NEN 4400-1 in the cleaning industry: what applies?
A cleaning company does not automatically fall under NEN 4400-1. The SNA certificate based on NEN 4400-1 is meant for temporary staffing agencies, payroll companies, subcontractors and other companies that supply staff or take on work, according to the Kiwa page on the SNA certificate . A cleaning company that makes its workers available to another party or subcontracts work may still come under NEN 4400-1.
The cleaning sector also has its own certificate, Keurmerk Schoon (Clean Certificate) . This is a different certificate, only for members of Schoonmakend Nederland (the Dutch cleaning industry association). Read the difference below, then check which part of the standard fits your activity via NEN 4400-1 versus NEN 4400-2.
Last checked: 28 October 2026.
Two certificates, two purposes
| Question | Keurmerk Schoon | SNA certificate (NEN 4400-1) |
|---|---|---|
| Who can get it? | Only members of Schoonmakend Nederland | Companies that make staff available or take on work |
| Who carries it out? | Kiwa, through an external inspection | Inspection bodies accredited by the RvA (Dutch Accreditation Council); SNA manages the register |
| What is checked? | Kiwa does not list criteria on the page | Personnel, payroll and financial administration |
| Window and facade cleaning | Separate module through Kiwa | No separate module known |
According to Kiwa, non-members cannot obtain Keurmerk Schoon. This means a cleaning company that is not a member of Schoonmakend Nederland cannot use this certificate to show it meets the requirements.
When does NEN 4400-1 apply to a cleaning company?
The part of the standard that applies depends on what you actually do. The table is a working overview, based on the activities in the SNA register. No SNA source was found that treats cleaning as a separate category. The register does have a sector filter for Cleaning.
| Activity | Part of the standard or certificate | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| You make your own cleaners available to a client | Possibly NEN 4400-1, activity: making labour available | Whether the cleaners work under the client’s direction |
| You hire in cleaners and let them work at your client’s site | Also possibly NEN 4400-1, if the deployment is seen as hiring out | Who directs the work and who pays the wages |
| You take on work and have a subcontractor carry it out | Possibly NEN 4400-1, activity: contracting work | The chain of subcontractors and the administration |
| You are a member and want to show your sector | Keurmerk Schoon | The membership and the inspection |
A fictional example
Cleaning company Glans has 40 employees who work at different clients. Glans directs the employees itself and invoices per cleaning hour. Glans considers an SNA certificate, because a large client asks for a declaration.
Glans is not a member of Schoonmakend Nederland, so it cannot get Keurmerk Schoon. The question is whether the SNA route fits the way Glans works. That depends on whether Glans makes personnel available to others. This example is fictional.
A cleaning company can want both Keurmerk Schoon and an SNA certificate. These are different documents with different checks. Always state in a quote or contract which certificate you mean.
What does a client ask for in the cleaning industry?
- A registration statement or a copy of the certificate, with the date of the check.
- Confirmation of the activity that was inspected. The register shows this, and you can filter by the Cleaning sector.
- Insight into the chain, if subcontractors are working.
- Confirmation that the administration has been checked. See NEN 4400 declaration.
Common mistakes
- Treating Keurmerk Schoon and SNA as the same. They are different certificates.
- Assuming the whole sector falls under NEN 4400 automatically. The part of the standard follows from the activity.
- Showing an SNA declaration for a different activity. See check the SNA register.
Frequently asked questions
Can a cleaning company get an SNA certificate?
Yes, if the company makes staff available or subcontracts work, and the inspection fits the activity. See apply for an SNA certificate.
Do I have to join Schoonmakend Nederland for NEN 4400?
No. Kiwa only mentions membership as a condition for Keurmerk Schoon. The Kiwa page on the SNA certificate does not list a membership requirement.
What does the Wtta have to do with cleaning?
If you make your cleaners available to another company, you are a temporary staffing agency and the Wtta (Dutch Act on Licensing of Temporary Labour) applies. See Wtta and SNA for the timing.
Which questions do you ask your cleaning supplier?
As a client, you want to know whether the supplier has the right certificates for the work. Ask:
- Do you hold Keurmerk Schoon, and are you a member of Schoonmakend Nederland?
- Do you make staff available, or do you work with subcontractors?
- Do you have an SNA declaration for the activity that matches our work?
- Can you show the current status of your registration in the register?
- How is the chain of subcontractors recorded, and who is responsible for paying wages?
The answers show which document you can expect. A cleaning company that only deploys its own staff for its own work probably does not fall under the SNA certificate. Whether a client requires it anyway is stated in the contract.
What if you need both certificates?
A cleaning company that is a member of Schoonmakend Nederland and also makes staff available can hold both certificates. They are separate certificates with separate checks. The SNA certificate covers personnel, payroll and financial administration.
Always state in a quote or contract which certificate you mean. A quote that says “certified” without naming it raises questions for the client.
Common mistakes in quotes
- A logo on the quote without a number. A logo says nothing about the current status.
- An outdated declaration. Use the current registration, not a document from last year.
- The wrong certificate. Do not say “SNA” when you mean Keurmerk Schoon, or the other way round.
- No distinction between your own staff and subcontractors. This distinction decides which part of the standard applies.
To check a declaration, see NEN 4400 declaration. To request documents from a supplier, see request an NEN 4400 certificate.