IBCS Association

The IBCS Association is an open not-for-profit organization that supports the promotion, maintenance and further development of the International Business Communication Standards (IBCS®). The IBCS Association publishes the Standards on this website and engages in extensive consultation and discussion prior to issuing new versions. This includes worldwide solicitation for public comment.


Membership

Individuals interested in the International Business Communication Standards (IBCS®) are invited to join the IBCS Association. There are two different kinds of membership: Passive members and active members.  Both kinds of membership are free of charge (decision of the General Assembly on June 18, 2015).

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Passive membership for everyone

Passive members express their interest in the International Business Communication Standards (IBCS®) and its application. Everyone can become a passive member without any formal prerequisites. In contrast to active members, passive members do not have the right to vote.

Active membership for IBCS® professionals

In-depth knowledge of the Standards and its application is a prerequisite for an active membership. All applications for active membership have to be approved by the Executive Board. In general, applications of IBCS® Certified Consultants  and their experienced customers will be approved.


Bodies of the IBCS Association

The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the IBCS Association. It shall take place every year in the 2nd quarter.

The Executive Board shall represent the association externally and shall manage current transactions. It consists of three persons: the President, the Accountant and the Secretary.

The Managing Director is responsible for the release management of the IBCS® Standards.

During the General Assembly held on June 12, 2026, the new governing bodies of the IBCS Association were elected.
The IBCS Association extends its sincere gratitude to Dr. Jürgen Faisst for his long-standing Managing Director commitment to the development of the IBCS concept and for his valuable leadership in product and community management.

Executive Board

President

Bernie Smith

Bernie is an expert in KPIs, performance measurement, and business improvement.

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Accountant

Johannes von Mulert

Johannes is Founder and Managing Director of Vereon AG.

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Secretary

Edyta Szarska

Edyta is a Managing Partner at the IBCS Institute and the IBCS Certified Trainer.

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Honoured President

Rolf Hichert

Rolf is Founder and Managing Director of the IBCS Institute.

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Management Team

Managing Director, IBCS Product

Arne-Kristian Schulz

Arne is Associate Partner and Senior Head of Analytics & Insights at Blueforte GmbH.

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Managing Director, IBCS Community

Stefanie Fröhner

Stefanie is a consultant and trainer specializing in data, analytics, and business intelligence.

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ISO Ambassador

Diego Berea

Diego is a consultant, author, and speaker. His work focuses on Service Management and a semantic notation for business communication.

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