For advisers · Certification program
Trusted Adviser
Individual certification for professional advisers, based on feedback from the clients you personally serve, with your name on the credential.
Trusted Adviser credentials are available only to advisers within a firm that holds a current Trusted Firms Global certification, at any tier.
Individual certification, not firm-wide
Your credential is measured on your own client list, at the firm where it is issued.
Your clients, your credential
Based on feedback from the clients you personally serve, not the firm average. Your credential reflects your client relationships.
Your name on the badge
The Trusted Adviser credential carries your name. Clients know exactly who is certified.
A record of what your clients said
A Trusted Adviser credential records the feedback of your clients at the firm where it was issued. If you move firms, it stays on the register until it expires, as the record of that period. It can't be displayed at your new firm. If your new firm holds a current Trusted Firms Global certification, you can be assessed and issued a new credential there.
How it works
The same sequence for every adviser, every year.
- Step 1
Your firm is certified
Trusted Adviser credentials are available only to advisers within a firm that holds a current Trusted Firms Global certification, at any tier. Client Culture collects and measures the firm's client feedback independently of the firm.
- Step 2
Your clients are measured
Client Culture measures feedback from your personal client list, drawn from the firm's records, not a curated subset. At Verified firms, coverage is reconciled against the firm's own client record; at Standard, we measure what the firm provides, independently.
- Step 3
Results assessed
Your results are assessed against the published adviser standard: NPS ≥ 45, at least 15 responses and a response rate of at least 15%, on the twelve months to the assessment date. No public score is shown at Standard firms.
- Step 4
Credential issued
If you meet the standard, you receive a Trusted Adviser credential with your name on the badge, for your email signature, LinkedIn profile and personal website.
Certification requirements
The adviser standard mirrors firm-level certification, applied to your own client relationships.
Performance standard
- NPS ≥ 45, on your personal client list
- At least 15 responses and a response rate of at least 15%
- Collection and measurement by Client Culture
Process verification
- At Verified firms, the client list is reconciled against the firm's own client record
- Annual renewal
Firm requirement
Trusted Adviser credentials are available only to advisers within a firm that holds a current Trusted Firms Global certification, at any tier.
What certified advisers receive
- A year-stamped credential with its own IDDigitally verifiable and renewed annually. Format: TFA-YYYY-NNNN.
- A personal verification page on trustedfirms.globalAnyone can check your credential independently. It shows your name, your firm and your certification status.
- The badge, with your nameShield-format badge with your name and the Trusted Adviser designation, in SVG and PNG for digital and print use.
- Embed codeReady-to-use HTML for your personal website or firm bio page.
- LinkedIn instructionsStep-by-step guidance for adding the credential to your LinkedIn profile.
- An annual credential summaryYour own results, independently measured, for your own use. Your public credential record states that you met the Trusted Adviser standard, and shows no figures. Where your firm is certified at Verified or Gold, your reviews page shows your all-time score once you have 30 responses.
Why individual certification matters
Professional services are personal. Your clients don't just trust the firm, they trust you. Yet most professional awards and firm-level certifications don't recognise individual adviser performance.
The Trusted Adviser credential certifies your personal client relationships, independently measured and renewed annually. It carries your name, not only the firm's.
It is recognition based on what your clients actually experience, not self-nomination, peer voting or firm reputation.
Ready to get certified?
Trusted Adviser credentials are available only to advisers within a firm that holds a current Trusted Firms Global certification, at any tier. If your firm is certified, apply and we will begin.