The Need for a Trusted WHS Benchmarking Source in Australia

Safety Sphere Analyst | Mar 17, 2025

In today’s business landscape, workplace health and safety (WHS) is a top priority for executives, boards, and WHS directors. Yet, despite its critical importance, one of the biggest challenges Australian companies face is the lack of a single, trusted source of data to benchmark against. Without a reliable, industry-wide resource, organisations struggle to validate key decisions, measure the effectiveness of their safety culture, and compare their WHS performance to industry peers with confidence.

The Problem

Fragmented and Inconsistent Data

Currently, companies must rely on scattered sources of information to assess their WHS performance. Some turn to government reports, others lean on industry associations, while many conduct internal assessments that are difficult to compare across sectors. This fragmented approach presents several challenges 

• Inconsistent Reporting Standards – Different industries and organisations use varied metrics to define safety success, making meaningful comparisons nearly impossible.
• Delayed or Outdated Data – Many publicly available safety reports are outdated by the time they are published, preventing companies from making timely, data-driven decisions.
• Limited Cross-Industry Insights – Without a standardised benchmarking system, businesses cannot accurately compare their WHS performance across industries, missing out on potential best practices that could be adapted to their own operations.
• Risk of Misaligned Decision-Making – When executives and boards don’t have a clear understanding of where their company stands relative to others, they risk making misinformed decisions that could lead to compliance issues, increased incidents, or reputational damage. 

The Impact

Disconnected Strategies and Uncertain Outcomes

The absence of a reliable WHS benchmarking source creates significant obstacles for organisations striving to improve their safety culture. 

• Boards Face Difficulty in Oversight – Without clear and standardised data, boards struggle to provide effective oversight on WHS strategies, leaving safety leadership without the executive buy-in needed to drive real change.
• Executives Struggle to Validate Investment in Safety – Business leaders often question whether their investment in WHS initiatives is effective, as they lack concrete data to compare their efforts against industry leaders.
• WHS Directors Lack Clarity on Best Practices – Safety professionals require actionable insights to improve workplace safety, yet without a trusted benchmark, they are left navigating a sea of disconnected and often contradictory information.

The Ideal Solution

A Unified WHS Benchmarking System 

To truly enhance WHS performance across Australian industries, there needs to be a centralised, up-to-date, and industry-wide benchmarking system. A trusted source that provides real-time insights and standardised metrics would allow companies to measure and compare their safety performance with confidence.

• A Single Source of Truth – A national WHS benchmarking platform that consolidates data from multiple industries, government agencies, and independent safety bodies would provide a reliable foundation for decision-making.
• Real-Time, Standardised Data – A system that offers up-to-date, consistent reporting would help organisations identify trends, measure progress, and adapt strategies in real-time.
• Industry-Wide Collaboration – By creating a shared benchmarking resource, businesses could learn from one another, fostering a culture of continuous improvement in workplace safety.
• Executive and Board-Level Confidence – With a clear and trusted benchmark, boards and executives could make informed decisions, ensuring their organisations not only meet compliance standards but also drive proactive safety leadership.

The Future Of WHS Benchmarking 

The lack of a single, trusted source of WHS benchmarking data is a major barrier to improving workplace safety across Australia. Without accurate, real-time insights, companies are left to navigate WHS challenges in silos, leading to inconsistent and ineffective safety strategies. The establishment of Safety Sphere benchmarking tools is now enabling businesses across Australia to be equipped with a unified, industry-wide benchmarking system that will be provide companies with the data-driven confidence needed to create safer, more resilient workplaces.

By bringing together industry, along with executives, boards and WHS leaders, companies across Australia for the first time now have an opportunity to set a new standard in safety benchmarking through the tools and support provided by Safety Sphere, one that drives meaningful improvements, enhances leadership accountability, validates business decisions and ultimately drives more effective outcomes for WHS excellence.