# ESS

> Environmental Support Solutions (ESS) was a Tempe-based environmental, health, safety and crisis management software company founded in 1993. Its modular Essential Suite unified compliance and operational information for industrial companies and public organizations worldwide. IHS acquired ESS for approximately $59 million in September 2009; its heritage is now part of Sphera.

- **Founded:** 1993
- **Headquarters:** Tempe, United States
- **Founders:** Robert Johnson (Co-founder, President and CEO)
- **Products:** Essential Suite, GHG/Carbon Management Solution, Implementation, training and maintenance
- **Notable:** Acquired by IHS on September 17, 2009 for approximately $59 million, net of cash acquired., An ESS-published Koppers case study reported 50% less time preparing monthly environment and safety reports., An ESS-published Dow case study reported elimination of over $2 million in redundant legacy reporting systems across a 200-facility implementation.

## Products & services

- **Essential Suite** — Integrated modular enterprise software covering air, water, waste, chemicals, incidents, compliance, tasks, worker health and crisis management. Publicly documented by 2008; original launch year not established.
- **GHG/Carbon Management Solution** — Announced in May 2008 as the first offering in a solutions initiative, supporting greenhouse gas inventories, verification and reporting across facilities, products and supply chains.
- **Implementation, training and maintenance** — Configuration, integration, technical support, training and recurring maintenance alongside enterprise software licenses.

## Achievements

- Acquired by IHS on September 17, 2009 for approximately $59 million, net of cash acquired.
- An ESS-published Koppers case study reported 50% less time preparing monthly environment and safety reports.
- An ESS-published Dow case study reported elimination of over $2 million in redundant legacy reporting systems across a 200-facility implementation.
- Groom Energy Solutions identified ESS among emerging enterprise carbon accounting leaders in 2009.
- Sphera’s corporate history includes ESS as a predecessor founded in 1993.

## Latest updates

- **2009-09** — IHS acquired ESS for approximately $59 million, net of cash acquired.
- **2009-09** — ESS and Hara announced a strategic integration relationship, reported September 25.
- **2011-03** — EPA’s Spring 2011 Partner Update described Noble Energy using Essential Suite 7.3.3 for baseline emissions analysis at Tamar; month is a seasonal approximation.
- **2016-06** — Successor context: IHS’s Operational Excellence & Risk Management business became Sphera under Genstar Capital; ESS is included in Sphera’s historical lineage.

## Links

- Website: http://www.ess-home.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ess

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ess
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Last updated: 2026-10-16