Canadian HR associations introduce senior HR designation
Senior Human Resources Professional (SHRP) celebrates high-impact HR leadership
Toronto, ON – June 15, 2009 – Several of Canada’s provincial HR associations today unveiled the Senior Human Resources Professional (SHRP) designation—a new HR designation reserved for senior HR executives that have made significant impact on their organizations and the profession.
A Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations (CCHRA) inter-provincial taskforce developed the criteria by which candidates for the SHRP will be evaluated. Ontario, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island will be the first associations to make the designation available to their members.
Ontario, which recently piloted procedures for submission and evaluation of SHRP applications, will begin offering the SHRP immediately. Saskatchewan plans a soft launch in August and full-scale promotion to its member in the fall. Plans for launch of the designation in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island will follow member consultation.
“While we developed the criteria as a group, it will be up to each individual provincial HR association to decide whether of not to make the designation available to its membership,” says Bill Greenhalgh, CEO of HRPA who chaired the taskforce.
“In Ontario we have long recognized the need for a senior designation and our members have told us so in surveys and in forums,” said Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) chair, Antoinette Blunt. “This designation will be valued by the recipients as well as organizations and CEOs searching for the most experienced and capable people to lead them through these challenging times.”
Saskatchewan Association of Human Resources Professionals (SAHRP) president-elect, Bob Bayles, said, “We intuitively know what we mean when we refer to a ‘senior HR professional’. The challenge for the taskforce was to define that meaning.”
Patrick Hartling, President of the Human Resources Association of Nova Scotia (HRANS) which serves Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, said, “In the end we all agreed that the individuals who will hold this designation will share six attributes in common: leadership, trusted advisor, strategic orientation, breadth of knowledge—not just in HR, but management generally, the ability to build HR strategy that aligns to business, and finally and most importantly, the ability to have significant impact and influence across their organizations.”
A new designation
“The SHRP is not to be confused with the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation,” said Greenhalgh. “The CHRP is the gold standard for HR competence. It certifies attainment of the academic foundation, the currency and completeness of HR knowledge based on an ongoing commitment to professional development, demonstration of the judgment and experience required for a professional practice based on excellence. The senior HR designation will be awarded for exceptional achievement of high-impact HR leadership. It’s not intended to be a senior CHRP.”
Two-phase SHRP application process
Each provincial association will be able to adapt the qualification criteria to meet their own membership requirements, but in Ontario which has already established its application process, eligibility is determined in two phases. The initial phase of the SHRP application process is a simple self-assessment using an online survey tool that asks potential applicants about their HR function: experience, job scope, size and complexity of organization, education, etc. The self-assessment tool is available at:www.shrpdesignation.ca/assessment.
Individuals who pass the self-assessment will be invited to apply for the SHRP and will be sent a detailed questionnaire which will then evaluated by a specially trained assessment committee. Initially, these evaluations will be performed by existing certification committee panels. In time, this role will be assumed by SHRP volunteers.
Saskatchewan expects to adopt this process. Nova Scotia will make its decision pending the outcome of its member consultations.
The Leadership Role of the SHRP
With SHRP recognition come certain leadership responsibilities. The SHRP is an ambassador of their provincial HR association and should encourage association membership for themselves and for others. As recognized leaders they should welcome the opportunity to mentor up-and-coming, high-impact managers; and they should consider donating some of their time to participate in an SHRP assessment panel in their province. Visit www.shrpdesignation.ca for more information about the designation.
About Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA)
HRPA is Canada’s largest HR association with more than 18,000 members in 28 chapters in Ontario and other locations across Canada and around the world. It is internationally recognized for its knowledge, innovation and leadership and connects its membership to more than 400 professional development and networking opportunities annually including the world’s second largest HR conference. In Ontario, HRPA regulates the HR profession and issues the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation, the national standard for excellence in human resources management.
About the Saskatchewan Association of Human Resource Professionals (SAHRP)
SAHRP is the association for HR professionals in Saskatchewan with more than 1,200 members. SAHRP provides leadership in strategic human resources management, professional development and networking opportunities and the Certified Human Resources Professional Designation (CHRP).
About the Human Resources Association of Nova Scotia (HRANS)
HRANS is the professional association for human resources in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. With more than 1,100 members representing over 550 organizations, HRANS provides leadership in HR, professional development and grants the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
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FURTHER INFORMATION:
Human Resources Professional Association
Bill Greenhalgh, CEO Claude Balthazard, Ph.D., Acting Registrar HRPA
bgreenhalgh@hrpa.ca, cbalthazard@hrpa.ca
Saskatchewan Association of Human Resource Professionals
Bob Bayles, Incoming President
bob.bayles@usask.ca
Human Resources Association of Nova Scotia
Mary Ellen Tingley-MacLean, Accreditation Chair
office@hrans.org
