Established in 1906, the IES is the recognized technical and educational authority on illumination. For over one hundred years its objective has been to communicate information on all aspects of good lighting practice to its members, to the lighting community, and to consumers through a variety of programs, publications, and services.

The strength of the IES is its diversified membership: engineers, architects, designers, educators, students, contractors, distributors, utility personnel, manufacturers, and scientists, all contributing to the mission of the society: to improve the lighted environment by bringing together those with lighting knowledge and by translating that knowledge into actions that benefit the public.

The IES is a forum for the exchange of ideas and information and a vehicle for its members’ professional development and recognition. Through its technical committees, with hundreds of qualified members from the lighting and user communities, the IES correlates research, investigations, and discussions to guide lighting experts and laypersons via research-and-consensus based lighting recommendations.