SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection, and certification company, has been selected by the OECD Working Party on Countering Illicit Trade to perform the first-ever pilot certification of a Free Trade Zone in Barcelona, Spain.
The OECD Certification Programme was developed jointly with a working group comprised of experts from TIC Council member companies between 2021 and 2024. It assesses and monitors compliance of Free Trade Zones against the OECD Code of Conduct for Clean Free Trade Zones based on evidence and independent auditing. By providing an impartial, third-party assessment, the programme plays a crucial role in combating illicit trade, improving accountability and transparency, and upholding the highest business practices within Free Trade Zones.
SGS and the wider TIC sector will continue to bring their expertise to support this fight and help create a level playing field for all compliant economic operators.
Géraldine Picaud, CEO of SGS, commented:
We are thrilled to reach this major milestone with the OECD, and we hope we will start to see the positive impact this Certification Scheme will have on reducing illicit trade. We are proud to be part of this successful initiative, and we look forward to expanding the community of OECD certified Free Trade Zones.
About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.
Our brand promise – when you need to be sure – underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and reliability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource.
SGS is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SGSN (ISIN CH0002497458, Reuters SGSN.S, Bloomberg SGSN:SW).
