manufacturing.
According to the report, EY’s focus on complex projects may limit accessibility for mid-sized firms — a gap EY is aiming to close through modular, scalable services.
ERM consulting firms
The report not only includes EY and the rest of the big four, it focuses on other ERM consultant firms who are focusing on making a difference.
PwC joins EY in the Leaders quadrant, offering comprehensive, AI-enabled solutions and maintaining a strong client base.
“The government’s AI strategy is a major policy lever to help enhance UK productivity and drive growth,” says Rachel Taylor, Leader of Industry for UK Government and Health Industries at PwC.
“Its success will hinge on how industry, public services and government work together to achieve this vision.”
“There is a critical link in how this strategy enables the successful delivery of an industrial strategy so AI can be harnessed to drive productivity of the UK’s priority and wider sectors.”
PwC has expanded ESG and tech advisory services despite a 2.5% reduction in its US workforce — however, in the UK, its workforce is expected to increase.
“The plan to use the immigration system to recruit thousands of AI experts, while encouraging students to take up AI-focused courses, is an important measure in challenging the country’s acute AI skills-shortage,” Umang Paw, Chief Technology Officer at PwC UK, explains.
“Our research shows that the most AI-exposed business sectors see a fivefold increase in the rate of productivity growth and UK employers are willing to pay a 14% wage premium for jobs that require AI skills.”
Fellow big four companies, Deloitte and KPMG, are positioned as innovators.
Deloitte scores highly in digital capabilities and governance, while KPMG remains strong in operational expertise, despite recent layoffs in the US and UK.
FTI Consulting, Protiviti, J.S. Held and Kroll provide deep expertise in internal controls, assurance and forensic risk — often favoured for investigations or litigation support.
McKinsey & Company and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), traditional strategy firms, rank as challengers.
They bring strong momentum, however, both are still developing their ERM service breadth.
“Customer experience has emerged as a strategic imperative,” Harald Fanderl, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, says.
“Now more than ever, organisations can take a data-driven approach to predict customer behaviour, actively monitor satisfaction, anticipate churn and turn loyalty into profitability
“With the right customer-centric transformation strategy, organisations can yield a strong return on investment — from value creation to cost reduction.”
Grant Thornton, BDO and RSM cater to mid-market firms, with strengths in regulatory compliance, ESG and financial risk.
These three firms offer more personalised service and flexibility than their larger counterparts.
dss+, the former DuPont Sustainable Solutions, stands out for its operational risk and resilience capabilities, particularly in manufacturing and industrial sectors.
Baringa, a UK-based consultancy, is recognised for ESG and energy sector risk expertise however, its internal control capabilities are limited.
Each firm in the quadrant demonstrates strengths across specific service lines, such as financial risk, ESG compliance, internal control and analytics.
The offer of specialised strengths offers buyers flexibility, depending on their organisation’s size, industry and strategic risk appetite.
Whether navigating ESG reporting requirements or embedding AI in decision-making processes, firms of all sizes can benefit from engaging the right ERM consultancy.
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