HRCI®, the premier HR credentialing and learning organization for the human resources profession, today marked 50 years of serving and advancing the needs of the global HR community.

HRCI CEO Dr. Amy Dufrane shared, “2023 kicks off a yearlong celebration of everything HRCI has accomplished and everything we have planned for the future. To date, we have certified more than half a million HR professionals, developed and implemented new industry standards, helped pave the way for the future of the discipline and so much more. I am proud to honor the first 50 years of HRCI and look forward to sharing what’s next.”

In celebration of the organization’s momentous milestone, select highlights from HRCI’s history include:

  • 1973 – Founding as the ASPA Accreditation Institute (AAI)
  • 1976 – AAI administers its first HR exams
  • 1990 – AAI changes its name to Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI)
  • 1996 – Michael Enzi, PHR, becomes the first HRCI-certified professional to join the U.S. Senate, representing the state of Wyoming
  • 2001 – Unveils HRCI.org
  • 2004 – Debuts computer-based testing, introduces GPHR exam
  • 2006 – Introduces the PHRca exam
  • 2010 – Develops new international certifications, now known as PHRi and SPHRi
  • 2015 – Publishes The Rise of HR, a book that has been distributed to more than 1M business professionals around the world with Dave Ulrich, Bill Schiemann and Libby Sartain
  • 2017 – Publishes A Guide to the Human Resource Body of Knowledge (HRBok), introduces the aPHR exam
  • 2018 – Introduces the aPHRi exam
  • 2020 – Becomes the first to launch the online delivery of HR Certification exams
  • 2020 – Launches Alchemizing HR webinar series, attracting thousands of attendees from around the world every week
  • 2021 – Introduces the HRCI Learning Center with 97,000+ hours of on-demand learning on critical HR topics and opportunities to complete certificate courses and earn recertification credits
  • 2021 – American National Standards Institute (ANSI) appoints HRCI as the International Secretariat for the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee (TC) 260 on Human Resource Management
  • 2022 – Launches the Human Resource Standards Institute (HRSI) to offer organizational certifications

HRCI Board Chair Andre T. Allen, MBA, GPHR, commented, “HRCI has not only set the standard for global HR expertise, but also advanced it, year after year. We have been at the forefront of learning innovation and excellence, capturing the respect and attention of the industry as well as the individual. In doing so, we have been able to meet the needs of HR professionals where they are in their careers and look forward to continuing that work.”

Dufrane concluded, “HR has changed tremendously over the last 50 years, and HRCI has been there every step of the way. As we carry this momentum into the next 50 years of our history, HRCI will announce new enhancements designed to support the needs of HR professionals around the globe. We are here because of you.”

To learn more about HRCI’s first 50 years, click here.

About HRCI®

HRCI® is the premier credentialing, standards and learning organization for the human resources profession. For 50 years, HRCI has set the global standard for HR expertise and excellence through its commitment to developing and advancing those in the people business. Secretariat for International Standards Organization (ISO) TC 260, HRCI helps HR professionals achieve new competencies that drive results by creating and offering world-class learning and administering eight global certifications. HRCI is also the parent company of HRSISM, certifying organizations based on ISO standards. To learn more about HRCI and HRSI, visit www.hrci.org or www.hrsi.org.

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Media Contact:
Kate Achille
The Devon Group for HRCI
kate@devonpr.com