The CTRF designation is granted to practitioners whose mastery of total rewards competencies is evidenced by significant experience in rewards including a management role, learning and contribution, and an assessment/coaching session conducted by an ATRI Industry Panel members. CTRFs are total rewards champions, and competent to lead the rewards function in a large, complex organisation, in Asia.

CTRF Pathway (starting 1 September 2025)

CTRF (Fellow) certification may be achieved based on the following combination of learning & contribution, experience and assessment with coaching:

Learning and Contribution can be evidenced in many ways. Ten (10) points are needed to meet the CTRF learning and contribution standard.

Experience

ATRI certification is certification, not training. It is to certify that the candidate can perform a total rewards job in the real world. It is therefore not a paper qualification. It is as much about skill as knowledge.

We therefore require evidence—resume/CV, LinkedIn profile or other evidence of real-world experience performing total rewards related work in an actual organization of significant size and complexity.

CTRF certification requires eight (8) years of rewards experience. This can be in generalist or partnering roles if those roles were directly involved in supporting C&B processes. We require two of those years to be in a leadership role, such as C&B manager or above. Interaction with management beyond the immediate boss is required, such as the CFO or CEO or function/division leaders.

The Assessment Coach will review work history prior to the 1-hour interview and may ask about work experience if there is any doubt.

Assessment & Coaching

The final step in CTRF certification is the 1-hour assessment and coaching interview. The Assessment Coach will be an Industry Panel member.

The Assessment Coach will refer to a list of competencies associated with top rewards roles, in the areas of global and regional rewards, total rewards strategy, executive compensation, rewarding gig, remote, agile and mobile talent and pay for value, i.e. going beyond pay for performance, to rewarding for skills, potential, development, scarcity, etc.

The candidate will receive this competency list when the candidate has satisfied the Learning & Contribution and Experience requirements, and the interview is scheduled. Following the interview, the candidate will receive a signed copy of the assessment and comments for further development.

Assessor Coaches are assigned from among the ATRI Industry Panel Members. If the candidate has a preference, we will seek to accommodate!

Certification Fee

Payment of the USD 1,000 certification fee is payable prior to the Assessment and Coaching Session. You will be sent a payment link for this, and a receipt will be automatically sent to you. You may also request an invoice. This fee covers everything including:

• One-hour assessment and coaching interview
• Signed copy of The Remuneration Handbook: International Edition by Dr. Fermin Diez and Dr. Mark Bussin
• Two hours of mentoring from one or more of the ATRI industry panel members below, on a topic of your choice. These two hours of mentoring or coaching should take place within the 3 month period following the Assessment and Coaching
• Production and delivery via DHL of your physical, fresh-ink-signed certificate

Following the assessment coaching session, the candidate will receive a copy of the assessment record, as a valuable reference in planning their learning and development in total rewards. The candidate will pass the assessment if the assessor finds the candidate to be “OK” on most of the competencies. This is great news! It’s alright if the candidate has never interacted with the board or supervised a team in other countries. Certain gaps are ok of the overall assessment is good.

ATRI’s goal is to build tomorrow’s leaders in total rewards management, through instruction, skill building and coach of attitudes. We trust all candidates will benefit from the coaching regardless of the outcome.

ATRI Total Rewards Masterclasses

The following 1-day courses will be held periodically throughout the year and count as 1 point toward the learning & contribution requirement. These courses were previously conducted as part of a CTRF Roundtable series, but have been broken into stand-alone courses, to better meet the diverse needs of learners, including those not seeking CTRF certification but seeking the learning only. All modules involve presentation of key competencies, sharing of experience, insights and tips from facilitators, with active discussion and sharing from participants.

Drive Total Reward Strategy (TRS)

Total reward strategy exists when practices are rational and intentional, rooted in business needs and talent objectives, and not simply based on history, prevalence or fad.

Manage and Develop Regional or Global Rewards (RGR)

An effective regional or global rewards function ensures philosophical consistency, regulatory compliance, internal governance, alignment to culture and values, efficiency, internal equity and mobility.

Design and Manage Executive Compensation (EC)

Executive compensation enables the organization to attract, retain and focus key management, in turn enabling effective overall management of the organization.

Reward Gig, Remote, Agile and Mobile Work (GRAM)

The future of work we’ve talked so much about arrived faster than expected. Our reward strategies must change to address non-traditional work arrangements in terms of contract type, location factors, agile work and mobility.

Pay for Value

Value for money is the underlying principle of business, and that includes people. There is far more to value than what is reflected in a performance rating.