NEW YORK, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Thoma Bravo is exploring

options including a potential sale of Cority that it hopes will

value the sustainability compliance software maker at about $2

billion, including debt, according to people familiar with the

matter.

The technology-focused buyout firm has tapped Goldman Sachs ( GS )

to run a sale process for Cority, which could attract

interest from other private equity firms, the sources said,

requesting anonymity as the discussions are confidential.

Thoma Bravo is hoping to command a valuation for Cority

equivalent to more than 20 times the company's 12-month earnings

before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA)

of about $90 million, the sources said, cautioning that no deal

is guaranteed.

Thoma Bravo and Goldman Sachs ( GS ) declined to comment,

while Cority did not respond to a request for comment.

In recent years, compliance software makers have attracted

interest from private equity firms, as large companies have

ramped up technology spending on risk management and protection

of supply chains. In April, EQT acquired Avetta from Welsh,

Carson, Anderson & Stowe for about $3 billion, including debt.

Toronto, Canada-based Cority is a provider of software that

is used by companies for tracking their progress towards

environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts. Its

software is also used to monitor employees' health, managing

potential risk factors, and regulatory compliance.

Cority has over 1,500 customers in 120 countries across

industries such as healthcare, aerospace & defense,

manufacturing, and energy & utilities, according to its website.

It counts large corporations including Merck ( MRK ), Volvo

, Dow Chemical, Siemens, and Rio Tinto

among its clients.

Chicago-based Thoma Bravo, which has roughly $142 billion in

assets under management, is one of the most prolific dealmakers

in the software industry.

Earlier this year, Thoma Bravo took software maker

Everbridge private in a deal worth about $1.8 billion. In July,

the buyout firm sold education software firm Instructure ( INST )

to KKR for $4.8 billion.