Center for Industry Self-Regulation

What Center for Industry Self-Regulation does

The Center for Industry Self-Regulation (CISR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation organized as a doing-business-as entity of BBB National Programs Charitable Foundation, headquartered in McLean, Virginia. The organization was created to advance industry self-regulation (soft law) as an alternative or complement to government regulation, operating an incubator model that convenes industry stakeholders to produce frameworks, principles, certification protocols, and curricula in areas where regulation has not yet caught up with technology or market practice. Its core deliverables include the Responsible Influence Certification Program (a 90-minute creator certification launching Spring 2026), the Self-Regulation Incubator (which has produced outputs such as the Principles for Trustworthy AI in Recruiting and Hiring, the Generative AI & Kids Risk Matrix, and the TeenAge Privacy Program Roadmap), the nation's first graduate-level curriculum on industry self-regulation for law, business, and public policy schools, an annual Soft Law Summit, and a Research Center publishing commissioned academic work.

CISR serves multiple distinct audiences: graduate academic institutions (through free curriculum distribution and partnerships with Arizona State University and 11 other graduate programs), large enterprises that participate in incubator working groups (Amazon, Microsoft, Unilever, Koch Industries, Qualcomm, Allegis, Dentsu), regulatory and policy stakeholders, and (forthcoming) individual creators who will enroll in the certification. Funding comes primarily from charitable contributions and grants — including a 2024 John Templeton Foundation grant for curriculum development — with an emerging fee-based revenue stream from the Responsible Influence Certification Program. Governance is provided by a Board that includes a former Acting FTC Chair and senior in-house counsel from LEGO and Verizon, reflecting the organization's positioning at the intersection of business, regulation, and consumer protection.

Name

Center for Industry Self-Regulation

Legal name

BBB National Programs Charitable Foundation

Website

https://industryselfregulation.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Center for Industry Self-Regulation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation (DBA of BBB National Programs Charitable Foundation) that develops industry self-regulation frameworks, certification programs, and graduate-level curricula for law, business, and policy schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Self-Regulation Policy Research

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal, Governance, Privacy & Audit Certifications (EDAAANAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Information Security, Privacy & IT Governance (CISSP CPE, Privacy CE) (EDAAALAL)

Keywords

• Industry self-regulation
• Soft law frameworks
• Creator economy certification
• AI hiring principles
• Nonprofit policy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Mclean

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: CISR operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded by individual donors, corporations, and charitable foundations. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
2. Certification Program Fees: The Responsible Influence Certification Program charges creators for training and certification, providing revenue while advancing transparency in the creator economy.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CISR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation that researches, educates, and incubates industry self-regulatory programs (soft law). It develops principles, certification protocols, and risk matrices addressing emerging issues such as the creator economy, AI in hiring, AI chatbots for children, and teen privacy, and it distributes graduate-level curriculum on industry self-regulation to law, business, and public policy schools.

Product overview

The Center for Industry Self-Regulation (CISR), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation of BBB National Programs, operates as a multi-initiative organization focused on industry self-regulation (soft law). The organization functions as a platform-plus-initiatives structure, combining an incubator program (Self-Regulation Incubator) with distinct sub-brand initiatives including the Institute for Responsible Influence (offering the Responsible Influence Certification Program), the AI Chatbot Accountability Initiative, the TeenAge Privacy Program (TAPP), and the AI in Hiring and Recruiting Initiative. CISR also delivers educational products including a graduate-level curriculum on industry self-regulation for law, business, and public policy schools, hosts the annual Soft Law Summit conference, and maintains a Research Center publishing academic papers on soft law topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Institute for Responsible Influence: An initiative dedicated to advancing transparency, accountability, and trust in the U.S. creator economy through training, certification, and ongoing resources for creators and influencers.
• AI Chatbot Accountability Initiative
• TeenAge Privacy Program (TAPP)
• AI in Hiring and Recruiting
• Soft Law Summit

Products and services

• Institute for Responsible Influence A CISR initiative that provides creators and influencers with training, certification, and ongoing resources to ensure transparency, promote responsible content creation, and build consumer trust in the creator economy.
• Responsible Influence Certification Program A 90-minute interactive certification program that trains creators on FTC Endorsement Guides, advertising standards, and responsible brand partnerships. Certified creators receive a credential seal and access to a searchable database.
• Self-Regulation Incubator An accelerated and structured convening program designed to produce lasting and actionable work products that can be swiftly adopted by an entire industry to address self-regulation challenges.
• Industry Self-Regulation Curriculum A multi-disciplinary graduate-level curriculum on industry self-regulation (soft law) designed for law, business, and public policy schools, covering types of self-regulation, conditions for success, case studies, and interaction with government.
• AI in Hiring and Recruiting Initiative An initiative that developed Principles for Trustworthy AI in Recruiting and Hiring and Independent Certification Protocols, serving as a global baseline standard for the use of AI applications in recruitment and hiring.
• AI Chatbot Accountability Initiative An initiative bringing together AI chatbot developers, consumer brands, mental health professionals, and advocacy organizations to address risks and benefits of AI use for children and teens, including AI companions.
• TeenAge Privacy Program (TAPP) A program that helps U.S. companies collect and manage teenage data responsibly by providing the TAPP Roadmap, an operational framework to help companies develop digital products that consider and respond to privacy and safety risks for teenage consumers.
• Soft Law Summit An annual conference that brings together industry leaders, academics, and policy makers to examine how independent industry self-regulation can address challenges and opportunities for American business sectors.
• Research Center A research platform hosting commissioned academic research on emerging use cases for soft law, including papers on AI governance, autonomous vehicles, and industry self-regulation best practices.

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

30 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major, supporting and core.

• TikTokflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Platform partner supporting the Responsible Influence Certification Program, piloting the initiative and providing support for creator training and certification.
• #paidflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Creator marketing platform that collaborated with its creator community to pilot the Responsible Influence Certification Program, ensuring it reflects real-world challenges.
• American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Industry association supporter of the Institute for Responsible Influence, providing support for certification program development and industry adoption.
• Association of National Advertisers (ANA)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Major industry association supporting the certification program and Institute for Responsible Influence, with CEO Bob Liodice providing endorsement.
• American Advertising Federation (AAF)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026National advertising federation supporting the Institute for Responsible Influence as part of shared commitment to responsible industry practices.
• Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Industry standards organization supporting the Responsible Influence Certification Program as part of broader advertising industry initiatives.
• Independent Beauty Association (IBA)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Trade association supporting the certification program for creators in the beauty industry.
• CohleymajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Creator marketing platform supporting the Institute for Responsible Influence certification program.
• Brand NetworksmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Marketing agency supporting the Responsible Influence Certification Program.
• Health UnionmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Health-focused creator platform supporting the certification program.
• International Council for Ad Self-Regulation (ICAS)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Global organization supporting BBB National Programs and CISR in launching the Institute for Responsible Influence.
• Billion Dollar BoysupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Creative agency supporting the Institute for Responsible Influence as Advisory Council member.
• Creators Guild of AmericasupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Guild organization supporting responsible influence standards and creator certification.
• Harry'ssupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Brand supporting the certification program through Advisory Council participation.
• SuperAwesomesupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Kid-safe platform supporting responsible influence standards and creator certification.
• CoteriesupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Creator platform supporting the Institute for Responsible Influence.
• LinqiasupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Influencer marketing platform supporting the certification program.
• Mammoth BrandssupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Consumer brands platform supporting responsible influence certification.
• MorochsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Marketing agency supporting the Institute for Responsible Influence.
• Uncommon Creative StudiosupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Creative agency supporting the certification program through Advisory Council.
• George Washington University - Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 October 2025Co-host of the 2025 Soft Law Summit, collaborating on the annual event that convenes industry leaders, regulators, and academic experts.
• Arizona State University - Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law Center for Law, Science and InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2024Primary academic partner developing and piloting the industry self-regulation curriculum for law, business, and public policy schools. ASU is pilot testing the curriculum Spring 2025, with Gary Marchant (Regents Professor and Faculty Director) leading the collaboration.
• AmazoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2023Participated in developing Principles for Trustworthy AI in Recruiting and Hiring, contributing senior legal and privacy expertise to the CISR Incubator initiative.
• MicrosoftcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2023Collaborated on developing the AI Principles and Protocols for trustworthy AI in recruiting and hiring as part of the CISR Incubator.
• UnilevercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2023Contributed to the development of self-regulatory principles for AI in recruiting and hiring through the CISR Incubator collaboration.
• Koch IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2023Participated in the AI Principles and Protocols initiative for trustworthy AI in recruiting and hiring.
• QualcommcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2023Collaborated on developing AI hiring principles and certification protocols through the CISR Incubator.
• AllegiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2023HR technology company participating in development of AI hiring principles and protocols.
• Dentsu AmericascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2023Contributed to the AI Principles and Protocols initiative through the CISR Incubator.
• Epstein Becker & Green P.C.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2023Led by Robert J. O'Hara, the law firm collaborated with CISR to develop AI Principles and Protocols, providing legal expertise on employment law and regulatory compliance.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ISACA: Global nonprofit association for IT governance, risk, and cybersecurity professionals, offering certifications (CISA, CISM, CRISC). Comparable to CISR as a nonprofit that develops professional certification standards in legal/governance/IT domains, though focused on established rather than emerging fields.
• National Advertising Division (NAD): The U.S. advertising industry's self-regulatory dispute-resolution forum, administered by BBB National Programs. NAD is a direct operational peer that performs the kind of independent self-regulatory review CISR's Responsible Influence and AI Hiring initiatives are designed to support.
• Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC): A national self-regulatory program administered by BBB National Programs for the direct-selling industry. CISR's Executive Director Howard Smith previously led DSSRC; the two operate the same self-regulatory convening-and-discipline model in adjacent verticals.
• IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals): Global nonprofit that provides privacy and data-protection certifications (CIPP, CIPM, CIPT) and training. IAPP is directly comparable to CISR in mission shape — nonprofit certification body for privacy/governance professionals — and represents the established model CISR is attempting to emulate for the creator economy.
• International Council for Ad Self-Regulation (ICAS): Global body coordinating national advertising self-regulatory organizations. ICAS is explicitly named as a supporter of CISR's Institute for Responsible Influence and operates the same category of industry self-regulatory convening work at a global level.

Regional players

• Ad Standards (Canada): Canada's national advertising self-regulatory body. Closely comparable as a single-country industry self-regulator that administers codes, handles complaints, and educates the public on advertising standards — the same model CISR extends via the Institute for Responsible Influence.
• Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI): India's advertising self-regulatory body. Comparable as a regional peer operating the same self-regulatory model for advertising standards CISR is targeting through the Responsible Influence program, though in a different geographic market.
• Advertising Standards Authority (ASA, UK): The UK's independent advertising self-regulator. Comparable because it operates a national complaints and standards regime for advertising and influencer marketing that CISR's Responsible Influence certification program mirrors in scope and intent, though it covers the UK market.

Broad incumbents

• BBB National Programs: CISR's parent organization, which operates 20+ national self-regulatory programs. BBB National Programs is the institutional platform underlying CISR and the closest comparable organization in terms of self-regulatory portfolio, though its scope is much broader than CISR's education-and-incubation focus.

Others

• Consumer Reports: Independent nonprofit consumer-product testing and advocacy organization. Adjacent because it similarly relies on a 501(c)(3) funding model, produces educational content for the public, and engages industry on standards — though it functions as an advocacy/testing body rather than a self-regulatory incubator.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IndustrySelfReg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-industry-self-regulation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Center for Industry Self-Regulation