Shanghai E&I Delegation Visits Cotecna HQ, Exploring Green, AI, Agri-Food-Pharma Collaborations
On April 29, 2026, a high-level delegation led by CHENG Peng, Party Secretary of the Leadership Group of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization (Shanghai E&I), the key regulator responsible for steering the city’s industrial development, advanced manufacturing, digital economy, and green development, visited Cotecna Group headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Romain PETIT, Chief Operating Officer of Cotecna Group, warmly welcomed the delegation and led a productive discussion focused on collaborations in sustainability services, artificial intelligence (AI) applications, and agri-food-pharma safety. During the meeting, we provided a detailed overview of Cotecna’s business portfolio in sustainability certification, particularly carbon-related services. As a global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) provider, Cotecna has long been committed to advancing sustainable development through its expertise. Since joining the “Shanghai Industrial Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality Services Alliance” (the “Dual-Carbon Alliance”) initiated in 2021 by the Shanghai Energy Efficiency Center under Shanghai E&I, Cotecna has achieved notable results in sustainability services: its affiliated certification bodies obtained the accreditation for Zero-Carbon Factory certification, delivered services to around 20 factories in Suzhou Industrial Park, a national-level flagship industrial park in China for (Near) Zero Carbon Factory verification and jointly published 4 related standards. Additionally, Cotecna holds a leading market position in China for international sustainability certifications such as forest certification, Textile Exchange standards (GRS, RCS, and OCS), demonstrating strong technical expertise.
Mr. CHENG welcomed Cotecna’s plans to further enhance its green and sustainable service capabilities in Shanghai and encouraged deeper participation in the city’s green manufacturing ecosystem to support local enterprises in their green transformation and high-quality economic development.
He also emphasized that Shanghai is a national hub for AI innovation and is actively promoting AI integration across all industries. He expressed hope that Cotecna would proactively engage with Shanghai’s thriving AI industry, explore applications of AI in TIC services, and collaborate with local enterprises to harness Shanghai’s AI momentum to strengthen its own digital capabilities.
Furthermore, noting Shanghai’s strengths in agricultural and food exports, particularly from areas like Jinshan and Chongming, Mr. CHENG encouraged Cotecna to leverage its global expertise in agri-food and pharmaceutical services to help local businesses improve product quality, meet international regulatory requirements, and expand into overseas markets, thereby contributing technical support to Shanghai’s ambition of building a globally influential food and health industry cluster.
Romain stated that Cotecna will actively respond to the inputs from Shanghai E&I and, building on the outcomes of this meeting, further deepen its strategic presence in Shanghai. By integrating global expertise with local capabilities, Cotecna will enhance its services in green certification, AI-enabled solutions, and agri-food-pharma safety to support Shanghai’s efforts to build a modern, sustainable, and technologically advanced industrial system.
LI Wenjiang, Vice President for North Asia, participated remotely and briefed the delegation on Cotecna’s China operations. The meeting was also attended by JIANG Haikun, Director-General of the Department of Green Industrial Transformation and Development at Shanghai E&I, along with other relevant department heads, and Cotecna’s executives Adrian WALKER, Chief Compliance Officer and Julie ENGELEN, Senior Communications Director.
About Cotecna
For over 50 years, we have been supporting agriculture, food and pharma, minerals and metals, and consumer products supply chains all over the world. We provide testing, inspection, and certification services to help our clients navigate evolving regulations, ensure product compliance, and support their sustainability journey.