RCBM - Register Certified Board Member

What RCBM - Register Certified Board Member does

RCBM (Stichting Register Certified Board Member) is an independent Dutch foundation established in 2016 following a 2016 call from the Dutch Second Chamber for certification of supervisory board members. It operates the Certified Board Member (CBM) designation, assessing candidates through a competency-based evaluation conducted by two experienced assessors and enforcing ongoing professional development via a Permanent Education (PE) points system (minimum 15 PE points annually, 60 points over a 4-year certification cycle) and a published Code of Conduct. The certification framework is aligned with ISO 17024 and the European EQF/ESCO competency standards, and since 2025, the register has also been open to executive directors. RCBM is headquartered in Rotterdam, operates with a small secretariat (3-5 staff) alongside volunteer board, supervisory board, and committee members (CCE, CCB, CCA), and is supported by a network of Certified Partners (NCD, Wagner & Company, VTH, Avicenna, crmLINK).

The organization's core products are the CBM certification (one-time assessment fee of €995, reduced to €900 for Certified Partner alumni), the annual CBM membership fee (€495/year), and the Associate Membership tier (€200/year, first year free for Certified Partner alumni) introduced in May 2025 for aspiring and early-career supervisors. Ancillary offerings include themadiners, an annual dinner, the 'Het Governance Gesprek' LinkedIn community, and the publicly searchable register used by companies, institutions, and search bureaus to identify credentialed board members. RCBM distributes its services through direct contact with the secretariat ([email protected], 085 212 75 42), website-based inquiry, and referral via Certified Partners.

The business model is a subscription-plus-certification model operating at nonprofit scale. Customer segments include supervisory board members (primary), executive directors (primary since 2025), aspiring and early-career board members (Associate Members), and corporate and institutional employers seeking qualified candidates. No revenue, funding, or valuation figures are disclosed; RCBM is a private non-profit with no parent company or external investors, and expansion is being pursued through product extension (Associate Membership, executive certification), vertical partnerships (VTH in higher education), and community engagement rather than headcount or capital-driven scaling.

Name

RCBM - Register Certified Board Member

Legal name

Stichting Register Certified Board Member

Website

https://rcbm.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RCBM (Stichting Register Certified Board Member) is an independent Dutch foundation that certifies Dutch supervisory board members and executive directors via the CBM designation, enforces ongoing PE requirements, and maintains a public register used by organizations and search firms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDADAJAL

Professional Development / CPD Requirement Administration for Licensure

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Teacher Certification, Licensing & Professional Standards Boards

Keywords

• Board member certification
• Governance certification
• Supervisory board services
• Professional board standards
• Corporate governance training

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Assessment Fees: One-time assessment fee for certification. Standard rate is €995. Reduced rate of €900 for candidates who completed their governance training at an RCBM Certified Partner.
2. Annual Membership Fee: Annual fee of €495 for certified members, providing access to RCBM knowledge and networking events. Billed per year.
3. Associate Membership: Annual subscription of €200 (excluding VAT) for Associate Members. First year is free for alumni of RCBM Certified Partners. Includes access to networking events, themed dinners, digital subscription to 'Goed Bestuur & Toezicht' magazine, and discounted access to expert meetings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

RCBM (Register Certified Board Member) is an independent Dutch foundation that certifies non-executive and executive board members through a competency-based assessment by two assessors, followed by a four-year certification with mandatory Permanent Education (PE) points and adherence to a Code of Conduct. It also offers an Associate Member tier for aspiring supervisors, a public register accessible to organizations seeking qualified board members, and themed networking events for the governance community.

Product overview

RCBM (Register Certified Board Member) is an independent foundation offering professional certification for both non-executive and executive board members in the Netherlands. The core offering is the CBM Certification program, which includes an assessment process and a four-year certification period. Supporting offerings include the Associate Member tier for aspiring supervisors (€200/year), a mandatory Permanent Education (PE) program requiring 60 points over 4 years, a Code of Conduct, and networking events including theme dinners and annual meetings. The organization also facilitates the 'Het Governance Gesprek' LinkedIn community. Annual membership for certified members costs €495.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certified Board Member (CBM) Certification Professional certification program for non-executive and executive board members, assessing competence in governance, integrity, and continuous development. Certification is valid for four years with ongoing PE requirements.
• CBM Assessment Personal assessment conducted by two experienced assessors evaluating organizational knowledge, professional integrity, societal context awareness, and board dynamics. Fee: €995 one-time (€900 for candidates from RCBM Certified Partners).
• Associate Member membership Membership tier for aspiring and beginning supervisors providing network access, theme dinners, digital subscription to 'Goed Bestuur en Toezicht', and reduced-rate access to educational events. Annual fee of €200 excluding VAT.

Quantifiable outcome

• First supervisory board members certified in 2016/2017
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VTH (Vereniging van Toezichthouders van Hogescholen)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2026VTH is the Association of Supervisory Board Members in Higher Education. The partnership connects VTH's learning offerings with RCBM's independent certification framework, enabling cross-sector networking and accessible pathways to certification. VTH represents supervisors in Dutch higher education institutions.
• NCD (Nederlandse Vereniging van Commissarissen en Directeuren)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCD is the Dutch Association of Commissioners and Directors, providing a platform for leadership and supervision for over 70 years. The partnership combines NCD's network and training programs (NCD Academy) with RCBM's independent certification framework. NCD promotes professionalization of supervisory board members through its 15 regional circles and national events.
• Wagner & CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWagner & Company is a leading training provider in leadership, governance, and organizational development with over 40 years of experience. They offer governance training for commissioners and board members, including programs for supervisory board chairs and administrative/commercial mediation. Their training is accredited for RCBM's mandatory PE requirements.
• Avicenna Academie voor LeiderschapcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAvicenna offers leadership development programs with over 20 years of experience in both public and private sectors. They provide 75 different programs with 200 editions per year, serving approximately 2,500 participants annually. Programs cover personal leadership, strategy/innovation/transition, and good governance. Avicenna is exclusive partner for NVTZ, VTOI-NVTK, VTW, and VTH Academies.
• crmLINKminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorcrmLINK is a search, training, and advisory firm focused on leadership, governance, and collaboration. They connect organizations with inspiring leaders and support their development for strong governance. Services include executive search for board members, leadership training, and supervisory board self-evaluations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD): US-based association providing board director education, certification (NACD Directorship Certification), and peer network resources. Closest large-scale analog to RCBM in serving certified board directors with continuous education requirements.
• Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD): Australia's national body for directors offering the Company Directors Course and GAICD / FAICD designations. Comparable end-to-end certification-plus-membership-plus-CPD model, though at materially larger scale.
• Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD): Canadian national body for directors offering the ICD.D designation based on a competency-based assessment and ongoing PE. Highly comparable operating model to RCBM including assessment-by-peers and continuous education requirements.
• Institute of Directors (UK, IoD): UK IoD is a long-established chartered body providing director training, the Chartered Director qualification, and continuous professional development for board members. Closest European peer in longevity and credentialing depth.
• NCD - Nederlandse Vereniging van Commissarissen en Directeuren: Dutch Association of Commissioners and Directors with 70+ years of history serving the same supervisory board / executive director persona. NCD is also an RCBM Certified Partner, illustrating the overlap and partial competition between generalist membership and RCBM's certification niche.

Emerging players

• Wagner & Company: Dutch training provider offering leadership, governance, and supervisory board development programs. An RCBM Certified Partner providing accredited PE training, illustrating the partial overlap between training-only providers and RCBM's certification-led model.
• crmLINK: Dutch executive search, training, and advisory firm focused on board leadership and governance. Functions both as a channel partner for RCBM and as an adjacent provider of supervisory board self-evaluations and search services.
• Avicenna Academie voor Leiderschap: Dutch leadership academy running ~200 program editions/year for ~2,500 participants and serving as an exclusive partner for sector-specific governance academies (NVTZ, VTOI-NVTK, VTW, VTH). Comparable training and certification adjacency within the Dutch market.

Broad incumbents

• Chartered Governance Institute: UK- and internationally-headquartered professional body for governance professionals, offering chartered company secretary credentials and continuous development. Functionally analogous to RCBM but with broader scope (not just board members) and far greater scale.

Regional players

• Institut Français des Administrateurs (IFA): French association of directors focused on promoting good governance and providing training/networking for board members. Comparable mission and member profile but operates in France rather than the Netherlands.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/register-certified-board-member

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 RCBM - Register Certified Board Member