CSQA

What CSQA does

CSQA Certificazioni S.r.l. is an Italian accredited certification body founded in 1990 and headquartered in Thiene (Vicenza), Italy. The company issues third-party certifications, gap analyses, and second-party inspections against international standards (ISO, UNI, FSC, PEFC, IFS, BRC), serving organizations across agrifood, organic products, quality management (ISO 9001), sustainability, life sciences, information technology, forests and ecosystem services, services, and individual professions. CSQA is accredited by ACCREDIA for multiple schemes and holds a dominant position as the certification body of record for 82 Italian Geographical Indications (DOP/IGP/STG), including high-value supply chains such as Gorgonzola DOP and Bresaola della Valtellina IGP.

The company operates three integrated service lines: certification (recurring audit, assessment and certificate issuance), gap analysis and supply chain inspection, and a Centro Formazione that delivers training across in-person, live-streaming, on-demand, and tailored formats. In June 2025 CSQA issued the first ISO/IEC 42001 (AI Management System) certification accredited by ACCREDIA in Italy, marking early entry into AI governance certification.

CSQA generates revenue through recurring certification fees, professional services fees for gap analysis and inspections, and one-time training course fees. The go-to-market is sales-led with B2B direct engagement for enterprise certification and a D2C self-serve channel for training courses via its website. Pietro Bonato was appointed President and CEO in April 2025. FY2025 revenue was €37.4 million with a 6.89% MOL, characterized as a record performance.

Name

CSQA

Legal name

CSQA Certificazioni S.r.l.

Website

https://csqa.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

CSQA is an Italian accredited certification body providing third-party certification, inspection, and training services across agrifood, quality, sustainability, life sciences, IT, and forest sectors, with dominant leadership in 82 Italian Geographical Indications and ACCREDIA-accredited certification authority.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Third-Party Certification & Compliance Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Project, Process & Quality Certification Prep (PMP, PRINCE2, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL) (EDANAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Information Technology & Cybersecurity Certification Prep (CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, ISC2/ISACA) (EDANAIAF), Legal, Governance, Privacy & Audit Certifications (EDAAANAN), Quality, Process Improvement & Lean/Six Sigma Certifications (EDAAANAC)

Keywords

• Third-party certification services
• Quality management auditing
• Food safety certification
• ISO certification body
• Compliance training services

Headquarters

HQ city

Thiene

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Certification Services: CSQA issues certifications for companies across multiple sectors. Certification fees are charged for audit, assessment, and issuance of certificates against international standards (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, etc.). The company is accredited by ACCREDIA for many certification schemes.
2. Training Courses: Revenue from training courses sold in various formats: in-person classroom, live streaming webinars, on-demand recorded content, and customized training programs. Courses are priced individually and cover certification exam preparation, standards understanding, and professional development.
3. Gap Analysis and Inspection Services: Fees for gap analysis assessments and second-party inspections on supply chains to evaluate compliance with standards and provide inspection reports (distinct from certification reports).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CSQA Certificazioni S.r.l. provides third-party certification, gap analysis/inspection, and training services across sectors including agrifood, organic products, quality, sustainability, life sciences, information technology, forests, services, and professions. The company is accredited by ACCREDIA and issues certifications against international standards (ISO, UNI, EU regulations) for processes, products, services, and persons. Its training center delivers courses in classroom, live streaming, on-demand, and tailored formats.

Product overview

CSQA is a certification body offering a comprehensive portfolio of certification, assessment, and training services. The core offerings consist of three main pillars: (1) Certification Services covering multiple sectors including Agroalimentare & Packaging, Organic/Biologico, Quality (ISO 9001), Sustainability, Life Sciences, Information Technology (ISO 27001, ISO 42001, ISO 20000, ITIL), Forests & Ecosystem Services, Services, and Professions; (2) Gap Analysis and inspection services for evaluating compliance with mandatory or voluntary standards; and (3) Training Services through its Centro Formazione offering classroom, live streaming, on-demand, and tailored training programs. CSQA is accredited by ACCREDIA and operates in Italy with a focus on quality, sustainability, food safety, information security, AI management, and social responsibility certifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certification Services Third-party certification across multiple sectors including Agrifood & Packaging, Organic, Quality (ISO 9001), Sustainability, Life Sciences, Information Technology (ISO 27001, ISO 42001, ISO 20000, ITIL), Forests & Ecosystem Services, Services, and Professions. Ensures compliance with international standards for services, processes, products, and persons; CSQA is accredited by ACCREDIA.
• Gap Analysis and Second-Party Inspection Verification service that evaluates the distance between a company's current situation and a mandatory or voluntary reference standard. Includes second-party inspection on supply chains, delivered via announced or unannounced verification methods and producing inspection reports distinct from certification reports.
• Training Services (Centro Formazione) Structured training program delivered through CSQA's Training Center covering Agrifood & Beverage, Packaging, Digital Services/ICT, Healthcare, and Services sectors with cross-cutting themes in Quality, Sustainability, Cybersecurity, Privacy, Business Continuity, and Anti-bribery. Formats include classroom, live streaming, on-demand, and tailored programs across Italy.
• ISO 9001 Quality Management System Certification Accredited certification against the ISO 9001 international standard for quality management, applicable to any public or private organization. Addresses customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, risk and opportunity analysis, and process control, integratable with ISO 45001, ISO 14001, and ISO 27001.
• Information Technology Certifications Suite of IT certifications covering ISO 27001 (Information Security), ISO 27017 (Cloud Security), ISO 27701 (Data Protection), ISO 27018 (Cloud Privacy), ISO 42001 (AI Management System), ISO 22301 (Business Continuity), ISO 20000 (IT Service Management), ITIL, EIDAS/Trust Services, and ISO/IEC 25010 software quality assessment.
• Life Sciences Certifications Healthcare and social service certifications including ISO 9001 for PDTA (Diagnostic Therapeutic Care Pathways), Phoenix 5.0 (Healthcare Risk Management), Gentlecare Model (Dementia Care), SIGUCERT (Clinical Genetics), ISO 15189 (Medical Laboratories), ISO 22716 (Cosmetic GMP), ISO 21001 (Education Organizations), and personal services standards (UNI 10881, UNI 11010, UNI 11034, UNI 11601).
• Forest and Ecosystem Services Certifications Forest management and ecosystem certifications including FSC COC (Chain of Custody for forest products), PEFC extension, and PiantaNativa/Biodiversità for native plants and seeds from local sources.
• Services Certifications Service-sector certifications including DTS 020 (Job placement for disadvantaged persons), ISO 20700 (Management Consultancy), UNI 10600 (Public Services Complaints), ISO 37101 (Sustainable Community Management), ISO 37001 (Anti-corruption), UNI EN 16636 (Pest Management), UNI 10719 (Congress Organization), ISO 21401 (Sustainable Tourism), UNI/PdR 131 (Accessibility), ISO 13009 (Sustainable Beaches), and ISO 29991/29992/29993/29994/29995 (Training Services).
• UNI/PdR 125 Gender Equality Certification Gender equality certification under the UNI PdR 125:2022 practice, covering culture and strategy, governance, HR processes, career growth, pay equity, and work-life balance; ACCREDIA-accredited.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2025 revenue of €37.4 million with 6.89% MOL and record growth in certification services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• VIVAFOR ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIVAFOR project partnership mentioned on CSQA website footer. Details about the partnership nature and activities not fully specified in available content.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DNV: International accredited certification body issuing ISO management system certifications across quality, environment, food safety, information security, and healthcare. Comparable to CSQA's standards-based certification business, with significantly broader geographic and vertical reach.
• Intertek: Global TIC firm offering management systems certification, product testing, and supply-chain assurance across food, healthcare, and IT sectors. Competes with CSQA on ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and agrifood certifications for multinational enterprise accounts.
• Bureau Veritas: Global Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) incumbent offering ISO management system certification, food safety, agrifood, and ESG audits worldwide. Competes with CSQA in Italy and across Europe for ISO-based and voluntary standard certifications, especially for multinational clients.
• Kiwa: European TIC and certification group providing accredited certification in quality, food safety, environment, and sustainability, with strong presence in Italy via Kiwa Cermet. Direct competitor to CSQA in the Italian ISO and voluntary certification market.
• SGS: World's largest TIC company providing inspection, verification, testing, and certification across agrifood, life sciences, and industrial sectors. Overlaps with CSQA in food safety, quality, and sustainability certifications globally.
• TÜV SÜD: Global TIC provider offering management system certification, product testing, and sector-specific audits including food, IT security, and life sciences. Overlaps with CSQA's ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, and agrifood certification portfolio at the European level.

Direct peers

• IMQ: Italian certification and testing body specializing in product safety, electrical, and management system certifications. Comparable to CSQA as an Italian-headquartered accredited body, though with a heavier weighting toward product and electrical safety testing.
• Certiquality: Italian accredited certification body offering ISO, sector, and voluntary standard certifications across agrifood, quality, environment, and information security. Closest domestic peer to CSQA in terms of scope, accreditation, and Italian enterprise customer base.
• RINA: Italian-headquartered global certification, inspection, and testing body active across quality, environment, energy, food, and maritime sectors. Comparable to CSQA in Italy-centric heritage, accredited certification portfolio, and food/sustainability vertical strength, but with much larger international reach.

Emerging players

• DQS CFS: Germany-headquartered accredited certification body with growing presence in Italy, offering ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, and sector certifications. Increasingly relevant to CSQA as a European competitor targeting Italian SMEs and multinational accounts in the same standards portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/csqacert

Compliance17 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 CSQA