ISPI Accreditation
Based on our 10 Standards of Performance Improvement and a rigorous code of ethics, our accreditation process gives your organization an objective and quantifiable means of proving the quality and effectiveness of its products, programs, and services. Accreditation creates positive association with our respected name, demonstrates awareness and acknowledgment of your commitment to performance, and provides you with constructive, actionable feedback through the review process.
Organizations may seek accreditation of:
- Departments or functions charged with improving performance of employees, suppliers, aftermarket partners, customers, and other stakeholders
- Programs designed to improve or build capacity and capability
- College or university educational programs in performance improvement, training, and human resources
Get Started with your Program Accreditation?
What May Be Accredited?
Organizations may seek accreditation for the following:
- Departments or functions within organizations whose charge includes improving the performance of employees, suppliers, aftermarket partners, customers, and other stakeholders.
- Programs designed to improve or build capacity and capability.
- Compliance-driven courses or series of courses that demonstrate compliance with regulations set by regulatory bodies. Such courses measure the acquisition of knowledge and skills. They may measure the degree behaviors on the job are in compliance upon completion of the course and the degree participation and completions correlate with business goals/metrics.
- College or university educational programs in performance improvement, training, and human resources.
Vendor performance improvement programs, including training.
What Are the Benefits?
Those who seek accreditation can enjoy a number of benefits from an independent, unbiased review including the following:
- Positive association with ISPI, a trusted leader in performance improvement and workplace productivity since 1962.
- Becoming known for your organization's dedication to proven methods and ethical practices.
- Acknowledgement by peers and/or experts of the quality and effectiveness of an organization, department, program, or course.
- Constructive and actionable feedback inherent in the accreditation review process.
Independent confirmation that an organization, department, program or course meets professional standards.
For More Information
- FAQs
- Standards
- If you have any questions, please Contact Us.
Department/Function/Organization
Standard 1: Partner & Collaborate
1.1 Solicit input from customers, clients, and other appropriate parties.
1.2. Develop and implement a strategy for achieving effective relationships with customers, clients, and other appropriate parties.
1.3. Communicate your strategy to staff, customers, clients, and other appropriate parties.
1.4. Evaluate the effectiveness of your strategy and relationships with customers, clients, and other appropriate parties.
1.5. Take action to continuously improve your relationships with customers, clients, and other appropriate parties.
1.6. Document your strategy, actions, and results for building and sustaining effective relationships with customers, clients, and other appropriate parties.Standard 2: Lead the Department or Organization
2.1 Lead by example; exhibit ethical behavior; take responsibility for your decisions and actions.
2.2 Establish clear expectations; set direction; communicate goals, priorities, and align resource allocations with the goals.
2.3 Build support by creating and sharing your mutually beneficial vision, goals, and strategic plan.
2.4 Be proactive by taking action, initiating contact, reinforcing others' behaviors, holding others responsible.
2.5 Take actions to continuously improve your ability to provide leadership based on feedback from constituents and customers.
2.6 Lead by example; exhibit ethical behavior; take responsibility for your decisions and actions.Standard 3: Measure Department or Organization Results
3.1 Implement a way to identify measures to evaluate the performance of key processes, staff, suppliers, programs, products, and services.
3.2 Evaluate the performance of key processes, staff, suppliers, programs, products, and services.3.3 Document and share the measurement practices and results.
3.4 Take action to continuously improve your measurement practices.Standard 4: Market the Department or Organization's Programs, Products and Services
4.1 Develop and implement a marketing plan.
4.2 Document and share your marketing plan.
4.3 Evaluate the effectiveness of the marketing practices.
4.4 Take actions to continuously improve your marketing practices and results.Standard 5: Manage the Department or Organization
5.1 Develop and implement goals, priorities, resource allocations, and measures in the strategic and business plans that align with both constituent and customer needs.
5.2 Develop and implement performance management and project management systems that align with both the strategic and business plans.
5.3 Document and communicate the plans and systems.
5.4 Evaluate the effectiveness of the plans and systems.
5.5 Take actions to continuously improve the plans and systems
.5.6 Sustained meeting department or organization goals and results for three years over the fast years.Programs / Courses
Standard 1: Analyze the Need or Opportunity
1.1 Conduct a study to determine a performance gap, need, or opportunity.
1.2 Describe the discovered or confirmed problem, need, or opportunity in terms of its current and potential impact.
Standard 2: Focus on Results
2.1 Describe the rationale for the proposed solution and justification of the investment.
2.2 Describe the proposed solution's intended impact on outputs, outcomes, or compliance.
2.3 Identify the desired results, baseline measures, and organizational constraints.
Standard 3: Partner or Collaborate
3.1 Solicit input from appropriate parties throughout the process including problem or opportunity identification, developmental testing of the solution's elements, and ongoing evaluation and maintenance.
3.2 Solicit input from parties who are impacted by the current state, who are key to supporting successful change and implementation, who will be impacted by any anticipated changes, whose financial and political support are essential to sustain the solution, and who are in a position to monitor and report on adoption of new behaviors and interim results.
Standard 4: Actualize the Solution
4.1 Document the design of the solution including its elements, the resources required to develop and implement the elements, how and when developmental testing will be conducted, and the implementation strategy.
4.2 Develop or acquire the solution's elements, enabling infrastructure, and support pieces required to ensure parties are engaged, informed, and have what they require to adopt any new behaviors or support.
4.3 Make use of a project plan to manage resources, produce deliverables, and meet deadlines.
4.4 Carry out the implementation.
Standard 5: Conduct Formative Evaluations
5.1 Test the solution's elements to ensure content accuracy, usability, feasibility, and effectiveness.
5.2 Test the solution's required enabling infrastructure to confirm its capacity and utility.
Standard 6: Measure Outcomes and Impact
6.1 Collect data to compare interim results or results at pre-determined milestones with baseline data or goal accomplishment data (target).
6.2 Analyze the data collected to measure change, improvement, and trends.
6.3 Report the results of the analysis to appropriate parties.
6.4 Use the results of the measurement for corrective actions, celebration, and continuous improvement.
Standard 7: Sustain the Results
7.1 Commit resources to maintain the solution and the intended results.
7.2 Use ongoing performance data to improvement elements or the infrastructure.
7.3 Regularly report adoption, trends, and improvements.
Standard 8: Add Value
8.1 Contribute to the sponsors' and users' needs and goals.
FAQs
What is accreditation?
Accreditation is the independent and informed third party assessment of the quality of programs and operations designed to improve human performance in organizations, business units, departments, or of individuals.
Why accreditation?
One gauge for measuring the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of a program, organization, or department is accreditation. By receiving accreditation consumers, customers and organization management are presented with information that better enables them to discriminate effective from ineffective programs, .
What purpose does accreditation serve?
Accreditation provides assurance to an individual or group of individuals regarding the quality of products and/or services provided by an organization. Accreditation holds the accredited entity accountable for the work it does.
How does accreditation differ from certification?
Accreditation is a status awarded by an independent third-party to an organization, department, function, program, or service upon demonstration it has satisfied a set of predetermined quality performance standards.
Certification, on the other hand, is a status awarded by employers and independent third parties to individuals based on demonstration of standards. ISPI’s certifications are evidence-based and require applicants to demonstrate they have achieved meaningful results in a real work setting.How might accreditation benefit a program, course, a department, an agency or an organization?
Successful accreditation can reap many benefits that may include:
- Greater customer trust
- Increased credibility with management
- Increased credibility in the marketplace
- Improved policies and procedures
- More effective and efficient operations
- Stronger risk management strategies
- Ability to gain and sustain a competitive edge
- Enhanced team awareness
- Acknowledgement by peers and/or experts of the quality and effectiveness of a program or course
- Constructive and actionable feedback inherent in the accreditation review process
- Satisfaction of knowing a program or course meets professional standards using an unbiased review process
Who is the accrediting body?
The International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) is the accrediting body. ISPI is dedicated to improving individual, organizational, and societal performance. Founded in 1962, ISPI is the leading international association dedicated to improving productivity and performance in the workplace. ISPI represents more than 10,000 international and chapter members throughout the United States and more than 50 other countries.
What does ISPI accredit?
- Departments or functions within organizations whose charge includes improving the performance of employees, suppliers, after-market partners, customers, and other stakeholders.
- Programs designed to improve or build capacity and capability.
- College/University Educational Programs in Performance Improvement, Training, and Human Resources.
When can a candidate organization apply for Accreditation?
A organization can apply at any time.
What are the Accreditation Standards?
The Standards for Programs are:
- Analyze the Need or Opportunity
- Focus on Results
- Partner & Collaborate
- Actualize the Solution
- Conduct Formative Evaluations
- Measure Outcomes & Impact
- Sustain Results
- Add Value
The Standards are currently under development for:
- Organizations, Departments and Functions
- University programs
- Compliance-driven courses
- Vendor or consultant programs
If you are interested in participating in the development of new standards or the validation of existing standards, please contact accreditation@ispi.org or Haleassociates.com.
How often does an organization, department, agency, or program need to be re-accredited?
Accreditation is granted for a period of five years. Reassessment is required for re-accreditation.
How will the assessment occur?
Two qualified reviewers and an oversight judge will:
- Examine documents and review the application
- Interview stakeholders (by telephone, WebEx, or in person)
- Participate in a virtual demonstration of key elements
- Participate in a site visit (as appropriate)
Who governs the accreditation process, sets policy, etc?
The Certification and Accreditation Governance Committee of ISPI establishes and oversees all accreditation activities. The Committee directs the work of the Director of Certification and Accreditation. The Committee sets policy and the Director implements it.
Who will be the accreditation reviewers?
Reviewers will be ISPI Certified Performance Technologists (CPT) who have received training and guidelines for conducting a review of the Accreditation Application and associated support documentation.
Can an accreditation application be submitted in a language other than English?
Applications are currently being accepted in Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish.
How much does accreditation cost?
- The one-time application fee is $1500.
- The assessment fee is $4625.
- The fee for an on-site visit when required is extra and includes travel at cost and a per diem of $1000 per reviewer.
- The annual maintenance fee is $1300 .
Reassessment is required every five years and the fee is $4625. Should an on-site visit be required, travel and per diem fees are added.
What happens if an accreditation application is not approved?
If the accreditation application is not accepted, the organization submitting the application will be granted a Candidate Status for up to 24 months and notified as to which Standard(s) have not been met. The submitting organization will have an opportunity to satisfy those specific Standards within the next 24 months without additional charge. After the original submission and one resubmit, ISPI will have the right (depending on the amount of work needed) to charge a re-review fee.
Is there an appeal process?
Yes. If the submitting organization is notified that the application did not meet one or more standards and wishes to contest that decision they can appeal the decision. Appeals are undertaken by the Certification and Accreditation Governance Committee according to rules spelled out in the Accreditation Handbook. Decisions of the Governance Committee are final.
What does an accredited organization get once they are accredited?
Once the candidate organization achieves the accreditation the organization:
- Receives a Seal of Accreditation.
- Has its name listed on the ISPI website as being accredited.
- May display the Accreditation logo on its website, business cards, stationary, and marketing materials, etc.
- May use the credential to distinguish itself in the marketplace.
Where can I find out more about an ISPI accreditation?
E-mail: accreditation@ispi.org or haleassoci@aol.org
Apply for Accreditation
Accreditation Application Process
- Prepare a description of your organization, program, course, or service in a way that demonstrates each of the standards, and submit it along with the complete application and fee to ISPI. Applications may be submitted in Dutch, English, French, German, Portuguese, or Spanish.
- Your application will be reviewed by trained CPT reviewers.
- Applicants may be interviewed or have a site visit.
- If any deficiencies are found, applicants will have a chance to address them.
- When your application is approved, you will be allowed to identify your organization, program or course with the ISPI Seal of Accreditation. Your accreditation will also be listed on ISPI's website.
- You will also be mailed a certificate and contacted to find out how best publicize your achievement.
- Applications are accepted year-round.
- Accredited organizations commit to reaccreditation every seven years; accredited programs/courses undergo reaccreditation every five years.
- Membership in ISPI is encouraged but not required. Members receive discounted rates on fees.
Applications
Download the application and instructions (below) based on the category of accreditation you are seeking. The cost is determined based on the size and profit status of the organization and the size of the program(s) or course(s) being accredited as well as the nature of the review conducted. The cost for interviews and on-site visits are additional to the cost for accreditation. Currently the fee structure for accreditation begins at $3,500.
For More Information
If you have any questions, or want to know about the fee structure, please Contact Us.
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