The HR Certification Institute (HRCI) and Top Employers Institute today announced a strategic global partnership that will expand the global reach of both organisations in a shared mission to raise the level of excellence of the worldwide human resource management profession. HRCI offers a portfolio of certifications that validate the mastery of human resource professionals, and Top Employers Institute validates the HR best practices that employers have in place for employees to advance their development.
HRCI, the premier credentialing organisation for HR professionals in the U.S. and around the world, will work with Top Employers Institute to broaden and deepen HRCI’s outreach to HR professionals beyond the U.S. market who would benefit from HRCI’s certifications for global practitioners. For Top Employers Institute, the global leader in the certification of employers that demonstrate excellence in the area of human resources, the agreement paves the way for Top Employers Institute to expand its global employer certification program in the United States.
“Our partnership with Top Employers Institute speaks directly to the future of HR – and business environments where exceptional HR professionals as well as exceptional HR practices are recognised as key drivers of organisational performance,” said HRCI CEO Amy Schabacker Dufrane, Ed.D., SPHR, CAE. “Global employers recognise the return on investment that HRCI-certified practitioners provide. At the same time, they recognise the competitive advantage of certifying their HR practices.”
“HRCI’s respect around the globe coupled with nearly 40 years of demonstrated rigor and high standards of excellence in certifying HR mastery, knowledge and real-world application for HR practitioners made them the natural choice for Top Employers Institute,” said David Plink, CEO, Top Employers Institute. “We see this partnership as a perfect opportunity to leverage the vision of Top Employers Institute, where we, like HRCI, believe in placing the highest value on human capital and people within an organisation which results in better performing businesses – ultimately connecting individual HR competency with organisation-wide HR excellence.”
Through the partnership, HRCI will be even better positioned to meet the growing demand for certification of HR professionals around the globe. Top Employers Institute certifies employers in 102 countries around the globe which includes 80 percent of the top 50 largest companies in Europe.
For Top Employers Institute, the partnership provides accelerated entree to U.S. companies for Top Employers certification given that the HRCI is the largest certifier of HR professionals in the U.S. Currently, 98 percent of Fortune 500 companies have HRCI-certified HR professionals. HRCI is the only certification body for HR professional generalists accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).
Top Employers Institute’s research-based, validated and independently audited certification process evaluates employers on their talent strategy, workforce planning, on-boarding, learning and development, leadership development, career and succession management, compensation and benefits, and organisational culture. “Top Employers Institute shares our commitment to rigor and excellence, making them a natural partner as we take HRCI to the next level,” added Dufrane. As part of the agreement, Top Employers Institute will open a U.S. office within HRCI’s Alexandria, VA corporate headquarters in early 2016.
Among the U.S.-based companies that have already earned Top Employers certification are DHL, Tata Consultancy Services, and Technip.
HRCI currently offers three credentials for HR professionals who practice outside the U.S. and around the globe: the Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR®), the Human Resource Management Professional (HRMP®) and the Human Resource Business Professional (HRBP®). For HR professionals practicing in the U.S., HRCI offers the Professional in Human Resources (PHR®) and the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR®) as well as two California-specific credentials.