What Global Communication Certification Council does

Global Communication Certification Council (GCCC) is an independent, Chicago-based certification body founded in 2014 by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) to administer the communication profession's only internationally accredited certification programs. It issues two credential levels — the Communication Management Professional (CMP®) for experienced communication managers (6-8 years experience) and the Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP®) for senior strategic advisors (11 years experience) — both ANAB-accredited under ISO/IEC 17024 (Accreditation #1259). Revenue is generated primarily through one-time exam application fees tiered by World Bank country classification and IABC membership ($250-$695), recurring annual renewal fees ($50-$225), exam retake fees ($100), and a Corporate Certification program (from $395 per seat).

GCCC operates without proprietary technology of its own. Its delivery stack consists of the third-party Prolydian platform for application management and exam scheduling, ProctorU/Meazure Learning for live remote proctoring, and partner-hosted in-person exam events. Certification prep resources are delivered exclusively through a 2024 partnership with the Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence (CSCE), and Brazilian market distribution is handled via Aberje. The certified-professional registry spans 28 pages of alphabetically listed names across at least a dozen countries. Governance is by an autonomous volunteer board of directors drawn from organizations including Sappi Limited, Boehringer Ingelheim, Webcor, Reputation Lighthouse, and others; the organization has no disclosed external investors and operates as an initiative of IABC rather than a venture-backed commercial entity.

Name

Global Communication Certification Council

Legal name

Global Communication Certification Council

Website

https://gcccouncil.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GCCC is an independent, IABC-founded certification body issuing the CMP® and SCMP® credentials — the only ANAB-accredited (ISO/IEC 17024) international certifications for communication professionals — delivered globally via Prolydian, ProctorU remote proctoring, and partner exam hosts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Certification Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD), Standards, Metrology & Accreditation Bodies (BPAIAOAC)

Keywords

• Professional communication certification
• Communication management certification
• Strategic communication certification
• Personnel certification programs
• ANAB accredited certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Certification Exam Fees: One-time exam fees charged for initial CMP and SCMP certification. Fees vary by World Bank country classification (Group I High-Income: $395-$695; Group II: $250-$550) and IABC membership status. Includes non-refundable application fees ($125 for Group I, $95 for Group II).
2. Annual Certification Renewal Fees: Recurring annual maintenance fees charged to certified professionals to maintain their CMP or SCMP credential. Members pay $95/year, non-members pay $225/year. Requires 40 professional development points per renewal cycle.
3. Exam Retake Fees: Candidates who fail the exam pay $100 for retake attempts. Third attempt after 6-month waiting period also at full exam price minus application fee.
4. Corporate Certification Program: Organizations can certify entire communication teams, with per-person pricing as low as USD $395. GCCC targets HR and corporate learning & development buyers for group certification programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Global Communication Certification Council administers two internationally recognized, ANAB-accredited (ISO/IEC 17024) professional certifications — the Communication Management Professional (CMP®) and the Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP®) — for business communication practitioners. It also delivers supporting services including exam application processing, remote and in-person exam administration, certification renewal with continuing professional development tracking, and corporate team certification programs for organizations certifying their entire communication departments.

Product overview

The Global Communication Certification Council (GCCC) offers a certification program centered around two credential levels: the Communication Management Professional (CMP®) and Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP®). These are the profession's only international communication certification programs, ANAB-accredited under ISO/IEC 17024. The core certifications are complemented by study resources, remote proctoring services for online exam delivery, in-person exam hosting options, and partnership programs with CSCE and Aberje providing exam preparation courses including the Masterclass, Learning Path courses, and Concierge Program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Communication Management Professional (CMP®) Certification Professional certification for generalist, specialist, and other business communicators established in their careers as managers looking to demonstrate competence. Requires 6-8 years of professional experience, 40 hours of training from the last two years, and an academic degree. ANAB-accredited under ISO/IEC 17024.
• Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP®) Certification Advanced professional certification for highly skilled business communicators providing strategic communication advice and counseling to organizational leadership. Requires 11 years of professional experience, 20 hours of training, and a letter of recommendation from a senior-level communication advisor. ANAB-accredited under ISO/IEC 17024.
• Corporate Certification Program Team certification program that enables organizations to certify their entire communication team against the Global Standard. Group pricing starts at USD $395 per person and provides senior leadership with confidence in the team's training and credentials.
• In-Person Exam Hosting Service Service for IABC Chapters, Regions, and independent organizations to host certification exam administrations at local venues with computer facilities and trained proctors. Host organizations recruit a minimum of 4 candidates per session with 90-day notice.

Quantifiable outcome

• Certified professionals show 3x higher workplace confidence vs. non-certified peers
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence (CSCE)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership makes CSCE the sole provider of GCCC certification exam prep and intensive learning path courses. CSCE offers the GCCC Certification Masterclass (half-day intensive), Certification Learning Path courses (Plan, Advise, Lead), and GCCC Concierge Program (in-house corporate teams and study group cohorts). This represents a significant strategic alliance to support candidates throughout their certification journey.
• AberjecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership enables Aberje to offer CMP and SCMP certifications within the Brazilian market through Aberje School's training programs. Aberje is a non-profit professional organization founded in 1967 focused on communication advocacy, professional development, and knowledge production in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
• International Association of Business Communicators (IABC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGCCC and its certification programs were founded by IABC in 2014. GCCC certifications are aligned to the Global Standard of the Communication Profession pioneered by IABC. However, GCCC now operates as an independent certification body separate from IABC membership or governance. The IABC Career Roadmap and Global Standard reference GCCC certification as the pathway for professional communication credentials.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP): Global non-profit credentialing body for privacy professionals (CIPP, CIPM, CIPT) with ANSI/ISO 17024-accredited exams and annual maintenance fees. Highly comparable monetization, accreditation, and renewal mechanics to GCCC.
• Project Management Institute: Global non-profit that administers the PMP and other ANAB/ISO 17024-accredited professional certifications. Closely mirrors GCCC's model as an internationally recognized credential body built on accredited exams plus ongoing PD requirements and renewals.
• American Marketing Association (AMA): Offers the Professional Certified Marketer (PCM) and other marketing credentials with maintenance requirements. Closely comparable professional certification program in an adjacent communication-adjacent discipline.
• (ISC)²: Non-profit credentialing body for cybersecurity professionals (CISSP, CCSP, etc.), with ANSI/ISO 17024-accredited exams, annual maintenance fees, and renewal CPE requirements - structurally analogous to GCCC's CMP/SCMP model.
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM): Administers SHRM-CP and SHRM-SP certifications, a large global professional credentialing program with renewal and PD point requirements. Same non-profit certification body model with recurring maintenance fees.
• Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR): UK-based professional body offering Chartered PR Practitioner and other credentials. Operates as the principal regional counterpart to GCCC for the communications/PR profession, with comparable CPD and accreditation frameworks.
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA): Direct professional body for public relations practitioners offering the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) and other credentials with maintenance requirements. Operates in the same communications profession with a comparable certification maintenance structure.
• International Association of Business Communicators (IABC): Founding organization of GCCC and developer of the Global Standard of the Communication Profession on which CMP/SCMP are built. Functions as both the parent/ecosystem anchor and a comparable professional body for business communicators.

Others

• ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB): Accredits personnel certification programs against ISO/IEC 17024, the very standard GCCC relies on for CMP/SCMP. Functions as an enabling/standards body rather than a competitor, but is critical to GCCC's accreditation moat.
• Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management: International confederation of 360,000 PR/communications professionals across 86 countries. Sits one layer above GCCC as a peer professional ecosystem rather than a direct competing certification vendor; relevant for international recognition context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gcccouncil

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Global Communication Certification Council