October 2025
ACI Group leads the way for UK distributors with Silver Social Value Quality Mark accreditation
Leading distributor and supply chain expert ACI Group has achieved a prestigious Social Value Quality Mark® (SVQM) certification of Silver, underscoring its commitment to supporting its local economy, reducing its impact on the planet, and helping its customers to deliver high social value through their supply chains.
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Social Value Quality Mark CIC is an independent social enterprise that challenges rigour, celebrates high standards, and drives local spend. It awards 4 levels of accreditation, each acknowledging an increasing level of maturity in terms of social value measurement, development, and reporting. It is one of the most rigorously tested standards of its kind in the UK. Silver certification establishes ACI as the benchmark for other distributors to be measured against, highlighting the strength of its core values of social responsibility and ethical excellence.
Karsten Smet, CEO of ACI, was delighted at the news, saying, “Our latest achievement is great news for us, as a business that believes strongly in doing the right thing and having a positive impact on society. But it’s even better news for our customers, who know they can rely on us to provide complete transparency across their supply chains when they need it most.
“Trust and credibility are commodities that money can’t buy – they have to be earned. Yet with a number of new regulations driving increased scrutiny on supply chains, such as the EU’s Deforestation Regulation, they are more valuable than ever. We’re proud to be a business that our partners know they can trust, and SVQM certification is a testament to that.”
To achieve Silver accreditation, businesses are required to provide evidence of a strong value culture and the best practice processes that are in place to support it. A business’s strategic decision-making must be informed by its social value ethos, demonstrating an unshakeable commitment to carbon reduction, investing in its local community, and more.
ACI Group became the UK’s first distributor to achieve the esteemed SVQM certification in 2022. In recent years, it has engaged in a number of community projects and has invested heavily in upskilling its staff and suppliers with relevant industry qualifications in order to progress through the four levels of certification.
“We’re not taking this latest achievement for granted,” added Karsten. “We’re going for Gold, and we’re committed to improving every day to create an even stronger social impact for our customers.”
Huw Evans, Director of Quality at SVQM CIC said, “ACI Group’s Silver Social Value Quality Mark demonstrates that meaningful change is both possible and necessary. Their commitment to environmental accountability across the supply chain, and investment in education, skills and training, reflects a growing recognition that distribution has a role to play in shaping a more sustainable and inclusive economy. We’re pleased to recognise their progress and encourage others in the sector to follow their lead.”
The news follows another prestigious accreditation for ACI, which recently achieved an Ecovadis Bronze award, highlighting its commitment to sustainability and placing the company in the top 35% of all assessed businesses.
For further information about the Social Value Quality Mark, please visit www.socialvaluequalitymark.com.
To find out more about ACI Group and its activities, visit www.acigroup.biz.