Use of SECO certification titles

SECO certification titles are granted to professionals who have proven their competence by successfully passing a certification exam and meeting the relevant certification requirements.

SECO certification titles grant certification holders the status of “certified professional” and enable them to verify their competence and expertise to the international professional community and third parties. SECO certification titles are a standard of achievement and trust, and therefore require certification holders to adhere to high-level professional and ethical standards. The use of SECO certification titles is therefore subject to the following conditions:

 

Use of SECO certification titles

• The use of a SECO certification title (Title) is restricted to those who have successfully passed a SECO certification exam and met all relevant certification requirements, including the submission of the required amount of CPE credits.
• Title holder may use the Title on CVs, social media profiles, business cards and other professional documents or platforms directly after receiving his/her certificate.
• Title holder is only allowed to use the Title in accordance with the notation used by the SECO-Institute.
• Use of the Title explicitly implies that Title holder agrees with the terms stated in this document.
• Use of the Title implies that Title holder accepts to adhere to the SECO-Institute’s Code of Ethics, General Terms & Conditions and Rules and Regulations. Title holder accepts that failure to comply with the SECO-Institute’s Code of Ethics or Rules and Regulations may result in an investigation into Title holder’s conduct and, ultimately, in disciplinary measures.
• The right to use one Title does not in any way imply the right to use other Titles.

 

Register

• Upon receiving a SECO certification, Title holder is added to the SECO Institute’s Title Holder Register (Register).
• The Register enables employers, clients, business partners and other relevant parties to verify whether Title holder is formally authorised to use the Title.
• If Title holder wishes to be removed from the Register, Title holder shall inform the SECO-Institute of his/her decision in writing. Upon receiving the request, the SECO-Institute will remove Title holder from the Register.

 

Withdrawal of certification

• The Board of the SECO-Institute is the sole party authorised to determine who is or is not authorised to use the Title.
• Misuse of the Title or conduct that violates the SECO-Institute’s Code of Ethics, may result in withdrawal of Title holder’s certification. Upon withdrawal of certification, Title holder is no longer authorised to use the Title and discontinues any and all claims to certification.
• Committing fraud when completing an exam or assignment leads directly to Title and certification withdrawal. This also applies when the fraud is detected after the event.
• Title holder can object to withdrawal by submitting a written objection to the Board of the SECO-Institute. In this case, Title holder is required to prove that the conduct of which he/she is accused did not take place, was unwarranted, or resulted from an “inadvertent error”. In all cases of objection, the SECO Board’s judgment remains ultimately binding.
• In the case of withdrawal, Title holder is removed from the Register. Following the removal, relevant third parties who contact the SECO-Institute to verify Title holder’s title will be informed that Title holder is not, or is no longer, authorised to use the Title for violating the SECO-Institute’s conditions and/or Code of Ethics. The SECO-Institute will not provide any further details to relevant third parties.

 

Sanctions

• If Title holder continues to use the Title after being informed by the SECO-Institute that he/she is no longer authorised to do so, the SECO-Institute will impose on Title holder a directly collectable penalty of € 100 per day and € 100 for each time the Title is unfairly used. This penalty will continue until Title holder has communicated to the parties involved that the Title was improperly used. The SECO-Institute must be able to verify whether the Title holder has actually provided this information to the parties involved.

 

Modifications

• The SECO-Institute is at any time authorised to modify the requirements for use of the Title. This also applies to the code of conduct.

 

Rules

• Title holder shall adhere to the highest ethical and professional standards at all times.
• Title holder shall obey the law.
• Title holder shall provide correct and complete information.
• Title holder shall never use his/her title in a manner which suggests that the SECO-Institute makes a judgment about a particular product, service, organisation or individual.
• Title holder shall report (possible) misuse of the Title by other Title holders or third parties to the SECO-Institute.
• Title holder shall report (possible) unethical or unprofessional conduct or violations of the Code of Ethics by other Title holders or third parties to the SECO-Institute.

I have read, understand and accept these conditions.