TÜV Rheinland to expand partnership with Alibaba.com

TÜV Rheinland will independently audit suppliers and factories for B2B platform Alibaba.com, initially in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy / Goal: Promote B2B trade and accelerate digitalization for small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe

TÜV Rheinland and Alibaba.com, one of the world’s leading B2B purchasing platforms, have agreed in a memorandum of understanding to expand their cooperation. The aim is to promote the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in B2B trade in Germany and Europe. Having already partnered in Asia for over a decade, Alibaba.com and TÜV Rheinland will initially focus on Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy as part of the expanded collaboration. Suppliers from other European countries are also to be included in the near future. The aim is to drive digitization in these regions and facilitate complex international procurement.

“Verified Supplier” through independent testing by TÜV Rheinland

Specifically, TÜV Rheinland will continue the “Verified Supplier” project for Alibaba.com in Europe as a strategic partner – a cornerstone of the cooperation between the two companies since 2012. Within this framework, TÜV Rheinland carries out an independent and binding assessment of suppliers and factories that sell via Alibaba.com. Among other things, sales and production services, quality management, customer service or supply chain management are audited. The results of the audits by TÜV Rheinland experts are displayed transparently to buyers on the platform so that they are fully informed when deciding on products or suppliers.

As drivers in many economies SMEs face the challenge of addressing global B2B trade. “Through our independent audits for the Alibaba.com platform, we want to help ensure that SMEs in Europe are also on safer ground when it comes to e-commerce. The program can thus provide a real boost to greater digitization,” says Andreas Höfer, responsible for the Systems Business Stream at TÜV Rheinland worldwide.

“We are pleased to expand our partnership with TÜV Rheinland,” says Jijay Shen, General Manager Europe at Alibaba.com. “Our focus is on creating a better experience for buyers and sellers across Europe. Businesses face a variety of economic challenges, such as pressures from inflation, limited availability of products, and delayed deliveries. Together with TÜV Rheinland, we want to ensure that SMEs in Europe can make important decisions more efficiently than ever before.”

About TÜV Rheinland

TÜV Rheinland stands for safety and quality in virtually all areas of business and life. The company has been operating for more than 150 years and ranks among the world’s leading testing service providers. It has more than 20,000 employees in over 50 countries and generates annual revenues of around 2.1 billion euros. TÜV Rheinland’s highly qualified experts test technical systems and products around the world, support innovations in technology and business, train people in numerous professions and certify management systems according to international standards. In doing so, the independent experts generate trust in products as well as processes across global value-adding chains and the flow of commodities. Since 2006, TÜV Rheinland has been a member of the United Nations Global Compact to promote sustainability and combat corruption. Website: www.tuv.com

About Alibaba.com

The first business unit of Alibaba Group, Alibaba.com is a leading platform for global B2B e-commerce that aims to make it easy to do business anywhere. Launched in 1999, Alibaba.com is engaged in services covering all aspects of commerce, including providing businesses with tools that help reach a global audience for their products and helping buyers discover products, find suppliers, and place orders online fast and efficiently. It serves millions of buyers and suppliers from over 200 countries and regions around the world.