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BSI Group

Logo: BSI Group DE, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons4

British standards organization

The British Standards Institution (BSI) is the national standards body of the United Kingdom. BSI produces technical standards on a wide range of products and services and also supplies standards certification services for business and personnel.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1901Founded1
  • Industrystandard1
  • HeadquartersLondon1
  • Websitewww.bsigroup.com
  • Legal formPrivate Limited Company3
  • LEI213800A5ZKGAB6TTVL173
  • StatusActive3
  • LEI statusIssued and current3
  • Registered address389 CHISWICK HIGH ROAD, W4 4AL London, United Kingdom3
  • Registered withCompanies House, 035551073

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BSI Group Chiswick London
Photo: Alex.muller, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons6

The British Standards Institution (BSI) is the national standards body of the United Kingdom. BSI produces technical standards on a wide range of products and services and also supplies standards certification services for business and personnel.2

Corporate structure

BSI Group is part of a group headed by THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION. 2 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

Built from parent and subsidiary links from GLEIF, the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (CC0). Each entity in the chart links to its source.

The story

BSI was founded as the Engineering Standards Committee in London in 1901. It subsequently extended its standardization work and became the British Engineering Standards Association in 1918, adopting the name British Standards Institution in 1931 after receiving a Royal Charter in 1929. In 1998, a revision of the Charter enabled the organization to diversify and acquire other businesses, and the trading name was changed to BSI Group.

The Group now operates in 195 countries. The core business remains standards and standards related services, although the majority of the Group's revenue comes from management systems assessment and certification work.

In 2021, BSI appointed its first female chief executive officer, Susan Taylor Martin.

From Wikipedia’s article on BSI Group, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Products and brands

BSI's best known product in the UK is the Kitemark, a registered certification mark first used in 1903. The Kitemark – which is recognized by 82% of UK adults – signifies products or services which have been assessed and tested as meeting the requirements of the related specification or standard within a Kitemark scheme.

BSI also conducts testing of products for a range of certifications, including for CE marking. CE marking must be applied to a wide range of products intended for sale in the European Economic Area. Frequently, manufacturers or importers need a third-party certification of their product from an accredited or 'Notified' body. BSI holds Notified Body status for 15 EU Directives, including construction products, marine equipment, pressurized equipment and personal protective equipment.

BSI also conducts testing for manufacturers developing new products and has facilities to test across a wide range of sectors, including construction, fire safety, electrical and electronic and engineering products.

BSI provides regulatory and quality management reviews and product certification for medical device manufacturers in the Worldwide. It is the market leader in the US, the world's biggest healthcare market.

From Wikipedia’s article on BSI Group, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Subsidiaries and ownership

Parent company (GLEIF)

Ownership links from GLEIF, the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (CC0); each one cites its LEI record.

Acquisitions

Starting in 1998, BSI Group has adopted a policy of international growth through acquisition as follows:

1998: CEEM, USA and International Standards Certification Pte Ltd, Singapore

2002: KPMG's certification business in North America

2003: BSI Pacific Ltd, Hong Kong

Read the full text

2004: KPMG's certification business in the Netherlands

2006: Nis Zert, Germany; Entropy International Ltd, Canada & UK; Benchmark Certification Pty Ltd, Australia; ASI-QS, UK

2009: Supply Chain Security Division of First Advantage Corp. USA; Certification International S.r.l, Italy; EUROCAT, Germany

2010: GLCS, the leading certifier of gas related consumer equipment in the UK and one of the top three in Europe, the certification business of BS Services Italia S.r.l. (BSS); Systems Management Indonesia (SMI).

2013: 9 May 2013 – NCS International and its daughter company NCSI Americas, Inc.

2015: 24 January – EORM, a US consultancy specialising in environmental, health, safety (EHS) and sustainability services

2015: 30 January – the management systems certification business of PwC in South Africa

2015: 3 June – Hill County Environmental Inc, a US environmental and engineering services consultancy

2016: 4 April – Espion Ltd and Espion UK, experts at managing and securing corporate information

2016: 15 August – Atrium Environmental Health and Safety Services LLC, experts in occupational safety, industrial safety and environmental compliance

2016: 22 September – Creative Environment Solutions (CES) Corp., an Environmental and Safety consulting firm

2016: 4 October – Info-Assure Ltd, a leading provider of cyber security and information assurance

2016: 15 December – Quantum Management Group Inc, a US environmental, health and safety (EHS) consultancy

2017: 5 December – Neville Clarke, the Business Process Improvement Expert

2018: 8 November – AirCert GmbH, a specialist aerospace certification company located in Munich, Germany

2019: 3 April – AppSec Consulting, a US cybersecurity and information resilience company

2021: 1 February – Q-Audit, a JAS-ANZ accredited healthcare auditing body based in Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand.

From Wikipedia’s article on BSI Group, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Timeline

  1. Aug 26, 2025Parent Directly consolidated by THE BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION3
  2. 1901Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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