The Certified Packaging Professional designation will become the leading mark of excellence internationally and a must-have recognition of industry proficiency and achievement for packaging professionals under a new partnership announced by the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) in the US and the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP).

IoPP and AIP will mutually recognize CPP as the gold standard of broad packaging proficiency under a program in which AIP members will join qualifying IoPP members as being eligible for certification. Approximately 2,000 packaging professionals have earned the CPP designation, a trademark of IoPP, since the program was launched 1972.

CPP is a designation some of the leading packaging companies in the world want their influential team members to have because it demonstrates broad competency in all major areas of packaging. CPPs today typically enjoy more senior, decision-making positions in their companies, and research also suggests that holders of CPP often out-earn their non-certified peers.

According to Mr Patrick Farrey, Executive Director of the IoPP;

"Having the AIP as our first international CPP partner is a critical step to internationalising the CPP program and ensuring that we have a singular, unified approach for recognising packaging professionals around the globe. We expect that regional packaging organisations in other countries will follow AIP's lead.

This is an important step because CPP helps assure that packaging teams around the world that need to work with each other can do so with the same approach, because they have all attained a high level of proficiency in packaging the same way. The net result is greater efficiency among global packaging teams and as a result, more efficiency use of critical budget dollars and greater opportunities for reduced product time to shelf."

Ralph Moyle, FAIP, National President, AIP, added:

"Being able to offer the CPP credential in Australasia allows packaging professionals in our industry the opportunity to join recognized packaging experts from around the world with the industry's leading professional designation.

Attaining the CPP designation is an excellent investment in your professional development, and the credential defines the packaging professional and allows organisations to seek out and hire the right professional based on verified knowledge, skills and industry contributions.

Using the CPP program to assess and evaluate one's professional competency validates you as internationally proficient as a packaging professional, a cut above your peers."

Under the AIP-IoPP partnership, members in good standing of either AIP or IoPP (at the Premium or Elite member levels) are eligible for the certification program. The program foremost requires that the candidate pass a 150-question online multiple-choice exam. They must also complete other qualifications, such as providing a Resume of Activities which enables them to demonstrate their industry expertise in multiple dimensions, subject to a review panel put together by IoPP and AIP.

For complete details and requirements of the CPP program, email [email protected]

Make history and become one of the first certified packaging professionals (CPP®) in Australasia.