Category Management Association Partners with GS1 US to Offer GS1 Standards Courses for Professionals Seeking Certification

GS1 Foundations Courses Accredited for CPCA, CPCM and CPSA Certifications

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Apr 11, 2017, 10:00 ET

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. and MINNEAPOLIS, April 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GS1 Foundations Online Certificate Courses based on GS1 Standards have been accredited by the Category Management Association (CMA). The GS1 US^® courses complement CMA level certifications for category management professionals seeking the association's Certified Professional Category Analysts (CPCA), the Certified Professional Category Manager (CPCM) and the Certified Professional Strategic Advisors (CPSA).

The following GS1 Foundations courses have been accredited by CMA:

Global Trade Identification Number^® (GTIN^®)
Barcoding Products
Package Measurement Rules
GTIN Management Standard

Focused on facilitating a collaboration between retailers and manufacturers to optimize the profitability of product categories, CMA recently updated its accreditation and certification processes as part of an initiative called CatMan 2.0™ to help members evolve with the demands of the digital age. The association has recognized that GS1 Standards, including GTINs—the numbering sequence that uniquely identifies products and is embedded in the U.P.C. barcodes—support the professional knowledge base needed to take each certification exam. GS1 Standards enable the data integrity, product attribution, and analytics needed for category managers to meet consumer expectations for seamless digital and physical shopping experiences

"The CMA has recognized that knowledge of GS1 Standards is valuable to their members' career development," said Bob Carpenter, president and CEO, GS1 US. "GS1 US and CMA goals are complementary, as both organizations are focused on driving success for retail organizations that are reinventing their businesses to meet the needs of consumers online and in-store."

"In keeping with our CatMan 2.0 vision, the GS1 Foundations courses help our members leverage data effectively and improve their collaboration with trading partners," said Blaine Ross, president, CMA. "Knowledge of GS1 Standards can help certification candidates play an important role in how their organizations innovate for the future."

CMA helps its members facilitate strategic collaboration between retailers, suppliers and their solution providers to enhance shopper satisfaction. GS1 Standards have been used to enhance supply chain efficiency for more than 40 years, ever since the grocery industry came together to agree on the adoption of the U.P.C. barcode to speed the checkout process. Businesses in more than 25 industries rely on GS1 Standards to maximize the cost effectiveness, speed, visibility, security and sustainability of their business processes.

For more information about the certifications and how to access courses, please visit www.catman.global. For more information about GS1 US, please visit www.gs1us.org.

About GS1 US^®
GS1 US, a member of GS1^®, is an information standards organization that brings industry communities together to solve supply chain problems through the adoption and implementation of GS1 Standards. More than 300,000 businesses in 25 industries rely on GS1 US for trading-partner collaboration and for maximizing the cost effectiveness, speed, visibility, security and sustainability of their business processes. They achieve these benefits through solutions based on GS1 global unique numbering and identification systems, barcodes, Electronic Product Code (EPC^®)-based Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), data synchronization, and electronic information exchange. GS1 US also manages the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code^® (UNSPSC^®). www.gs1us.org.

About The Category Management Association (CMA)
The Category Management Association's (CMA) mission is to advance professional standards for the global category management community and enable professionals to connect with peers around the world to further their careers with the latest in best practices and certification. It is the only organization certifying companies and category management professionals according to recognized industry standards. The association encompasses a broad range of strategic insights and planning functions including: Category Management, Consumer Insights, In-Store Execution, Merchandising, Space Management, Shopper Insights & Shopper Marketing, Trade Promotion, and Pricing. The Association serves as an unbiased central source for industry information and is unparalleled in its sole focus on category management. For more information, visit www.catman.global.

SOURCE GS1 US