ViA requirement: level 3 of the Safety Culture Ladder
ViA stands for Veiligheid in Aanbestedingen (Safety in Procurement). It is an agreement between clients and contractors in construction to take safety into account in tenders. From 1 July 2026, ViA requires at least level 3 of the Safety Culture Ladder for contracts from €100,000.
ViA comes from the Governance Code Veiligheid in de Bouw (GCVB) , a partnership of large clients and contractors. The current version is the guidance ViA 3.0 , described by PIANOo , the Dutch centre of expertise on public procurement. ViA is not a law, but if you bid for contracts from participating clients, you will almost certainly come across it.
What changes on 1 July 2026?
From 1 July 2026, level 3 becomes the minimum under ViA. Before that, the requirement was lower and depended on the risk class of the work. A lighter self-assessment or level 2 was often enough. The new agreement harmonises this to level 3 as the minimum.
| Before 1 July 2026 | From 1 July 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum requirement | Depends on risk class | Level 3 (calculative) |
| Instrument | Also SAQ / self-assessment | SCL Original, SCL or SCL Light |
| Threshold amount | Varies | Contracts from €100,000 |
The Approved Self Assessment (ASA) has been removed as an accepted instrument in ViA 3.0. The ASA still exists as a SCL product, but it no longer counts for a ViA requirement. For ViA, you need SCL Original, SCL or SCL Light.
Who does the ViA requirement apply to?
The ViA requirement applies to contractors, suppliers and consultancies that work for clients who have signed up to the Governance Code. The threshold is contracts from €100,000. Below that amount a client may be more flexible, but this differs by party.
For example. A groundworks company bids for a framework contract with a water board worth €400,000. The contract falls under ViA, so the company must be able to show level 3. A consultancy that delivers a design for €60,000 may fall below the threshold, depending on the tender.
Which clients ask for ViA?
More and more public clients have signed the Governance Code. The requirements differ per party and can be higher than level 3 in some sectors. Always check with your client what exactly is required.
| Client | Commonly requested level |
|---|---|
| ProRail | Level 3, level 4 for some sectors |
| Rijkswaterstaat | Level 3 (via ViA) |
| TenneT | Safety Culture Ladder as a hard requirement |
| Water boards | Level 3 (via ViA) |
| Provinces | Level 3 (via ViA) |
ProRail itself is at level 4. For high-risk sectors such as site personnel counting and cable and drilling work, ProRail requires level 4 from contractors. Read more about the requirements per client on the page for construction and infrastructure.
What if you do not have level 3 yet?
Many companies do not reach level 3 overnight. You cannot change a culture in a month. Start early, especially with the deadline of 1 July 2026 in sight.
The route is often: baseline measurement, gap analysis, improvement, and then the audit. For smaller companies, SCL Light offers a lighter entry route to level 3. The full process is set out in the step-by-step plan.
For a tender, you do not always need level 3 on the submission date. Some clients allow a period after award to show the level. Read the tender documents carefully.
More about the Safety Culture Ladder
- What is the Safety Culture Ladder? - The hub with all topics
- The 5 levels - What exactly does level 3 mean?
- Certification forms - Which form counts for ViA?
- Governance Code Veiligheid in de Bouw - Official source for ViA
- PIANOo - Guidance on Safety in Procurement (Handreiking Veiligheid in Aanbestedingen)