About the Certification:

“Comments from business leaders in support of diversity tend to be both philosophical (“This is the right thing to do”) and practical (“We want to attract and retain the best people”).  As a result, most businesses – and educational institutions, non-profit organizations, civic groups, and so on — tend to have statements of value that stress the importance of respecting human dignity and reaching out to all segments of society.

The Wassmuth Center’s Human Rights Certification Program is based in that reality.  It provides a way for an individual to acquire deep understanding of the core values of diversity, inclusion, ethics, respect, and civility; to reflect about how those values impact work and personal life; and to decide what action can be taken, one person at a time, to bring those values to the workplace or the community.  As a final category, participants consider the role of the “Upstander,” the person who lives those values out on a daily basis.

Why is certification important?  For the individual, certification is formal recognition of a specific skill set that focuses on human rights and human dignity.  For a business or organization, having employees or members who have earned certification is evidence that value statements are backed by knowledgeable, thoughtful, and meaningful commitments.

Each successful certification is a reminder that people of good intent and good will – people like you – are creating a new reputation for their department, their company, and their community as a place where human rights and human dignity are at the heart of daily living.”