In 1878, a young entrepreneur named Henri Goldstuck recognized a critical need in the bustling port of Rouen, France. As grain shipments flowed through one of the country's largest ports, he saw that buyers and sellers needed an independent, trustworthy way to verify quality. So he founded a grain inspection house that would eventually transform into the world's most trusted name in testing, inspection, and certification.
From those humble beginnings on the docks of 1870s Rouen, SGS evolved into a global powerhouse with over 99,500 professionals operating across 2,500 laboratories and business facilities in 115 countries. After moving headquarters to Geneva, Switzerland in 1915 and adopting the name Société Générale de Surveillance, the company expanded beyond grain inspection to serve virtually every industry. Today, SGS combines Swiss precision with deep expertise across oil and gas, manufacturing, healthcare, technology, and sustainability sectors, guided by a simple promise that has endured for over 145 years: when you need to be sure.