AALCAM Certified Professional
A credential for professionals in leadership, consulting, advisory services and mentorship who meet published standards and pass a test.
Applications are not open yet. The criteria below are published in advance so that you can decide whether you qualify.
What the certificate says
"As of this date, this person verified their identity, met the education and experience requirements, passed the test on the Code as written then, and had no ethics findings." It is a statement about one date, and it needs a second date to stay true. It is not a government license, and AALCAM is not an accrediting body.
Before you apply
Apply only if you know beforehand that you meet the requirements and can pass the test. You will confirm this in writing, and a false statement is grounds for disqualification. A free practice test and study guide will be published before applications open.
Requirements
- Path A: a bachelor's degree or higher, plus 3 years of practice in leadership, consulting, advisory services or mentorship.
- Path B: no degree, plus 7 years of documented practice.
Both paths also require:
- Two professional references who can be verified and who confirm dates and roles only, with no opinions. They cannot be relatives or people you pay, and they must be reachable through a work email or professional profile. If one does not answer within 14 days, you may name a replacement.
- A verified identity (see below).
- A signed commitment to the Code of Ethics, including the founding principle.
- No unresolved ethics findings.
Identity and your information
An independent service checks your identity document and your face. AALCAM receives only the result, pass or fail, and the date. That result is shown on your record. AALCAM never receives ID documents, document numbers or Social Security numbers, and does not ask for them. Degrees are verified with your written consent. If the service cannot read your document, there is no alternative route, because the alternative would mean receiving documents. You will see this before you pay.
The test
The test is strictly professional and ethical. It uses real-life scenarios, each with one best answer, and is scored against an answer key.
| Section | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Ethics and the founding principle | 40% | Serving the growth of the person, never using people as bridges, conflicts of interest |
| Professional practice | 30% | Fees, scope and limits, referrals, records |
| Confidentiality and dignity | 20% | Protecting information, treating everyone with respect |
| Neutrality | 10% | Keeping politics and religion out of the work |
To pass, you need more than 80% in the ethics section, whatever your result in the other sections, and more than 80% overall. You may retake the test once, after 30 days.
Fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application and review (identity check, references, education) | $175 |
| Test | $175 |
| Retake (one, after 30 days) | $100 |
| Renewal, every 5 years | $150 |
Entering costs $350 in total: the application and review, and the test.
How applications are reviewed
Applications are reviewed against a published rubric by a named reviewer. AI is used as a second reader. Every decision is made and signed by a person.
Validity and renewal
A certificate is valid for 5 years. To renew, you re-sign the Code, report 40 hours of learning (AALCAM's own library counts), complete a short ethics refresher on what changed in the Code, and pay the renewal fee. There is no new identity check. A full retest is needed only if you are more than 90 days past the date.
| Status | Shown publicly as |
|---|---|
| Valid | Active, valid through [date] |
| Expired | Expired on [date] |
| Revoked | Revoked on [date] |
A lapsed holder may say "certified from 2026 to 2031". They may not say they are currently certified.
Revocation
A proven violation of the Code revokes the certificate, whatever date it was issued. Before any revocation, the person is told what is alleged and may respond in writing. The Ethics Board decides, with any conflicted member recused, and gives written reasons.
Directory and verification
Every active holder may appear in a directory of verified professionals, which companies can use to find consultants and other professional services. A listing shows only what the holder approves: name, specialty, region and the status "Active, valid through [date]". Expired and revoked holders leave the directory, and anyone can check a certificate's status.
Verified means identity, education, experience and test result as of the date shown. It is not a guarantee of work quality, and AALCAM does not endorse or place professionals.