HSI Acquires Vado And SOS Intl To Capitalize On Growing EHS Training Demand

HSI Acquires Vado And SOS Intl To Capitalize On Growing EHS Training Demand

On Tuesday November 3^rd 2020, the Health & Safety Institute (HSI) announced the acquisition of Vado, an e-learning training curriculum provider for employee business skills and workplace HR compliance topics such as discrimination, anti-corruption, and anti-bribery. This acquisition follows closely on their recent purchase of SOS Intl, an energy utilities training and safety compliance vendor. The terms of the Vado and SOS Intl deals were not disclosed. Both purchases reflect HSI’s strategy of making acquisitions that further its mission of serving as a training-centric provider for workplace and community safety. For instance, in December 2019, HSI acquired Martech Media, an industrial technologies training provider.

Firms are increasing investments in EHS training, learning and development. In fact, 78% of the 301 respondents in Verdantix’s 2020 global corporate survey of EHS decision-makers plan to use software for EHS training across multiple sites. In addition, 23% of respondents cited plans for double-digit percentage increases in EHS training spend in 2021. The acquisition of SOS Intl will extend HSI’s competencies in first aid and CPR training to include additional skills-based credentials such as NERC’s system operator certification for the North American utility sector. In aggregate, the SOS Intl and Vado acquisitions will add more than 700 course catalogs to HSI’s existing library of over 1,000 e-learning courses.

HSI is not alone in driving consolidation of the market to tap into this customer demand. Witness TPC Training, a provider of workforce training, performance, and compliance solutions, incorporating innovative technologies to win customers. It acquired Simutech Multimedia in August 2020, enabling TPC Training to offer simulation-based training for maintenance and operations professionals. The solution provides a gamified learning experience where users troubleshoot in a fully immersive virtual environment.

Verdantix anticipates that the EHS software training marketplace will continue to see fast-growing evolution as opportunities for micro-learning through mobile apps and other technology-enhanced approaches to strengthen safety culture emerge.

To learn more about the upcoming 2021 budgets, priorities, and tech preferences for corporate EHS decision-makers, visit the Verdantix research portal to access our recently published survey publication.