What ESOMAR does

ESOMAR is a global professional community and industry association for the data, research, and insights sector, founded in 1947 and headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It operates a multi-sided community that connects research professionals, client-side leaders, technology providers, and corporate members under a shared ethical framework anchored by the ICC/ESOMAR International Code — the internationally recognized code of conduct for the market, social and opinion research industry, overseen by the ESOMAR Professional Standards Committee. Its product surface is built around four pillars: (i) a global membership community platform; (ii) the ICC/ESOMAR International Code and associated standards guidance (including for AI-enabled research); (iii) the Professional Standards Committee governance body, chaired since February 13, 2026 by Ray Poynter; and (iv) a portfolio of flagship regional conferences such as Esomar North America 2026 "Unfiltered" (Atlanta, November 2-4, 2026) and Esomar Latam 2026 (Rio de Janeiro, March 22-24, 2026).

The organization runs on a relatively lean team (11-50 employees) led by CEO Patrick De Regt, Director General Finn Raben, and current President Joaquim Bretcha Boix. Revenue is generated through two primary streams: recurring corporate membership dues (subscription-style revenue tied to expanding membership in the United States and Canada via the newly created North America Ambassador role, filled by Barry Jennings on March 9, 2026) and conference registrations and sponsorships (transactional revenue from flagship regional events, supported by content partnerships such as the February 17, 2026 Globo alliance for Latam 2026). Pricing for memberships, registrations, and sponsorships is not publicly disclosed; engagement is described as quote-based or member-driven. Distribution is primarily direct, with regional events, member engagement through regional ambassadors, and media partnerships (e.g., Globo's Gente portal) serving as the main channels.

ESOMAR's go-to-market is best characterized as community-led and event-driven: regional ambassadors deepen corporate membership and advocacy, while flagship conferences anchor in-person knowledge exchange. The company has no proprietary software product, no mobile apps, no APIs or SDKs, and no disclosed patents, so its competitive position rests on brand authority, custodianship of industry ethics, and the convening power of its global community rather than on technology assets.

Name

ESOMAR

Legal name

Esomar

Website

https://esomar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ESOMAR is a 1947-founded, Amsterdam-based global industry association and professional community for the data, research, and insights sector. It serves research professionals, client-side leaders, technology providers, and corporate members through corporate membership dues, flagship regional conferences, and stewardship of the ICC/ESOMAR International Code.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Amsterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Corporate membership dues: Recurring revenue from corporate membership subscriptions, referenced in the context of expanding 'membership' and 'advocacy efforts' across the United States and Canada through the new North America ambassador role.
2. Conference registrations and sponsorships: Revenue generated from major regional events such as Esomar Latam 2026 (Rio de Janeiro) and ESOMAR North America 2026 (Atlanta), supported by content and media partnerships (e.g., Globo).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ESOMAR is the global professional community and industry body for data, research and insights, founded in 1947 and headquartered in Amsterdam. It offers corporate memberships, stewards the ICC/ESOMAR International Code of conduct through its Professional Standards Committee, and runs a portfolio of regional conferences (e.g., North America "Unfiltered" in Atlanta and Esomar Latam in Rio de Janeiro) that convene research professionals, client-side leaders and technology providers.

Product overview

Esomar operates as a global professional community and standards body for the data, research, and insights industry rather than a single unified software product. Its offering spans a core membership community platform (the global hub for research, insights, and analytics), the ICC/ESOMAR International Code of conduct (the industry's ethical standard), the Professional Standards Committee that governs that code (now under the chairmanship of Ray Poynter), and a portfolio of regional conferences such as the North America "Unfiltered" conference and the Latam conference in Rio de Janeiro. Together these offerings connect research professionals, client-side leaders, and technology providers under shared ethical guidance and in-person knowledge exchange.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ESOMAR Global Community for Data, Research and Insights Global membership-based professional community for the data, research, insights and analytics industry, serving corporate members, research professionals, client-side leaders and technology providers.
• ICC/ESOMAR International Code Internationally recognized code of conduct for the market, social and opinion research industry, providing ethical guidance including for AI-enabled research and emerging methodologies.
• ESOMAR Professional Standards Committee Governance body that safeguards ethical standards across the global insights industry, provides guidance on AI-enabled research and emerging methodologies, and oversees the ICC/ESOMAR International Code.
• ESOMAR North America Conference ("Unfiltered" 2026) Regional flagship conference for the North America insights community, bringing together research professionals, client-side leaders and technology providers around real-world decision outcomes and practical insights.
• ESOMAR Latam Conference (Rio de Janeiro 2026) Regional flagship conference for the Latin America insights community, bringing together research professionals, client-side leaders and technology providers around growth, collaboration and innovation in research and insights.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GlobocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 February 2026Globo, Latin America's largest media company, partnered with ESOMAR for the Esomar Latam 2026 conference scheduled March 22-24, 2026 in Rio de Janeiro. The collaboration focuses on digital and social media exposure through Globo's Gente portal and joint content aligned with the conference's themes of growth, collaboration, and innovation in research and insights. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to supporting dialogue and knowledge exchange within the research and insights ecosystem across Latin America.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Market Research Society (MRS): UK-based professional body for the research sector offering individual and corporate membership, the MRS Code of Conduct, and industry events; directly comparable to ESOMAR's standards, membership, and event-based model.
• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC): Co-publisher of the ICC/ESOMAR International Code and a global standards body for business including marketing and advertising; directly comparable as the standards co-architect and a global convening organization.
• Insights Association: U.S.-based industry association for the market research and analytics industry; directly comparable to ESOMAR as a national-level member body that sets professional and ethical standards and runs major industry events (e.g., corporate membership, advocacy, conferences).
• Advertising Research Foundation (ARF): U.S.-based research industry association focused on advertising, media, and marketing research; comparable to ESOMAR in hosting industry events, publishing research, and convening senior practitioners and client-side leaders.

Emerging players

• SampleCon: Niche industry event and community focused on research sample and data quality; comparable to ESOMAR as a focused research-industry community and event, though at a smaller and more specialized scale.
• Greenbook (IIEX): Operator of the Insight Innovation Exchange (IIEX) conferences and a global research community platform; comparable to ESOMAR in convening insights buyers, suppliers, and technology providers through events and content.
• Quirk's Media: Media and events company serving the market research industry via Quirk's Event, editorial content, and supplier directories; comparable to ESOMAR as an industry convener for research buyers and suppliers, though not a standards body.

Broad incumbents

• Data & Marketing Association (DMA): UK- and U.S.-focused trade association for the data and marketing ecosystem covering advertising, data ethics, and customer engagement; comparable to ESOMAR in setting marketing/data ethics standards and providing corporate membership and events.
• World Federation of Advertisers (WFA): Global trade association representing major advertisers on marketing, media, and policy issues; comparable to ESOMAR as a global convening body serving client-side decision-makers, including in research and insights.

Regional players

• ESOMAR Australia / The Research Society (TRS): Australia's professional body for market, social, and opinion research, providing membership, the AMSRS Code of Professional Behaviour, and industry events; directly comparable to ESOMAR as a regional member association with parallel standards and event functions.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/esomar
• Facebookfacebook.com/esomar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/28311

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ESOMAR