The roots of entities around the globe that form the present-day Kiwa lie in the safeguarding of people's health and safety by providing a high quality verification service. In many cases, this role originated from a governmental mandate in sectors including gas, energy, drinking water and construction or production safety.

The Kiwa that gives the present-day company its name was founded in 1948 by the Dutch drinking water companies, They wanted to safeguard drinking water supply in the country by having every item that might come into contact with drinking water, examined. In those days, KIWA (in capitals) was an acronym for Keuringsinstituut voor WaterleidingArtikelen (Institution for the Examination of Waterworks Articles). Nowadays, we've dropped the acronym as today's Kiwa comprises much more than just drinking water expertise. We're globally active in a wealth of markets, offering a broad range of products and services.