Chartered Practitioner Status

The Privy Council have approved the CIPR’s application to amend our Royal Charter, following a unanimous vote in favour of the creation of a new Chartered Practitioner designation at the AGM in May. The Charter now includes a new by-law to allow the CIPR to develop a process to assess and award individual chartered status to our members.

The details on the eligibility criteria and the methods by which candidates will be assessed will be inserted into the CIPR Regulations. The Chartered Practitioner working group is now drafting recommendations that they will take to the October Council meeting for discussion and approval.

We want your feedback on eligibility and assessment

Please read the draft guidelines on eligibility and assessment for the scheme.

Anyone who wishes to express their view on these draft guidelines, or any other aspect of the scheme, is invited to submit their comments to dawnc@cipr.co.uk

Will I be eligible?

Applications for Chartered Practitioner status will be open to Fellows and Full Members with at least ten years’ experience as a PR practitioner either in the UK or overseas.

In addition, Full Members and Fellows who have completed the CIPR Diploma or a CIPR-approved postgraduate qualification will be eligible to apply for chartered status after eight years’ experience as a PR practitioner either in the UK or overseas; and Full Members and Fellows who have completed the CIPR Advanced Certificate or a CIPR-approved undergraduate qualification will be eligible to apply after nine years’ experience as a PR practitioner either in the UK or overseas.

Any applicant who is not already registered on the CIPR’s Continuous Professional Development (CPD) scheme will need to sign up before they make their application.

The assessment process

There will be three stages to the assessment process. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate how their experience to date, skills, quality of work, professionalism and current knowledge and application of public relations places them at the forefront of public relations practice:

After an application has been received, membership and CPD participation will be verified. Candidates will also be asked to submit a Statement of Experience, outlining in greater detail their career, roles held and achievements, together with two references. The CIPR will then check these for accuracy.
Candidates whose Statements are verified as accurate will be invited to submit an original piece of work of between 3,000 and 4,000 words. This work should demonstrate the attributes the CIPR has defined as essential to Chartered Practitioner status.
Candidates whose paper is passed at stage two will be invited to attend a panel interview at the CIPR’s HQ in London. The panel will comprise at least two senior practitioners/Fellows, and candidates will be given prior notification as to who they will be meeting. If any conflict of interest is apparent then the panel will be reassigned. The interviewers will ask questions based on the Statement of Experience provided at stage one, plus questions relating to the submission at stage two.

What is a Chartered Practitioner and what will this new designation mean?

Chartered Practitioner will be a senior designation, rather than membership grade, awarded on the basis that an individual has proven their experience, a high standard of current practice and a commitment to continuously updating their skills and knowledge. Full membership and participation on the CIPR’s Continuous Professional Development scheme is mandatory for those wishing to apply and also to retain the status.

The new designation will create a cohort of senior public relations professionals whose experience, credibility and attributes have been examined, verified and evaluated by the Chartered body. This should reduce risk and effort for employers and recruiters who are seeking to fill senior vacancies in this discipline. Individual Chartered status will infer both the capability needed to operate at a senior level, and the transferable skills relevant to both in-house, consultancy and independent work.

Over the next five to ten years, we aim to promote individual Chartered status as the benchmark for senior level public relations practitioners. Those members who are currently eligible to designate themselves as an ‘accredited practitioner’ will continue to be able to do so.

What are the attributes that you will be looking for during the assessment process?

Chartered Practitioners are experienced, active members of the PR profession who have the breadth and depth of experience to consult at the highest levels within organisations; practitioners that are passionate advocates, advancing the profession through their expertise, learning and conduct.

Applications are encouraged from a diverse set of members, from all sectors, and including those in public affairs, internal communications and marketing communications. Each individual’s achievements will be assessed within the context of your current and previous roles and the organisations you have worked with. Breadth and depth of experience is a key factor and we will look for evidence of the following attributes:

Leadership

Your leadership within, and contribution to, the PR profession and your organisation
Team leadership through mentoring and professional development

Strategy

Ability to consult at the highest level within organisations and to speak the language of the boardroom
Ability to develop PR strategies to fit the business needs of your clients or organisation, based on a clearly understood link between business goals, strategy and communication
Understanding of the wider political, economic and social environment to shape communications strategy and to anticipate trends
Understanding and application of measurement and evaluation, including new spheres of influence
Proven skill in building and managing the reputation of your clients or your organisation
The ability to identify, calculate and respond to risk

Learning

Ability to create a learning environment for yourself and others, so that PR expertise is continually developed
High degree of self awareness
Your commitment to continuous professional development and the application of learning to achieve better results, thereby advancing the profession

Innovation

Ability to create strategies that overcome challenges
Shape new ways of working
Creative thinking
Inspiring teams to think laterally

Communication

Ability to win the confidence and trust of the most senior client organisations and your team
Ability to inspire colleagues
Communication of new concepts
Ability to communicate under pressure, particularly in crisis situations
Ability to navigate organisational structure and culture.

Pre-launch registration
If you think that you can demonstrate the qualities we are looking for in a Chartered Practitioner and meet our experience and membership requirements, we want to hear from you. If you would like to receive the application guidance as soon as the scheme is finalised, please register your interest here.:

Register for CPD
If you are not currently participating on the CIPR’s CPD scheme, sign up now to ensure there is no delay in your Chartered Practitioner application.

The scheme is open to all Affiliates, Associates, Members and Fellows of the CIPR.

If you are already an Affiliate, Associate, Member or Fellow of the CIPR, log into the member area of the website and take a look at the Developing Excellence pages, where you can download, complete and submit your development plan.

If you’re not a member of the CIPR, you can find out more about applying for membership by choosing one of the options at the top of the page or by emailing membership@cipr.co.uk for a membership pack.

Further information on CPD