The world around you is changing, so it’s important you move and keep ahead of the change. This is the mark of a true professional. Our value is felt when we keep creating new or better approaches, as we see from best-in-class teams. Four characteristics underpin true professionalism at all levels: lifelong learning, striving for excellence, trust & credibility and making a difference.  

Within the Learning Academy, we can now accredit you as a professional when you complete modules or courses, renewing this each year as part of your personal or corporate learning and development plan. 

At Foundation level you gain accreditation when you undertake 5 modules or one workshop each year.
Gain accreditation as an Specialist Professional, with our Assisted Learning Pathway. 

A bespoke route for Accredited Specialists or Professional Members is also available for highly experienced practitioners, which combines conference, learning, networking or online engagement in The Forum each year, with activities outside in other networks. Get in touch if you want to consider this. You will need 10 modules or accredited activities, each year, and external validation, usually as part of our best practice events. Suggestions for Fellow are invited from experienced practitioners, they are appointed at our flagship conferences.

Takes personal responsibility in your role, with the skills to perform required tasks to a good level and contribute ideas to support continuous improvement. Passionate about your profession and your own development as a professional, regularly taking steps to learn from other organisations and build your own capabilities.  

Effective and takes initiative in a wide range of tasks, using insight and experience to make recommendations and engage stakeholders at many levels. Passionate about improvements taking advantage of qualifications or other learning opportunities, building your professional network and contributing in discussion or hosting events.

Recognised internally and externally as an expert, a role model for your profession, confident on complex or strategic tasks and taking judgements in sensitive areas. With qualifications or deep experience, you will be actively developing the profession, contributing to push the boundaries of good practice and invited to speak, write or moderate discussions.

With wide experience at a very senior level in your profession and a track record of excellence, innovation, customer focus and effective business contribution, fellows are recognised outside the organisation, as actively sharing and adopting best practice, passionately building the profession. By invitation only; nominations welcome.

Alison Conaghan – Planning & Insight Specialist