NAHR Statement of Requirements

National Academy of Human Resources Statement of Requirements
Fellow - Distinguished Fellow - Honored Organization

A.NAHR Fellow Nominations

A key purpose of the National Academy of Human Resources (NAHR) is to honor individuals whose leadership in the broad field of human resources has distinguished them among their peers. Successful candidates are selected through peer review as a “Fellow” of the NAHR. Fellows come from many life experiences and reflect all aspects of contemporary and intellectual professional thought and activity in human resources including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. They can be practitioners, academics, or other thought leaders. Their demonstrated accomplishments include sustained achievements in and contributions to their organizations, the human resources profession, and society at large. This criterion alone is a basis for nomination.

Election as a Fellow of the NAHR is the highest honor granted in the human resources profession and successful candidates are widely known and recognized as leaders in their profession, have meritorious national or global reputations for shaping human resources thinking and/or policy, and have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to success for both them and others in the human resources profession.

Candidates will have demonstrably contributed, influenced, shaped, or impacted human resource management thinking and practice at the very highest level.  They have had a significant and differentiated impact on advancing the profession of HR and elevating the role human resources practitioners play. Candidates who may have had a impact on organizations in areas related to HR (such as strategy, organizational design, governance, leadership, etc.), but have not contributed to advancing the profession of HR in its entirety are not top candidates for Fellow status.

The National Academy of Human Resources embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion, and strives to have its Fellows be representative of the diversity of the broader CHRO and HR academic populations.

Candidate considerations when electing a Fellow to the National Academy of HR:

• Overall Leadership and Impact: Measurable and substantial impact for unique and lasting outcomes and contributions at work, in the HR field and society at large, and notable sustained leadership in moving the HR profession forward. Respected role model, leader, coach, and teacher to those they lead and influence, both directly and indirectly, with a focus on raising the capability and caliber of current and future HR executives, and therefore the profession, and advocating for and promoting others versus himself or herself. Concrete evidence of demonstrated leadership in creating diverse, inclusive, and equitable cultures.

• Scope: Significant role, influence, and recognition within and potentially outside their home country. When considering scope, a variety of factors should be considered, including but not limited to workforce size, organizational financial parameters such as revenue, financial and budget responsibility and accountability, breadth of stakeholders, complexity, risk profile, and the ability for the candidate to have a significant impact on the results of his/her organization. It is likely that practitioners hold or have held the top HR role in at least one organization (e.g., corporation, non-profit organization) and that academics be or have been a full professor in at least one university or have had significant impact in shaping one or more major domains in the HR agenda.

• Competencies: Generalist practitioner, specialist competencies, or thought leadership comparable to or exceeding those of current Fellows, with an emphasis on shaping the future through innovation and creativity.

• External Influence and Impact: Evidence of leadership role in human resources-related groups/associations, social service, educational and/or civic organizations, and/or influence on the development of public policy both historically, currently, and in the future.  For academic candidates,  evidence of direct influence outside of their educational institution on advancing and/or shaping the human resources profession.

• Knowledge Development / Scholarship: Demonstrated dedication to continuing personal education and credentialing and leadership in expanding and deepening the base of knowledge in the HR field through teaching, research, writing, public speaking, knowledge sharing, and/or ‘leading by example’. Demonstrated commitment to developing and mentoring his/her HR team and/or other HR academics.

• Characteristics: Always displays strong character, impeccable integrity, admirable values, and respect for individuals, within and outside of the profession. Does not put himself/herself above others.

Questions to consider:

• Has the candidate been successful in roles of significant and influential scope?
• Has the candidate had a measurable and substantial impact within the organizations she/he has been a part of?
• Does the candidate have generalist practitioner and/or specialist competencies comparable to or exceeding those of current Fellows?
• Has the candidate had notable leadership and demonstrated results in creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable culture?
• Has the candidate consistently emphasized and had impact on innovation and creativity and shaping the future?
• Is the candidate recognized by his/her peers for sustained achievements in and contributions to their organizations and the HR profession?
• Has the candidate been recognized for demonstrating leadership in moving the HR profession forward?
• Does the candidate have a meritorious national and/or global reputation as a leader in shaping human resource thinking and/or policy and impacting the HR profession based on contributions and results?
• Has the candidate demonstrated dedication to developing and expanding the base of knowledge and skills in the HR field through teaching, research, writing and/or public speaking?
• Has the candidate demonstrated an unwavering commitment to success?
• Does the candidate display a positive, collaborative, and empowering leadership style with his/her team, demonstrating a commitment to developing and mentoring his/her team and/or other HR academics?
• Is the candidate viewed as a role model by others?
• Does the candidate have strong character, impeccable integrity, and respect for the individual, within and outside of the profession?
• Has the candidate had external influence and impact in groups/associations, social services, and/or other external organizations?

2. NAHR Distinguished Fellow Nominations

The Fellows from time to time may designate Academy Distinguished Fellows (“Distinguished Fellows”) because of their special contributions to human resources. Choosing from the list of active Fellows, any Fellow or Distinguished Fellow can suggest a candidate for Distinguished Fellow status to the Board’s Representative of the Distinguished Fellows. The Board’s Representative of the Distinguished Fellows consults with all current Distinguished Fellows to discuss any candidates. The current Distinguished Fellows annually decide whether a candidate should be presented to the full Board for further review and approval. There is no annual requirement to designate a Distinguished Fellow. If there are nominations, the Board’s Representative will bring to the NAHR Board only one candidate for consideration as a Distinguished Fellow. The Board will determine if that nominated candidate will be presented to the Fellows at large for election as a Distinguished Fellow. 

Candidates for Distinguished Fellow must have met and continue to meet all requirements and criteria for election as a Fellow but have had an impact on the HR profession over an extended career timeframe. The nomination is based on a long career of contributing to and raising the bar on the functional impact of HR. This impact needs to be self-evident, direct, tangible, and measurable. Historically, Distinguished Fellow recipients have been longtime contributors who have had major impact on the profession through the course of an entire working career. Importantly, nominators should describe what makes the candidate stand out among his/her peer Fellows and how his/her contributions over the course of their career are at the level of peer Distinguished Fellows.

C.NAHR Honored Organization Nominations

In addition to recognizing individuals as Fellows, the National Academy of Human Resources also periodically recognizes an organization as an “Honored Organization” for having, through their mission and work have significantly influenced and impacted HR professionals and the overall HR profession in a distinguished way.

Election as an Honored Organization in the National Academy of Human Resources requires the following:

• Overall Leadership and Impact: Measurable and substantial impact for unique and lasting outcomes and contributions that the organization provides in the HR field and society at large, and notable, sustained leadership in moving the HR profession forward. Members of this organization should be respected role models, leaders, coaches, and teachers to those they lead and influence, both directly and indirectly, with a focus on raising the capability and caliber of current and future HR executives, and therefore the profession. Concrete evidence of being a diverse, inclusive, and equitable organization.

• Scope: Significant role, influence, and recognition within and potentially outside the home country where this organization provides services and support in furthering the HR profession. When considering scope, a variety of factors should be considered, including but not limited to membership/stakeholder size, organizational financial parameters, breadth of impact, complexity, risk profile, and the ability for the organization to have a significant impact on the results HR professionals deliver to their respective organization.
• Competencies: The organization displays, promotes, and enhances generalist practitioner or specialist HR and business competencies comparable to or exceeding those of current Fellows and Honored Organizations, with an emphasis on shaping the future through innovation and creativity.
• External Influence and Impact: Evidence of leadership role in the human resources profession through influence with human resources professionals and/or through human resources-related groups, associations, social service, educational or civic organizations, and/or influence on the development of HR thought leadership, research, tools, or public policy, both historically, currently, and in the future.

• Knowledge Development / Scholarship: Demonstrated dedication to continuing personal education and credentialing and leadership of human resources professionals by educating them to expand and deepen the base of their knowledge in the HR field through teaching, research, writing, public speaking, knowledge sharing, and/or ‘leading by example’. Demonstrated commitment to developing and mentoring the organization’s employees.

• Characteristics: Demonstration of the organization’s commitment to strong character, impeccable integrity, and respect for the individual, within and outside of the profession.

Updated January 27, 2023

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