The desire to create a new International Institute, and advanced international standards for purchasing and supply professionals, arose out of original research, undertaken by Professor Andrew Cox and his colleagues at Birmingham University Business School in the UK, into standards of competence in purchasing and supply.

This research, published in a book entitled: The Rights Tools for the Job (Palgrave Macmillan), demonstrated that most organisations and managers are simply not aware of all of the activities and tasks that define world-class levels of competence in purchasing and supply management. The research also revealed that organisations and managers do not use very many of the tools and techniques that are available to improve performance.

As a result, in 2009 a number of academics, consultants and managers from around the world came together to create IIAPS, in order to provide the first truly advanced international standards for purchasing and supply professionals. The advanced International Green Belt, Red Belt and Black Belts in Advanced Purchasing & Supply are the results of this unique practitioner and academic collaboration.

The mission of IIAPS is, therefore, to raise standards in the profession, in order to deliver improved value for money in corporate purchasing and supply. This is achieved by providing benchmarking and competence assessment tools for organisations and individuals, as well as software based tools and e-learning programs that drive the very highest level of competence for purchasing and supply professionals, both individually and organisationally.

Advisory Board