「One of the best ways to demonstrate commitment to career growth is by obtaining industry recognized certification. This is true for finance, accounting, insurance, and legal professionals, but is it also applicable to board directors? Certification programs trigger debates among corporate governance experts: some are strongly against it, saying nothing can replace real boardroom experience, while others see it as a valid method for improving the knowledge and skills of directors.
In April 2013, we raised this question with over 70 director training organizations to better understand the benefits and challenges of certification and to compare experiences, including pioneering work in Brazil, the Caribbean, France, India, Mauritius, Morocco, New Zealand, Slovenia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
http://bdti.mastertree.jp/f/6vjfc91t
The Board Director Training Institute (BDTI) is a "public interest" nonprofit in Japan dedicated to training about directorship, corporate governance, and related management techniques. It is certified by the Japanese government to conduct these activities as a regulated nonprofit. Read a summary about BDTI here, and see a menu of its services for both corporations and investors here.