Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) was established in 1962 as the National Productivity Corporation, a joint project between the United Nations Special Fund and the Federal Government, with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) acting as its executing agency.

In 1966, the National Productivity Council (Incorporation) Act No. 19 was passed making the Centre an autonomous body. It was later amended as the National Productivity Council (Incorporation) (Amendment) Act A305 1975, to cater for expansion of the Centre’s role.

The National Productivity Council was renamed the National Productivity Corporation on 1 December 1991 when the National Productivity Centre (Incorporation) (Amendment) Act A801 1991 came into effect. The National Productivity Corporation (Incorporation) 1966 Act was amended once again as the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (Incorporation) Act 1966. The new name was gazette on 21 February 2008. The objective of the amendment was to highlight the status of the Corporation as the government body in all aspects related to the nation’s productivity and in particular, to the international community.