PROSTEP is one of the first companies that can pride itself on having been awarded a CPO certificate for PLM openness. A few days ago, we passed the CPO audit conducted by TÜV Informationstechnik (TÜVit) and Fraunhofer IAO with flying colors. As the accredited certification body, TÜVit confirms that we not only meet the requirements of the Code of PLM Openness (CPO) but actually exceed them..

With the CPO, the prostep ivip Association has created an initiative that is aimed at establishing open PLM solutions and is unique worldwide. It is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). Approximately 80 enterprises around the world have now committed themselves to PLM openness. The accredited certification program is intended to ensure the long-term sustainability of the initiative. External auditors use a sophisticated evaluation concept to check how seriously PLM vendors take their commitment.

The evaluation concept identifies a total of seven levers for implementing the requirements in the CPO and defines the parameters that make it possible to measure compliance. On the one hand, it examines whether the self-imposed commitment to openness is anchored in the corporate strategy, the quality management system and in the minds of the employees and, on the other hand, whether it is reflected in the marketing documents, technical documentation or participation in standardization measures. To obtain certification, a company must be rated at least 100 percent on all seven levers.