The Event Industry Council has launched the latest version of its CMP exam to ensure today’s meeting professionals are prepared for the latest industry challenges, from AI to sustainability.

The EIC has launched a new version of its Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) exam that introduces significant changes to its content and structure, reflecting advancements in the events industry and new global standards.

There are two key changes to note in the 2025 CMP exam:

New Exam Domains: The exam now features questions on Sustainability & Social Impact (5%), Technology Integration (5%), and Evaluation Process (5%), areas that were not previously tested as stand-alone domains.

Domain Weighting Adjustments: Among the areas whose weighting decreases are Event Design, whose weighting decreases from 34% to 25%; Site Management, which drops from 14% to 10%; and Financial Management which went from 11% to 7%. On the increase side is Risk Management, which goes from 5% to 7% to reflect a heightened focus on emerging event risks.

To ensure the updates are relevant and necessary the EIC conducted a comprehensive review involving over 1,000 subject matter experts. It also incorporated global surveys and focus groups to ensure the content reflects current and emerging best practices in the industry.

“This update to the CMP International Standards reflects how far our industry has come and where we’re headed,” said Heather Seasholtz, CMP Fellow, Chair of the CMP Governance Commission. “More than 1,000 professionals from diverse markets and disciplines, helped shape this framework, ensuring it’s relevant, practical and globally informed for the future of events.”

The new exam was beta-tested in April and May 2025, with a blackout period for standard testing in June and July. The official release of the revised exam and materials is August 2025. Those affected by the blackout receive automatic extensions for their eligibility windows to November 1 this year.

Reasons Behind the Changes

The EIC made these changes to align the exam with modern industry competencies, technological advancements, and sustainability imperatives, ensuring CMPs are equipped to lead in a changing landscape, and can uphold the highest standards of event professionalism wherever they work and hold events. They also are designed to position those who hold the CMP designation to be able to drive innovation, incorporate sustainability, leverage technology and deliver results in today’s increasingly complex event environment.

“As our sector continues to evolve, adapt and innovate, the CMP program is evolving to ensure its relevance now and into the future,” said Amy Calvert, president and CEO of the EIC. “The updated exam reflects the expertise and resilience our industry demands — and the leadership qualities that define today’s top professionals.”

The new exam retains its multiple-choice format, and candidates can expect scenario-based questions designed to assess applied knowledge and strategic decision-making. Updated study resources, including a new edition of the EIC Manual, will be released in late 2025/early 2026.