What NQA Global does

NQA Global is an ANAB- and UKAS-accredited third-party certification body established in 1988 and operating in the UK as NQA Certification Ltd (registered in England and Wales, Company No. 09351758), with a Dunstable headquarters and international offices serving organizations across multiple continents. The company provides independent audits and certifications against a broad portfolio of international management system standards including ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environment), ISO 27001 (Information Security), ISO 45001 (Health & Safety), ISO 42001 (AI Management), ISO 50001 (Energy), ISO 22301 (Business Continuity), IATF 16949 (Automotive), the AS9100/AS9110/AS9120/AS6081 aerospace suite, ISO 13485 (Medical Devices), ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, HACCP, GMP (Food Safety), ISO 20000-1 (IT Service Management), ISO 27701 (Privacy/GDPR), ISO 37001 (Anti-Bribery), ISO 55001 (Asset Management), and sustainability standards PAS 2060, PAS 2080, and ISO 14068-1. Customers span SMEs, large enterprises, and non-profit organizations across aerospace, automotive, IT/information security, food & beverage, medical devices, construction, education, and energy verticals, with named logos including Boeing, Lockheed, Raytheon, NASA, Jaguar Land Rover, Repsol, Domino's, Rexel, and Home Group.

Core technology includes the CertCheck web-based certificate validation tool, which allows stakeholders to verify the validity of UKAS-accredited certifications, and a Blended Audit Approach combining on-site and remote IT-based assessments applicable to nine ISO standards (with caps on remote share for ISO 27001 and 27701). The company is constrained from providing implementation consultancy by impartiality requirements of its accreditation, and instead channels clients through an Associate Consultant Register of pre-approved third-party consultants. NQA operates an affiliated joint brand with Kiwa Group, as evidenced by the 'NQA_Kiwa_Logo_2025' brand asset, suggesting integration into the broader Dutch TIC group's global distribution.

Revenue is generated primarily through a recurring 3-year certification cycle comprising an initial Stage 1 assessment, Stage 2 assessment, two annual surveillance audits, and a 3-yearly recertification audit, with fees tied to employee count, number of sites, scope of activities, and risk factors per the applicable standard (subscription-style recurring revenue model). Stage 1 fees are paid on application; Stage 2 fees are invoiced in advance of the visit and payable within 30 days; annual surveillance invoices are issued each April. Secondary revenue derives from training services — interactive e-learning and tailored in-house courses across ISO and sustainability topics — billed as professional-services revenue. Distribution is a hybrid model: direct Business Development Advisors handling quote-to-certification pipelines (with quotes returned within one working day), the Associate Consultant Register channel feeding mid-market clients, and direct delivery of e-learning and in-house training. Marketing relies on content — a monthly InTouch newsletter, blog, knowledge hub, webinars, case studies, the Sustainability Simplified podcast, and active LinkedIn and YouTube presence — supplemented by PR support that equips clients with press-release templates.

Name

NQA Global

Legal name

NQA Certification Ltd

Website

https://nqa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

NQA Global is an ANAB- and UKAS-accredited third-party certification body that audits and certifies management systems against ISO, aerospace, automotive, food safety, sustainability, and AI standards for SMEs, large enterprises, and non-profits worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Systems Certification Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Third-Party Certification, Code Compliance & Regulatory Inspection (ASME/API/ISO) (EUAEAHAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integrated Management System Certification (Food Safety + Quality/Environment/OHS) (AFALACAI), Pre-Assessment, Gap Assessment & Certification Readiness Services (AFALACAE), Assurance & Verification of Sustainability Reports (Limited/Reasonable Assurance) (EUAHAJAI), Forest Certification, Compliance & Chain-of-Custody Support (AFAMAAAH)

Keywords

• ISO management certification
• Third-party audit services
• Management systems certification
• Accredited certification body
• Compliance training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Acton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Certification/Audit Services: NQA earns revenue through certification audits conducted across a 3-year certification cycle: initial Stage 1 assessment, Stage 2 assessment, annual surveillance audits, and 3-yearly recertification audits. Fees are based on organization size (employee count), number of sites, scope of activities, and risk factors per the applicable standard. Stage 1 fees are paid upon application; Stage 2 fees are invoiced in advance of the visit; annual surveillance fees are invoiced in April each year.
2. Training Services: NQA offers e-learning and in-house training courses across various ISO and sustainability topics, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001, ISO 50001, ISO 42001, AS9100, IATF 16949, ISO 13485, food safety, and integrated management systems. A summer 20% discount promotion was running at time of extraction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NQA provides accredited third-party certification audits of management systems against ISO and industry-specific standards (e.g., ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, ISO 45001, ISO 13485, IATF 16949, AS9100, FSSC 22000, PAS 2060), delivered through a 3-year certification cycle of Stage 1 assessment, Stage 2 assessment, annual surveillance audits and 3-yearly recertification audits. Complementary offerings include e-learning and in-house training courses on ISO standards, a Gap Analysis service to assess readiness, and a CertCheck online tool for validating issued certificates.

Product overview

NQA Global is an ANAB and UKAS accredited certification body providing management systems certification, training, and assessment services since 1988. Their core offering consists of certification audits against international standards including ISO 9001 (Quality), ISO 14001 (Environment), ISO 27001 (Information Security), ISO 45001 (Health & Safety), ISO 42001 (AI), ISO 50001 (Energy), ISO 22301 (Business Continuity), ISO 13485 (Medical Devices), IATF 16949 (Automotive), aerospace standards (AS9100, AS9110, AS9120, AS6081), food safety standards (ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, HACCP, GMP), ISO 20000-1 (IT Service Management), ISO 27701 (Privacy/GDPR), anti-bribery (ISO 37001), asset management (ISO 55001), and sustainability standards (PAS 2060, PAS 2080, ISO 14068-1). The portfolio also includes training services (E-Learning, In-House Training) and consulting services (Gap Analysis, Blended Audit Approach). NQA's worldwide operations serve diverse industries including aerospace, telecommunications, electronics, information technology, automotive, food, and supply chain management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• InTouch Newsletter: Free monthly e-zine newsletter covering ISO standards, management systems best practices, and legislative updates.

Products and services

• ISO 9001 Certification - Quality Management Third-party certification audits against ISO 9001, the internationally recognised Quality Management System standard, providing a framework and set of principles to consistently satisfy customers and other stakeholders. Issued to organisations of all sizes across industries.
• ISO 14001 Certification - Environmental Management Certification of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) against ISO 14001, helping organisations control environmental aspects, reduce impacts and ensure legal compliance.
• ISO 27001 Certification - Information Security Certification of Information Security Management Systems (ISMS) against ISO 27001:2022, enabling continued accessibility, confidentiality and integrity of information and supporting legal compliance.
• ISO 45001 Certification - Health & Safety Management Certification of occupational Health and Safety Management Systems against ISO 45001.
• ISO 42001 Certification - Artificial Intelligence Management Certification of Artificial Intelligence Management Systems (AIMS) against ISO 42001, the dedicated AI management system standard.
• ISO 50001 Certification - Energy Management Certification of Energy Management Systems against ISO 50001, providing a framework for optimising energy efficiency.
• ISO 22301 Certification - Business Continuity Certification of Business Continuity Management Systems against ISO 22301.
• ISO 13485 Certification - Medical Devices Quality management system certification for medical device manufacturers and their sub-tier suppliers and subcontractors against ISO 13485.
• IATF 16949 Certification - Automotive Management Certification of automotive quality management systems against IATF 16949, the global automotive QMS standard recognised by major OEMs.
• AS9100 Certification - Aerospace Management Quality management certification for the aerospace industry against AS9100, incorporating ISO 9001 with additional aerospace requirements and recognised by major aerospace OEMs.
• ISO 22000 Certification - Food Safety Management Certification of Food Safety Management Systems against ISO 22000 for any organisation in the food chain.
• FSSC 22000 Certification Food safety management system certification based on ISO 22000 with sector-specific prerequisite programs.
• HACCP Certification - Food Safety HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) certification providing a systematic preventive approach to identifying physical, allergenic, biological and chemical hazards in food production processes.
• GMP Certification - Food Safety Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification ensuring products are consistently manufactured and controlled according to quality standards.
• ISO 20000-1 Certification - IT Service Management Certification of IT Service Management systems against ISO 20000-1.
• ISO 27701 Certification - Privacy Information Management Privacy Information Management System certification as an extension to ISO 27001 and ISO 27002, supporting GDPR compliance.
• PAS 2060 Certification - Carbon Neutrality Carbon neutrality certification against PAS 2060, providing a clear and consistent framework for demonstrating carbon neutrality.
• PAS 2080 Certification - Carbon Management Carbon management certification for buildings and infrastructure against PAS 2080, helping organisations reduce carbon emissions across the value chain.
• ISO 37001 Certification - Anti-Bribery Management Certification of Anti-Bribery Management Systems against ISO 37001.
• ISO 55001 Certification - Asset Management Certification of Asset Management Systems against ISO 55001.
• SSIP Certification - Safety Schemes in Procurement Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) certification helping organisations demonstrate health and safety competence to procurement teams.
• Chain of Custody Certification Chain of Custody certification providing supply chain traceability, including PEFC-accredited certification for forest-based products, ensuring documented evidence of collection, transport and handling.
• E-Learning Training Interactive online training courses covering ISO standards and certification topics (including ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 27001, 50001, 42001, AS9100, IATF 16949, ISO 13485, food safety and integrated management systems), available 24/7 for flexible learning.
• In-House Training Tailored training delivered online or face-to-face at the client's site, covering ISO standards and certification preparation topics.
• Gap Analysis Service Strategic planning consulting service that assesses an organisation's current state against ISO certification requirements and identifies gaps to be closed before formal certification.
• Blended Audit Approach Auditing methodology combining on-site assessment and remote IT-based assessment to enable efficient and effective auditing while maintaining audit depth equivalent to a full on-site audit. Applicable to ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 50001, 13485, 27001, 27701, 22301 and 20000-1 (ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 audits will not typically exceed 30% remote).

Quantifiable outcome

• ISO 9001 has over 1.1 million certificates issued to organisations in 178 countries
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ANAB (American National Standards Institute/Registrar Accreditation Board)coreOthersANAB is the primary US accreditation body for NQA. NQA's worldwide operations are accredited by ANAB to perform management systems registrations, enabling NQA to issue certificates bearing the ANAB mark.
• UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service)coreOthersUKAS is the national accreditation body for the UK. NQA holds UKAS accreditation enabling it to issue certificates with UKAS accreditation marks, enhancing credibility and recognition particularly in UK and international supply chains.
• PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification)minorOthersNQA offers Chain of Custody certification under the PEFC scheme, enabling organisations to demonstrate responsible sourcing of forest-based products.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BSI (British Standards Institution): BSI is one of the world's largest ISO management systems certification bodies, offering a comparable portfolio including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, ISO 45001 and industry-specific standards, with similar UKAS-accredited status and enterprise client base.
• LRQA (Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance): LRQA is a global ISO and sector-specific certification body accredited by UKAS, offering overlapping services across ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001, IATF 16949, and AS9100 with comparable aerospace and industrial customer segments.
• TÜV SÜD: TÜV SÜD is a global TIC company providing ISO management systems certification, product certification, and industry-specific schemes (IATF, AS9100) across the same enterprise verticals NQA serves, with comparable accredited status.
• DNV: DNV is a major accredited certification body providing ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001, IATF 16949, and sector-specific certifications (marine, energy, food) with overlapping enterprise and industrial client base.
• Kiwa Group: Kiwa is a European TIC group operating in certification, testing, and inspection with overlapping ISO management systems and sector-specific certification offerings; NQA's joint branding and operational references suggest close partnership or ownership linkage.

Broad incumbents

• Intertek: Intertek is a diversified TIC incumbent offering ISO management systems certification alongside broader testing, inspection, and product certification services, with deeper resources and broader geographic reach than NQA.
• SGS: SGS is the world's largest TIC company, offering ISO management systems certification as part of a much broader inspection, verification, testing, and certification portfolio serving multinational enterprise clients across all of NQA's verticals.
• Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global TIC incumbent providing ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001 and sector-specific certifications as part of a wider marine, offshore, construction, and industrial verification portfolio.
• TÜV Rheinland: TÜV Rheinland is a global TIC incumbent offering ISO management systems certification, product testing, and industry-specific certification services across the same enterprise verticals as NQA, with broader geographic and service coverage.
• DEKRA: DEKRA is a global TIC organization offering ISO management systems certification alongside automotive, industrial, and product certification services, competing with NQA for enterprise clients across automotive, manufacturing, and information security verticals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NQAmovies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nqa-global

Compliance24 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NQA Global