LRQA has announced the acquisition of five specialist risk-focused companies across the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Canada, and the United States, significantly strengthening its global portfolio in ESG, clean energy, digital assurance, food safety, and responsible sourcing.
Finalised over the past five months, the acquisitions address growing client demand for support in meeting evolving regulatory requirements, sustainability goals, and cyber risk challenges. Each firm adds domain-specific expertise to help clients navigate increasingly complex stakeholder expectations and supply chain standards.
Among the new additions is UK-based Ergon Associates, a consultancy recognised for its leadership in labour rights and gender equality. The move comes at a time of heightened international enforcement of regulations targeting forced labour.
In Asia, LRQA has acquired RESET Carbon, a Hong Kong firm renowned for its carbon management and supply chain decarbonisation strategies.
In Canada, StepUp Solution Services brings specialist capabilities in food safety and regulatory compliance, reinforcing LRQA’s presence in a sector under intensified global scrutiny.
The expansion also includes two US-based firms: Core Business Solutions, which supports small and medium-sized enterprises with quality management systems (QMS), and EcoEngineers, a clean energy consultancy focused on renewable fuels and decarbonisation planning.
“These acquisitions are a continuation of our strategy to integrate founder-led businesses that bring deep technical expertise and retain operational independence,” said Jonathan Chidley, Corporate Development Director at LRQA.
The acquisition drive has been steered by Ian Spaulding, who joined LRQA following its 2022 acquisition of ELEVATE—a supply chain sustainability firm he founded. Spaulding has since played a key role in broadening LRQA’s reach through targeted, mission-aligned investments.
