[Important] Hofstede CWQ Certified Associate Qualification Becomes Mandatory for HR Departments!

This press release is a dream shared by businesses participating in the April Dream project, aiming to make April 1st a day filled with dreams, to be realized in the future.

General Incorporated Association CQ Lab April 1, 2026, 00:00

The international qualification [Hofstede CWQ Certified Associate], based on the theory proposed by Dr. Geert Hofstede, the "Father of Culture and Management," has now been established as a mandatory qualification for HR departments!

General Incorporated Association CQ Lab (Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Chikako Miyamo, hereinafter "CQ Lab"), which provides consulting, coaching, and training related to human resource and organizational development, offers courses to obtain the [Hofstede CWQ Certified Associate] qualification. We strongly support the development of increasingly diverse organizations.

By acquiring this qualification, individuals can deeply understand the differences in values among people and become bridges to enhance the growth and competitiveness of the entire organization.

This mandatory qualification is the culmination of our accumulated efforts and a groundbreaking step in establishing a new standard for human resource and organizational development. By utilizing practical knowledge for transforming diversity into strength in more workplaces, the potential of organizations will expand even further.

CQ Lab will lead the transformation towards a society where individuals and organizations are truly valued through this qualification.

Our company endorses April Dream, a project that aims to share dreams on April 1st. This press release is the dream of "General Incorporated Association CQ Lab."

What is "CQ (Cultural Intelligence)"? CQ (Cultural Intelligence Quotient) is the ability to bridge and collaborate with people from various cultural backgrounds. It is considered an essential skill for the 21st century, and world-leading organizations such as Google, Starbucks, and Harvard University have incorporated CQ training.

CQ Lab holds courses to foster individuals who can bridge "differences" in various contexts, including within organizations, domestically and internationally, in business, education, and everyday life. [CQ (Cultural Intelligence) Knowledge Basic Course] This beginner-friendly course is open to everyone and aims to improve basic knowledge of CQ. It also allows you to understand your own cultural tendencies by comparing them with global research data using the Hofstede CWQ Assessment.

The [Hofstede CWQ Assessment], a benefit for completing the basic course, is the only assessment test in the world certified by Dr. Hofstede, developed based on his 6-dimensional model. It visualizes your cultural tendencies along the 6-dimensional model (e.g., individualism vs. collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity vs. femininity, long-term vs. short-term orientation, indulgence vs. restraint) and provides a roadmap for effectively collaborating with differences.

[CQ (Cultural Intelligence) Knowledge Advanced Course] This course further strengthens the CQ knowledge learned in the basic course, allowing for an objective assessment of your CQ development stage using the IDI®. It deepens practical application of cultural dimension knowledge.

Understanding CQ also leads to understanding diversity within domestic organizations, such as gender and generational differences.

HR Departments Supporting Organizational Diversification by Obtaining Certified Associate Status Participants of the basic and advanced courses are eligible to enroll in the Certified Associate course. CQ Lab provides full support for those who enroll in the Certified Associate course to obtain the [Hofstede CWQ Certified Associate] qualification.

The [Hofstede CWQ Certified Associate] can provide CQ-based support to increasingly diverse companies and organizations. We believe that by broadening intercultural understanding, more organizations will be able to "bridge differences and turn them into power."

"April Dream" is a project by PR TIMES where companies share their dreams that they hope to achieve one day on April 1st. We are seriously aiming for the realization of this dream.

General Incorporated Association CQ Lab

CQ Lab is a place to learn and dialogue enjoyably with the aim of enhancing CQ. We value sharing the impact of culture on our thoughts and actions and learning from each other. By understanding culture, we deepen our understanding of Japanese systems, organizations, and ourselves. We sincerely hope it becomes a place where we can interact with those different from us and co-create new values.

Business Activities: Publishing, Training, Coaching business including training and seminars, Consulting business Location: Manoa Tamagawa Bldg. 3, 501, 3-20-2 Tamagawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo Representative Director: Chikako Miyamo Established: March 2021

Website: https://cqlab.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CQlabCOM Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CQlabCOM note: https://note.com/cqlabcom Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@YoutubeCQlab Peatix: https://peatix.com/group/7255934 [Contact for Inquiries] [Contact for Media Inquiries] 《General Incorporated Association CQ Lab》 e-mail: info@cqlab.com