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ACE Receives ISO Accreditation Elevating Professional Standards within the Fitness Industry

Posted: Mar 20, 2023 in ACE Press Releases

San Diego, CA, March 20, 2023 – The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is now an International Organization for Standardization (ISO)/IEC 17024 accredited Certification Organization. This is the highest internationally accepted benchmark of quality for a certification organization. With this accreditation, all four of ACE’s certification programs – Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, Heath Coach, and Medical Exercise Specialist - are accredited and recognized worldwide.  

“ACE receiving ISO accreditation is an important step in elevating the professional standards in the fitness industry,” said Scott Goudeseune, ACE chief executive officer. “This accreditation means that no matter where in the world you reside, you can have the upmost confidence in the credentials you receive from ACE.”  

As an international health and fitness non-profit organization, 20% of ACE certified exercise professionals and health coaches work outside the United States (U.S.). In addition to its recent ISO accreditation, ACE’s certification programs are also accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), making them the only dual NCCA and ISO accredited certifications for exercise professionals and health coaches. 

“To better serve our international partners and current and future health and exercise professionals, ACE sought out ISO accreditation,” said Anthony J. Wall, senior director for global business development.  “ACE now offers international candidates the only ISO accredited certifications for personal trainers, group fitness instructors, health coaches, and medical exercise specialists in the world.” 

For exercise professionals and health coaches, ISO accreditation means that current and future ACE Professionals will hold the most globally recognized credentials. With a current ACE certification, ACE Certified Professionals may use their credentials to seek quality employment and help people live their healthiest lives anywhere in the world. 

Employers of exercise professionals and health coaches, like gyms and health clubs, will also see direct benefit from hiring professionals who have earned ACE’s ISO/IEC 17024 accredited certifications. Through hiring ACE certified individuals, health clubs can expect to have personal trainers, group fitness instructors and health coaches who are professional, competent, and committed to expertly deliver exercise programs and interventions for health, fitness or performance. 

ACE is currently the only health and fitness nonprofit organization to hold ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation. ACE earned ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation from the International Accreditation Service (IAS), after IAS assessors conducted an extensive audit of ACE as an organization, as well as ACE’s certification programs and policies to ensure essential requirements were met, including safety, reliability, and quality management. This included in-depth review of ACE’s four primary certification programs (i.e., ACE Personal Trainer, ACE Group Fitness Instructor, ACE Health Coach, ACE Medication Exercise Specialist) and a variety of ACE’s organizational policies and practices, including the ACE Certification Handbook, ACE Recertification Handbook, ACE Certification Content Outlines, and ACE Code of Ethics. 

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About American Council on Exercise   

Since 1985, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) has been the leading non-profit education and certification provider for health coaches and exercise professionals in the United States and around the world.   

With more than 90,000 highly respected certified health coaches and exercise professionals, ACE Certified Professionals are on the ground daily helping people move, stay active and make lasting lifestyle behavior changes to build healthier communities.   

Headquartered in San Diego, ACE collaborates with public health partners to educate people of all backgrounds about the importance of physical activity and other healthy lifestyle behaviors; advocates for public policies to increase physical activity opportunities; and supports scientific research that investigates the efficacy of behavior-change interventions and the effectiveness of exercise practices and trends.   

For more information visit www.acefitness.org/about-ace/. AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EXERCISE, ACE and ACE logos are Registered Trademarks of the American Council on Exercise.