International Sanctions and Export Control Society (ISECS)

What International Sanctions and Export Control Society (ISECS) does

ISECS (International Sanctions and Export Control Society) is a Delaware Public Benefit LLC and a division of ECSA Group LLC, managed by ECS Advisors. Founded in 2022 by Stephen Wilcox alongside retired U.S. Ambassador Charles Adams and Orrick Partner Harry Clark, the organization operates a global professional membership society for the export controls and sanctions compliance community. Its stated positioning is that of the only Public Benefit Company in the world dedicated to international sanctions and export controls, with membership spanning 40 countries across five continents (up from 30 countries at the end of 2024) and 130,000 annual website visits.

The organization's core offerings are: (1) the ISECS Membership priced at $100 per year for industry professionals (with a free one-year student tier), providing access to bi-weekly Wednesday Sessions/webinars, a video and slide-deck archive, and four working groups (Russia, China, Enforcement, Latin America); (2) the CSECP (Certified Sanctions and Export Control Professional) certification program, described as the only professional certification developed collaboratively by former government officials, top-tier trade compliance lawyers, and senior industry professionals; and (3) the ISECS Compliance Education Center (CEC), a Learning Management System launched in 2025 that hosts training courses and country-specific sanctions certifications. Distribution combines direct online membership sales, three-tiered corporate sponsorships, and strategic alliances with organizations including High Risk Education, DGS Associates, and the Economic Security Council of Ukraine.

ISECS is structured as a private, member-supported society rather than a venture-backed company: there are no disclosed funding rounds, and operations are run with a 14-employee footprint. Revenue is generated through recurring individual membership fees, recurring corporate sponsorship subscriptions, and certification/training course fees, with governance and legal domicile in Delaware and operational control from Pennsylvania. The business model is event-driven and community-led, anchored by an annual Spring Event at Orrick and a worldwide Regional and Country Ambassador network.

Name

International Sanctions and Export Control Society (ISECS)

Legal name

International Sanctions and Export Control Society, a Division of ECSA Group, LLC

Website

https://internationalsanctionssociety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ISECS is a Delaware Public Benefit LLC and global professional membership society serving export controls and sanctions compliance professionals across 40 countries, offering individual memberships, the CSECP certification, and the CEC learning management system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Compliance Training and Certification

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Product, Safety & Quality Compliance (incl. Regulatory Affairs) (BPAHAFAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA), Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD)

Keywords

• Export controls compliance
• Sanctions compliance training
• Professional certification programs
• Trade compliance education
• Regulatory compliance membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Pennsylvania

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. Professional Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for industry professionals providing access to webinars, working groups, training discounts, government speaker events, and member resources.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Three-tiered corporate sponsorship levels providing company recognition, employee memberships, CSECP discounts, and branding opportunities within the ISECS network.
3. Certification and Training Courses: Revenue from CSECP certification program and training courses including country-specific sanctions certifications and CEC courses.
4. Student Membership: Free student membership for one year to support public benefit mission, with potential for future certification revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ISECS operates a professional membership society for export controls and sanctions compliance practitioners, offering individual industry memberships, the CSECP professional certification, the Compliance Education Center (CEC) learning management system, training courses, country-specific sanctions certifications, and working groups. The organization also sells three tiers of corporate sponsorships to companies seeking visibility in the compliance community.

Product overview

ISECS (International Sanctions and Export Control Society) is a division of ECSA Group and the only Public Benefit Company dedicated to helping industry enhance compliance with international sanctions and export controls. The organization operates a membership-based platform with three main product lines: (1) The ISECS Membership providing access to a global network and resources including webinars, working groups, and government speakers; (2) The Compliance Education Center (CEC) as a Learning Management System offering training courses and the CSECP professional certification developed with former government officials and industry professionals; and (3) Strategic partnerships including the High Risk Education certification programs. The organization serves compliance professionals, service providers, international trade attorneys, and students through tiered membership (Industry at $100/year, Student free) and corporate sponsorship programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CSECP (Certified Sanctions and Export Control Professional): The market standard certification program in training and education for export controls and sanctions professionals, developed by former government officials, top-tier trade compliance lawyers, and senior industry professionals.
• ISECS Compliance Education Center (CEC)

Products and services

• ISECS Membership Annual professional membership program priced at $100 per year for industry professionals (free for university students) that provides access to a worldwide network of industry leaders, government officials, attorneys, and compliance professionals across 40 countries. Includes bi-weekly Wednesday webinars, government speaker events, a database of videos and slide decks, member discounts on certifications, and participation in working groups.
• CSECP (Certified Sanctions and Export Control Professional) Trademarked professional certification program for sanctions and export control professionals, developed in collaboration with former international government officials (regulatory, enforcement, and national security), trade compliance lawyers, and industry professionals from multinational companies. Marketed as the only professional certification of its kind in the field.
• ISECS Compliance Education Center (CEC) Learning Management System (isecs.myabsorb.com) providing online training courses and certification programs for export controls and sanctions professionals, service providers, international trade attorneys, and students. ISECS members receive discounts.
• ISECS Training Courses Individual certification training courses covering topics such as Overview of U.S. Export Controls and Sanctions, U.S. End-Use Monitoring and End-Use Check Fundamentals, Overview of the U.S. Foreign Direct Product Rules, Understanding the 10 General Prohibitions of Export Administration Regulations, Introduction to U.S. Government Blacklists, and 50% Rule: Understanding the Expansion of End-User Controls.
• U.S. Country Specific Sanctions Certification Course (C-2025-004) Foundational certification course covering specific sanctions the U.S. Government has imposed on various countries, including explanations of focus and purpose, pertinent regulations, statutes, and executive orders.
• ISECS Corporate Sponsorships Three-tiered corporate sponsorship program providing companies recognition as leaders in sanctions and export control compliance, with benefits including ISECS memberships for employees, discounts on CSECP certification courses, branding opportunities within the ISECS network, and visibility with regulatory and enforcement agencies.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, regional and minor.

• ECSA Group (Export Controls and Sanctions Advisory Group)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerISECS is a division of ECSA Group LLC, described as the only Public Benefit Company in the world dedicated to helping industry enhance compliance with international sanctions and export controls. ECSA Group is the parent organization.
• ECS Advisors (Export Controls and Sanctions Advisors LLC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerECS Advisors is a leading global consulting firm that manages ISECS. Dedicated to supporting industry in compliance with export controls and sanctions.
• Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLPflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal co-founder and global sponsor of ISECS. Harry Clark serves as Co-Founder and Deputy Chairman, Partner at Orrick. Hosts annual ISECS Spring Event.
• Swedish Export Control SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPredecessor organization that assisted in establishing the network of societies throughout Europe. Founded in 2022.
• High Risk Education (HRE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic alliance providing non-export controls and sanctions certifications including Digital Assets Compliance Specialization (DACS), Financial Intelligence Specialist (FIS), Third Party Cyber Risk Assessor (TPCRA), and Master Crypto Investigations. Located in New York, New York.
• DGS AssociatesregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerFull-service law firm based in New Delhi, India with second office in Guwahati, Assam. Supports international and domestic clients including corporates and high net worth individuals. Ameeta Duggal serves as Country Ambassador for Asia.
• Economic Security Council of Ukraine (ESCU)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerKyiv-based institution established in 2021 to identify, counter, and deter threats to national and economic security of Ukraine and its partners. Ilona Khmeleva chairs the Russia Working Group.
• FTI ConsultingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEarly sponsor providing sponsorship assistance. Matt Bell served as Practice Leader, Export Controls, Sanctions and Trade Practice.
• Patria GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEarly sponsor. Rosa Rosanelli provided sponsorship assistance for the Finnish Sanctions and Export Control Society founding.
• Global Trade JobsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld's largest job board dedicated 100% to customs and global trade careers. Provides job seeking resources for ISECS members.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS): Scaled, established compliance membership and certification organization (CAMS credential). Highly analogous business model — professional membership, certification, training, and events — but in the AML/financial-crime compliance vertical rather than sanctions/export controls.
• Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE): Large compliance and ethics membership organization with certifications (CCEP, CHC) and chapter-based events. Comparable operating model (membership + certification + working groups) but serves a broader compliance audience than ISECS.
• International Compliance Association (ICA): Globally focused compliance membership and certification body. Comparable in international scope and certification-driven model, though its footprint is broader (AML, financial crime, governance) rather than sanctions/export controls specifically.

Direct peers

• Export Compliance Training Institute (ECTI): Specialized training provider in export compliance and ITAR/EAR topics. Overlaps with ISECS's CEC training catalog and competes for the same training budget from trade compliance professionals.
• American Association of Exporters and Importers (AAEI): Long-standing US trade association representing exporters, importers, and trade compliance professionals. Overlaps with ISECS on export controls advocacy, working groups, and member education, particularly in the US market.
• Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists (ACSS): Direct peer in the sanctions and export controls professional certification space. ACSS offers the Certified Sanctions Specialist (CSS) credential, competing head-to-head with ISECS's CSECP for the same compliance-professional audience.

Others

• ECS Advisors (Export Controls and Sanctions Advisors): Global consulting firm that manages ISECS. Not a peer in the membership sense, but an adjacent service provider to the same sanctions and export controls buyer — important for ecosystem context.
• ECSA Group LLC: ISECS's parent Public Benefit Company. Not a competing peer but a closely related entity that shares mission and governance; relevant for understanding ISECS's structural and resource dependencies.
• Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP (International Trade Practice): Major international trade law firm and ISECS co-founder/sponsor. Provides competing training and advisory services in the same sanctions/export controls domain, while also being a strategic partner.
• FTI Consulting (Export Controls, Sanctions and Trade Practice): Global consulting firm with a dedicated export controls and sanctions practice, and an early ISECS sponsor. Sells advisory and training services to the same buyer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-sanctions-and-export-control-society

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 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 International Sanctions and Export Control Society (ISECS)