International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA)

What International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA) does

The International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA) is a Swiss non-profit association headquartered in Geneva, established in 2013 to govern responsible conduct by private security companies. It operates as a multi-stakeholder body uniting private security companies, governments, civil society organizations, and observers under the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers, which addresses human rights, international humanitarian law, use of force, detention, and sexual exploitation and abuse. ICoCA's core services are Certification (independent third-party assessment by accredited certification bodies), Monitoring (ongoing due diligence on members and affiliates), Advisory Services, Capacity Building via the StreamLXP e-learning platform, Complaints Handling, and the Case Map educational resource. The association's primary operating outputs are standards, guidance documents, and verified certifications rather than software products.

ICoCA generates revenue through membership fees (private security companies pay a one-time registration fee plus annual dues scaled to company revenue), voluntary government contributions from states committed to the Montreux Document and UN frameworks, tax-deductible donations, and training services. Civil society members pay no fees; observers pay category-based dues with some exemptions. With 31 employees and members across 17+ countries spanning Europe, Africa, the Americas, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, ICoCA distributes services through its website, regional chapters, country-specific programs (e.g., Nigeria Chapter, Responsible Security Forum Uganda), and direct member engagement. Recent strategic moves include APAVE Certification becoming the first French certification body accepted (April 2026), Americas expansion through Panama and Honduras (March 2026), and new guidance on veteran reintegration (April 2026) and critical minerals supply chains (June 2026).

Name

International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA)

Legal name

International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers' Association (ICoCA)

Website

https://icoca.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ICoCA is a Geneva-based Swiss non-profit association that sets, certifies, and monitors compliance with the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers, serving private security companies, governments, civil society, and corporate clients globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Security Certification and Standards

NAICS

International Affairs (92812)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Internal Audit & SOX/ICFR Advisory (BPAHAFAD)

Keywords

• Private security certification
• Human rights compliance
• Security industry standards
• Responsible security governance
• Humanitarian law oversight

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand-Saconnex

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Private security companies pay membership fees comprising a one-time registration fee and annual dues based on company revenue. Governments contribute voluntary membership fees. Observers pay category-based dues with some exemptions available.
2. Government Contributions: ICoCA receives funding from governments committed to the Montreux Document, UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and UN Sustainable Development Goals. Funding supports the association's operations and civil society pillar.
3. Donations: The organization accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations to support its mission, particularly its civil society pillar and members' work in promoting responsible private security.
4. Training Services: Training platform (StreamLXP) providing educational courses on Code compliance, human rights due diligence, and related topics to private security personnel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ICoCA is a multi-stakeholder Swiss non-profit association that promotes responsible private security by certifying private security companies against the International Code of Conduct (ICoC), conducting ongoing monitoring of members and affiliates, providing advisory services, handling complaints of alleged Code violations, and delivering human rights training through a dedicated e-learning platform (StreamLXP). The organization functions as the independent governance and oversight body for human rights and international humanitarian law compliance across the global private security industry.

Product overview

ICoCA operates as a multi-stakeholder certification and oversight association for the private security industry. The organization provides a suite of services including Certification (independent verification of private security companies against the International Code of Conduct), Advisory Services (guidance on responsible security practices), Monitoring (ongoing due diligence on members), Capacity Building (training programs), Complaints Handling (mechanism for reporting violations), and Training delivered through a dedicated Streamlxp platform. ICoCA also maintains a Case Map educational resource featuring real-life case studies. The association does not offer a software product but rather serves as a certification and governance body for the private security sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certification

Quantifiable outcome

• First Nigerian Security Company to achieve full ICoCA certification, demonstrating transformatiave journey in human rights compliance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Unizon (Sweden)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRS partnered with Unizon, Sweden's leading women's shelter organization, since 2014 for a CSR partnership to build a gender-equal society free from violence. Together they developed the REC (Rights, Equality & Culture) training programme for private security providers, prompted by ICoCA's 2019 Guidance on Preventing Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
• APAVE CertificationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPAVE Certification became the first French certification body accepted by ICoCA in April 2026, expanding ICoCA's network of accredited certification bodies for assessing private security company compliance with the Code.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI): UK-based alliance of companies, trade unions, and NGOs promoting workers' rights in supply chains. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder standards body with membership dues, accreditation, and a focus on supply-chain human rights - analogous positioning to ICoCA in the private security vertical.
• Fair Labor Association (FLA): Multi-stakeholder non-profit combining companies, civil society, and universities to set labor standards and conduct independent verification. Closely parallel in structure (tri-partite governance plus certification and complaints), making it a strong direct analog for ICoCA's operating model.
• Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPs): Multi-stakeholder initiative on security and human rights involving governments, companies, and NGOs. Closely comparable to ICoCA in mission (promoting human rights in extractive-sector security) and stakeholder composition, though operating as a forum rather than a certification body.
• International Stability Operations Association (ISOA): US-based industry association representing private security and stability operations firms. Comparable to ICoCA as a membership body for PSCs with governance, ethics, and standards-setting functions, though focused more on US contractors and lacking ICoCA's tri-partite civil society/government structure.

Broad incumbents

• SGS: Global leader in third-party inspection, verification, testing, and certification across industries. Comparable as a large incumbent certification body capable of running PSC audits (e.g., against ISO 28007), representing a potential alternative or complement to ICoCA's certification regime.
• Bureau Veritas: Major global testing, inspection, and certification company. Comparable as a broad incumbent that issues social-compliance audits adjacent to PSC screening, and a possible certification-body alternative to ICoCA-accredited bodies.
• OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct: OECD body promoting responsible business conduct and supply chain due diligence standards referenced in PSC governance. Comparable as a higher-level framework-setting actor whose guidelines reinforce and cite ICoCA-aligned practices.

Emerging players

• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): Independent international standards organization for sustainability reporting. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder standards body whose frameworks (including human rights due diligence) are frequently used alongside or to justify ICoCA certification by corporate members.
• Better Work (ILO/IFC partnership): ILO/IFC partnership programme improving working conditions in global supply chains, primarily garments. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder initiative using assessments and capacity building to drive standards, sharing operating mechanics with ICoCA but focused on a different vertical.

Others

• Montreux Document Forum: Intergovernmental forum for promoting the Montreux Document on private military and security companies. Conceptually adjacent as the state-led counterpart to ICoCA's industry-led code, frequently referenced together in regulator and procurement language.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-code-of-conduct-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA)