Specialising in management systems certification, NQA is one of the largest certification bodies (CB) globally and currently has over 38,000 active certificates. Operating out of over 50 different countries, NQA is able to span the entire globe, whilst making sure that clients receive a local service.
NQA was established in 1988 by NICEIC to provide BS 5750:1987 quality assurance to electricians. Its first trading name was NICQA (National Inspection Council Quality Assurance) and it employed 4 members of staff. By its 10th Anniversary, NQA had issued almost 10,000 certificates and had quickly risen to the 2nd largest CB within the UK with over 60 assessors and clients such as Jacuzzi, NASA and Avon Cosmetics.
By 2008, NQA had issued over 16,000 certificates and had opened offices in over 20 locations, including NQA Inc (NQA's USA office and now head office), NQA India and SNQA (Shanghai NQA) in China. NQA used its technical expertise and global brand to attract customers such as Walkers Crisps, Hyundai Motors, Boeing and Unilever Research.
This year NQA has over 36,000 active certificates, and is now owned by NTS (National Technical Systems). NQA has a full portfolio of products, including certification services for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 27001, ISO 50001, ISO 13485, ISO 22000, AS91XX series and IATF 16949 as well as a suite of training services. This non-exhaustive portfolio ensures that NQA fully supports its diverse range of clients including Jaguar LandRover, Costa Coffee, EDF Energy, JA Harrison and CityFibre. In areas where NQA cannot support due to its need to remain impartial, NQA works with consultants across the globe to ensure that clients have a support network outside of NQA too.
NQA is an accredited certification body and offers accredited certification where possible. Accreditation is an independent assessment that ensures certification bodies have the technical competence and impartiality to deliver credible certification services. This is essential to building confidence and trust in certification. Accredited certification ensures that the certification service you are receiving is not only impartial, but trustworthy, value added and recognized internationally.
NQA are proud to hold multiple accreditations including UKAS, ANAB, CNAS, DAC and IATF. Our values are focused around technical excellence, customer service and integrity. We are committed to supporting each of our clients on a day to day basis to ensure that they get the best service possible and implement the best management systems available. We do this by sharing our technical knowledge with the world through training, seminars, webinars and of course our technical auditors.
NQA actively seeks to hire reserves and service leaders in order to support them back into the world of work and to train them in the technical skills of auditing. As a result, NQA is now a Bronze supporter of the Armed Forces Community in the UK and has signed the Corporate Covenant.
The team at NQA understand the challenges businesses face on a daily basis. It takes passion, commitment and hard work to make a company succeed. That is why NQA focuses on understanding customers and learning about their ambitions. The NQA approach is pragmatic and supportive whilst meeting the rigorous technical demands and integrity required for accredited certification.
Happy Birthday to us and we look forward to the next 30 years within the certification industry.
