ASIS International, the preeminent society for security management professionals, has been awarded accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the U.S. member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This endorsement confirms that ASIS's international certification programs adhere to the highest professional standards. ASIS offers three international certifications: the Certified Protection Professional (CPP), the Professional Certified Investigator (PCI), and the Physical Security Professional (PSP). The accreditation confirms that ASIS complies with ISO/IEC 17024, a voluntary international standard for organizations responsible for certification of persons. It is a means of providing assurance that certified personnel meet the published requirements of a given certification program. More than 300,000 professionals around the world currently hold certifications from organizations accredited under ISO/IEC 17024. "As a leader in the security management field, ASIS must meet the world's demand for knowledgeable, educated security professionals," says Edward McDonough Jr., CPP, president of the professional certification board, which administers the ASIS certification program, and director of global security for Tyco. "The flow of information, the need for world-class training programs and the ability to network globally with other certified security professionals are just some of the reasons why this is an important step for us." Aside from the initial rigorous process of obtaining the ANSI accreditation, ASIS's certification programs will be annually assessed, audited and undergo a thorough on-site review of its management systems and procedures. Thousands of security practitioners have earned ASIS's CPP certification, the highest recognition accorded a security professional, since its introduction in 1977. The CPP exam is now administered in 30 countries around the world. ASIS introduced the PCI and PSP designations in 2002. The PCI recognizes security practitioners with specialized knowledge in evidence collection, case management and presentation. The PSP distinguishes those who have knowledge and experience in conducting threat surveys; designing integrated security systems that include equipment, procedures and people; or installing, operating and maintaining those systems. In addition to obtaining the ANSI accreditation, ASIS's professional certification program is the first and only program of its kind to be awarded a coveted designation by the U.S. department of homeland security under the Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technology Act of 2002 (SAFETY Act). The geographic significance of obtaining the SAFETY Act designation and accreditation is tremendous and far-reaching for ASIS certification holders and the various security industries they serve. Of special importance to non-U.S., ASIS board-certified practitioners, is the fact that liability protection under the SAFETY Act extends to non-U.S. soil. Specifically, acts of terrorism that occur on non-U.S. soil may be covered, provided those acts cause harm in the U.S.