SGS today announced an expansion of its collaboration with Sintali to grow IFC’s green building standard, EDGE. SGS and Sintali will act as a global certification services provider for EDGE, delivering certification and audit services in over 170 countries around the world.
The expansion provides additional value to clients through the launch of innovative remote auditing technology and zero carbon services, and a dedicated EDGE certification team. The consortium of Sintali-SGS replaces the role that thinkstep-SGS formerly provided for IFC’s EDGE.
To help scale EDGE rapidly and deliver the highest quality of service to clients, Sintali will focus exclusively on delivering EDGE certification. Made up of a team with over seven years’ experience working on EDGE and decades of experience in developing and managing green building standards, Sintali brings rigor and expertise to the EDGE certification process.
“Having worked on EDGE since its inception in 2013, I am very excited to lead a company that is focused on advancing EDGE globally,” said Thomas Saunders, Managing Director at Sintali. “Our goal has always been to help clients quantify the impact of building decisions and build more resource efficiently, with the ultimate goal of transitioning all buildings to zero carbon. With Sintali, we are now making this a reality.”
Operating as a one-stop shop for EDGE certification and audit services, Sintali-SGS offers clients a simple and transparent path to EDGE certification. Clients receive a single contract for both the EDGE audit and EDGE certification, with an all-inclusive price and expert advice at no additional cost.
“At SGS, we believe that first-rate service starts with the support we give our clients,” said Harry Fernau, Global Product Manager of Energy & Green Building at SGS. “We are constantly seeking opportunities that will add value for our clients and innovate to provide an efficient service for EDGE audit and certification. Working with Sintali means we have the best team of professionals available to deliver certification for our clients.”
As a global leader in auditing, SGS has paved the way for innovation in the EDGE auditing process through the launch of remote site audits using proprietary technology. Using SGS’s interactive audit tools, clients can undergo a guided inspection at a convenient time, reducing costs and aligning with challenging construction timelines.
Sintali-SGS has also launched zero carbon services to support clients around the world in the transition to net zero. These offerings apply to individual buildings, as well as portfolios of buildings across multiple sectors and countries.
About Sintali
Sintali is an independent company that quantifies and verifies the environmental impact of decisions, and helps organizations map out the road to net zero. With deep expertise in the development of green building standards and corporate sustainability, Sintali brings transparency and rigor to the sustainability realm. For more information, visit www.sintali.com.
About EDGE
An innovation of IFC, EDGE helps property developers to build and brand green in a fast, easy and affordable way. EDGE is supported by free software that encourages solutions to reduce energy, water and the energy used to make building materials by at least 20 percent, which is the standard for EDGE certification. The program has been generously supported by the following donors: Austria, Canada, Denmark, ESMAP, EU, Finland, GEF, Hungary, Japan, Switzerland, and the UK. For more information, visit www.edgebuildings.com.
About IFC
IFC, a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. It works in more than 100 countries, using its capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2019, IFC invested more than $19 billion in private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
About SGS
As the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of more than 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world. SGS’s reputation for independence, excellence and innovation has established the company as the market leader in providing services that improve efficiency, reduce risk and deliver competitive advantages for customers. For more information, visit www.sgs.com.