Kiwa Stories - Articles

This year's theme, "Let's ensure a healthy psychosocial working environment," centers on the health and wellbeing of workers, and the way everyday working conditions are designed, managed, and organized. In this article, our Global Head of Health & Safety, Ellen de Geest, shares how at Kiwa safety starts within our own walls, and how our services help strengthen safety standards across the world.

Inspecting the interior of concrete dams is often hindered by poor lighting and restricted access, making it difficult to get a comprehensive overview of the structural condition. By building an ultra-high-resolution 3D model of the galleries at the Storfinnforsen dam, we have demonstrated how visual inspections can be entirely transitioned to a digital desktop environment. The result is an impressive level of detail, allowing for the detection and exact geospatial anchoring of all defects, such as cracks as fine as 0.2 millimeters.

Since the introduction of MDR (EU) 2017/745, many manufacturers describe the regulation as demanding and time-intensive. And while MDR is thorough by design, many of the hurdles companies face stem from fragmented processes rather than the regulation itself.

Step inside a day in the life of Stephen Burt, Carbon and Sustainability Services Director at NQA, a Kiwa company. From early-morning travel on the Caledonian Sleeper to on-site audits of major infrastructure projects, discover how carbon verification, stakeholder collaboration, and whole life carbon assessments come together in practice. This behind-the-scenes look highlights the real-world work driving more sustainable outcomes across complex projects.

Many organizations choose to perform their own supplier audits — and they do so with impressive dedication, deep product knowledge, and a genuine commitment to quality. Yet within that approach lies an interesting opportunity. Not to replace what already works, but to strengthen it.

Kiwa is expanding its fire safety and security services! In Zaltbommel (the Netherlands) the construction of a brand-new test hall is in development, specifically for testing and certifying sprinklers according to EN 12259-1. With this expansion, we will soon be able to test sprinklers so that they can be provided with a CE-marking.

Kiwa has successfully audited all 458 PureGym sites across the UK and 49 in Switzerland to FITcert®, a recognised milestone that demonstrates a fitness club has been independently assessed against the European standard EN 17229 for fitness centre facilities and operations.

In a world where artificial intelligence is evolving at lightning speed, ML6, a Belgian AI consulting and services company, stands out as a pioneer. Patrick Coomans, Global Product Owner of Cyber Security at Vinçotte (a Kiwa company) sat down with ML6 experts Rob Vandenberghe and Louis Vanderdonckt to discuss how ML6 is evolving, the role it plays in the AI landscape, and why trust is an absolute prerequisite for long-term value creation.

Kiwa PI Berlin advises Sonnedix on quality control through an agreement that includes factory inspection and auditing services, production supervision, ESG analysis and traceability, in-factory testing and in-house laboratory testing.

This case study highlights the challenges, expertise, and detailed process involved in testing liquid hydrogen (LH₂) systems, based on the experience of Kiwa as an independent testing laboratory. To understand what this work entails, this case study takes you through the landscape in which LH₂ technology is developing, the capabilities of Kiwa, and the step-by-step testing process that customers rely on.

The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU-CBAM) is a key instrument of the European Union aimed at preventing carbon leakage and ensuring fair competition between EU manufacturers and importers from third countries. By aligning the carbon costs of imported goods with those produced within the EU, the mechanism supports the EU’s climate objectives while encouraging cleaner production globally.

The revised European legislation for construction products, CPR-2024, has significant implications. As a manufacturer of precast concrete (products) or steel (products), you will be faced with new obligations in the areas of sustainability, traceability and product information. The law will come into effect in phases, with the concrete and steel industries being the first to be affected. What exactly will change? And how can you prepare yourself properly?

Industrial networks are predictable—but that predictability can be a risk. Sam Van Hauwaert, Senior Cybersecurity Specialist at Vinçotte (a Kiwa company), shares his thoughts on how honeypots and deception technology can turn this predictability into an advantage, helping detect threats early and protect critical assets before attackers strike.

Discover how Kiwa’s Digi-Tags is transforming asset safety and data management. With a simple QR code scan, field technicians, safety managers, and engineers can access real-time information, documents, and safety records—streamlining inspections, reducing risk, and ensuring compliance across industries.

CPR-2024 is not just about what you provide, but why. The updated regulation goes beyond compliance, setting a clear path toward sustainable, circular, and transparent construction practices. Digital product passports, environmental data in the DOPC, and strengthened oversight will shape the industry.

Under Article 52 and Annexes IX through XI of the Medical Device Regulation (MDR), it is the legal manufacturer's responsibility to select the appropriate conformity assessment route. However, as a Notified Body, we often observe confusion regarding what these assessments entail and which route is best. The correct choice depends on the device classification and the level of control the manufacturer maintains over design and production.