What Does "Board Certified in Security Management" Mean?

Background

Throughout the world, the Certified Protection Professional (CPP) designation is acknowledged as the security profession's highest recognition of practitioners. It is awarded based on experience and passage of an examination that provides an objective measure of an individual's broad-based knowledge and competency in security management.

Low awareness, particularly among non-security professionals, has been a challenge since the certification program was established in 1977. Past marketing efforts, which had limited success, focused on explaining the significance of the designation to chief operating officers and human resource managers.

What Inspired the Change to "Board Certified in Security Management"?

Other groups with professional certifications establish instant credibility by referring to themselves as "board certified." For example, most people do not know what the initials mean after a doctor's name, but they are comfortable once they understand the physician is board certified in a particular specialty. This clear communication subsequently translates into confidence in the individual's abilities. Other certification programs outside the medical profession also use the "board certified" terminology.

Objectives

The objectives of including the "Board Certified in Security Management" language are two-fold:

• Establish a clear and consistent brand identification for the CPP credential by including the tagline, "Board Certified in Security Management." "Board Certified" is readily understood by most individuals, given familiarity already established by other professions; "in Security Management" indicates a higher level of business acumen than does "Certified Protection Professional," as those three words alone do not express the level of competence that a CPP has achieved.

• Ensure that "Board Certified" and "Board Certified in Security Management" do not replace CPP or Certified Protection Professional when mentioning the designation, but rather, they are used to support and explain the designation.

What is Being Done to Promote the Enhanced CPP Designation?

Various materials have been developed and will be made available to CPPs to help them promote the credential at the grassroots level. They will be available both in hard copy format and online in the CPP segment of www.asisonline.org. In addition, the brand recognition of the CPP designation should be increased simply by virtue of the fact that the logo itself now provides an explanation of the meaning of "Certified Protection Professional."

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Why should you become a CPP?

ASIS surveyed all current CPPs as of August 2001 to determine why they made the decision to earn the CPP designation. Of the 850 respondents, the following reasons were cited:

      1.      Personal satisfaction/motivation......................................48%

      2.      Greater job opportunities/flexibility...................................17%

      3.      Opens doors professionally.............................................17%

      4.      Peer acceptance/recognition...........................................13%

      5.      Military/law enforcement background-needed transition........2%

      6.      To pursue ASIS leadership opportunities.............................1%

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Why Should you hire a CPP?

ASIS surveyed all current CPPs as of August 2001 to determine why they would hire an employee with a CPP designation. Of the 850 respondents, the following are the top five reasons that were cited:

      1.      Certification demonstrates evidence of professional competence.......29%

      2.      Certification demonstrates commitment to the security.....................20%
               management profession

      3.      Certification demonstrates self-motivation........................................19%

      4.      Certification demonstrates comprehension of the security.................15%
               management body of knowledge

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How to Promote your CPP.

The list below cites examples of situations in which you should use the CPP credential. If you have suggestions of your own that are not included here, please send them to the CPP program office at ASIS so we can broaden this list.

•Signature on all official business correspondence, i.e., John Doe, CPP.

• Business card (including explanation of the CPP designation on the back).

•Corporate photo ID.

• Resume (see sample resume language).

• Articles and/or photographs of you in company and/or professional publications, articles bylined by you, lists of speakers at professional conferences and other speaking engagements.

• Depositions.

• Proposals for projects (A brief synopsis of what the CPP means and what is required to get the certification sets you apart from others as being an expert in the profession).

• Include "CPP required" or "CPP preferred" when submitting requirements for security positions in your company and/or writing job descriptions.

Get the credential out there, so that others will realize its value. Also be sure to include the 'Board Certified in Security Management" tagline, thereby easing the explanation process.

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Promotional materials for CPPs.

Materials for recently designated CPPs can be found online at:

  www.asisonline.org/cpplettersandpressrelease.html

Letters to Supervisor, CEO, and HR Manager, and Press Release

Now you can let your supervisor, CEO, HR manager, and your corporate/local/national/alumni newspapers know of your achievement in becoming a Certified Protection Professional. Fill out and submit this online form, and a member of the ASIS staff will complete and mail a letter or press release on ASIS letterhead stationery to your supervisor, CEO, HR manager, or to the newspaper(s) of your choice. You can select any or all of these options. You will receive a copy of each communication mailed on your behalf.

Materials for current CPP5 can be found online at:

1.      www.asisonline.org/cpppr_appointment.html

  Press Release for CPPs to Announce Recent ASIS Appointment

  Let your corporate/local/national/alumni newspapers know of your recent appointment to a volunteer leadership position within ASIS. Fill out and submit this online form, and a member of ASIS staff will complete and mail a press release on ASIS letterhead to the news organization(s) you designate. You will receive a copy of each press release mailed on your behalf.

2.      www.asisonline.org/cpppr_achievement.html

  Press Release for CPPs to Announce Recent Achievements

  Let your corporate/local/national/alumni newspapers know of your achievements: a promotion, a move to a new company, an award you received, your pro bono or community service work, your publications. Fill out and submit this online form, and a member of ASIS staff will complete and mail a press release on ASIS letterhead to the news organization(s) you designate. You will receive a copy of each press release mailed on your behalf.

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Sample Resume Language

Throughout the world, the Certified Protection Professional (CPP) designation is acknowledged as the security profession's highest recognition of practitioners. It is evidence that an individual is "Board Certified in Security Management." The CPP is awarded based upon experience and passage of an examination that provides an objective measure of an individual's broad-based knowledge and competency in security management. Ongoing professional development is required in order to maintain the credential. The CPP is administered by the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), the preeminent international organization for security professionals, with 32,000 members worldwide.