HomeCertification
CertifiedNeutral™
The primary credential
A professional standing that can be examined. Recognition rests on an assessed professional record, independent evaluation against published criteria, and continuing obligations under the Code of Neutral Practice™. The Global Registry makes its scope and status verifiable. The Annual Bench is a separate, selective designation.
§ 01The credential
Earned, defined, and limited to what was assessed.
Certified Neutral™
Earned professional recognition following a structured assessment of relevant qualifications, documented practice, role and sector competence, integrity, independent judgement and suitability under the published Code. It evidences the institution’s assessment of a defined professional record. It is not a statutory licence, an appointment guarantee or blanket approval for every role or country.
§ 02The pathway
Six steps, in this order.
- Code of Neutral Practice™The professional duties every applicant accepts01
- Five-Lens Evaluation™Five independent reviewers02
- Independent decisionReasons, conditions, appeal03
- Certified Neutral™The primary public credential04
- Global RegistryVerifiable scope and status05
- Annual Certified Neutrals Bench™Separate, selective, annual06
§ 03Five-Lens Evaluation™
Intelligible lenses, independently applied.
Avoid the claim that five anonymous votes alone make a rigorous process. Each lens has evidence, and a failure mode it must not become.
§ 04Formal workflow
Eight steps from intake to maintenance.
- 01
Eligibility & intake
Identity, qualifications, references, roles sought, role-specific evidence; consent to verification and publication scope.
- 02
Completeness review
Education and experience mapping; prohibited role or sector exclusions. A deficiency request is not a rejection.
- 03
Five reviewers constituted
Matched to role, sector and local practice; recusals and conflict declarations; no influence from business development.
- 04
Structured assessment
The Code and a pre-published rubric; confidential reviewer findings; work sample or interview where needed.
- 05
Independent decision
Approval, conditional approval, deferral or refusal, with reasons, under published decision rules.
- 06
Notice & review rights
Criteria-level reasons and a genuine appeal or reconsideration route, before an independent panel.
- 07
Activation & record
Exact title, issue and expiry dates, roles, restrictions and a unique identifier, published on the Registry.
- 08
Maintenance
Continuing practice, declarations, CPD, complaints review, renewal, and possible limitation, suspension or withdrawal.
§ 05Scoring discipline
No threshold is published until the rules are.
A numerical pass mark will not be published until the scoring scale, weighting, minimum ethical conditions, calibration and appeals are adopted. A critical ethics failure can never be offset by high marks elsewhere.
(Scoring)
Earlier work contemplated a 70% benchmark. It remains a working assumption, not a published rule.
(Existing recognition)
Evidence, not a substitute
Standing with courts, bar organisations, arbitral institutions or ADR bodies is meaningful third-party evidence, evaluated in the process.
No reciprocal claims
Recognising another body’s credential never implies that body recognises TheNeutralsORG™.
Technical standing
A professional with substantial non-ADR technical standing may qualify only for roles and sectors within demonstrated competence.
Judgement still tested
A recognised credential does not replace independence and practical judgement.
§ 04Grades · NP 108
Three grades within the credential.
Next-Gen Neutral™
US$395
A year · on award
- Qualified professionals entering neutral practice
- 10 CPD hours a year
- Registry profile and Credential Passport
- Exchange and Academy access
Accredited Neutral™
US$495
A year · on award
- 5+ years of relevant practice
- 20 CPD hours a year, 5 on INDS™ or ethics
- Bench consideration in your sector
- Eligible for Practice Builder™
Fellow of TheNeutrals.ORG™
US$795
A year · on award
- 10+ years, 3 years as Accredited, 3 peer nominations
- 30 CPD hours a year, 10 mentoring
- FTNO post-nominal and Fellow seal
- Decided by the Fellowship Committee
The grade follows the evaluation, never the applicant’s choice. Fellowship is decided by the Fellowship Committee.
§ 07Registry and Bench
Distinction should follow evidence.
The Annual Certified Neutrals Bench™ identifies a selective group of current Certified Neutrals within specified sectors and jurisdictions, subject to documented assessment and annual ratification. Inclusion is not a guarantee of appointment.
Proof of current standing
Every current credential, verifiable.
- Unique identifier
- Authorised public name
- Exact credential title
- Roles and practice fields independently supported
- Issue, renewal and expiry dates
- Current standing
Selective annual positioning
Ordinarily no more than ten per sector per country.
- A maximum, not a quota or a promise of vacancies
- Published rules: nomination, eligibility, evidence
- Annual reassessment, vacancies, dual-sector claims
- Appeals and capacity review
- An editorial sector is not a regulated qualification
§ 05Fee
Free to apply. The fee follows the grade awarded.
US$395, US$495 or US$795 a year, set by the grade the evaluation awards and due only after a positive decision.
§ 09Maintaining standing · NP 113
Annual Ratification: a fresh look, not a renewal.
Current role
Changes in employment, practice, jurisdiction, licence or standing.
Conduct developments
Disciplinary, regulatory, complaint, conflict or integrity matters.
Sector and practice
Whether the stated category remains accurate.
Continuing competence
Learning, recent practice and development gaps.
Decision
Ratify, ratify with an updated record, seek clarification, defer, or do not ratify.
Can I appeal a decision?
Yes. You receive criteria-level reasons and a genuine appeal or reconsideration route before an independent panel.
Can business development influence my result?
No. Reviewers declare conflicts and recuse; the appointments desk has no power over certification scores.
How may I describe my credential?
Only in the approved form for the current cycle, with any restrictions. No credential may be presented as a promise of appointments.