LRQA buys Australian sustainability audit firm SAS

LRQA is set to acquire Sustainable Assurance Solutions (SAS), a provider of sustainability audit, consulting and training services based in Australia. The acquisition is intended to meet the rising demand for data-driven ESG supply chain assurance solutions.

Arta Beikzadeh, SAS founder, commented: “Ethical sourcing and corporate social responsibility remain top priorities for global supply chains, especially given the current climate. Businesses cannot afford to abandon their legal requirements or moral obligations, for the sake of their brand, their operations, or their reputations.

This is LRQA’s third acquisition as an independent business, following the acquisition of Hong Kong-based ESG assurance specialist, ELEVATE, in January 2022, and Singapore-based cybersecurity consultancy, ATvanGarde, in August 2022.

Rising demand for sustainable risk solutions

SAS provides services to a number of high-profile clients, including audits for SEDEX, the ethical supply chain trade membership organisation, and Fair Farms, an industry-led initiative aimed at fostering fair and responsible employment practices in Australian horticulture.

The combined entities will offer a range of risk management solutions to meet the fast-growing need for more transparent and technology-led ESG solutions, bridging gaps in clients’ processes, policies and procedures with sustainable best practice.

Paul Butcher, chief executive officer for LRQA, said: “ESG solutions are clearly a critical component of risk management for our clients today, as we continue to see demand rise globally.

”LRQA’s acquisition of SAS therefore aims to address that need, support growth in the Australasian market, and empower clients to take control and face their futures with confidence.”