CSQ Cannabis Safety & Quality

What CSQ Cannabis Safety & Quality does

CSQ Cannabis Safety & Quality is a standards and certification program scheme developer for the cannabis and hemp industry, founded in 2019 and operating as a privately-held, wholly-owned subsidiary of ASI Global Standards, LLC, part of the broader ASI Holdings corporate group headquartered at 500 NW Plaza, Suite 700, St. Ann, Missouri. The company develops and owns a portfolio of five core CSQ Standards — Cultivation (cGACP/cGMP), Extraction, Manufacturing, Retail/Deli-Style Retail (cGHP/cGMP), and Warehousing & Distribution (cGDP) — plus scope-extension addendums including the Dietary Supplement Addendum (21 CFR 111) and a forthcoming EU-GMP Addendum. All programs conform to a three-tiered level-based system: Level 1 baseline, Level 2 adding HACCP, and Level 3 adding full Quality Management System requirements. Standards are mapped to ASTM International, ISO, and cGxP frameworks, and the program is accredited to ISO/IEC 17065 with oversight from the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB).

CSQ's business model is certification-fee driven, but revenue flows indirectly through licensed certification bodies — primarily ASI Food Safety (a sister subsidiary within ASI Holdings) and Kiwa ASI for the Northeast US — rather than via direct sales. Operators pay for audits, certification, and annual maintenance through these bodies, supplemented by training revenue through Rootwurks (self-paced) and ASI Training & Consulting (instructor-led). The company's customer base includes most major US multi-state operators: AYR Wellness, Curaleaf, Trulieve, Green Thumb Industries, Cresco Labs, Verano Holdings, Cookies, Planet 13, Jungle Boys, and WANA Brands, alongside a long tail of mid-market single-state operators. A Technical Advisory Committee and ongoing public-comment standards-development process embed CSQ within industry governance. Pricing is quote-based, multi-year, and not publicly disclosed. Leadership comprises CEO Tyler Williams (Forbes 30 Under 30, also CEO of parent ASI since 2023), Technical Director Darwin Millard (ASTM D37 Vice Chair), and Director of Communications Kim Ring. The most significant recent strategic action was the October 2025 release of CSQ 2.0, consolidating nine prior programs into a single modular scheme with certification audits beginning January 2026.

Name

CSQ Cannabis Safety & Quality

Legal name

Cannabis Safety & Quality (CSQ)

Website

https://csqcertification.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CSQ Cannabis Safety & Quality develops and owns accredited safety and quality certification standards for cannabis and hemp operators across the supply chain from cultivation and extraction through manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and retail, distributing certifications through licensed third-party certification bodies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cannabis Safety & Quality Certification

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Safety & Quality Scheme Certifications (GFSI Programs) (AFALAMAI), Witness Audits, Office Assessments & Certification Governance Services (AFALACAG)

Keywords

• Cannabis certification
• Hemp safety standards
• Quality management certification
• Cannabis supply chain compliance
• Accredited audit programs

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Certification Fees: CSQ generates revenue through certification fees paid by licensed cannabis and hemp operators seeking CSQ certification. Operators pay certification bodies for audits and certification services across the five CSQ standards (Cultivation, Extraction, Manufacturing, Retail, Warehousing & Distribution) and associated addendums.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CSQ Cannabis Safety & Quality is a standards and certification program scheme developer that creates and owns a suite of accredited safety and quality certification programs for licensed cannabis and hemp operators. The company issues certification schemes through licensed ISO/IEC 17065-accredited certification bodies, covering the entire seed-to-sale supply chain including cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, retail, and warehousing/distribution. Operators seeking certification pay audit and certification fees through these certification bodies, with a three-tiered modular Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 conformance system.

Product overview

CSQ Cannabis Safety & Quality is a standards and certification program scheme developer offering a modular, three-tiered level-based certification ecosystem covering the entire cannabis and hemp supply chain from seed to sale. The core portfolio consists of five CSQ Standards: CSQ Cultivation (cannabis growers), CSQ Extraction (cannabinoid processors), CSQ Manufacturing (cannabis product manufacturers), CSQ Retail & Deli-Style Retail (cannabis retailers), and CSQ Warehousing & Distribution (logistics/warehousing). Add-on addendums include the Dietary Supplement Addendum (expanding scope to dietary supplements) and the forthcoming EU-GMP Addendum for operations seeking European market compliance. All programs follow a three-level progression system: Level 1 (baseline cGMP/cGACP/cGDP/cGHP standards), Level 2 (adds HACCP food safety requirements), and Level 3 (adds full Quality Management System requirements).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CSQ Cultivation Accredited cGACP and cGMP conformant certification program for licensed cannabis and hemp cultivators, covering seed farming, tissue culture, cloning, propagation, growing, harvesting, drying, curing, and packing of cannabinoid-containing herbal materials.
• CSQ Extraction Accredited cGMP conformant certification program for licensed cannabis processors producing cannabinoid-containing substances including glandular trichomes, concentrates, extracts, isolated and purified cannabinoids, and converted cannabinoids through mechanical and solvent-based extraction methods.
• CSQ Manufacturing Accredited cGMP conformant certification program for licensed cannabis product manufacturers producing inhalable, ingestible (food and beverage), and topical cannabinoid-containing products.
• CSQ Retail & Deli-Style Retail Accredited cGHP and cGMP conformant certification program for licensed retail sale of cannabinoid-containing products, including deli-style retailers performing pre-roll manufacture, blending, grinding, and packing of herbal materials at the point of sale.
• CSQ Warehousing & Distribution Accredited cGDP conformant certification program for licensed warehousing and distribution operations handling, storing, and distributing cannabinoid-containing materials and products throughout the supply chain.
• CSQ Dietary Supplement Addendum
• CSQ Training Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Certified sites achieving 98-100% audit scores demonstrate high compliance levels (Cloud Co Farms 98%, Fino Brands 99%, Trulieve-Higdon 100%)

Named customers18 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and regional.

• ASI Global Standards, LLCflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019ASI Global Standards, LLC is the parent company and sole owner of CSQ. CSQ is a privately-held, solely-owned subsidiary of ASI Global Standards. ASI Global Standards retains ownership and copyright of all CSQ Certification Program related documents and holds agreements for all involved Certification Bodies, Accreditation Bodies, and Training Organizations.
• ASI Food SafetycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorASI Food Safety is CSQ's primary licensed ISO/IEC 17065 accredited Certification Body. As both entities are subsidiaries of ASI Holdings, this represents a perceived conflict of interest that CSQ acknowledges and addresses through strict code of ethics and impartiality policies.
• ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANAB is CSQ's licensed Accreditation Body, accredited to ISO/IEC 17011. ANAB oversees CSQ's Certification Bodies and ensures the CSQ Certification Program conforms to ISO/IEC 17067 requirements.
• Kiwa ASIregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKiwa ASI is a licensed certification body conducting CSQ audits, particularly in the Northeast US region including Pennsylvania.
• RootwurkscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRootwurks is CSQ's exclusive virtual training partner for self-paced training. CSQ self-paced trainings are offered exclusively through Rootwurks online shop.
• ASI Training & Consulting, LLCcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorASI Training & Consulting, LLC provides instructor-led training for CSQ certification programs. Part of the ASI Holdings corporate family.
• ASTM International Technical Committee D37coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSQ Technical Director Darwin Millard serves as ASTM D37 Vice Chair and Subcommittee Chair. CSQ standards are based on ASTM, ISO, and other internationally recognized standards. The company actively contributes to ASTM standards development for the cannabis industry.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BRCGS (Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards): BRCGS is a GFSI-recognized food safety scheme owner whose Global Standard for Food Safety and related storage/ distribution/ packaging standards operate the same model as CSQ — accredited third-party certification against a privately owned scheme. It competes for the same food-safety-mandated audits.
• NSF International: NSF runs accredited cannabis and dietary supplement certification programs aimed at the same licensed-operator buyer as CSQ, including cGMP-based audits and add-on schemes. It is the most direct competitor because it is an independent scheme owner with established brand recognition in regulated quality.
• SQF Institute: SQF operates a GFSI-benchmarked food safety and quality certification scheme covering food manufacturing, storage, and distribution. It is a direct analogue in scheme ownership economics and target buyer profile (quality and compliance managers at regulated manufacturers).
• FSSC 22000: FSSC 22000 is a GFSI-recognized food safety scheme owner built on ISO 22000 plus sector-specific add-ons (packaging, storage, etc.). Its add-on-based, level-progression model is structurally analogous to CSQ 2.0's three-tiered level-based system with addendums.

Broad incumbents

• Eurofins Scientific: Eurofins operates one of the largest cannabis and food testing laboratory networks globally and offers related certification-adjacent services. It overlaps with CSQ at the buyer level (licensed cannabis operators needing quality documentation) though anchored in lab testing rather than scheme ownership.
• UL Solutions: UL has expanded into cannabis industry standards and testing programs in addition to its broader product safety and certification portfolio. It is comparable as an established global standards/certifications incumbent now competing in CSQ's category.
• Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas provides global testing, inspection, and certification across agri-food and consumer products, including programs touching cannabis and supplement supply chains. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for enterprise cannabis operator compliance budgets.
• SGS: SGS is one of the world's largest testing, inspection, and certification companies with cannabis-specific testing and certification services. It is comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping cGMP-style audits to cannabis operators globally.
• Intertek: Intertek is a global testing, inspection, and certification body serving food, supplements, and consumer products. Its cannabis and dietary supplement audit offerings compete with CSQ for the same regulated-operator buyer.

Others

• ASTM International: ASTM is the standards development organization whose cannabis committee (D37) underpins CSQ's technical framework. CSQ does not compete with ASTM but is built on top of it — making ASTM a strategic enabler and ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/csq-cannabis-safety-and-quality

Compliance10 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 CSQ Cannabis Safety & Quality