Our Difference

Our Group

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 46'000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1’000 offices and laboratories around the world.

Originally founded in 1878 in Rouen as French grain shipment inspection house, the Company was registered in Geneva as Société Générale de Surveillance in 1919. Shares of SGS were first listed on (SWX) Swiss Exchange in 1985. Since 2001, SGS has only one class of shares consisting of registered shares.

The core services offered by SGS can be divided into three categories:

• Inspection Services. SGS inspects and verifies the quantity, weight and quality of traded goods. Inspection typically takes place at the manufacturer’s/supplier’s premises or at time of loading or at destination during discharge/off-loading.
• Testing Services. SGS tests product quality and performance against various health, safety and regulatory standards. SGS operates state of the art laboratories on or close to customers' premises.
• Certification Services. SGS certifies that products, systems or services meet the requirements of standards set by governments (e.g. GOST R), standardisation bodies (e.g.ISO 9000) or by SGS customers. SGS also develops and certifies its own standards.

Our difference in Automotive industry

At SGS, we have the specific knowledge of the automotive industry. Added to that we’re also immediately operational at a fraction of the amount it would cost to develop the equivalent with internal resources.

• First in class and largest audit services provider worldwide.
• Accreditation in all management system certification schemes (quality, environment, occupational health & safety), social accountability, information security).
• Unique worldwide network.
• Uniformity and consistency in service delivery.
• Client focused culture.
• Professional competence and experience of auditors.
• Result oriented audits.
• Immediately operational at a fraction of the amount it would cost to develop the equivalent with internal resources.
• Able to build up large qualified auditors teams for any project.
• Strong project management at local and international level to act as client’s unique responsible interface.
• Recognized independence and impartiality: SGS has no manufacturing or trading interests which could compromise its independence.

Our experience and understanding of the complex and diverse needs of clients comes from the expertise we’ve gained in auditing, certification, testing and verification of businesses, and the strong partnerships with companies over the last 125 years.

Our global brand is built upon our presence in 75 countries with over 80 000 certificates globally. SGS is the world’s leading certification body in diverse standards, such as ISO 9001:2000, ISO/TS 16949, ISO 14001:2004, OHSAS 18001, SA 8000.

Audits are a tool to improve the efficiency of your processes. Audit services are not only a measurement tool but also a building block of your continuous improvement systems. They recognise the past achievements, show how far the organisation has already travelled and materialise the impetus of your business. The SGS approach is transparent and logical, which is why we become your partner towards improvement and in meeting your business objectives.

The diverse industry and technical experience of our global team of highly qualified auditors, enables them to deliver the most professional audits to assist you in meeting your business objectives. Our auditors are trained the ‘SGS way’; they listen to the client and are objective and ethical at all times. Our globally consistent approach means that our auditors identify the Corrective Action Requirements (CAR) in a consistent manner.