The purpose of the renewal program is to ensure that knowledge and skills, as stated in the exam requirements and blueprint, are kept current through relevant work experience and ongoing professional development.
To satisfy the renewal program requirements, IRC holders must report at least seven PDUs that directly cover seven different domains of the IR Competency Framework during each renewal cycle. Earn your PDUs by doing any of the following activities listed in the charts below.
IRC renewal requires IRC holders to accrue a minimum of 30 professional development units (PDUs) within a three-year cycle. The PDUs can be earned in a variety of ways, including membership in a recognized IR association, attendance at industry conferences and seminars, webinars, chapter events, and other educational activities.
Renewal Fees
NIRI Member: $300
Non-Member: $350
Retired Status: $125
Reactivation Fee: $250
As a courtesy, a renewal reminder will be sent out three months before the certification expiration date. However, certificants are encouraged to record their activities as they complete them. IRC certificants are responsible for managing their certification status and maintaining accurate contact information in their NIRI record.
Renewal Program Structure
A total of 30 PDUs is required per renewal cycle. There is no minimum of PDUs required per category. More than 30 PDUs can be claimed during the renewal cycle, (in case any PDUs are rejected during the audit process). However, the additional PDUs cannot be carried over to the next renewal cycle (i.e., if a certificant earns 35 PDUs, s/he can’t use the extra 5 in the next cycle).
Category I: Professional Engagement Activities
| A. Membership | Hold an active membership in investor relations professional associations or organizations that can help them stay current with changes in their industry. | 1 PDU per year |
| B. Service as speaker, presenter, instructor, or panelist | When certificants have the opportunity to make formal presentations in educational training courses, teach, or share subject matter knowledge so that others can benefit from their experience and perspective. Such activities can be part of a program, workshop, or seminar offered by business, professional associations and professional education centers. Topics must be directly related to investor relations functions, knowledge areas and skills. PDUs will be granted the first time the program is offered (not for subsequent presentations of the same material in the same calendar year.) | 1 PDU per event |
| C. Authorship of original research or book | Sharing personal insights and creating new knowledge resources for use by practitioners and the public at large can contribute to ongoing learning and professional development. There are many ways to create new content such as authoring books or conducting original research in the IR profession. Credit will be given for published materials only if the content is directly related to investor relations functions, knowledge areas and skills. | 4 PDUs per publication |
| D. Authorship of articles, blogs, and other texts | Credit will be given for published materials only as long as the content is directly related to investor relations functions, knowledge areas and skills. No credit will be given for articles that are not published. | 2 PDUs per publication |
| E. Co-authored materials | The development of original material that is co-authored and subsequently distributed in hard copy or online is eligible for PDU credit the first time it is distributed. Such materials include coauthored content in texts, books, etc. Credit will be given for published materials only as long as the content is directly related to investor relations functions, knowledge areas and skills. (No further credit will be granted if the item is subsequently re-distributed.) | 2 PDUs per publication |
Category II: Education, Skills Development, and Self-Study
| A. Academics | Content of courses completed toward a graduate-level degree, and offered by formal educational institutions (e.g., school, college, university), must be related directly to IR functions. | 1 PDU per credit hour |
| B. Ethics | Ethics related courses are eligible for credit. Certificants are expected to maintain their integrity and credibility by practicing investor relations in accordance with the highest legal and ethical standards. (Educational content must be for a minimum of 45 minutes.) | 1 PDU per session |
| C. Annual conferences, seminars, events | Industry events with topics specific to IR, including events organized by NIRI and other thought-leader organizations in the field of IR (Partial, full, or multi-day seminars will be allocated PDUs based on the topics covered during the day. When only a portion of the event relates to the IR Competency Framework, PDUs must be calculated by the percentage of the overall curriculum focused on the applicable topic.) | 4 PDUs per full day |
| D. Webinars, professional meetings, presentations, and educational sessions | Participation in educational training courses, whether in person or online (i.e. chapter meetings). Professional meetings must include an IR focused educational component. (Educational content must be minimum of 45 minutes.) | 1 PDU per session |
| E. Workshops and hands-on training sessions | Activities in specific IR related topics that will enhance the knowledge and skills of the IR practitioner (i.e., understanding financial statements, building presentations, etc.). Workshops with topics specific to IR, including events organized by NIRI, or any other organization considered to be a thought-leader in the field of IR. | 3 PDUs per day |
| F. Self-study and self-paced learning | Self-directed, self-paced learning educational programs and customized learning conducted online or through various forms of digital media. Many educational programs are available online and on demand that are relevant to the IRC credential (e.g., continuing education credits earned from NIRI or other adjunct professional organizations or seminars such as PLI, SEC Institute, NACD, accounting focused organizations, Society for Corporate Governance.) (Educational content must be minimum of 45 minutes.) | 1 PDU per program/module |
Category III: Enhancing and Contributing to the Investor Relations Profession
| A. Mentoring/Coaching | Formally coaching or mentoring someone in the investor relations field (outside your company) or a student or individual looking to enter the IR field. Topics must specifically focus on the IR areas of practice. Mentoring or coaching someone at your own place of employment would not qualify. (Mentoring Coaching Form) | 1 PDU per 4 hours |
| B. Volunteering – NIRI National Committee | Volunteering at a NIRI National Committee and at the IRC certification Committee program as an officer, director, committee member or subject matter expert. | 3 PDUs per year |
| C. Volunteering – NIRI chapters and other IR associations | Volunteering as a chapters officer, and/or at other professional IR associations, domestic or international. (Volunteering at your own place of employment would not qualify.) | 2 PDUs per year |
| D. Volunteering – NIRI Board of Directors | Volunteering at NIRI National Board of Directors as an officer or director. | 4 PDUs per board meeting |
| E. Volunteering – other | Volunteering on a project at NIRI National, NIRI chapters and other professional IR associations in any other capacity besides being an officer. | 1 PDU per assignment or position held |
| F. Item writing | Certificants can claim PDUs by writing items or questions for the IRC examination. | 1 PDU per 5 accepted items |
| G. Other work done to enhance the investor relations profession. | PDUs are assigned on a case-by-case basis. |
Floating PDUs: Other Professional Development Activities
Relevant professional development activities that are not IR focused but can positively impact the performance and skills of the IR professional. Floating PDUs can be claimed in any of the three main categories. These types of activities will be evaluated by the certifying body on a case-by-case basis. The same PDU rules apply.
- The total of 30 PDUs is required per renewal cycle. There is no minimum number of PDUs required per category. You can claim all the PDUs in one, two, or three categories.
- The same activities cannot be claimed more than once during the renewal cycle.
- Only one domain can be claimed per activity except for large events (e.g., conferences and
- seminars)
- More than 30 PDUs can be claimed during the renewal cycle, in case some of the PDUs are rejected during the audit process. However, the additional PDUs cannot be carried over to the next renewal cycle (i.e., if a certificant earns 35 PDUs, s/he can’t use the extra five in the next cycle).
- The renewal application can be used as a tracking tool of professional development activities.
- Both work experience and professional development requirements must be satisfied to renew the IRC credential.
- Renewal applications submitted without signature will be returned.
- Only PDUs earned within the three-year renewal term prior to the certification’s expiration date count toward the certification renewal. PDUs earned beyond the current expiration date of the certification cannot be claimed.
- Continuing professional education activities (e.g., CPE, CEU) earned from an accredited organization will be granted the same number of PDUs.
- Blogs and texts must cover a topic related to a domain of the IR Competency Framework. Comments submitted via online discussion groups and list serves are not considered blogs.