About Us

Reliable, Trusted Supply Chain Partner

Lean Compass Group delivers Inspections, Audits, Training and Consulting services across Asia's diverse markets — affiliated with Compass Consulting since 2003.

Vision & Mission

Our Vision

Be a reliable & trusted training, consulting & solution provider for Quality, Social Compliance, Supply Chain Security, ESG, Circular Economy & Sustainability.

Our Mission

Stand by our service quality, deliveries, train and consult without compromising integrity.

Our Company

Who We Are, What We Do, How We Do

Lean Compass consultants in a working session

Lean Compass Sdn Bhd was established in 2019 in Malaysia and operates under the marketing brand Lean Compass Group. Since establishment we have trained, consulted and supported organisations across diverse industries through dedicated training, consulting, SOP development and pre-audit services — assisting customers to meet international and global standards, build operational resilience and establish responsible internal teams.

Affiliated with Compass Consulting since 2003, we are a trusted provider of Global Retailers' Supply Chain compliance audit consultancy and inspections services for leading retailers across Europe and the United States. With strategic operations in Dongguan, China and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Compass Consulting has successfully delivered over 5,000 factory audits across Asia, strengthening supply chain transparency and compliance. Our clients include the Suppliers of global brands such as Walmart, Amazon, Disney, Nike, and Starbucks, who rely on our rigorous audit consulting approach and methodology.

We have been recognised with the Asia Pacific CEO Sustainability Champion Award 2025 and the Malaysia GPM Sustainability Leadership Award 2023 for our service performance and the outcomes we deliver alongside our customers. Our legal entity is Lean Compass Sdn Bhd, headquartered in Penang, Malaysia.

Affiliated with Compass Consulting since 2003

Lean Compass team on a factory walk-through across Asia

Who We Are

Lean Compass Group, in partnership with Compass Consulting, specialises in audit, consultancy and inspection for top European and US Retailers since 2003. We conduct meticulous factory audits across Asia to ensure manufacturing excellence and compliance.

What We Do

Building on our strong audit, training and consultancy foundation, we deliver end-to-end services that assist organisations at every stage of their sustainability journey — Social Compliance, ESG strategy development and governance, carbon emissions accounting and decarbonisation, supply chain ESG due diligence, sustainable skills and capacity building, and sustainability reporting and disclosures aligned with evolving global and local requirements.

How We Do

Our methodology combines deep expertise with rigorous evaluation techniques. Based in Asia, we adhere to global standards including RBA, SMETA, WCA, SA8000 and BSCI. Through collaborative dialogues, hands-on training and the latest technology, we streamline audits, ensuring transparency and continuous improvement for our clients. We believe effective sustainability is driven by strong governance, credible data, and empowered people — moving organisations beyond compliance into business strategy, operations and decision-making.

Our Core Values

What We Stand For

Practical

We design practical solutions tailored to each client's business and objectives.

Accountability

We operate with transparency, take ownership of our work and stand behind the quality and outcomes we deliver.

Technical Excellence

We bring deep technical knowledge and practical experience to deliver credible and standards-aligned services.

Responsiveness

We remain accessible and responsive, ensuring timely support and communication.

Sustainable, green operations — Lean Compass pledges

Our Pledges

Sustainability Vision

At Lean Compass Group, our sustainability vision is to be a reliable and independent leader in sustainable supply chain solutions. We are committed to integrating environmental stewardship into every facet of our service delivery — inspections, audits, training, consulting and sourcing. We believe that true integrity in business includes a fundamental responsibility to operate sustainably and to guide our partners toward greener practices.

Environmental & Sustainability Policy↗Green Service Delivery Procedure↗

Leadership

Dr. Johnny Chow

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Academic Qualifications

MSc Quality Management — University of Portsmouth (UK)MBA — Charles Sturt University (Australia)DBA in Sustainability Studies — European International University (EIU)

Professional Certifications

ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE)ASQ Certified Quality Manager & Auditor (CQM/CQA)IRCA Lead AssessorIECQ Lead AssessorSix Sigma Master Black BeltWalmart US Lean Belt Certified InstructorCertified Sustainability (ESG) ConsultantGSTC Professional — Sustainable TourismGRI PractitionerCSRS (Certified Sustainability Reporting Specialist)GHG Practitioner (BSI)HRD Corp Accredited Trainer

Industry Experience

President — ESG Malaysia Penang ChapterFormer QA Operations Director — Walmart Global SourcingFormer Quality Director — Techtronic IndustriesFormer QA Group Head — FNAC DARTY SourcingFormer Production, Quality & Engineering Director — RT SourcingFormer QA Engineering Manager — Scarborough / SAE MagneticsTrainer & Resource Speaker — BSI, INTERTEK, LRQA, VISTAGE, SAMENTA, ESGM26+ Years Strategic Global Sourcing Quality, Production & Engineering

Professional Credentials

Recognised for Leadership and Practice

Independent awards and industry certifications recognise Dr. Johnny Chow’s sustainability leadership and Lean expertise.

2025

Asia Pacific CEO Sustainability Champion Award

Recognition for sustainability leadership across organisations and industry.

2023

Malaysia GPM Sustainability Leadership Award

Individual recognition for contributions to sustainable development and green project management.

2012

Walmart Lean Instructor Certification

Certified by Walmart Global Continuous Improvement to deliver Lean instruction.

View recognition and certificates

On the ground across 8 countries

Local expertise, global standards — wherever your supply chain operates.

Our Team Network

On-the-Ground Across Asia

Lean Compass Group delivers trusted expertise across Asia's diverse and fast-evolving markets, combining deep local knowledge with globally recognised standards. With strong regional presence and a global outlook, we help brands and retailers ensure compliance, reduce risk and build transparent, responsible supply chains.