INSTITUTE FOR CITIZEN-CENTRED SERVICE

What INSTITUTE FOR CITIZEN-CENTRED SERVICE does

The Institute for Citizen-Centred Service (ICCS, also operating as ISAC) is a Toronto-headquartered Canadian not-for-profit, incorporated in September 2005 by the Joint Councils (Public Sector Service Delivery Council and Public Sector Chief Information Officer Council) to serve as a neutral inter-jurisdictional platform. It convenes all three levels of Canadian government — federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal — through secretariat services to the Joint Councils, the Public Sector Cyber Council, and the DM Table on Cyber Security, Digital and AI (CSDAI). Its purpose is to monitor and improve citizen and business satisfaction with public sector service delivery, professionalize service standards, and coordinate cross-jurisdictional responses on digital trust, cybersecurity, and emerging technology.

Its core product set is anchored by longitudinal research: the Citizens First study (running since 1998 with 10 iterations to date) and the Business First study (7 iterations), delivered in partnership with Angus Reid and Ipsos respectively. Measurement IP is codified in the Common Measurements Tool (CMT) and a 250-plus-question CMT Question Bank, with parallel textual and telephone versions and survey items coded by channel (phone, in-person, web, mail, email). The Citizens First Analytics platform layers AI-assisted comparative analysis, factor analysis, and sentiment analysis on open-ended responses via a partnership with PathosAI. The portfolio is rounded out by two certification programs — Certified Service Professional (CSP) and Certified Service Manager (CSM) — plus eight self-paced learning modules, virtual and in-person workshops, and a member collaboration portal (hub.iccs-isac.org). A newer build-out, the Pan-Canadian Digital Trust and Credentials Program, provides a shared digital wallet and interoperability framework across Canadian jurisdictions.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across multiple small streams: paid licensing of the CMT and Question Bank, paid certification enrollments ($295–$795 per learner), council meeting registration fees, and member organization contributions from participating government bodies. FY2022-23 total revenue was $892,747 CAD with expenses of $1,022,897, producing an operating deficit of $130,150. Commercial-style pricing is pay-as-you-go; research publications are currently distributed at a $0 subsidized price point. Customer reach includes over 1,100 cumulative CSP/CSM-certified professionals, 300+ new online self-learning enrollments per year, and licensed measurement customers ranging from provincial agencies (BC Stats, Service BC, Service New Brunswick, WCB Alberta) to federal partners (Service Canada/ESDC, Natural Resources Canada, Department of National Defence) and one international adopter (New Zealand Police).

Name

INSTITUTE FOR CITIZEN-CENTRED SERVICE

Legal name

Institute for Citizen-Centred Service

Website

https://iccs-isac.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Institute for Citizen-Centred Service (ICCS) is a Canadian not-for-profit that runs the Citizens First and Business First research benchmarks, licenses the Common Measurements Tool (CMT), certifies public-sector service professionals, and provides secretariat services to pan-Canadian intergovernmental councils on citizen-centred service delivery and digital trust.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Advisory and Research

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

International Standards Development & Standardization Bodies (BPADANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB), National/State Examination Boards & Testing Agencies (EDADAFAA), International/Transnational Accreditation & Recognition Bodies (EDADACAG)

Keywords

• Citizen experience research
• Public sector measurement
• Government service certification
• Inter-jurisdictional collaboration
• Public service standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Research Publications (Citizens First, Business First): Sale of research reports and publications measuring citizen and business satisfaction with government service delivery. Citizens First 2023 and Business First 2022 reports are available for download at $0 price point (subsidized or sponsored), while Citizens First 2026 can be reserved. Revenue from research exceeded budget by $65,068 in 2022-23.
2. Learning and Certification Programs: Revenue from certification programs including Certified Service Professional ($595 self-study; $795 in-person), Certified Service Manager ($795), and individual learning modules ($295 each). Revenue from certification exceeded budget by $29,989 in 2022-23.
3. Common Measurements Tool (CMT) Licensing: Licensing of the CMT Question Bank to public sector organizations for administering their own citizen satisfaction surveys. Revenue exceeded budget by $2,851 in 2022-23.
4. Council Meeting Registrations: Registration fees charged to guest observers attending PSCIOC and PSSDC council meetings. Full registration fee required; $50 administration fee applied to approved refunds.
5. Member Organization Contributions: As a not-for-profit, ICCS relies on government organizations using its services, research, and training. Total revenue for 2022-23 was $892,747.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ICCS is a not-for-profit that provides a neutral pan-Canadian platform for inter-jurisdictional collaboration among federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments. It delivers citizen and business experience research (Citizens First and Business First), standardized measurement tools (Common Measurements Tool and CMT Question Bank), an analytics platform (Citizens First Analytics), professional certification programs (CSP and CSM), and advisory councils (Joint Councils and the Public Sector Cyber Council) to improve public service delivery.

Product overview

The Institute for Citizen-Centred Service (ICCS) offers a portfolio of research products, analytics tools, certification programs, and collaboration platforms focused on improving public sector service delivery in Canada. The core offerings include the Citizens First and Business First research programs (benchmarks for citizen and business satisfaction since 1998), the Common Measurements Tool (CMT) and Question Bank for standardized surveys, and the Citizens First Analytics platform for data analysis. Supporting these research products are professional certification programs (Certified Service Professional and Certified Service Manager), individual learning modules, a Member Portal for secure collaboration, and advisory councils (Joint Councils, Public Sector Cyber Council). The organization also manages the Pan-Canadian Digital Trust and Credentials Program to advance digital identity and trust initiatives across Canadian governments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Citizens First: Flagship research series examining citizen satisfaction with government services, conducted since 1998. Citizens First 2026 focuses on digital services and emerging technologies.
• Business First
• Common Measurements Tool (CMT)
• Certified Service Manager (CSM)
• Certified Service Professional (CSP)

Products and services

• Citizens First Research Program ICCS's flagship longitudinal research program that benchmarks citizen experience with government services across Canadian jurisdictions, providing data-driven insights for public service improvement.
• Business First Research Program Research program focused on the experience of Canadian businesses when interacting with government services, complementing the Citizens First research with a business-facing perspective.
• Common Measurements Tool (CMT) Standardized measurement framework that allows Canadian governments to consistently assess and compare citizen experience across jurisdictions.
• CMT Question Bank Curated repository of validated survey questions used within the Common Measurements Tool, enabling consistent citizen experience data collection across participating jurisdictions.
• Citizens First Analytics Platform Online analytics platform that hosts the CMT and supports member governments in collecting, analyzing, and benchmarking citizen experience data.
• Certified Service Professional (CSP) Program Professional certification program for front-line public servants that validates competency in citizen-centred service delivery.
• Certified Service Manager (CSM) Program Management-level certification program that develops the capabilities of public service leaders to design and oversee citizen-centred service strategies.
• Individual Learning Modules Standalone online learning modules for individual public servants seeking targeted skills development in citizen service.
• Member Portal Online member-only portal providing ICCS members with access to research, tools, the Citizens First Analytics platform, and other collaborative resources.
• Joint Councils Inter-jurisdictional advisory councils convened by ICCS to drive collaboration on shared public service priorities across federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments.
• Public Sector Cyber Council (PSCC) Specialized advisory council convened by ICCS to coordinate public-sector cybersecurity collaboration across Canadian jurisdictions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,100 CSP and CSM certified professionals in the Canadian public sector
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IpsoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for the Business First series. Ipsos conducted the Business First 2022 study examining how Canadian businesses perceive government service quality, including questions on COVID-19 management impact on businesses. This was the sixth consecutive ICCS-Ipsos partnership for this research series.
• Angus ReidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for Citizens First 2023, the 10th iteration of the landmark study marking the 25th anniversary of the series. Eight jurisdictions participated. The study used new methodological approaches in survey design and result presentation.
• Government of British ColumbiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner government receiving ICCS training and workshops. BC Stats, FrontCounter BC, and Service BC are CMT license holders. British Columbia authorized administrator facilitating ICCS training in the province.
• Government of Nova ScotiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner government receiving ICCS training and workshops. Nova Scotia is an authorized administrator facilitating ICCS training in the province.
• Government of Newfoundland and LabradorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner government receiving ICCS training and workshops.
• Government of ManitobaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner government receiving ICCS training and workshops.
• Government of Northwest TerritoriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner government receiving ICCS training and workshops.
• Government of Prince Edward IslandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner government receiving ICCS training and workshops.
• Natural Resources CanadaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner receiving ICCS training and workshops.
• Department of National Defence (Canada)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner receiving ICCS training and workshops.
• Public Sector Service Delivery Council (PSSDC) and Public Sector Chief Information Officer Council (PSCIOC) - Joint CouncilscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICCS provides secretariat services to both councils, which are composed of senior public servants from federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal governments. The Joint Councils oversee inter-jurisdictional working groups and communities of practice on priority areas including digital identity, customer-focused services, research, privacy, cybersecurity, IT procurement, and digital services.
• New Zealand PoliceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational CMT license holder, representing the only non-Canadian customer of ICCS's Common Measurements Tool. Demonstrates international adoption of ICCS's standardized citizen satisfaction measurement methodology.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Gallup: Global research and consulting firm with deep citizen/customer satisfaction and engagement benchmarking practices (e.g., Gallup Q12, country-level surveys). Comparable as a longitudinal citizen satisfaction data provider with comparable research methodology.
• Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC): Canadian professional association for public administrators offering learning programs, accreditation, and convening forums for federal/provincial/municipal public servants. Directly comparable in its membership-based, pan-Canadian public-sector professionalization mission.
• The Conference Board of Canada: Canadian not-for-profit research organization providing evidence-based research, policy analysis, and benchmarking on public-sector economic and social issues. Directly comparable as a Canadian member-funded policy/research body serving government and institutional clients.
• International Customer Management Institute (ICMI): Membership and accreditation body for customer service/contact center professionals, offering certifications (similar to CSP/CSM) and benchmarking tools. Closely comparable in operating model: training, certification, and standardized measurement for service delivery professionals.
• Public Policy Forum: Canadian independent not-for-profit focused on improving public policy and governance through research, dialogue, and convening senior leaders across sectors. Comparable as a Canadian convening and research body serving public-sector decision-makers.
• Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA): US-based membership organization offering customer service certification and accreditation programs (ACSP, ACSM-style credentials) similar to ICCS's CSP/CSM. Comparable as an accreditation body for service delivery professionals with a standardized curriculum.

Emerging players

• Ipsos Public Affairs: Global public opinion and citizen satisfaction research firm — already an ICCS research partner for Business First. Comparable as a methodology provider for citizen satisfaction benchmarking, but operating in a much broader market than ICCS's niche.
• Digital Government Institute: Event and education organization for senior public-sector IT, digital, and cybersecurity leaders. Adjacent to ICCS's PSCIOC/PSCC council convening role in the digital and cyber public-sector space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/citizenf1rst

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about INSTITUTE FOR CITIZEN-CENTRED SERVICE