Environmental Support Solutions

Environmental Support Solutions (ESS) was a provider of Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) and crisis management software designed for enterprise sustainability. The company was founded in 1993 by Robert Johnson. Initially, the business focused on helping companies manage and track refrigerant emissions to comply with new EPA regulations, distributing its software on floppy disks. Johnson's vision from the early days was to create an integrated, internet-based platform of software tools to help large companies manage all their environmental, health, and safety tracking needs, from air quality to waste management.

The firm's business model centered on selling software and related services that enabled organizations to more efficiently handle EHS and crisis management challenges. Its unified modular software platform aimed to reduce risks and costs by simplifying the complexities associated with managing disparate systems. This approach helped clients maintain a single, accurate source of critical data across their enterprise, from operational floors to the boardroom. The software catered to a wide range of clients, including educational institutions, government agencies, healthcare facilities, chemical manufacturers, and utilities. Key product offerings included the Essential Suite™, which provided integrated modules for EH&S and Crisis Management, helping to drive process improvements and better decision-making. The platform featured capabilities for managing greenhouse gases, corporate social responsibility reporting, worker safety, compliance reporting, and emergency response.

ESS grew to over 100 employees with a global client base, establishing offices in locations like Beijing and Calgary in addition to its Tempe, Arizona headquarters. In September 2009, ESS was acquired by IHS Inc. (now part of S&P Global) for approximately $59 million. The acquisition was part of IHS's strategy to expand its offerings in the environmental sector, following earlier acquisitions of companies like Dolphin Software and Environmental Software Providers. At the time of the acquisition, Robert Johnson served as the President and CEO of ESS. Keywords: Environmental Support Solutions, ESS, EHS software, crisis management software, enterprise sustainability, Robert Johnson, IHS acquisition, environmental compliance, safety management, risk management, corporate governance, GHG management, CSR reporting, Essential Suite, EHS-MIS, environmental reporting, operational excellence, sustainability solutions, compliance software