Digital badge FAQs
Q: Who is Credly?
A: Credly is a global digital credentialling platform owned by Pearson. It provides an end-to-end solution for issuing, managing and sharing verified digital credentials. Credly hosts the world’s largest and most connected digital credential network, helping organisations speak a common language of verified knowledge, skills and abilities.
Q: How is my achievement displayed as a badge?
A: The IoD has partnered with Credly to translate the learning outcomes you have demonstrated into a digital badge. They are issued and managed through the company’s digital badging platform. The technology Credly uses is based on the Open Badge Standards maintained by IMS Global. This enables you to manage your badge, share it across platforms and allow others to verify your achievements in real time.
Q: What information will be shared with Credly?
A: We will share your name, email address and the course you have completed. For details about how Credly manages your data, please refer to their privacy policy.
Q: What is an open badge?
A: Open badges are web-enabled versions of a credential, certification or learning outcome that can be verified in real-time, online.
Q: What are the benefits of a badge?
A: A digital badge allows you to showcase your skills and achievements online in a trusted, verifiable format. Badges are easy to share on platforms such as LinkedIn, in email signatures or on digital CVs. Badges provide evidence of what you did to earn your credential and what knowledge or capability it represents. The Credly platform also offers occupation insights based on your skills.
Q: How will I know if I’ve earned a badge?
A: You will receive an email notification from Credly (admin@credly.com) with instructions for claiming your badge and setting up your account.
Q: How long will I have to accept my badge?
A: Once you receive the email from Credly, you will have two months to accept your badge. You will receive one reminder email 10 days later. If you decide after two months that you’d like to claim your badge, we can send it to you manually. You can request this by emailing governance.development@iod.org.nz.
Q: What if I don’t want my badge to be public?
A: You can easily configure your privacy settings in Credly. You are in complete control of the information about yourself that is made public.
Q: What if I don’t want a badge at all?
A: If you don’t want to claim your badge, simply ignore the email from Credly. You will receive one reminder email, and if you haven’t accepted your badge within two months your data will be removed from the Credly system.
Q: Is there a fee to use Credly?
A: No. This is a service we provide to you, at no cost.
Q: What’s to keep someone else from copying my badge and using it?
A: While badges are simply digital image files, they are securely linked to data hosted on Credly. This link to verified data makes them more reliable than a paper-based certificate. It also eliminates the possibility of anyone claiming your credential and your associated identity.
Q: Where and how can I share my badge through Credly?
A: You can share your badge directly from Credly to LinkedIn, X and Facebook; over email; embedded in a website; directly in your CV; or in your email signature.
Q: Can I export badges issued through Credly to other badge-storing platforms?
A: Yes, you can download your badge from the Share Badge page. Your downloaded badge contains Open Badge Infrastructure (OBI) compliant metadata embedded into the image. This allows you to store your badge on other OBI-compliant badge sites, such as the Badge Backpack.
Q: Can I import badges issued from other platforms into Credly?
A: Coming soon, you will be able to import badges from other platforms.
Q: Am I eligible for a badge if I completed a course in the past?
A: If you completed an IoD face-to-face or blended course on or after 1 January 2024, you will be sent a badge. Please note, we are currently rolling out badges for our Climate Change Governance Essentials course. Badges for our other face-to-face and blended courses will be shared soon.
Q: I completed a course before 1 January 2024. Why haven’t I received a digital credential?
A: Our first digital badge was created in early 2024 as a step towards launching formal digital credentials. We have since partnered with Credly to formally acknowledge completion of our governance development courses. As we began the transition to this form of learning recognition in early 2024, we have chosen 1 January 2024 as the digital badge credential implementation date for all courses. We appreciate your participation and commitment to your ongoing professional development.
Q: I have done an online course. Will I get a badge?
A: Online course badges will be part of a later rollout of badges. We are starting with our face-to-face and blended courses.
Q: I have a question about Credly. Where can I find support?
A: You can find tutorials and answers to additional questions at support.credly.com