diff --git a/layouts/partials/footer.html b/layouts/partials/footer.html
index c3ba9b0..d4bde35 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/footer.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/footer.html
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@
 {{ $disclaimerEnabled  := site.Params.footer.disclaimer.enable  | default false }}
 
 {{/*  Keep backward compatibility for the newsletter function */}}
-{{ if site.Params.newsletter.enable }}
-  {{ $newsletterEnabled = true }}
-{{ else }}
-  {{ $newsletterEnabled = false }}
+{{ if site.Params.newsletter }}
+  {{ if site.Params.newsletter.enable }}
+    {{ $newsletterEnabled = true }}
+  {{ else }}
+      {{ $newsletterEnabled = false }}
+  {{ end }}
 {{ end }}
 
 {{ if $footerEnabled }}
@@ -89,26 +91,46 @@
           </ul>
         </div>
         {{ end }}
+        <!-------------- Newsletter --------------->
         {{ if $newsletterEnabled }}
-        <div class="col-md-4 col-sm-12">
-          <!-- <h5>Newsletter</h5> -->
-          <p>{{ i18n "newsletter_text" }}</p>
-          <form>
-            <div class="form-group">
-              <input
-                type="email"
-                class="form-control"
-                id="exampleInputEmail1"
-                aria-describedby="emailHelp"
-                placeholder="{{ i18n "newsletter_input_placeholder" }}"
-              />
-              <small id="emailHelp" class="form-text text-muted"
-                >{{ i18n "newsletter_warning" }}</small
-              >
-            </div>
-            <button type="submit" class="btn btn-info">{{ i18n "submit" }}</button>
-          </form>
-        </div>
+          {{ $provider := site.Params.footer.newsletter.provider }}
+          <div class="col-md-4 col-sm-12">
+            <p>{{ i18n "newsletter_text" }}</p>
+            {{ if and (eq $provider "mailchimp") site.Params.footer.newsletter.mailchimpURL }}  <!-- mailchimp -->
+              <form
+                action="{{ site.Params.footer.newsletter.mailchimpURL }}"
+                method="post"
+                id="mc-embedded-subscribe-form"
+                name="mc-embedded-subscribe-form"
+                class="validate"
+                target="_blank"
+                novalidate >
+                <div class="form-group">
+                  <input
+                    type="email"
+                    class="form-control"
+                    id="mce-EMAIL"
+                    name="EMAIL"
+                    aria-describedby="emailHelp"
+                    placeholder="{{ i18n "newsletter_input_placeholder" }}"
+                  />
+                  <small id="emailHelp" class="form-text text-muted"
+                    >{{ i18n "newsletter_warning" }}</small
+                  >
+                </div>
+                <button type="submit" class="btn btn-info">{{ i18n "submit" }}</button>
+              </form>
+            {{ else }}
+             <!-- a dummy form -->
+              <form>
+                <div class="form-group">
+                  <input type="email" class="form-control" id="exampleInputEmail1" aria-describedby="emailHelp" placeholder="{{ i18n "newsletter_input_placeholder" }}"/>
+                  <small id="emailHelp" class="form-text text-muted">{{ i18n "newsletter_warning" }}</small>
+                </div>
+                <button type="submit" class="btn btn-info">{{ i18n "submit" }}</button>
+              </form>
+            {{ end }}
+          </div>
         {{ end }}
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/layouts/partials/misc/badge.html b/layouts/partials/misc/badge.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08d90f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/layouts/partials/misc/badge.html
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+<div class="col-6 col-lg-4 p-2">
+{{ if eq .type "certification" }}
+    {{/* Verifiable certificate badge from https://www.credly.com */}}
+    <div class="">
+      <a href="{{ .url }}" target="_blank" >
+       <img src="{{ .badge }}" alt="{{ .name }}" />
+      </a>
+    </div>
+{{ else if eq .type "soft-skill-indicator" }}
+    {{/* Circular bar indicating the level of expertise in a skill */}}
+    {{ $predefinedColor:= true}}
+    {{ if hasPrefix .color "#"}}
+        {{ $predefinedColor = false }}
+    {{ end }}
+    <div class="circular-progress {{if $predefinedColor}}{{ .color }}{{end}}">
+    <span class="circular-progress-left">
+        <span
+        class="circular-progress-bar circular-progress-percentage-{{ .percentage }}"
+        {{ if not $predefinedColor }}
+            style="border-color: {{.color}};"
+        {{ end }}
+        ></span>
+    </span>
+    <span class="circular-progress-right">
+        <span
+        class="circular-progress-bar"
+        {{ if not $predefinedColor }}
+            style="border-color: {{.color}};"
+        {{ end }}
+        ></span>
+    </span>
+    <div class="circular-progress-value">{{ .name }}</div>
+    </div>
+{{ end }}
+</div>
diff --git a/layouts/partials/misc/soft-skills.html b/layouts/partials/misc/soft-skills.html
index cbdc0ae..1517564 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/misc/soft-skills.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/misc/soft-skills.html
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+{{/* TODO: Delete this file in version v4+ */}}
 <div class="col-6 col-lg-4 p-2">
   {{ $predefinedColor:= true}}
   {{ if hasPrefix .color "#"}}
diff --git a/layouts/partials/sections/about.html b/layouts/partials/sections/about.html
index 2999b99..3bb02d6 100644
--- a/layouts/partials/sections/about.html
+++ b/layouts/partials/sections/about.html
@@ -48,6 +48,11 @@
     <!-- soft skills circular-progressbar -->
     <div class="col-sm-6 pt-5 pl-md-4 pl-sm-3 pt-sm-0">
       <div class="row">
+        {{ range .badges }}
+          {{ partial "misc/badge.html" . }}
+        {{ end }}
+        <!-- TODO: Remove this part in version v4+ -->
+        <!-- Keep backward compatibility with old configuration -->
         {{ range .softSkills }}
           {{ partial "misc/soft-skills.html" . }}
         {{ end }}