diff --git a/.env.template b/.env.template
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1177d0e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env.template
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# The mnemonic phrase used to derive the wallet's private keys
+MNEMONIC=...
+
+# Index of the account generated from the mnemonic to be used as the Voucher Manager
+IEXEC_VOUCHER_MANAGER_ACCOUNT_INDEX=...
+
+# Index of the account generated from the mnemonic to be used as the Voucher Minter
+IEXEC_VOUCHER_MINTER_ACCOUNT_INDEX=...
+
+# The private key for accessing the production account
+PROD_PRIVATE_KEY=...
+
+# Flag to indicate whether to use a local blockchain fork (set to 'true' for local fork development)
+IS_LOCAL_FORK=...
+
+# Override the default iExec PoCo (Proof-of-Contribution) contract address
+IEXEC_POCO_ADDRESS=...
+
+# Indicates whether the deployment involves a factory contract
+USE_FACTORY=...
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e0f31e92..4f168355 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 ## vNEXT
 
+- Better handling for env variables. (#55)
 - Remove references to blockscout v5. (#49)
 - Override the decimals function of ERC-20 to set the token's decimal precision to 9, aligning with RLC standards. (#50)
 - Verify VoucherProxy contracts. (#51)
diff --git a/config/env.ts b/config/env.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..079ffe81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/env.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import 'dotenv/config';
+import { z } from 'zod';
+
+const addressRegex = /^0x[a-fA-F0-9]{40}$/;
+const numericRegex = /^\d+$/;
+const privateKeyRegex = /^([a-fA-F0-9]{64})$/;
+
+const envSchema = z.object({
+    IEXEC_VOUCHER_MANAGER_ACCOUNT_INDEX: z
+        .string()
+        .refine((val) => numericRegex.test(val), 'Must be a numeric index if provided')
+        .transform((val) => Number(val))
+        .optional(),
+    IEXEC_VOUCHER_MINTER_ACCOUNT_INDEX: z
+        .string()
+        .refine((val) => numericRegex.test(val), 'Must be a numeric index if provided')
+        .transform((val) => Number(val))
+        .optional(),
+    IS_LOCAL_FORK: z.preprocess(
+        (val) => typeof val === 'string' && val.toLowerCase() === 'true',
+        z.boolean().default(false),
+    ),
+    MNEMONIC: z.string().optional(),
+    PROD_PRIVATE_KEY: z.string().regex(privateKeyRegex, 'Invalid private key format').optional(),
+    IEXEC_POCO_ADDRESS: z
+        .string()
+        .regex(addressRegex, 'Invalid Ethereum address if provided')
+        .optional(),
+    USE_FACTORY: z.preprocess(
+        (val) => typeof val === 'string' && val.toLowerCase() === 'true',
+        z.boolean().default(false),
+    ),
+});
+
+export const env = envSchema.parse(process.env);
diff --git a/deploy/deploy.ts b/deploy/deploy.ts
index 8a4405e0..fa6dc55d 100644
--- a/deploy/deploy.ts
+++ b/deploy/deploy.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { ContractFactory } from 'ethers';
 import { deployments, ethers, upgrades } from 'hardhat';
 import { HardhatRuntimeEnvironment } from 'hardhat/types';
 import deploymentConfig from '../config/deployment';
-import { isLocalFork } from '../hardhat.config';
+import { env } from '../config/env';
 import * as voucherHubUtils from '../scripts/voucherHubUtils';
 import * as voucherUtils from '../scripts/voucherUtils';
 import {
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import {
 } from '../typechain-types';
 
 export default async function (hre: HardhatRuntimeEnvironment) {
-    if (isLocalFork) {
+    if (env.IS_LOCAL_FORK) {
         /**
          * This fixes following issue when deploying to a local Bellecour fork:
          * `ProviderError: No known hardfork for execution on historical block [...] in chain with id 134.`
@@ -182,15 +182,15 @@ export async function getDeploymentConfig(chainId: number) {
     // Read default config of the target chain.
     const config = deploymentConfig[chainId];
     // Override config if required.
-    if (process.env.IEXEC_POCO_ADDRESS) {
-        config.pocoAddress = process.env.IEXEC_POCO_ADDRESS;
+    if (env.IEXEC_POCO_ADDRESS) {
+        config.pocoAddress = env.IEXEC_POCO_ADDRESS;
     }
     // Check final config.
     if (!ethers.isAddress(config.pocoAddress)) {
         throw new Error('Valid PoCo address must be provided');
     }
-    if (process.env.FACTORY) {
-        config.factory = process.env.FACTORY == 'true';
+    if (env.USE_FACTORY) {
+        config.factory = env.USE_FACTORY;
     }
     return config;
 }
diff --git a/hardhat.config.ts b/hardhat.config.ts
index def44235..57bf9fc5 100644
--- a/hardhat.config.ts
+++ b/hardhat.config.ts
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ import {
     defaultLocalhostNetworkParams,
 } from 'hardhat/internal/core/config/default-config';
 import 'solidity-docgen';
+import { env } from './config/env';
 import { forceZeroGasPriceWithSolidityCoverage } from './scripts/utils/modify-solidity-coverage-lib-api-js';
 
-const managerAccount = Number(process.env.IEXEC_VOUCHER_MANAGER_ACCOUNT_INDEX) || null;
-const minterAccount = Number(process.env.IEXEC_VOUCHER_MINTER_ACCOUNT_INDEX) || null;
-export const isLocalFork = process.env.LOCAL_FORK == 'true';
+const managerAccount = env.IEXEC_VOUCHER_MANAGER_ACCOUNT_INDEX || null;
+const minterAccount = env.IEXEC_VOUCHER_MINTER_ACCOUNT_INDEX || null;
 const bellecourBlockscoutUrl = 'https://blockscout.bellecour.iex.ec';
 
 const config: HardhatUserConfig = {
@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ const config: HardhatUserConfig = {
         hardhat: {
             hardfork: 'berlin', // No EIP-1559 before London fork
             accounts: {
-                mnemonic: process.env.MNEMONIC || HARDHAT_NETWORK_MNEMONIC,
+                mnemonic: env.MNEMONIC || HARDHAT_NETWORK_MNEMONIC,
             },
-            ...(isLocalFork && {
+            ...(env.IS_LOCAL_FORK && {
                 forking: {
                     url: 'https://bellecour.iex.ec',
                 },
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ const config: HardhatUserConfig = {
             ...defaultHardhatNetworkParams,
             ...defaultLocalhostNetworkParams,
             accounts: 'remote', // will use accounts set in hardhat network config
-            ...(isLocalFork && {
+            ...(env.IS_LOCAL_FORK && {
                 chainId: 134,
             }),
             gasPrice: 0,
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ const config: HardhatUserConfig = {
             chainId: 65535,
             url: 'http://localhost:8545',
             accounts: {
-                mnemonic: process.env.MNEMONIC || '',
+                mnemonic: env.MNEMONIC || '',
             },
             gasPrice: 0, // Get closer to Bellecour network
         },
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ const config: HardhatUserConfig = {
             chainId: 134,
             url: 'https://bellecour.iex.ec',
             accounts: [
-                process.env.PROD_PRIVATE_KEY ||
+                env.PROD_PRIVATE_KEY ||
                     '0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000',
             ],
             gasPrice: 0,
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 63ca1fe3..515e4dcc 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
         "@amxx/factory": "^1.0.0",
         "@nomicfoundation/hardhat-toolbox": "^5.0.0",
         "@openzeppelin/hardhat-upgrades": "^3.2.1",
+        "dotenv": "^16.4.7",
         "ethers": "^6.13.2",
         "hardhat": "^2.22.10",
         "hardhat-dependency-compiler": "^1.2.1",
@@ -26,7 +27,8 @@
         "prettier-plugin-organize-imports": "^4.0.0",
         "prettier-plugin-solidity": "^1.4.1",
         "sol2uml": "^2.5.19",
-        "solidity-docgen": "^0.6.0-beta.36"
+        "solidity-docgen": "^0.6.0-beta.36",
+        "zod": "^3.24.1"
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@adraffy/ens-normalize": {
@@ -4665,6 +4667,19 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/fb55/domutils?sponsor=1"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/dotenv": {
+      "version": "16.4.7",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/dotenv/-/dotenv-16.4.7.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-47qPchRCykZC03FhkYAhrvwU4xDBFIj1QPqaarj6mdM/hgUzfPHcpkHJOn3mJAufFeeAxAzeGsr5X0M4k6fLZQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "BSD-2-Clause",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://dotenvx.com"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/elliptic": {
       "version": "6.5.4",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/elliptic/-/elliptic-6.5.4.tgz",
@@ -11190,6 +11205,16 @@
         "@ethersproject/web": "5.7.1",
         "@ethersproject/wordlists": "5.7.0"
       }
+    },
+    "node_modules/zod": {
+      "version": "3.24.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/zod/-/zod-3.24.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-muH7gBL9sI1nciMZV67X5fTKKBLtwpZ5VBp1vsOQzj1MhrBZ4wlVCm3gedKZWLp0Oyel8sIGfeiz54Su+OVT+A==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/colinhacks"
+      }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f565a5c5..0954303f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
     "prepare": "husky",
     "build": "npx hardhat compile",
     "test": "npx hardhat test",
-    "test-ci": "npm run test && FACTORY=false npm run test",
+    "test-ci": "npm run test && USE_FACTORY=false npm run test",
     "coverage": "npx hardhat coverage",
     "format": "npx prettier --write",
     "doc": "npx hardhat docgen",
@@ -49,7 +49,9 @@
     "prettier-plugin-organize-imports": "^4.0.0",
     "prettier-plugin-solidity": "^1.4.1",
     "sol2uml": "^2.5.19",
-    "solidity-docgen": "^0.6.0-beta.36"
+    "solidity-docgen": "^0.6.0-beta.36",
+    "dotenv": "^16.4.7",
+    "zod": "^3.24.1"
   },
   "devDependencies_comment": {
     "@sol2uml": "UML generation does not work properly after v2.5.19. Try before bump."