SGS Consumer Testing Services is one of the 10 divisions of the Geneva-based SGS S.A. Group [1], which operates with more than 59,000 employees over 1,000 offices and laboratories around the world. SGS Consumer Testing Services (CTS) provides a complete range of services, from textile to appliances, furniture, food, and electronics, to ensure the safety of consumer products. To reduce risk, improve efficiency and ensure compliance to contractual or regulatory requirements the service portfolio of SGS CTS includes testing, product inspection and certification, process assessment and technical assistance for manufacturers in the consumer industry. SGS CTS works according to national and international standards and is accredited by numerous accreditation bodies. With a network of more than 100 laboratories in over 35 countries, SGS CTS is at the forefront of developing new testing matrices and protocols for the testing of consumer products.
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SGS was founded in 1878 in Rouen France, by a young Latvian immigrant, who having seized the opportunity at one of the country’s largest ports, began to inspect French grain shipments. By 1913 the company had grown considerably and was a leading grain inspection business, inspecting 21 million tonnes of grain per year from a network of 45 offices across Europe.
The Second World War brought severe disruption to global trade and as a result impacted SGS’ core grain inspection business. SGS was able to make rapid return to profitability by 1946 through contracts with the Allied powers inspecting consumer goods destined for soldiers. That was the beginning of SGS Consumer Testing Services. Today, SGS CTS is worldwide established in the consumer products industry.
The 5 main market segments served by SGS Consumer Testing Services are as follows:
Consumer products can cause several impacts through the supply chain. Carbon emissions, energy consumption and packaging waste are the most recognized problems. Some products such as paints or furniture are especially known to cause VOC emissions within the air; home care items are particularly renowned for water pollution; other products such as toys and personal care items raise concern due to safety and social expectations. Integrating corporate sustainability into business strategy and product development is now essential to manage social and environmental risks. Therefore, companies develop sustainable solutions and increase the use of safe substances reducing health risks, and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations (REACH, Toys Safety Directive 88/378/EC). They also work on the improvement of social conditions and their implementation through the supply chain. As a business sustainability consultancy [2], SGS Consumer Testing Services implements sustainable development into organizations, product, packaging and supply chain.
SGS Consumer Testing Services is led by an Executive Vice President (EVP), operating across ten geographical regions. Each region is led by a Chief Operating Officer (COO). The EVPs and the COOs, in conjunction with the functional Senior Vice Presidents (SVPs) and the Group’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel make up the SGS Operations Council. The Operations Council meets regularly throughout the year to review performance and determine new strategies.
SGS Consumer Testing Services is dedicated to ensure quality and safety of consumer products in order to protect human life as well as to ensure the sustainability of business operations.
Revenue: 789 million CHF Operating income: 200 million CHF
Its competitors are the companies LGA, Bureau Veritas and AT4.