Century-old seed bearing fruit for ship certification
United States companies are often the ones to beat in doing business with China. But an organization from Scandinavia started its voyage to China as early as the Qing Dynasty, a time long before the birth of today's tycoons.
Det Norske Veritas (DNV), a Norwegian non-profit foundation that provides risk management services worldwide is marking its 120-year anniversary after sailing from the North Sea to the Chinese coastal city Xiamen in southeastern Fujian province to support Norwegian merchant vessels trading with China.
"Norway has a long and strong tradition within the maritime area, and it's also where we root our business," said Bjorn K Haugland, DNV's vice president and Area Chair for Greater China. DNV now inspects and evaluates technical conditions of ships, supports shipbuilding for Chinese shipyards, and assists them in projects in a self-innovative and cost effective way.
As an independent foundation with a history traced back to 1864, how to continue development and moving forward in a sustainable way is a major challenge faced by DNV. It has today extended its business into a much larger scope than ever before and has high ambitions for the future.
"Our mission today is to help customers to safely and responsibly improve their business performance," Haugland said.
Its core competence is managing risk and helping customers identify, assess, and manage risk, not only in maritime industry but also in many other industries including automotive, banking and information technology. Its key accounts in China range from China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co (COSCO), to Bank of China, and Tsingtao Beer.
There are currently 800 employees in DNV's 36 offices in 20 cities across China. "We see China as a strategic market, and pay great attention to what's on top of the Chinese government's agenda," Haugland said.
DNV has expanded its services to help implement sustainable systems for local Chinese companies heading for foreign markets to meet international standards. DNV's certification business account's for about 30 percent of its business in China. It is also one of the very few companies in China that has local competence to verify corporate social responsibility, sustainability reporting and clean development projects.
As a foundation with the purpose of safeguarding life, property and the environment, DNV also participates in helping Chinese people to improve their living standard.
"As an international organization we need to contribute to the societies we operate in and we are always looking at projects that can improve the lives of those around us," Haugland said, noting cooperation with the Red Cross in Jilin province to provide clean drinking water and sanitation for local villagers.
DNV attributes its robust growth in China to its loyal, competent and high-quality staff. "We have nothing but people, that's why we cherish our employees and make our best efforts to let them feel at home in the office," Haugland said.
China is home to its biggest operation outside Norway in numbers of employees. With 300 offices in more than 100 countries and a workforce comprised of more than 85 nationalities, Chinese employees are the second-largest nationality, accounting for 10 percent, while Norwegians are about 20 percent of the total.
"China is by far the fastest growing market for DNV," Haugland said. "In the next five years, Chinese colleagues in our company will probably become the biggest population within DNV."
With more than a century-long presence in China, DNV has accumulated vast experience in how to harmonize with the Chinese people and government.
"We have many friends and partners in China and we will continue to invest in order to contribute more to development of this country with our knowledge, technology and competence," Haugland said.
(China Daily 05/16/2008 page19)
