Kiwa NV

Last updated

Kiwa NV
Company typePrivately held company, LLC
Industry Testing, Inspection, Certification
Founded1948
Headquarters Rijswijk, Netherlands
Area served
Worldwide (35+ countries)
Key people
Luc Leroy (CEO)
Revenue€1.3 bn (2023)
Owner SHV Holdings
Number of employees
10,954 (2023)
Website www.kiwa.com

Kiwa is a Dutch company in the testing, inspection and certification (TIC) sector, providing testing, inspection, certification, consultancy and training services across various markets, including built environment, (cyber) security, renewable energy, food, feed & farm, water and health care. Kiwa is headquartered in Rijswijk, the Netherlands, and its over 10,000 employees operate across a global network of office and advanced testing laboratory locations in 35 countries. [1]

Contents

History

A group of Dutch drinking water companies founded Kiwa NV in 1948 as KIWA, an acronym for Keuringsinstituut voor Waterleiding Artikelen (Institution for the Examination of Waterworks Items), with the initial aim of monitoring the quality of drinking water throughout the Netherlands. [1] As new regulations demanded that articles used in water processing and management, such as water pipes, fittings and valves, had to adhere to certain standards, Kiwa took on the responsibility of testing the compliance of these articles to set standards. Products meeting the requirements are still marked with the Kiwa label today.

Kiwa’s stringent testing methodologies contributed to the company expanding its activity to the construction and environmental sectors. To align with its broader operational scope, the company’s name was changed from KIWA to Kiwa N.V. While the company continued to experience rapid growth in the Netherlands, Kiwa initiated an international expansion program in 1998. During the first five-year period, branches were established in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and China.

On top of this organic expansion, strategic acquisitions became an important driver in Kiwa’s growth. Since 2000, Kiwa has acquired many companies, including Gastec (the Netherlands, the UK and China), Inspecta (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland and the Baltic states) and Vinçotte [2]  (Belgium and Luxembourg). Since 2021, Kiwa has been a member of SHV [3] , one of the world’s largest private trading groups, reflecting the company’s mission for sustainable and global development.

In 2023, Kiwa celebrated its 75-year anniversary. With a presence in over 35 countries around the globe, Kiwa’s future focus is on further strengthening its position in and beyond Europe, including in North America, Latin America, Asia and the Australia-Pacific region.

Operations

Kiwa operates across a wide range of markets, including sustainability, fire safety and security, medical devices, construction and infrastructure, automotive, food, feed and farm, (renewable) energy (such as solar, wind and hydrogen) and management systems. [4] At the core of its operations lies the testing, inspecting and certification of products, services and systems. Complementary to these services, Kiwa provides training, technological consultancy, data processing and benchmarking, digital solutions and calibration services. [5]

To maintain its position as an independent partner, Kiwa strictly separates its certification services from other activities, like training courses and technological consultancy. The organization is evaluated by multiple accreditation bodies, audited by external organizations, and qualified by governmental bodies. These accreditations attest to Kiwa’s commitment to quality and reliability. Kiwa is also recognized as an Approval Body, Accepted Laboratory and Accredited Training Institution. [6]

Certificate issuance is one of the company’s key activities, and Kiwa provides a trademarked label for visual identification once certification is granted. Kiwa provides both in-house and licensed certification labels, including in domains such as management systems (e.g., ISO 9001), cybersecurity (e.g., ISO 27001), food safety (e.g., FSSC 22000) and environmental, social and governance (ESG) (e.g., ISO 14001).

For its testing services, Kiwa maintains a global network of laboratories dedicated to product testing, measurement and calibration. Inspection has become increasingly important for the company, constituting a growing portion of its core operations. Kiwa conducts inspections both on-site and remotely, covering areas such as tank storage, pipes and cables, and hazardous materials.

Governance

Executive Board: [7]

Business structure

Kiwa operates with a decentralized structure, dividing its operations into regions encompassing multiple countries. Each Kiwa country offers a portfolio of TIC-related services customized to address the needs of local markets and customers. The company also services key markets, offering a market-specific portfolio of TIC-related products at an international level.

Corporate ESG

Kiwa has a demonstrated commitment to sustainability and has incorporated environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles into its operations. More than two-thirds of the company’s services relate to ESG development, reflecting its focus on this topic. In 2015, Kiwa became the first certification body in the Netherlands to receive the CSR management certificate following compliance with CSR Performance Ladder requirements. In anticipation of future compliance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Kiwa publishes an annual CSR Report that provides a comprehensive overview of the company’s ESG performance. Kiwa’s CSR Route strategy outlines the company’s ESG-related goals and the steps it will take to achieve them. This includes incorporating CSRD requirements, further reducing the company’s carbon footprint, and addressing Kiwa’s most significant sustainability impacts. [8]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Kiwa: Leading Expert in Testing, Inspection and Certification". www.kiwa.com. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  2. ↑ "Kiwa en Vinçotte bundelen hun krachten voor een breder aanbod en versnelling van de internationale ambities". Vinçotte (in Dutch). 1 December 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  3. ↑ "Kiwa | SHV Annual Report 2022". annualreport.shv.nl. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  4. ↑ "Kiwa TIC services in various markets". www.kiwa.com. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "Kiwa: Testing, Inspection, Certification, Training and Consultancy". www.kiwa.com. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  6. ↑ "Kiwa's accreditations and notifications". www.kiwa.com. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  7. ↑ "Kiwa's management". www.kiwa.com. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  8. ↑ "CSR Report Kiwa - Year of 2022". www.kiwa.com. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
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