The International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) has launched a new advocacy campaign, ‘IAPCO: Unlocking Excellence’ designed to enhance the quality and professionalism of event and congress organisation globally.

IAPCO, the only international accreditation association for Professional Congress Organisers (PCOs), is recognised for its stringent accreditation process. This ensures IAPCO members meet high standards in timeliness, efficiency, creativity, financial responsibility, and management.

Martin Boyle, CEO of IAPCO commented: “Our goal with the ‘Unlocking Excellence’ campaign is to highlight the rigorous standards that our members adhere to. We want to emphasise the importance of quality assurance in the global meetings and events industry.”

IAPCO members contribute significantly to the global economy. In 2022 and 2023, IAPCO members – representing 91 member companies across 180 registered PCO offices globally, and 17,657 professional event and congress consultants, from 45 countries – organised over 33,403 meetings, events and congresses, generating €27.7 billion in economic activity.

This impact is set to continue to rise with 6,912 confirmed events and congresses booked for 2025-27 and an additional 4,050 pending.

IAPCO’s core mission is to elevate the standards within the global meetings and events industry. This is achieved through a rigorous accreditation process where PCOs undergo continuous peer reviews and must demonstrate excellence in all aspects of event and congress management, including ongoing education, fostering connections, and providing support to its members.

“The accreditation process is designed to ensure that our members are recognised as the best in the industry. This process also includes a demonstrated commitment to ongoing education and innovation to keep up to date with the changes facing our sector.

“Our members are leaders, always striving to set new benchmarks for quality and innovation,” said Boyle.

IAPCO continues to be a driving force in the global meetings and events industry, setting the standard for quality and professionalism. The ‘Unlocking Excellence’ campaign is part of IAPCO’s ongoing commitment to these values.