VZPM - Association for the Certification of Persons in Management

What VZPM - Association for the Certification of Persons in Management does

VZPM (Verein zur Zertifizierung von Personen im Management) is a Swiss non-profit association established in 1996 and headquartered in Glattbrugg, Switzerland. It is the official Swiss certification body for IPMA (International Project Management Association), operating a delegated franchise within IPMA's federation of 71 national member associations. VZPM's primary function is to verify project, programme, and portfolio management competencies for individual professionals, organizational units, and entire organizations, awarding internationally recognized IPMA certificates or improvement recommendations based on assessments conducted by industry-expert assessors.

The product portfolio is built on the IPMA four-level certification system. Individual certifications span IPMA Level A (Certified Project Director / Programme / Portfolio Manager), Level B (Certified Senior Project Manager), Level C (Certified Project Manager), and Level D (Certified Project Management Associate), each available in both classic and agile variants. The catalog is completed with recertification services, a process management certification, the IPMA Delta® organizational maturity assessment, and a Vendor Competence Check. Underlying the offerings is the Individual Competence Baseline (ICB) framework covering Perspective, People, and Practice competencies, delivered through public certification rounds twice a year, in-house corporate programs, and a web-based online examination portal (zert.vzpm.ch). The franchise is supported by three Trägerorganisationen — spm, smp, and sgo — which provide institutional backing.

Revenue is generated from one-time certification and assessment fees across all levels and organizational services. Pricing for individual certifications was adjusted in March 2024 for the first time in 8+ years, reflecting higher IPMA license fees from January 2024. With roughly 33,477 certified persons cumulatively across levels and a small operating team, VZPM is a mature, member-supported association focused on maintaining the integrity and international portability of its certification offerings rather than on top-line scale.

Name

VZPM - Association for the Certification of Persons in Management

Legal name

Verein zur Zertifizierung von Personen im Management

Website

https://vzpm.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VZPM is the official Swiss IPMA certification body, certifying individuals and organizations in project, programme, and portfolio management through the four-level IPMA® system, IPMA Delta® organizational assessments, and vendor competence checks, supported by spm, smp, and sgo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Compliance, Certification & Continuing Education LMS (EDAFAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) & Performance Support (BPAAAJAH)

Keywords

• Project management certification
• IPMA certification
• Professional credentialing services
• Organizational certification
• Competence assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Glattbrugg

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Personal Certification Fees: Fees for IPMA certification examinations and assessments at Levels A, B, C, and D, including recertification fees. Pricing adjusted in March 2024 after 8+ years without changes.
2. Organizational Certification: IPMA Delta certification for companies and organizations to assess project, programme and portfolio management maturity.
3. Vendor Competence Verification: Independent verification of supplier competencies with improvement recommendations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VZPM verifies existing competencies in project, programme, and portfolio management for individuals, business units, and whole organizations, delivering certificates or actionable improvement recommendations. It operates the IPMA four-level certification system (Levels A-D, including agile variants), the IPMA Delta organizational maturity certification, recertification services, process management certification, and independent vendor competence verification. Practical relevance is ensured through assessments conducted by industry-expert assessors.

Product overview

VZPM offers a comprehensive certification ecosystem based on the IPMA® 4-level certification system for project, programme, and portfolio management competencies. The product portfolio includes four levels of personal certification (Level A-D), with both standard and agile variants, plus organizational certification (IPMA Delta®), recertification services, process management certification, and vendor competence assessment. The offerings form a unified competency verification system where individuals progress from foundational (Level D) to strategic (Level A) certification, while organizations can separately verify their organizational maturity through IPMA Delta®.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IPMA Level A Certification Highest-level IPMA certification for individuals with extensive experience in project, programme, and portfolio management, involving executive summary report submission, comprehensive report, and interview assessment by industry-expert assessors.
• IPMA Level B Certification Senior-level IPMA certification for experienced project, programme, and portfolio managers, including written exam and interview components.
• IPMA Level C Certification IPMA certification for competent project managers demonstrating practical project management competence through written exam and executive summary report.
• IPMA Level D Certification Entry-level IPMA certification demonstrating fundamental knowledge of project management based on Individual Competence Baseline (ICB) competence elements, administered as a written examination accessible via the online portal.
• IPMA Agile Leadership Certifications (Levels A-D Agile) Agile-methodology variants of IPMA Level A through D certifications, including the Certified Agile Organisational Leader (Level A Agile) and progressively scoped agile certifications for senior, competent, and entry-level project managers working in agile environments.
• IPMA Delta® Organizational Certification Organizational maturity certification that assesses a company's project, programme, and portfolio management capabilities across the Individual Competence Baseline framework, delivering feedback on strengths and development potential.
• VZPM Vendor Competence Check Independent third-party verification of supplier/vendor competencies in project management, with concrete improvement recommendations provided to the commissioning organization.
• Recertification Periodic recertification process required to maintain validity of IPMA Level A through D certifications over time.
• Process Management Certification Certification focused on process management competencies within project management contexts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 33,477 certified persons in Switzerland

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• IPMA (International Project Management Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025IPMA is the global federation of 71 national project management associations. VZPM is the official Swiss certification body authorized to deliver IPMA certifications. The partnership includes license agreements for IPMA certifications, participation in IPMA Council of Delegates, and alignment with ICB standards.
• spm (Swiss Project Management Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerspm is one of three Trägerorganisationen (supporting/carrier organizations) of VZPM. The organization represents Swiss project management professionals at the IPMA level.
• smp (project-management.ch)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnersmp is one of three Trägerorganisationen (supporting organizations) of VZPM, contributing to the governance and direction of the certification body.
• sgo-vereincoreStrategic or Co-development Partnersgo is one of three Trägerorganisationen (supporting organizations) of VZPM, providing institutional support and expertise in project management.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ICAgile: ICAgile certifies individuals and member organizations in agile and DevOps competencies; competes with VZPM's agile variant portfolio for the agile certification audience.
• PMI (Project Management Institute): Global professional association offering PMP and other PM certifications; directly competes with VZPM for the same individual and organizational certification wallet, with significantly broader international brand recognition.
• Scrum Alliance: Leading agile certification body (CSM, CSPO, CSP) competing for the same agile-certified professional segment that VZPM addresses with its IPMA Agile variants.
• AXELOS: Owner of PRINCE2 and other best-practice certifications, delivers project/programme/portfolio management credentials through APMG-accredited partners; competes directly with IPMA Level B/C/D offerings.
• Scaled Agile (SAFe): Provider of the SAFe certification scheme for scaled agile practitioners; competes with VZPM's IPMA Agile leadership variants in the enterprise agile transformation market.
• APMG International: Global accreditation body that certifies organizations and individuals in best-practice methodologies including PRINCE2, MSP, and P3O; structurally analogous to VZPM's role within the IPMA ecosystem.

Others

• IPMA (International Project Management Association): Global federation of 71 national PM associations; VZPM is the Swiss member body authorized to deliver IPMA certifications. Functions as both strategic partner and principal framework/licensor.
• spm (Swiss Project Management Association): One of VZPM's three Trägerorganisationen (supporting organizations); represents Swiss PM professionals at the IPMA level and shares governance influence over VZPM.
• sgo-verein (Swiss Gesellschaft für Organisation): Swiss organization management association and one of VZPM's three Trägerorganisationen; contributes to VZPM's governance and provides institutional legitimacy.

Regional players

• GPM Deutsche Gesellschaft für Projektmanagement: German IPMA member association providing IPMA certifications in Germany; functionally analogous to VZPM but in the larger German market, useful as a regional comparable for Swiss certification volume and pricing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vzpm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 VZPM - Association for the Certification of Persons in Management