HESI was established in 1989 as a global branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) (www.ilsi.org) to provide an international forum to advance the understanding of scientific issues related to human health, toxicology, risk assessment, and the environment. In 2002, HESI was recognized by the United States government as a publicly supported, tax-exempt organization, independently chartered from ILSI. HESI draws its membership from business entities that are producers of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, agricultural and other industrial chemicals, paper products, personal care and household products, food and beverages, communications products, transportation products, or energy products, or of ingredients or containers used in, or in connection with these products.  Providers of scientific and technical services used in the safety testing or production of these products or in the assessment of the human health and environmental safety of these products are also members.  HESI has membership from companies based in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

Philosophy
HESI 's scientific programs bring together scientists from around the world from academia, industry, and regulatory agencies and other governmental institutions, to address and reach consensus on scientific questions that have the potential to be resolved through creative application of intellectual and financial resources. This “tripartite” approach forms the core of every HESI scientific endeavor. As a non-profit organization, HESI provides a unique, objective forum for initiating dialogue among scientists with different perspectives and expertise. Industry members provide primary financial support for HESI programs, but HESI also receives financial and in-kind support from a variety of U.S. and international government agencies.