Complaints Procedure

1. About this Procedure

1.1. The CPD Register Ltd ("The CPD Register", "we", "us") is committed to providing a fair, transparent, and professional service to everyone who engages with us. We recognise, however, that there will be occasions when someone is dissatisfied with our service, our decisions, or our conduct, and we provide this Complaints Procedure so that complaints can be raised and addressed openly.

1.2. This Procedure sets out how to complain, how we handle complaints, the timeframes we work to, and the routes available if a complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction.

1.3. We take all complaints seriously. We record complaints, monitor trends, and use complaints to improve the services we provide.

2. Who can complain

2.1. This Procedure is available to anyone who engages with The CPD Register, including:

• •CPD Accreditation Organisations listed on our public Register
• •Certified CPD Accreditation Organisations
• •Training providers whose courses or activities appear on our Register via a Certified CPD Accreditation Organisation
• •Submitters to our Investigation Service
• •CPD consumers, members of the public, and other users of our Website

3. What complaints this Procedure covers

3.1. This Procedure covers complaints about:

• •The content or handling of a listing on our public Register
• •The conduct or findings of an investigation carried out under our Investigation Service
• •Decisions made in connection with our Certification Scheme (applications, assessment outcomes, suspension, withdrawal)
• •The conduct of our staff or representatives
• •Breaches of our published policies and Terms
• •Any other matter relating to our services

3.2. This Procedure does not cover:

• •Matters that are outside the scope of The CPD Register's services or authority
• •Complaints about third parties whose conduct we have no responsibility for
• •Matters that are already the subject of legal proceedings or regulatory investigation, unless the complaint relates specifically to our conduct within those proceedings

4. Before making a formal complaint

4.1. Many concerns can be resolved informally and quickly. Before making a formal complaint, we encourage you to contact the member of staff or function you have been dealing with, to see whether the matter can be addressed directly.

4.2. Where a concern relates to information on a listing on our public Register, we encourage you to use the correction request route set out in the Listing Policy in the first instance, as this is typically faster than a formal complaint.

4.3. Informal resolution is not a prerequisite to making a formal complaint. If you prefer to go straight to the formal Procedure, you are entitled to do so.

5. How to make a formal complaint

5.1. Formal complaints should be submitted in writing to:

5.2. Your complaint should include:

• •Your name and contact details
• •A clear description of the matter complained of
• •The date(s) on which the matter occurred
• •The names of any staff members involved (if known)
• •A description of the outcome you are seeking
• •Copies of any supporting documentation

5.3. We acknowledge receipt of formal complaints within two working days.

6. How we handle complaints

Stage 1: Investigation and response

6.1. Once a complaint is received, it is assigned to a senior member of staff who was not directly involved in the matter complained of. The assigned staff member reviews:

• •The complaint and any supporting documentation provided
• •Our records relating to the matter
• •Relevant sections of our published policies and Terms
• •Any other material necessary to understand the matter fully

6.2. We aim to provide a substantive written response within ten working days of receipt of a formal complaint.

6.3. Where a complaint is complex, requires input from third parties, or involves matters that will take longer to investigate, we will notify you of the extended timeframe and the expected date of response.

6.4. The response will set out:

• •Our understanding of the complaint
• •The investigation we have carried out
• •Our findings against each element of the complaint
• •Any action we have taken, or propose to take, in response
• •The route available if you are not satisfied with this response (Stage 2)

Stage 2: Review

6.5. If you are not satisfied with the Stage 1 response, you may request a Stage 2 review by writing to us within twenty working days of receiving the Stage 1 response.

6.6. A Stage 2 review is conducted by a Director of The CPD Register Ltd who was not involved in the Stage 1 investigation. The Director considers:

• •The original complaint and all supporting documentation
• •The Stage 1 investigation and response
• •Any further points or evidence you provide in requesting the Stage 2 review

6.7. We aim to provide a Stage 2 written response within ten working days of receiving the request.

6.8. The Stage 2 response sets out the Director's findings and is our final response to the complaint.

7. Routes available if you remain dissatisfied

7.1. If you are not satisfied with our final response, external routes may be available to you depending on the subject matter of the complaint:

7.2. The list above is not exhaustive. Where a complaint falls within the jurisdiction of a regulator not mentioned here, we will signpost you to the appropriate body in our Stage 2 response.

8. Complaints about certification decisions

8.1. Complaints about decisions made under our Certification Scheme — including application decisions, assessment outcomes, conditions imposed, suspension, or withdrawal — follow the same stages as set out in this Procedure.

8.2. Additionally, appeal rights in relation to certification decisions are set out in the Certification Agreement issued to applicants and certified organisations, and in the Certification Mark Regulations filed with the UKIPO. Those appeal rights are separate from, and additional to, the rights under this Complaints Procedure.

9. Vexatious or abusive complaints

9.1. We reserve the right to decline to progress complaints that are:

• •Manifestly vexatious, malicious, or made in bad faith
• •Repeats of a matter that has already been fully considered, unless new evidence is provided
• •Accompanied by abusive, threatening, or harassing conduct towards our staff

9.2. Where we decline to progress a complaint on this basis, we notify the complainant in writing, setting out the reasons. The decision may itself be the subject of a Stage 2 review.

10. Records, monitoring, and learning

10.1. We maintain records of all formal complaints, our investigations, and our responses. These records are retained in accordance with our data retention policy, as set out in our Privacy Policy.

10.2. We review complaints periodically to identify patterns and opportunities for improvement in our services. Anonymised complaints data may be referenced in our annual reporting.

10.3. Complaints and the lessons we draw from them inform the ongoing development of our policies, procedures, and services.

11. Changes to this Procedure

11.1. We may update this Procedure from time to time. The date of the most recent update is shown at the foot of this page.

11.2. Changes apply to complaints received after the date of the update. Complaints already in progress are handled under the Procedure in force at the time of receipt.

12. Contact