Verdantix Benchmark Of Environmental Software Finds That Leading Applications Deliver Value Beyond Environmental Compliance

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the global environmental management software market, Enablon, IHS and SAP have emerged as the market leaders, according a new study from independent analyst firm Verdantix. The report, Green Quadrant Environmental Management Software (Global) 2012, provides a detailed fact-based comparison of 12 environmental management software applications. The analysis is based on insights from interviews with 15 buyers representing firms and public authorities with total revenues and annual budgets of $964 billion, supplier responses to a 115 point questionnaire, live product demonstrations and supplier interviews.

“Software suppliers now offer new capabilities to respond to firms’ ever-growing requirements to manage, report and optimize their environmental performance across greenhouse gases, hazardous waste, water, toxic releases, toxic chemicals and refrigerants.’’”

‘’In the past, implementing EH&S software has been driven by compliance and risk reduction. Our analysis uncovered a new desire among customers in sectors like chemicals and manufacturing to use software to improve environmental performance. This expands the business case beyond a narrow compliance mind-set” commented Emilie Beauchamp, Verdantix Industry Analyst. “Software suppliers now offer new capabilities to respond to firms’ ever-growing requirements to manage, report and optimize their environmental performance across greenhouse gases, hazardous waste, water, toxic releases, toxic chemicals and refrigerants.’’

The three market leaders – Enablon, IHS and SAP – have established market positions ahead of other suppliers due to the breadth of their environmental management functionality and regulatory coverage, the extent of their software’s pre-built workflows and task management processes, powerful functionality for environmental reporting and performance analysis, pre-built connectors to integrate with other systems and a large customer base.

The study reveals that another four suppliers – BSI, Enviance, Locus Technologies and MetricStream -- offer a compelling feature/function set and have large-scale deployments. An additional five suppliers – CRedit360, FirstCarbon Solutions, Gensuite, Intelex, and PE International -- all offer highly customizable solutions that adapt to their customers’ EH&S processes and meet their specific needs. These specialist suppliers leverage their environmental domain expertise to deliver value from deployment to operation.

Over the next three years, the multi-industry customer panel voiced different opinions on how their spend on environmental management software will change: 33% said it would increase by more than 25%; 27% said it would increase by up to 25%; and 33% claimed it would stay the same. Only 7% thought it would decrease by more than 25%. This suggests that spending increases on environmental software will outstrip spending increases on environmental performance which ranges between a CAGR of 12% in the US and 8% in Germany over the next 3 years.

Forward-looking firms are already starting to deploy environmental management software on a global scale, but most multinationals have immature EH&S technology strategies. They manage their environmental data, systems and processes through a patchwork of legacy apps, spreadsheets and internally-developed tools’’ commented David Metcalfe, CEO of Verdantix. “This Verdantix product benchmark provides an independently-researched, data-driven platform to help EH&S directors and CIOs accelerate and de-risk environmental management software selection.”

To find out more join the Global Green Quadrant Environmental Management Software Webinar on Thursday 25 October.

Note To Editors

Verdantix is an independent analyst firm. We provide authoritative data, analysis and advice to help our clients resolve their energy, environment and sustainability challenges. Through our global primary research and deep domain expertise we provide our clients with strategic advice, revenue generating services, best practice frameworks, industry connections and competitive advantage.

For more information visit: www.verdantix.com.