Safety Management Specialist Certification Renamed to Safety Management Professional
BCSP has rebranded the Safety Management Specialist® (SMS®) certification as the Safety Management Professional (SMP).
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Mar 05, 2025
The Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) has officially renamed its Safety Management Specialist® (SMS®) certification to the Safety Management Professional (SMP) certification.
The change more accurately reflects the experience, broad expertise, and leadership capabilities of those who hold the credential. The new name also aligns better with supervisory-level job titles in the safety, health, and environmental (SH&E) field for which the certification is recommended.
“Those who hold our SMS—now SMP—credential have distinguished themselves through their years of dedication to safety practice and the depth and breadth of their knowledge and skills,” said BCSP CEO Christy Uden, CAE, IOM. “They are leaders in safety practice, and this new name more accurately embodies their level of achievement.”
Despite the name change, the certification’s accreditation and eligibility requirements remain unchanged. To qualify, candidates must have 10 years of experience in occupational health or safety and pass a rigorous exam.
The experience requirement is one of the highest among SH&E certifications accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB). Through the certification exam, SMP candidates demonstrate their knowledge across key areas, including management systems, risk management, SH&E concepts, incident investigation, emergency preparedness, and the business case for safety.
Since its introduction in 2017, more than 1,700 SH&E professionals have earned the SMP. It is one of 10 credentials BCSP offers for safety professionals at various career stages and responsibilities.
Current SMP credential holders are encouraged to download their updated digital badge and wall certificate from their BCSP online profile. BCSP also recommends that holders update the credential name on their resumes, email signatures, social media profiles, and business cards to reflect the change.
For more information, visit www.bcsp.org.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco is the Content Editor for OH&S.