CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — August 11, 2026 — The Global Innovation Management Institute (GIMI) today announced that it has become the first and only innovation-management certification body in the world to earn accreditation to ISO/IEC 17024, the international standard for bodies that certify persons. The accreditation was granted by the International Accreditation Service (IAS), a signatory to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA), under Personnel Certification Body number PCB-169.
The accreditation covers GIMI’s Certified Innovation Professional (CIP) program, which is aligned to ISO 56001, the international innovation-management-system standard.
“For years, innovation has been taught but rarely independently certified. This accreditation changes that,” said Hitendra Patel, CEO of GIMI. “An independent authority has now verified that we certify innovation professionals with the same rigor, impartiality and consistency demanded of the world’s most trusted credentials. It is a defining moment for our members and for the profession.”
ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation provides independent assurance that a certification body operates with impartiality, competence and consistency. Through the IAF MLA, the accreditation is recognized across more than 100 economies — placing accredited innovation certification in the same class as respected credentials in quality, cybersecurity and finance.
“GIMI has helped write the global standards for innovation management. Earning this accreditation is the natural next step — turning that standards leadership into independent, verifiable value for professionals and organizations,” said Brett Trusko, Chair of Advisory Committee of Certificates.
The milestone builds on GIMI’s role in the field. Founded in 2009, GIMI merged with the International Association of Innovation Professionals (IAOIP) in 2023 to form the largest professional innovation organization in the world, with credentials adopted in 60+ countries. GIMI’s leaders serve on the U.S. technical team developing the ISO 56000 series of innovation-management standards.
About GIMI. The Global Innovation Management Institute is a leading authority on innovation management, dedicated to democratizing innovation worldwide. GIMI certifies innovation professionals and organizations, publishes the field’s leading methodologies and the International Journal of Innovation Science, and partners with governments and enterprises across six continents.
Media contact: Erila Haska, COO, GIMI
Verify the accreditation:https://www.iasonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/PCB-169-Cert.pdf