To ensure that a certification board is able to make the best and most informed decisions for a certification program, it is important that the board is structured to include representatives from the certified population and other appropriate stakeholder groups. One of the most important stakeholder groups for a certification program that is often overlooked is that of the public. Including a public member on the certification board is essential to proper governance of a certification program.

What is a Public Member?

The National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA) defines the public member as “a representative of the consumers of services provided by a credentialed population who serves as a voting member on the credentialing body with all rights and privileges, including holding office and serving on committees. The public member should bring a perspective to the decision and policy-making of the organization that is different from that of credentialed individuals and should help balance the organization’s role in protecting the public while advancing the interests of the profession.” The public member will bring a fresh, unique, and unbiased perspective to the board that will ensure the public’s best interests are prioritized, advocated for, and part of every discussion and decision.

Who is eligible to be a Public Member?

Not just anyone is eligible to hold this position on the certification board. There are specific guidelines and best practice recommendations that certification programs should be aware of when selecting the public member. According to NCCA, those listed below are NOT eligible to be a public member:

• A current or previous member of the profession, occupation, role, or specialty area encompassed by the certification program
• A supervisor, manager, direct co-worker, or an employee or subordinate of individuals in the profession encompassed by the certification program
• An employee of an individual certified by the certification program or of an employer of individuals in the profession encompassed by the certification program
• A person who currently receives or within the last five years has received income from the profession encompassed by the certification program

These guidelines are in place to ensure that the public member remains impartial and is not biased by having any financial or personal interest in the profession. The public member should be represented by a consumer or potential consumer of the skills or services of the certificants.

If your certification program serves multiple consumer groups or multiple sectors of the public, the certification board can create a rotating system to ensure that each of these groups is fairly represented over time.

How does the Public Member help the board?

Certification programs are designed with public protection in mind, and the inclusion of the public member helps bring a balance to the focus of the certification board, where the needs of the certification body may be addressed while still ensuring that public protection is kept at the forefront. Not only does the public member role ensure the certification program remains accountable to the public and consumers of the certification program’s services, but it also helps challenge the board while bringing forth new goals and ideas that can help the certification program evolve and thrive into the future.