The term accreditation is known as a “sensitive word” which means you have to seek approval to use the term in a company name. The Accreditation Policy Team at the Office for Product Safety and Standards have confirmed to us that they approved for The Accreditation Association to use the term “accredited.” However, Companies House refused the use of the word “Association” to be included in their company name therefore, The Accreditation Association Limited was never listed on Companies House as a registered company name.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards informed us that the company was then subsequently registered under the name “The Accreditation Company Limited - 12705198” due to the afore mentioned restrictions. This company is now dissolved (August 2023).
However, the website for this company is still active and is trading in the name of “The Accreditation Association” as a sole trader, not a limited company. They are also still active on their Social Media channels.
This company also has no terms and conditions present on their website. We would expect a reputable Accreditation Organisation to have these in place.
The Accreditation Association also sell training materials themselves, which we feel is a conflict of interest for those that are submitting their own courses for accreditation.
Due to Companies House releasing their new requirements for organisations under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, we have taken the view that The Accreditation Association should not be listed on the register as they do not publish an address which means they are non-traceable and non-verifiable.
Although The Accreditation Association is not a limited company we have taken the view that the requirements within the Act should be applicable to all business types, not just those that are registered with Companies House. We feel that it is imperative that the CPD Consumer has the confidence that they are dealing with a genuine CPD Accreditation Service Provider, where the business owners have been identified and are contactable in the event of a legal issue.
This organisation is advertising courses with the below wording in the course title:
Following further research into this organisation and contact with them, we advise all CPD Consumers, before they purchase or enrol on a course provided by this organisation, that they seek clarification from them that the course they are advertising, is indeed a Regulated Qualification.
For this to be a fully regulated Qualification, with academic credits, the organisation should be able to provide you with the following information:
If the organisation is unable to provide this information, you can assume that the course is being incorrectly advertised and is a CPD Course and NOT a ‘Qualification’.
The following companies are advertising CPD Accreditation Services but following extensive research and reports from CPD Providers who have used their services, we have listed them as Non-Trading (if your company is listed below and is indeed trading, please contact us so we can update your listing).
We believe this is a conflict of interest and does not demonstrate impartiality. Secondly it brings into question what a training provider will do with another CPD Training Providers training materials during the accreditation process. We feel that this is a risk to the intellectual property of the submitting CPD Training Provider and caution should be given.
CPD courses enhance existing knowledge, while Qualifications require formal assessment. Be wary of misleading terms like "Qualified" or "Level" used for CPD courses. Verify Qualification claims with the provider, checking for details about the awarding body, qualification number, and approval certificate. If a course isn't a Qualification, ensure it's CPD Accredited by a reputable provider. Understanding the difference between CPD and Qualifications is essential for making informed decisions about your professional development.
Terms and conditions (T&Cs) form an important part of many business transactions, providing a legal framework governing the rights and obligations of the parties. They help ensure transparency and certainty and reduce the risk of disputes between the parties involved. The following CPD Accreditation Service Providers have vague terms and conditions or do not publish or have any Terms and Conditions visible on their site and caution should be given before entering into any contract with these companies. We advise that you request a copy of their terms and conditions before engaging in their Accreditation Services.
Last Updated: 26th November 2024
We do our best to ensure that all information is accurate and up to date. If you are part of the above-mentioned organisation and some
of the information we have found is inaccurate please contact us at [email protected]
so we can rectify this for you.