Credly

Pearson's Credly platform revolutionizes digital credential management through advanced badging systems and comprehensive network integration. As the global leader in education technology, Pearson combines its expertise with innovative digital platforms Acclaim and YourAcclaim to transform professional achievements into shareable credentials. This detailed analysis examines Credly's digital credential capabilities, platform functionality, and impact across multiple industries, highlighting its role in modern workforce development and education.

Company Overview

Credly operates as a subsidiary of Pearson, the world's largest education company, and specializes in digital credential management through their platforms Acclaim and YourAcclaim. The company combines the credibility of Pearson's global education expertise with innovative technology to recognize, manage, and share professional achievements through digital badges.

Digital Credential Capabilities

Credly's digital credential offerings include Acclaim Digital Credentialing, Workforce Skills Management, and Professional Services. Their platform supports integration with leading Learning Management Systems (LMS) and assessment tools across multiple industries, with over 3,000 employer-trusted organizations leveraging their solutions. The company has facilitated 100 million credential transactions since its inception.

Platform Functionality

Users can develop and share their Credly profile to showcase earned badges and achievements through the network. Credly's platform securely verifies digital badges and enables users to share them on social networks like LinkedIn. Individuals earn Credly badges through verified organizations and can track their credentials through the Earner Dashboard, which displays recent badges, activity summary, and career goals.

Integration and Implementation

Credly provides ready-made integrations with popular applications including Canvas LMS, Degreed, and Zapier, which connects to over 2,000 applications. The company's network serves as the largest and most-connected digital credential hub, with 650,000 credentials shared monthly through the platform. Each badge view averages 59,000 views per month, demonstrating the network's extensive reach and engagement.

Privacy and Data Handling

The company processes personal data based on user consent, with comprehensive privacy policies governing data collection, usage, and protection. Credly maintains data security through enterprise-class hosting and disaster recovery protocols. All processing activities comply with GDPR regulations, and the company offers a Data Protection Agreement (DPA) for qualifying organizations. For further information on data privacy and security, users can contact the company's Primary Point of Contact via privacy@credly.com.

Product Offerings

Credly's platform supports a wide range of applications across various industries, with over 3,000 trusted organizations leveraging their solutions. The company provides ready-made integrations with leading learning management systems and tools like Canvas LMS, Degreed, and Zapier, which connects to over 2,000 applications across the network.

The platform offers three core product offerings: Acclaim Digital Credentialing, Workforce Skills Management, and Professional Services. Together, these solutions help organizations manage employee learning and development, talent acquisition, workforce planning, and higher education initiatives.

For higher education institutions, Credly provides tools to recognize and share student achievements through digital badges. These credentials are carefully aligned with specific job requirements and industry standards, helping students demonstrate their skills to potential employers. The platform supports multiple aspects of the credentialing process, from program implementation to analytics and program promotion. Higher education institutions have reported significant engagement benefits, with students increasingly requesting digital credentials to boost their employability.

In the professional association sector, Credly enables members to share verified credentials through its large network of 650,000 monthly shared credentials. The platform's analytics demonstrate that two-thirds of certification holders choose to display their credentials as digital badges, effectively promoting both individuals and certification programs. The company's platform serves multiple client segments including employers, learning and development professionals, talent acquisition teams, workforce planning organizations, higher education institutions, product certification providers, and professional associations.

Credly's solutions also support training providers, working to bridge the gap between student outcomes and employer understanding. The company provides metadata-aligned credentials that help students find part-time employment, internships, and work-study programs. Each badge view averages 59,000 monthly views, highlighting the platform's effectiveness in connecting skills to career opportunities.

The company maintains strict data handling protocols to protect user information. Personal data is processed based on user consent, with comprehensive privacy policies governing data collection, usage, and protection. Credly maintains data security through enterprise-class hosting and disaster recovery protocols, with all processing activities complying with GDPR regulations. The platform's security features extend to third-party integrations, with Pearson ensuring that all service providers implement appropriate privacy and security measures consistent with Credly's policies.

Privacy and Data Handling

Credly processes personal data based on user consent and maintains comprehensive privacy policies governing data collection, usage, and protection. All processing activities comply with GDPR regulations, and the company offers a Data Protection Agreement (DPA) for qualifying organizations. The company collects Personal Data when users submit it through email, online forms, or other methods, as well as through cookie usage and visitor logs that include IP address information.

Pearson, acting as the 'processor' for certain types of Personally Identifiable Data, implements appropriate administrative and technical procedures to protect user information. The company uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) software for information transmission, with all data both in systems and during transfer being obfuscated or encrypted. For credential issuance, users can customize privacy settings, with credentials defaulting to public access but offering the option to activate private settings on a Credential-by-Credential basis.

User data is retained for as long as the account is active and required by law. Users can access, correct, or request deletion of their personal information through their account login or by contacting privacy@credly.com. Pearson also provides annual requests for information regarding third-party disclosures for direct marketing purposes. The company allows users to opt-out of receiving marketing notifications and provides several data subject rights including access, rectification, erasure, restriction, data portability, and object rights.

When Pearson transfers personal information from the European Union to the United States, it does so via Standard Contractual Clauses, available online at https://info.credly.com/data-processing-addendum. The company maintains a history of user access, actions taken, and IP address logs for maintaining and enhancing service performance and security, as well as for tailoring communications and providing support. Usage Log Information is aggregated to create or publish statistical analyses and reports.

Integration and Implementation

Pearson's Credly platform has developed comprehensive integration capabilities that enable seamless badge issuance and program performance tracking across multiple learning management systems and tools. The company's suite of solutions supports both administrators and earners, translating student outcomes into terms that employers can understand and verify.

Integration Partnerships

Credly works with a wide range of industry partners to provide integrated solutions for employee learning and development, talent acquisition, workforce planning, and higher education initiatives. Their partnership network includes leading organizations across banking, finance, healthcare, insurance, retail, and professional associations, helping to bridge the communication gap between educational achievements and career opportunities.

Technical Infrastructure

The platform's technical infrastructure supports thousands of employer-trusted organizations through direct integrations with leading LMS platforms and tools like Canvas, Degreed, and Zapier. Pearson maintains the largest and most-connected digital credential network, processing over 100 million credential transactions and facilitating the sharing of 650,000 credentials monthly through the network.

Custom Implementation Services

Credly's implementation services help organizations design, issue, and manage digital credentials while providing dedicated support for program transformation. The company's solutions include automated issuing processes that allow members to receive credentials minutes after course completion, with custom printable certificates available. Third-party verification capabilities enable quick credential checks, saving time and effort for both issuers and earners.

Analytics and Reporting

The platform provides detailed analytics tools that offer deep insights into credential usage, earning engagement, and program impact. These features help organizations monitor the success of their credentialing initiatives and make data-driven decisions about future program development. The company also offers the Credentialing Mastery Assessment, providing personalized tips for organizations to optimize their credentialing programs.

Impact and Applications

The platform has facilitated significant growth in digital credential usage, with 48 million individuals earning Credly badges and 650,000 credentials shared monthly through the network. Each badge view generates an average of 59,000 views per month, demonstrating the platform's effectiveness in connecting skills to career opportunities.

In the professional association sector, Credly enables members to share verified credentials through its large network, with 330,000 badges shared to LinkedIn monthly and 262,000 badge views per month. The platform's analytics show that two-thirds of certification holders choose to display their credentials as digital badges, effectively promoting both individuals and certification programs.

The company's impact extends to higher education institutions, which have reported several key benefits from implementing Credly's solutions. By issuing metadata-aligned credentials, students can more effectively demonstrate their skills to potential employers, with each badge view averaging 59,000 monthly views. Credly's platform helps students find part-time employment, internships, and work-study programs, significantly increasing student effort and retention, particularly in remote learning environments.

Pearson's Credly platform has established itself as the leading digital credential management solution, serving multiple client segments including employers, learning and development professionals, talent acquisition teams, workforce planning organizations, higher education institutions, product certification providers, professional associations, and training providers. The company's extensive integration capabilities enable seamless badge issuance and program performance tracking across multiple learning management systems and tools, with over 100 million credential transactions facilitated since its inception.