SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA

We partner with you to offer independent services that will help you reduce risk, streamline your processes and operate in a more sustainable manner.

Our group profile

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 97,000 employees, we operate a network of more than 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.

Our core services can be divided into four categories:

• Inspection: our comprehensive range of world-leading inspection and verification services, such as checking the condition and weight of traded goods at transshipment, help you to control quantity and quality, and meet all relevant regulatory requirements across different regions and markets
• Testing: our global network of testing facilities, staffed by knowledgeable and experienced personnel, enable you to reduce risks, shorten time to market and test the quality, safety and performance of your products against relevant health, safety and regulatory standards
• Certification: we enable you to demonstrate that your products, processes, systems or services are compliant with either national or international standards and regulations or customer defined standards, through certification
• Verification: we ensure that products and services comply with global standards and local regulations. Combining global coverage with local knowledge, unrivalled experience and expertise in virtually every industry, SGS covers the entire supply chain from raw materials to final consumption.

We are constantly looking beyond customers’ and society’s expectations in order to deliver market leading services wherever they are needed. As the leader in providing specialized business solutions that improve quality, safety and productivity and reduce risk, we help customers navigate an increasingly regulated world. Our independent services add significant value to our customers’ operations and ensure business sustainability.

As well as delivering services that promote sustainable development, our values also show a commitment to corporate sustainability. For us, sustainability is about managing a long-term profitable business while taking into account all the positive and negative environmental, social and economic effects we have on society. You can find out more about our sustainability policies and program in our Corporate Sustainability section.

Our vision

We aim to be the most competitive and the most productive service organization in the world. Our core competencies in inspection, verification, testing and certification are being continuously improved to be best-in-class. They are at the heart of what we are. Our chosen markets will be solely determined by our ability to be the most competitive and to consistently deliver unequalled service to our customers all over the world.

Our values

We seek to be epitomized by our passion, integrity, entrepreneurialism and our innovative spirit, as we continually strive to fulfill our vision. These values guide us in all that we do and are the bedrock upon which our organization is built.

Our history

Established in 1878, SGS transformed grain trading in Europe by offering innovative agricultural inspection services. The Company was registered in Geneva as Société Générale de Surveillance in 1919. Shares were first listed on (SWX) Swiss Exchange in 1985. Since 2001, we have only one class of shares consisting of registered shares.

From our beginnings in 1878 as a grain inspection house, we have steadily grown into our role as the industry leader. We have done this through continual improvement and innovation and through supporting our customers’ operations by reducing risk and improving productivity.