2026 category · 11 honorees
HR Professional Bodies
Professional bodies that train and certify the people who lead HR teams in Asia-Pacific, picked by our editors from public information.
Honoree
Singapore Human Resources Institute
The Singapore Human Resources Institute has served HR professionals since 1965. It teaches through the SHRI Academy at the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce building on Hill Street.
Full HR Professional Bodies register · 2026
Institute for Human Resource Professionals
IHRP was set up by the Ministry of Manpower, NTUC and the Singapore National Employers Federation to raise HR standards. It awards three certification levels, from Certified Associate to Senior Professional.
Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management
The Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management was established in 1977 and has close to 5,000 members, about 500 of them corporate. Its office is in Millennium City 2 on Kwun Tong Road.
People Management Association of the Philippines
The People Management Association of the Philippines was founded in 1956 for executives in HR and industrial relations. It has 30 chapters across the country and one in Qatar, run from PMAP Center in Mandaluyong.
Malaysian Institute of Human Resource Management
MIHRM, once called the Malaysian Institute of Personnel Management, was founded in 1976 as the country's first HR professional body. Its site says it has trained more than 40,000 HR practitioners.
Japan Society for Human Resource Management
The Japan Society for Human Resource Management was formed in 2000 to build HR professionalism in Japan. It represents Japan in the World Federation of People Management Associations and is housed at the Japan Productivity Center.
Australian HR Institute
The Australian HR Institute says it was formed in 1943 as the Personnel and Industrial Welfare Officers Association. It offers certification, training and events for HR people from an office on Queen Street in Melbourne.
Human Resources Institute of New Zealand
HRNZ is the professional body for HR people in New Zealand and a not-for-profit. It was formed on 1 April 1999 after a rebrand of the Institute of Personnel Management New Zealand, and its national office is in Wellington.
Pakistan Society of Human Resource Management
The Pakistan Society of Human Resource Management was founded in 2004 as a casual gathering of HR friends. Its site says it aims to give HR professionals of Karachi and the wider country a platform.
Chartered Institute of Personnel Management Sri Lanka
The Institute of Personnel Management Sri Lanka was founded in 1959 by a small group of professionals. It became a chartered body by an Act of Parliament in 1976 and has its head office in Colombo.
Personnel Management Association of Thailand (PMAT)
The Personnel Management Association of Thailand runs HR training courses, seminars and professional networking events. Its site also offers online courses.