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ST. LOUIS, March 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- TALX Assessment Services Division, pan, a leader in online assessment and talent management systems, today announced the Institute for Diversity Certification has selected pan to provide secure, state-of-the-art certification testing at its more than 800 testing centers.

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Established to ensure a standard of excellence in the field of diversity and inclusion, the Institute for Diversity Certification is the only accredited, international diversity certification body. Through pan's Test Center Network and web-based testing system, more than 1,000 Diversity and Inclusion professionals will be able to achieve Certified Diversity Professional (CDP) or Certified Diversity Executive (CDE) credentials. Both credentials denote a standard of excellence and indicate high performance in diversity management.

"The Institute for Diversity Certification provides an unmatched education and competency platform for Diversity and Inclusion practitioners to enhance their credentials and increase their credibility. pan offers the most sophisticated and professional network of testing centers available, and we look forward to drawing upon our many years of experience to administer our state-of-the-art assessment process to the Institute's certification candidates," commented Doug Cole, senior vice president and general manager, pan.

pan's testing facilities, which are located in easy-access commercial locations throughout North America, provide the highest quality, security, reliability and convenience of any testing experience. An end-to-end solution, pan's testing program leverages a combination of the latest secure test delivery technologies and encryption methods with best practices in test center and data management. All of the Institute's testing sessions will be supervised by proctors trained in the execution and management of the organization's specific protocols. In addition, by fully integrating online candidate registration and scheduling with test center communications, including confirmation and reminder emails and driving directions, pan's solution gives users the ability to self-schedule exams based on their own needs.

Leah Smiley, Founder of the Institute for Diversity Certification and Executive Director of the Society for Diversity, added, "The diversity certification program is not only valuable to professionals, but also to the business community. A certified diversity practitioner will be able to align diversity and inclusion practices with an organization's purpose, as well as establish tangible business benefits. The certification program that pan will administer for us will assure employers that inclusion experts are indeed experts."

More than 1,500 individuals representing the corporate, nonprofit, education and government sectors already have expressed interest in the diversity certification program, which will be available beginning in June 2011. More information about the program is available at www.diversitycertification.org.

About the Institute for Diversity Certification

Headquartered in Indianapolis, The Institute for Diversity Certification is a nonprofit organization formed for the sole purpose of providing diversity and inclusion management preparation courses and materials; administering diversity certification exams; and designating diversity credentials to Certified Diversity Professionals and Certified Diversity Executives. This global initiative, led by Jonamay Lambert, President, is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between industry experts, researchers, and business leaders, representing the corporate, nonprofit, government and education sectors.

About pan 
pan, the assessment services division of TALX, is a leading provider of wide-ranging talent acquisition, evaluation and development solutions for corporate and government clients worldwide. Since 2000, pan has helped thousands of clients select and grow employees through its advanced Internet-based assessments; tools for online and proctored testing, reporting and processing; as well as comprehensive human capital consulting services. pan offers the industry's most diverse assessment catalog comprised of hundreds of scientifically validated cognitive, personality, biodata and multi-rater feedback assessments from more than 50 top publishers. pan's solutions are fueled by its robust web-based technology, which gives clients a powerful platform to deliver and manage human resource hiring processes and tests. For more information, visit http://www.panpowered.com or call 1-877-449-8378.

About TALX 
TALX, provider of Equifax Workforce Solutions, a leader in human resource, tax and payroll-related services, is based in St. Louis. TALX holds a leadership position in automated employment and income verification as well as unemployment tax management. TALX provides over 9,000 clients, including three-fourths of Fortune 500 companies, with Web-based services focused in three employment-related areas: hiring, pay reporting and compliance. Hiring services include assessments and talent acquisition, onboarding, and tax credits and incentives. Pay reporting services include electronic time tracking, paperless pay and W-2 management. Compliance services include employment and income verifications through The Work Number, unemployment tax management and I-9 management. Equifax is a global leader in information solutions, empowering businesses and consumers with information they can trust. Equifax is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500® Index. Its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EFX. For more information about TALX, access the TALX website at http://www.talx.com, or visit the Equifax website at http://www.equifax.com.

SOURCE Equifax