IFMA Growth Reaches 20,000 FM Professionals

HOUSTON -- The International Facility Management Association, the world’s largest, most widely recognized association for FM professionals and a contributor to the development of standards, has surpassed membership of 20,000 credentialed professionals.

This marks a significant milestone in the association’s mission to advance the industry and empower facility professionals to perform at the highest level.

IFMA introduced the FMP credential program in 2004 as a means for FMs with less than five years of experience to develop the skills, confidence and credibility essential for career advancement.

Over the past two decades, the FMP has become the industry standard for emerging facility professionals. It is a desired qualification for employers seeking FMs with advanced, in-demand skills; and many prominent companies have provided in-house FMP training to thousands of their employees.

“For 45 years, IFMA has been a vital source of career development and advancement for FMs globally,” said Lynn Baez, FMP, SFP, IFMA Fellow, chair of IFMA’s Global Board of Directors. “This milestone not only demonstrates the quality and value of our FMP credential, but is also a testament to the dedication of FM professionals to improve performance, productivity and preparedness in their facilities. Every FMP strengthens and elevates our industry by bringing a higher level of skills, proficiency and commitment to their job.”

IFMA is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under ANSI/ASTM E2659-18 – a globally recognized mark of quality providing assurance that IFMA’s Facility Management Professional (FMP), Certified Facility Manager (CFM) and Sustainability Facility Professional (SFP) are held to the highest internationally accepted criteria.

“We’re so proud of how far the FMP program has come, sought after by FMs and employers alike. Statistically, organizations see a higher level of performance in credentialed FMs; but our greatest measure of success comes from the FMPs themselves, who share that they have found more doors open to them, taking on more responsibilities, stepping into leadership roles and driving beneficial change for their organizations,” said Certificate Commission Chair Paul Ratkovic, CFM, FMP, IFMA Fellow, who was the first person to earn the FMP when it was introduced 20 years ago.

IFMA’s FMP is held in 121 countries. The program is available in English, Simplified Chinese and Latin American Spanish. Since 2017, IFMA has seen a 146 percent increase in companies requiring IFMA credentials in their FM job postings, with 54 percent of companies listing the FMP as a required or desired qualification.

For more information, visit ifma.org/credentials/facility-management-professional-fmp/.