Why Become an IAPCO Member?

• International brand recognition – IAPCO is known for the strict quality criteria required of its membership. This gives IAPCO Accredited PCOs a competitive advantage when bidding for congresses and events.

• Excellent opportunities to network and exchange – IAPCO members have access to a global network of PCOs and meeting professionals. This provides them with opportunities to share knowledge, best practices, and business leads.

• Continued excellence monitored by annual assessment programmes – IAPCO members are subject to annual quality checks and reviews by the IAPCO Quality Committee. This ensures that they maintain the high standards required for IAPCO accreditation.

• Business promotion through the Knowledge Hub and The PCO – IAPCO members can promote their businesses through the Knowledge Hub, a searchable online database of IAPCO members and their services. They can also promote their businesses through The PCO, a quarterly magazine for IAPCO members.

• Reduced rates for staff to attend IAPCO EDGE Seminars – IAPCO members can send their staff to IAPCO EDGE Seminars at a discounted rate. These seminars provide valuable training and development opportunities for PCO professionals.

• Complimentary access to webEDGE – IAPCO members have complimentary access to webEDGE, IAPCO’s online learning platform. webEDGE offers a wide range of e-learning courses on topics relevant to PCO professionals.

• Preferential insurance rates for your event – IAPCO members can access preferential insurance rates for their events. This can help them to save money on the cost of insuring their events.

• Use of the IAPCO Accredited logo on business card, website and stationery – IAPCO Accredited PCOs can use the IAPCO Accredited logo on their business cards, websites, and stationery. This helps to demonstrate their commitment to quality and their professional standing.

• Reduced rates at Strategic Partner events and education – Get discounted entry and participation rates seminars, exhibitions and events at leading industry institutions, associations and commercial organisations that IAPCO has partnered with.

IAPCO is committed to raising standards of service among its members and other sectors of the meetings industry by means of continuing education and interaction with other professionals. IAPCO is the universally accepted benchmark for quality within congress organisation and is the global branding of excellence for the meetings industry. Thus, IAPCO membership offers a unique quality assurance recognised by congress clients and suppliers all over the world.

IAPCO applies a strict Quality Control process for members involving:

• Submission of specific data annually on two congresses which are “in progress”, verified by the Quality Committee, as proof of continued PCO activities.
• An annual self-assessment by means of a “Self Assessment Checklist”.
• Attendance at IAPCO’s Annual Meeting at least once every three years.

• Any member who does not meet the strict quality criteria each year, will have their membership Under Review until such time as the criteria are met.

• Any member whose Under Review status remains in place for more than one year, will have their membership Under Suspension, and their membership privileges denied.

• Failure to rectify the position, will result in a recommendation for Termination of Membership at the next General Assembly. Request a copy of IAPCO's Code of Quality Control