How did it start and where are we going?
This year, we celebrate Kiwa Impact’s 10th anniversary. A milestone that both reflects the achievements of the past decade and creates a bridge to the future. The anniversary year is a tribute to the past achievements, but it also opens the door to the future – to new opportunities and improvements.
In 2014, two visionaries from Helsinki identified a gap in the market for corporate occupational safety management. They saw a need for a safety software that would enable new ways of improving safety in companies.
Antti Lehtomäki’s and Heikki Lampinen’s vision was to create something that would not only respond to the growing safety challenges faced by companies, but also make reporting and auditing processes more efficient and simpler. Today, ten years later, is a great opportunity to stop for a moment and take a look at both the past and the future.
Mobile tool to improve the efficiency of internal audits
The first customer company introduced the software with the aim of improving the efficiency of internal audits and the process of correcting issues found during audits. The software offered them a solution that met the original needs and exceeded expectations.
One of the key strengths of the software was its ability to work without a network connection. The software also allowed users to create their own customised checklists, which increased its flexibility and usability.
Adopting the “mobile first” approach already in the design phase ensured distinction from competitors, as it was a rare feature in the safety software market at the time.
Despite new name and owners, customers remain at the core
Over the years, the name of the software and its owners have changed, and its functions have expanded. Today, the software is owned by Kiwa, one of the world’s largest testing, inspection and certification operators, and bears the name Kiwa Impact. The functions cover not only safety but also quality and environmental issues.
Changes along the way have not dimmed the ultimate purpose of the original software. On the contrary, they have expanded Kiwa Impact’s sphere of influence and made it possible for us to serve more and more customers around the world.
Every change has been made in close and agile cooperation with our customers. This allows us to continuously develop according to their changing needs. All development ideas and wishes are boldly accepted, and we use them to deepen our understanding of the customer’s challenges and develop suitable solutions for them.
Eyes towards the future
As Kiwa Impact celebrates its 10th anniversary, it is not just a software but part of the day-to-day operations and safety culture of companies. Kiwa Impact has grown and established its position on the market and continued to develop to meet the needs of its customers.
“The Kiwa network has opened doors to internationalisation. The first cooperation agreements have already been concluded and cooperation has started in Norway, for example. Impact’s development is guided by a development strategy, which will help us consider the evolving needs of our customers also in the future,” says Product Owner Joonas Jääskeläinen from Kiwa Impact.
The 10-year journey has been an eventful one, and we are grateful to every customer, partner and employee who have been part of it. Development work is still carried out with and for the customers. The principal goal is to make the world a little safer, one software update at a time.
Kiwa Impact Team