IPC is an international association of personnel certification bodies and training providers. Along with developing certification schemes, IPC operates a multilateral recognition arrangement. IPC joined IAF as an Association Member in 2016, and in 2017 signed an agreement with IAF for the inclusion of its IPC Management System Auditors scheme in the IAF MLA.

IPC was established in 1995, under the name International Auditor and Training Certification Association (IATCA). To adapt to the market need for certification of professionals in a variety of categories, the role and name was changed in Chicago 2003 to International Personnel Certification Association, IPC.

IPC’s main activity is to develop certification schemes for professionals. Although the focus of IPC is personnel certification, recognition of training providers and training courses are also part of our activities.

IPC’s objective is to promote the interests of certification bodies and serve the needs of the society for competence of professionals.

In 1993, following preliminary discussions in the USA, three organisations; the Registrar Accreditation Board USA (RAB), the Quality Society of Australasia (QSA) and the International Register of Certified Auditors UK (IRCA), convened in Singapore to explore the potential and benefits of establishing international certification criteria specific to quality management system auditors.

Following this meeting and subsequent discussion between all parties, the International Auditor and Training Certification Association (IATCA) was formally established in 1995, with Multi-lateral Agreements (MLA) based on the mutual recognition, via peer evaluation, of quality management system (QMS) auditor certification and QMS auditor training provider approval programs, established in 1998.