World Association of Public Employment Services WAPES

What World Association of Public Employment Services WAPES does

WAPES (World Association of Public Employment Services), founded in 1988 and structured as an Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif (AISBL) under Belgian law, is the only global membership association dedicated exclusively to national Public Employment Services (PES). It represents 90+ member organizations across 75+ countries in five regions (Africa, Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Middle-East/Arab Countries), aggregating the expertise of over 1 million PES employees. Its core offering is a portfolio of knowledge products and programs rather than a single software product: the SamPES 2.0 institutional transformation framework (organized around 8 levers including governance, operational processes, client services, employer relations, data-driven design, institutional strategy, resource management, and territorial engineering), the Japan-WAPES Joint Project methodology (2019-2026) for peer learning and self-assessment, the World of PES flagship publication co-produced with OECD LEED and IDB, and a digital platform launched in 2022 that hosts an expert directory, member collaboration tools, and exclusive resources.

The organization is funded through annual membership dues calculated on a formula tied to PES size and GDP per capita (with PPP adjustment), supplemented by grants and donations from international organizations (ILO, OECD, ETF, IDB, SOCIEUX+), publications and technical services revenue, banking interest, and a cooperation fund that subsidizes participation from developing regions. Governance is member-driven: a General Assembly meets annually, a rotating presidency (currently Slovenia, 2025-2028) leads with five regional vice-presidencies, and the Brussels Executive Secretariat operates with ~13 staff, most of whom are seconded by member PES (Germany's BA, Netherlands' UWV, Slovenia's ESS, Latvia's NVA). Distribution is direct: digital channels (website, multilingual newsletter, LinkedIn, YouTube, X, Facebook), annual General Assembly, regional conferences, webinars, and peer reviews serve as the primary engagement mechanisms with members and partner organizations.

Name

World Association of Public Employment Services WAPES

Legal name

World Association of Public Employment Services

Website

https://wapes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Short description

WAPES is a Belgian-registered international non-profit association (AISBL) founded in 1988 that serves as the only global membership network dedicated to Public Employment Services, connecting 90+ member PES across 75+ countries through knowledge exchange, peer learning, frameworks (SamPES 2.0), publications, and capacity-building programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: WAPES is largely financed by membership dues calculated based on the size of the PES (number of employees) and GDP per capita in USD using IMF economic data and PPP (purchasing power parity) methodology.
2. Publications and Technical Services: Revenue from publishing reports, studies, and knowledge products, as well as technical services provided to members and partners.
3. Grants, Donations and Legacies: Subsidies, donations, and bequests from international organizations, governments, and other donors supporting specific projects and activities.
4. Banking Interest: Interest income from financial reserves and accounts.
5. Cooperation Fund: A cooperation fund enables members from developing regions to participate in WAPES activities and capacity building programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

WAPES is an international non-profit association that operates as the global platform for knowledge exchange, peer learning, and cooperation among national Public Employment Services (PES). It provides frameworks like SamPES 2.0 for institutional transformation, organizes annual conferences, workshops, webinars, and peer reviews, co-publishes flagship reports with OECD and IDB, and runs joint capacity-building projects such as the Japan-WAPES Joint Project. Members include PES agencies from 75+ countries representing over 1 million employees across five regions.

Product overview

WAPES is a non-profit international association (AISBL under Belgian law) serving as the global platform for information and knowledge exchange among Public Employment Services. Rather than a single software product, WAPES offers a portfolio of programs and services including the SamPES 2.0 institutional transformation framework, the World of PES flagship publications, the Japan-WAPES Joint Project for Asia-Pacific cooperation, a member-exclusive digital platform, multilingual newsletters, and a cooperation fund. These offerings are organized around facilitating peer learning, research, capacity building, and international dialogue on employment services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SamPES 2.0: A framework for analyzing and transforming Public Employment Services around 8 institutional levers, designed for African PES but applicable globally. It includes Manager Concept files, an Auditor Guide, and a Regional Academy.

Products and services

• SamPES 2.0 Framework

Quantifiable outcome

• 90+ Public Employment Services worldwide connected through the WAPES network
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• IEP - Institute for Employability ProfessionalscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026IEP is the only professional institute dedicated to the employability sector. MoU signed January 2026 establishing strategic cooperation framework for PES capacity building through joint learning activities, research, and professional development. Focus areas: mental health and employability, aging workforce, skills development, practitioner professionalism, digitization, inclusive employment strategies, and CfEE resource development.
• ETF - European Training FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 October 2024ETF is the EU agency helping neighboring countries develop education, training, skills, and labor market systems. Declaration of Intent signed October 17, 2024 establishing framework for closer collaboration on joint PES webinars, conference participation, skills anticipation expertise exchange, research dissemination, and PES capacity building.
• ICCDPP - International Centre for Career Development and Public PolicycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2024ICCDPP promotes international learning in career development and public policy. MoU signed March 7, 2024 establishing long-term cooperation framework to promote quality career guidance within employment services globally. Joint activities include international research, policy dialogue, webinars, expertise exchange, and conferences. 2025 joint report on Global Trends in Career Guidance within PES. 2026-2027 webinar series 'Canada in Focus'.
• ILO - International Labour OrganizationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 November 2022ILO is one of WAPES founding partners (1988) and continues as permanent observer. MoU signed November 28, 2022 reaffirming long-term cooperation to strengthen employment services through knowledge sharing, capacity building, and international policy dialogue. Cooperation focuses on ILO Convention 88 implementation, fair recruitment, labor migration, and joint research on digitization, AI, demographics, skills, and inclusion.
• OECD LEED - Local Economic and Employment Development ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOECD LEED helps governments design effective employment, skills, and local development policies. Over 15 years of collaboration bringing PES perspective to international policy discussions. Invited to join LEED Steering Committee in 2016. Joint flagship publication 'The World of PES' with IDB and WAPES (2016, 2026). Regular participation in OECD LEED Forum on Local Development.
• IDB - Inter-American Development BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDB supports economic and social development in Latin America and Caribbean. Partnership with IDB Labor Markets and Social Security Division strengthens PES through international research, knowledge exchange, and regional cooperation. Co-published 'The World of PES' (2016, 2026) with OECD and WAPES. Collaborates with Red SEALC (Latin America and Caribbean PES Network).
• SOCIEUX+ - EU Expertise on Social Protection, Labor and EmploymentmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOCIEUX+ is the main EU technical cooperation facility for employment, labor, and social protection. Partnership promotes peer cooperation and institutional capacity building within PES. Experts from WAPES member organizations participate in SOCIEUX+ technical cooperation missions. WAPES facilitates member access to technical assistance requests.
• AASEP - African Association of Public Employment ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAASEP is the regional network for African PES, founded 1998. Largely considered the African branch of WAPES with strong institutional ties. Regular joint activities, regional conferences, and capacity building initiatives. New AASEP Secretary General appointed July 2026. WAPES Africa activities including SamPES 2.0 integrated into AASEP work plan.
• RISPE - Ibero-American Network of Public Employment ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRISPE was created in 2023 to strengthen cooperation among Iberian-American PES. WAPES and RISPE share common goal of strengthening PES through international cooperation and knowledge exchange. Joint activities include best practice exchange, conference participation, labor market innovation, skills development cooperation, and peer learning.
• CPESSEC - Centre for PES of South-East European CountriesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPESSEC is a regional network created in 2007 to strengthen cooperation among South-East European PES. WAPES maintains close relations through regular event participation and expertise exchanges. Cooperation links South-East European PES experiences to WAPES global network.
• EU PES Network - European Network of Public Employment ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU PES Network brings together PES from EU, Iceland, and Norway to strengthen cooperation and service delivery. WAPES maintains constructive relations through reciprocal invitations and exchanges. Both organizations share common goal of strengthening PES through cooperation, innovation, and peer learning.
• Japan - Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapan MHLW and WAPES launched Joint Project in 2019 to strengthen PES through international cooperation and peer learning across Asia-Pacific. Seven-year project (2019-2026) supported NEA Cambodia and DOLE Philippines through self-assessment, study visits, peer learning, and practical recommendations. Developed tools including Performance Assessment Framework and Client Satisfaction Survey. Completed with two final impact reports in 2026.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Broad incumbents

• International Labour Organization (ILO): UN agency setting global labor standards and the founding partner of WAPES (1988). Operates in the same employment/labor-market policy space but at a sovereign-policy level rather than as a member-driven service association.
• Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Labor Markets Division: Development bank supporting economic and social development in Latin America; co-publisher of The World of PES with OECD and WAPES. Comparable as a PES capacity-building funder and convener in the Americas region.

Direct peers

• OECD LEED Programme: OECD programme helping governments design employment, skills, and local development policies; co-publisher of The World of PES with WAPES and IDB. Closely aligned mission on PES capacity building and policy advice, with 15+ years of joint work.
• ICCDPP (International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy): International organization promoting learning in career development and public policy; WAPES signed an MoU with ICCDPP in March 2024 and runs joint webinar series. Both organizations convene PES on overlapping themes such as career guidance and AI in employment services.
• ETF (European Training Foundation): EU agency helping neighboring countries develop education, training, skills, and labor-market systems; Declaration of Intent with WAPES signed October 2024. Comparable as a PES capacity-building convener in Europe and neighboring regions.
• EU PES Network: Network bringing together PES from EU, Iceland, and Norway. WAPES maintains a reciprocal relationship and shares overlapping PES members and peer-learning agenda at the regional level.
• SOCIEUX+ (EU Expertise on Social Protection, Labour and Employment): EU-funded technical cooperation facility promoting peer cooperation and institutional capacity building among PES; WAPES facilitates member access to SOCIEUX+ technical assistance requests. Strong overlap in mandate and member base.

Regional players

• AASEP (African Association of Public Employment Services): Regional PES network for Africa, founded 1998 and considered the African branch of WAPES. Direct regional peer with shared members, joint SamPES 2.0 implementation, and reciprocal governance ties.
• RISPE (Ibero-American Network of Public Employment Services): Regional network of Ibero-American PES created in 2023; WAPES and RISPE collaborate on best-practice exchange and joint events. Direct regional peer focused on Latin America and Iberian PES.
• CPESSEC (Centre for PES of South-East European Countries): Regional PES network for South-East Europe established in 2007; maintains close ties with WAPES through regular event participation. Direct regional peer with shared membership and capacity-building agenda.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/wapesorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/omari269/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/wapesorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/world-association-of-public-employment-services-wapes/?viewAsMember=true

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about World Association of Public Employment Services WAPES