The Global Landscape of Human Resources Certifications: 2026 Edition, Part 2

Global human resources certifications have evolved from merely validating knowledge to certifying the capacity for management participation.

If you look at the world’s major HR Certifications (SHRM, HRCI, CIPD, IHRP, etc.), including the GHR Academy, what you can see in common is the trend of viewing human resources as a core function of management. 

Conventional HR Certifications are

• HR system
• Labor Management
• Legal knowledge

There was a strong aspect that proved the “expertise of defense”.

However, now, especially by global standards, HR Certifications are changing to ask whether they have the following competencies:

• Be able to explain human capital as a management indicator
• Be able to participate in decision-making using data (People Analytics)
• Be able to talk about business strategy, financial strategy, and human resources in an integrated manner

This change is the reason why CHROs are highly regarded as executives in the United States, and the compensation level of the entire HR position has been greatly increased. 

What has been the global trend in the number of individuals earning HR Certifications since 2021?

― Regional trends that can be confirmed in public data ―

Globally,  HR Certifications are shifting their focus from “proof of knowledge” to “standards for professionals who can implement human capital management”. However, it is important to note that not all HR qualification organizations disclose the number of qualified people by region or year on the same basis. 

Here, we will limit the trends from 2021 onwards to those that clearly state the number of people in official materials and annual reports and organize them by region. 

Europe: CIPD (Europe’s representative organization, mainly in the United Kingdom)

The most continuous data available in Europe is  the Chartered Institute of HR and Development (CIPD) in the UK  . 

CIPD publishes its membership numbers by region in its annual report.

• At the end of fiscal 2021, there were 142,124 members in the United Kingdom, 6,493 in Ireland, 5,041 in the Middle East, and 2,276 in Asia Pacific, for a total  of 155,934 members. 
• At the end of fiscal 2022, the number of employees increased to 144,416 in the United Kingdom, 6,512 in Ireland, 5,157 in the Middle East, and 1,753 in Asia and the Pacific, for a total  of 157,838. 
• Subsequent annual reports and official announcements  indicate that the global membership reached more than 162,000 in 2023–24 and approximately 165,000 in 2024–25  . 

These figures indicate that in Europe, HR is institutionalized as a profession, and  Certifications and membership systems are integrated with continuous learning. 

(Source: CIPD Annual Report 2021 / 2022, data posted on the official CIPD website)

Asia: IHRP (Singapore’s National HR Accreditation Scheme)

In Asia, the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP) in Singapore is an example of a clear numerical increase in the number of people.

IHRP is promoting the professionalization of human resources as a national strategy, and the current status and targets of the number of certified HR are clearly stated in the official announcement.

• As of 2023, the IHRP accredited community has over 6,800 members.
• As of March 2024, the number of certified people has exceeded 9,000.
• The  policy is to target 12,000 people in 2025  and 15,000 people in 2027 

Although the annual data for 2021 and 2022 has not been published in a consistent form, it is clear from the official statement that the number of certified people has increased significantly in a short period of time since 2023. 

(Source: IHRP official announcement, Singapore Human Resources Policy related materials)

Middle East: Regional Trends Based on CIPD Member Data

For the Middle East,  the number of “Middle East” members shown by CIPD in its annual report  is one of the few comparable indicators, as no single qualifying body publishes statistics covering the entire region. 

• End of FY2021: 5,041 members in the Middle East region
• End of FY2022: 5,157 members in the Middle East region

Although the increase is not large, in the Middle East, governance has been strengthened and human capital investment has been progressing in recent years, and it can be seen that the  HR Certifications and functional infrastructure that connects to international standards are steadily taking root. 

（Source：CIPD Annual Report 2021 / 2022）

Africa: SABPP (South African Human Resources Professions Registration Scheme)

In Africa, the degree of publicity varies by country and region, but the South African Board for People Practices (SABPP) in South Africa publishes  a relatively clear number of registrants. 

• As of 2021, the number of registered members of the SABPP is 6,064
• In 2023, it  was reported that the total number of registered members reached 10,402, including a breakdown by eligibility category 

This represents a significant increase of approximately 72% from 2021 to 2023, indicating the rapid professionalization of HR in some parts of Africa.

(Source: SABPP Annual Report)

United States: SHRM Certification Holders

For the United States, the number of qualified holders limited to “by region” is not disclosed, but  the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), a representative qualification organization from the United States, publishes the  number of active certificates on an annual basis. 

• As of 2022: 127,046 SHRM certification holders
• As of 2023: 133,894 SHRM certification holders

This is an increase of about 5.4% in one year, indicating  that in the United States,  HR Certifications function as a signal of professional and practical ability that can be used in the market. 

（Source：SHRM Annual Report）

Global Trends in Numbers

Combining public data from 2021 onwards, we can see the following trends around the world, although the speed and shape vary from region to region.

• In Europe, HR Certifications as professionals are steadily expanding.
• In Asia, the number of countries has increased rapidly in a short period of time due to state-led institutional design
• In Africa, rapid growth in countries and regions where institutionalization is progressing
• In the U.S., credentials are on the rise as a career prerequisite

Are HR Certifications in Japan Entering a New Phase?

On the other hand, there are more deep-rooted structural issues in the human resources environment in Japan that precede human resource  Certifications and global HR education.

In Japan, there is still a widespread perception that human resources is a job that can be handled without specialized training, but if you gain experience in the field. As a result, human resources are less likely to be considered a target for systematic training as a profession, and investment in education and qualification acquisition is significantly more limited than in other areas of expertise. 

In many companies, human resources are assigned during regular HR changes, and they perform their duties while learning their own systems and operations, mainly on-the-job training. However, the content of the study is limited to “human resources in the company”, and there are few opportunities to systematically learn the definitions, concepts, and frameworks of human resources that are internationally accepted by the world.

After a few more years, they are transferred to another department again, and there are many cases where their careers progress without sufficient accumulation of human resources expertise. This structure is one of the factors that makes it difficult for human resources to mature as a professional in Japan.

In recent years, with the acceleration of global expansion, an increasing number of companies have established or expanded their global human resources departments, but the reality is that many of them have started their work without receiving appropriate global human resources training. As a result, it is easy to fall into a ramming type of operation that repeats trial and error while being busy with on-site responses. 

In this way, even in Japan, where it must be said that awareness of human resources professions is lagging behind, a wave of demand for human capital management is surging, and with the full-scale disclosure of human capital information and the integration of management and human resources, what is required of human resources in Japan is to evolve from “human resources that manage systems” to “HR who can design and implement human capital to increase enterprise value (EV).” 

Positioning of GHR Academy

― Human resources to “implement” global human capital management ―

In response to these global trends, GHR Academy is being established as a human resources certification system originating from Japan.

GHR Academy offers programs that focus on knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) for implementing global human capital management, especially as a world-class HR professional. 

Among them, it is positioned as an advanced program.

• Advanced Human Resources International Education Program
• This is the HR Business Partner Course . 

These programs aim to teach more than just HR systems and theories.

• How Human Capital Affects Enterprise Value (EV)
• How should human resources contribute to management and business?
• How do you get involved in decision-making as a CHRO or HRBP?

We emphasize a direct management perspective. 

HR Certifications are not a “goal” but an “entrance to get involved in management”

HR certification trends and U.S. salary data for HR and CHROs point to a single conclusion.

HR Certifications are no longer the goal. It has evolved into an “entrance” to be involved in management. What is required in the coming era is not just human resources with human resources  Certifications, but human resources who can increase enterprise value (EV) using the perspectives, language, and thinking gained through  Certifications. 

GHR Academy Program System (Roadmap for Global Human Resource Education)

STEP 1|BASIC→
Global HR Education Program BASIC (GHR-P Basic)
Systematically understand definitions, terminology, and basic concepts as a common foundation for global human resources. 

STEP 2|Core (Professional)
Global HR Education Program (GHR-P)
→ Students will learn the definition of global human resources and key practices in an integrated manner based on global standards and develop the ability to apply them to practice. 

STEP 3|Advanced
[Advanced] Global HR Education Program (GHR-P Advance)
→ Acquire a strategic perspective to design and implement global human capital management in your organization. 

Specialized Programs

HR Business Partner (HRBP) Course → Establish human resources expertise that connects business, finance, and human resources across the board, and contributes to the improvement of enterprise value (EV).

People Analytics Basic

→ basic program aims to contribute to management decision-making from the analysis of HR data.

HR Connecting Japan to the world

Study global HR at GHR Academy, sharpen your skills at GHR-CONNECTION, and connect globally at the Global HR Conference in Japan. HRAI remains committed to supporting learning, practice, and international connections as Japan’s global human resources hub.

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