International Compliance Group

What International Compliance Group does

International Compliance Group (ICG) is a privately held, third-party social compliance audit firm founded in 1999 and headquartered in San Diego, California, operating as a subsidiary of LRQA. The company delivers independent audits and verifications across social, environmental, and management-system frameworks — including SMETA/SEDEX, SLCP, WRAP, Higg FEM, C-TPAT, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, and GlobalG.A.P. — to manufacturing, distribution, agricultural, and food-processing facilities in more than 50 countries. Its service backbone is a globally distributed network of auditors, primarily bilingual professionals with advanced degrees and 15+ years of industry experience, who execute on-site audits typically within four to five weeks of request.

ICG monetizes through quote-based professional services fees tied to audit type, facility size, workforce scale, and geography, with contracts ranging from individual audits to multi-year engagements. The firm holds a stack of industry credentials — APSCA membership, ISO 9001:2015 accredited certifying body status, SLCP Verification Body approval, SEDEX Stakeholders Forum membership, WRAP accreditation, and Cascale affiliate status for Higg Index assessments — that gate participation in many enterprise supply-chain compliance programs. Distribution is enterprise field sales supported by direct email and website quote-request channels, and ICG has named regional contacts across the Americas, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

The customer base spans Fortune 500 brands (Nike, Hanes, Kontoor/Wrangler, Avery Dennison, Liverpool, Suburbia) alongside privately held businesses, with heavy vertical concentration in apparel manufacturing and retail. ICG integrates its deliverables into third-party data platforms — Sedex, SLCP Gateway, Higg.org, Worldly FDM, Fair Factories Clearinghouse, and the GlobalG.A.P. database — enabling audit reports to be shared with multiple buyers and reducing audit fatigue for facilities. The company publishes regular educational content (2025–2026 blog cadence) on ESG frameworks and has begun publicly discussing potential AI applications for social compliance, though no AI product has been shipped.

Name

International Compliance Group

Legal name

International Compliance Group

Website

https://ic-group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

International Compliance Group is a privately held, San Diego-based third-party social compliance audit firm and LRQA subsidiary that conducts SMETA/SEDEX, SLCP, WRAP, Higg FEM, C-TPAT, ISO, and GlobalG.A.P. audits for Fortune 500 brands and SMB manufacturers across more than 50 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Compliance Auditing Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Social, Ethical & Sustainability Audits for Food Supply Chains (SMETA/SA8000, ESG-linked) (AFALABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

ESG Data Platforms, Controls & Audit Readiness (Data quality, internal controls) (EUAHAJAN), Security Audits & Compliance (ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX) (BPAKADAC), Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH)

Keywords

• Social compliance audits
• Supply chain auditing
• Ethical trade audits
• ISO certification services
• Third-party verification

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Third-Party Social Compliance Audits: ICG provides third-party social compliance audits for SEDEX/SMETA, SLCP, FLSM, Higg FEM, WRAP, C-TPAT, and ISO standards. Revenue is generated through audit fees for manufacturing, distribution, farming and food processing facilities worldwide.
2. Product Certification Services: ICG offers product certification services including GlobalG.A.P. certification for producers in agriculture and food production sectors, involving application processing, onsite inspection/audit, and certificate issuance.
3. Management System Certification: ICG provides management system certification services including ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications, involving initial certification audits, surveillance audits, and re-certification audits.
4. Higg FEM Verification: ICG provides second- and third-party verifications for Higg Facility Environmental Module (FEM) assessments, supporting clients' sustainability journeys through Cascale's Higg Index tools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

International Compliance Group (ICG) provides third-party social and environmental compliance audits and certifications for manufacturing, distribution, farming, and food processing facilities worldwide. The service portfolio covers SEDEX/SMETA, SLCP, WRAP, Higg FEM, C-TPAT, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and GlobalG.A.P. assessments, with audits conducted by a globally distributed team of accredited auditors and report outputs that integrate with platforms such as Sedex, Higg.org, SLCP Gateway, and GlobalG.A.P. databases.

Product overview

International Compliance Group (ICG) operates as a full-service social compliance audit firm offering a comprehensive portfolio of audit and certification services. The core offering consists of social compliance audits including SMETA/SEDEX, SLCP verification, WRAP certification, and C-TPAT security assessments, complemented by environmental services such as Higg FEM verification, environmental audits, and product certification under GlobalG.A.P. ICG also provides management system certification for ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards. All services leverage a network of qualified auditors across the Americas, Asia, and beyond, with ICG serving as both a verification body and, for ISO 9001, an accredited certifying body. The company's services integrate with platforms including Sedex, Higg Index/Cascale, Worldly, SLCP Gateway, and GlobalG.A.P. database to enable data sharing and reduce audit fatigue for clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SMETA / SEDEX Audits Social compliance audits using the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit methodology, covering Labor Standards, Health and Safety, Environment, and Business Ethics pillars. Performed as SMETA 2 pillar and 4 pillar audits.
• SLCP Verification Services Verification of facilities against the Social & Labor Convergence Program's Converged Assessment Framework, replacing multiple proprietary social audits with one standardized assessment shared across multiple buyers.
• WRAP Certification Audits Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production certification audits for manufacturing facilities to certify compliance with WRAP principles covering safe, lawful, humane, and ethical production.
• Higg FEM Verification Higg Facility Environmental Module verification assessing energy use, water management, waste, chemicals, and emissions. Conducted as onsite or offsite verification using Cascale's Higg Index tools.
• C-TPAT Facility Security Audits Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism facility security audits to help companies become compliant with US Customs requirements under C-TPAT.
• ISO Management System Audits ISO 9001 Quality Management System and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification audits delivered by an ISO 9001:2015 accredited certifying body, including Stage 1 / Stage 2 certification, surveillance and re-certification audits.
• Environmental Audits and Certifications Third-party environmental compliance audits evaluating organizational practices, processes, and infrastructure against environmental regulations and industry-specific standards.
• Management System Certification Standalone management system certification services including initial certification audits (Stage 1 and Stage 2), surveillance audits and re-certification audits with 3-year certificate validity.
• Product Certification (GlobalG.A.P.) GlobalG.A.P. product certification for agricultural and food production facilities, covering application processing, on-site inspection/audit, evaluation, corrective actions and certificate issuance, with registration in the GlobalG.A.P. database.
• Client-Specific Code of Conduct Audits Customized audits aligned with individual client Codes of Conduct, covering specific standards on labor rights, health and safety, and environmental practices across the client's supplier program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7.3 million workers covered by SLCP assessments in 122 countries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• LRQAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICG is a LRQA Company. LRQA is a leading provider of independent audit services and certification. This relationship positions ICG within a larger network of compliance and certification services.
• CascalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICG is an affiliate member of Cascale (formerly Sustainable Apparel Coalition) and provides second and third-party assessments using the Higg Index tools. Cascale unites brands, retailers, manufacturers, and stakeholders in the common cause of sustainability for the worldwide apparel supply chain.
• Association of Professional Social Compliance Auditors (APSCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICG is a proud member of APSCA, the industry association whose members represent a substantial majority of the Social Compliance audit industry. APSCA exists to enhance professionalism, consistency, and credibility of individuals and organizations performing independent/third-party social compliance audits.
• SedexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICG is a member of the SEDEX Stakeholders Forum and approved to perform SMETA 2 and 4 pillar audits. Sedex is a not-for-profit membership association based in the UK offering a system for exchange of information between suppliers and buyers on labor standards, health and safety, environment, and business ethics.
• WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICG was one of the first professional services firms to become an accredited monitoring firm for WRAP. WRAP is the only independent global organization advancing safe, lawful, humane, and ethical practices in production facilities, benefiting workers, manufacturers, buyers, and consumers.
• Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP)coreTechnology or IntegrationICG is an approved Verification Body for SLCP for all countries in the Americas region, most locations in Europe, and locations throughout the world. SLCP implements a Converged Assessment Framework (CAF) that supports stakeholders' efforts to improve working conditions in global supply chains.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Control Union: Global certification body specializing in agricultural, forestry, textile, and social compliance certifications including GlobalG.A.P., Better Cotton, and various social audit programs. Direct overlap with ICG's agricultural and apparel audit work.
• Ancer Compliance: Specialized social compliance audit firm offering SLCP verification and SMETA audits, with focus on apparel and consumer goods supply chains. Closely comparable niche peer to ICG in social compliance auditing.
• Verité: Non-profit social compliance audit and research organization focused on labor rights in global supply chains. Comparable to ICG's social compliance audit practice, particularly in apparel and manufacturing.
• Intertek: Global TIC firm delivering social compliance audits, ISO management system certification, and supply chain assurance for apparel, food, and manufacturing clients. Overlaps directly with ICG's SMETA, SLCP, and ISO offerings.
• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection, and certification giant offering social compliance audits (SMETA, SLCP), ISO certification, C-TPAT, and environmental audits across apparel and manufacturing supply chains. Directly competes with ICG for enterprise social audit mandates.
• TÜV Rheinland: Global TIC provider with social compliance auditing, ISO certification, and supply chain services. Overlaps with ICG's audit portfolio and serves many of the same apparel and consumer goods brands.
• TÜV SÜD: German-headquartered TIC company offering social audits, ISO certification, environmental verification, and supply chain security. Competes with ICG for apparel and manufacturing audit mandates, especially for European brands.
• SGS: Largest global TIC company providing social compliance audits, ISO certification, environmental verification, and supply chain security services. Competes with ICG across most service lines and geographies.

Broad incumbents

• UL Solutions: Large global safety science and certification company expanding into ESG, supply chain auditing, and sustainability services. Adjacent overlap with ICG's environmental and management system certification offerings.
• RINA: Multinational certification, inspection, and engineering firm offering ISO certification, social compliance, and energy/environmental services. Competes for adjacent audit mandates to ICG's management system and environmental lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/internationalcompliancegroup

Compliance4 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 International Compliance Group