Earning Criteria

• Recipients of the IBM Contributor badge have demonstrated the following activities within the current calendar year.
• Complete activity reports that share evidence for a minimum of three (3) eligible core advocacy activities, such as participating in community discussions, sharing learning experiences, contributing introductory content, engaging through social platforms with added context, attending or participating in events, or providing product feedback, as outlined in the IBM Champions Activity roster.
• Voluntary participation in advocacy activities that extend beyond required job duties, employer‑directed marketing, or direct promotion of one’s own business (mandatory for evaluation).
• Early consistency in participation and a demonstrated willingness to learn, experiment, and grow as an advocate.
• Activities reviewed through qualitative evaluation to assess authenticity, intent, and contribution.
• Beginning in 2026, new entrants in the program must apply using the Candidate Application Form.
• Note on IBM Z and LinuxONE advocacy: If your activity focuses on IBM Z and LinuxONE, consider starting with the IBM Z and LinuxONE Advocacy Hub. Activities applied to those community badges are not counted toward IBM Rising Champions badges. You can still earn Rising Champions badges through different activities, and all contributions may be considered for IBM Champion evaluation.
• Completion of activities establishes eligibility for review but does not automatically result in badge issuance or progression to IBM Advocate.
• Note: All submitted activities are reviewed and validated by IBM. Badge approval is granted at IBM’s discretion.
• All Rising Champions and Champions who participated in the program after January 1, 2025, DO NOT need to complete a New Candidate Application, but they must report activities using ibm.biz/champ-report to be evaluated for this calendar year.