ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) today announced the launch of its first-ever professional credential, the Investor Relations Charter (IRC℠). Candidates may now apply to sit for the inaugural March 2016 IRC examination; applications are available on the NIRI website: www.niri.org/certification.
Developed and managed by NIRI, the new IRC certification program not only establishes a common framework for what defines the profession of investor relations (IR), it likewise provides IR professionals with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, expertise, and commitment to the profession by answering to its highest standard.
“This is a significant achievement for NIRI, and I congratulate the many subject matter expert volunteers who selflessly devoted countless hours to developing the IRC,” said Mark Donohue, Chair of the NIRI Board of Directors, and Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications for Impax Laboratories, Inc.
NIRI President and CEO Jim Cudahy commented, “The IRC meets an expressed need of the marketplace, and aligns well with NIRI’s mission of advancing the practice of investor relations and the competency and stature of investor relations professionals.”
How to Earn the IRC
There are specific work-experience requirements to be eligible for the IRC Certification Program. All candidates must possess a balance of knowledge, applied understanding of concepts, and hands-on experience working within the profession. The path to certification involves three steps:
- Prepare for the IRC Exam – Review the IRC Competency Framework that was developed by IR subject matter experts, and study relevant resources including NIRI’s Investor Relations Body of Knowledge. The Body of Knowledge, a core IRC resource, is a 180-page textbook developed through a comprehensive Job Task Analysis of IR professionals, and is built around the ten disciplines identified in the Competency Framework.
- Pass the IRC Exam – Culminating a candidate’s experience in the IRC Program is a comprehensive, four-hour, 200-question exam that gauges candidates’ ability to apply their fundamental knowledge and skills within the practice of investor relations. NIRI will offer the exam twice each year across one-week testing windows at computer-based testing centers around the world. Specific information such as exam eligibility, application deadlines, and fees is available on the NIRI website: www.niri.org/certification/FAQ.
- Maintain IRC Professional Development Requirements – The IRC demonstrates an IR professional’s commitment to the profession. This commitment includes ongoing maintenance of the knowledge and skills outlined in the IRC Competency Framework. After earning the IRC credential, IRC holders must achieve a minimum of 30 Professional Development Units of qualifying educational and continuing practice activities every three years.
More information about the IRC, including how to apply for the inaugural March 2016 exam, is available in the IRC Applicant Handbook on the NIRI website. Those with questions may also contact NIRI certification staff directly at certification@niri.org.
About the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI)
Founded in 1969, NIRI (www.NIRI.org) is the professional association of corporate officers and investor relations consultants responsible for communication among corporate management, shareholders, securities analysts and other financial community constituents. NIRI is the largest professional investor relations association in the world with more than 3,300 members representing over 1,600 publicly held companies and $9 trillion in stock market capitalization.
