The Netherlands Mediation Institute NMI is the national platform for mediation in the Netherlands. NMI is a private organization and operational since 1995.

NMI operates from within a strictly independent position in society. NMI's strictly independent position as a national mediation platform is possibly unique in Europe.

NMI's objectives and activities
Our objectives are:

• to promote, make transparent and assure the quality of mediation and mediators in the Netherlands
• to structure and stimulate the use of mediation
• to offer a multilateral consultation structure
• to provide independent information on mediation to the public
  quantification, research and contacts

NMI provides:

• a platform for multilateral consultation concerning mediation by the various parties involved (mediators/providers, users of mediation, as well as independent bodies such as educational/scientific);
• a reliable, nationally applied infrastructure for mediation in the form of uniform mediation rules and models;
• an independent quality framework in the shape of accreditation and registration of mediators, as well as rules of conduct for mediators, a complaints procedure and independent disciplinary rules;
• a transparent quality assurance system for mediation and mediators through accreditation and independent personal certification in conformity with the uniform European Standard EN 45013.
  

 To achieve these objectives NMI provides, among other things:

• a uniform infrastructure for mediation:
  (the NMI Mediation Rules , the NMI Complaints Procedure, Rules of Conduct for NMI-registered Mediators,  model Mediation Clause, model Mediation Agreement, independent disciplinary rules for NMI-registered Mediators)
• advancement of mediation training facilities
• a  protocol for the assessment and recognition of mediation training institutes
• registration and certification of mediators and protection and licensing of the titles NMI Mediator and NMI Certified Mediator
• access to the public NMI Register of Mediators through the NMI website 
• contacts with organizations, companies and public bodies 
  development and dissemination of documentation and information
• independent selections from the NMI Register of Mediators to parties at variance
• development and management of a website
• providing independent information on mediation for the public
• maintaining national and international contacts relating to mediation

Why an Independent quality assurance of mediation and mediators?
Mediation is an act of intervening in conflicts between persons and/or organizations, by a neutral third party possessing the necessary qualifications: the mediator. A crucial condition for this is trust. For the engendering of trust at least three aspects play a significant role: impartiality, expertise and professionalism. To achieve professionalism a sound infrastructure is required (rules, registration and code of conduct), a complaints procedure plus disciplinary rules, and independent quality assurance. It is the task of the independent NMI to provide these in the Netherlands nationwide. NMI does this through the NMI Quality Assurance System.

The demand for mediation quality and independent quality assurance has, apart from NMI itself and from the Dutch Ministry of Justice, also come from society, for example, the members of the Standing Parliamentary Committee for Justice (quality and supervision), market demand (the potential users of mediation) and the mediator professionals themselves (in particular with a view to further increasing professionalization).

The purpose of the Quality Assurance System developed by NMI is to provide a transparent, objectifiable, dynamic, testable and independent system for mediation and mediator quality assurance nationwide.

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