The acronym IAPCO stands for the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers.
We are a member based organisation comprising conference organising/meeting planning companies whose aims are to raise standards in our industry and to provide a quality assurance to our clients.
IAPCO’s clearly articulated vision to “drive excellence” takes many forms, including creating opportunities for members to share best practice with one another, promoting best practice, participating in industry-wide discussions, encouraging members to adhere to the Association’s quality standards and developing education programmes which are highly relevant, not just for PCOs but also for the wider meetings industry.
MEMBERSHIP
An IAPCO membership signi es to potential clients that you have achieved a recognised quality benchmark and that you continually strive to maintain and deliver that standard.
In order to qualify for membership, an applicant must provide proof that they have organised ten International or National Events. Client references are obtained, before a site inspection of a designated international congress is undertaken. Interviews take place with international clients, the local organising committee, delegates and exhibitors participating in the selected event. This is followed by a visit to the applicant’s offices for an audit of procedures and business practices together with staff interviews.
Thereafter, members commit to the Code of Conduct and pledge to maintain the standards demonstrated during the application process. There are annual check-lists to ensure continuous professional activity and and a rigorous quality check procedure.
CODE OF CONDUCT
Every member in IAPCO has to abide by our Code of Conduct. They agree to our commitment to continually raise standards, as well as acting professionally towards clients, suppliers, congress participants, fellow members and the public. All members pledge to give their honest professional opinion without prejudice and represent their services and capabilities in an honest manner, agreeing terms of resources that can be expected to be supplied.
EDUCATION & AWARDS TO DRIVE EXCELLENCE
EDGE (Experts in Dynamic Global Education) is IAPCO’s education programme, designed to provide continuing education and to raise standards. IAPCO o ers four educational products: EDGE seminars, web-EDGE, Bespoke EDGE and Sharp EDGE, each providing a different educational offering to the meetings industry.
Awards are an incremental part of recognising excellence. IAPCO’s Innovation Award for the young innovator, the Collaboration Award, recognising exemplary partnerships, the Recognition Award, celebrating excellent delivery by a supplier, and the International Client Award form IAPCO’s Driving Excellence agenda.
SUMMARY
IAPCO members, all bound by our Code of Conduct and continual quality programme, make us what we are. With our commitment to excellence in congress organisation, we create the forum for our members to achieve the very highest of standards.
