When it comes to starting out on your accreditation journey with The CPD Group, understanding the difference between CPD approval and CPD accreditation is essential. While both processes are important steps in ensuring the quality and effectiveness of your CPD offerings, they have distinct purposes and outcomes. In this blog post, we will delve into the differences between CPD approval and CPD accreditation to shed light on their individual roles in ensuring high quality CPD learning.
CPD Approval: Laying the Foundation for Quality Learning
CPD approval is the initial step in the journey towards CPD accreditation. This process involves a comprehensive assessment of your organisation as a whole, examining its policies, procedures, and fundamental elements. The aim of CPD approval is to ensure that your organisation possesses the necessary infrastructure and commitment to deliver CPD activities effectively.
How does CPD Approval Work?
During the CPD approval process, The CPD Group's Business Development team will get to know you and your business, building a working relationship with you whilst assessing your organisation's readiness to provide CPD opportunities. CPD approval serves as a prerequisite for CPD accreditation, establishing a strong start to your accreditation journey.
Where can I use my CPD Approval Logo?
Once you are accredited as an Approved CPD Provider, you will receive your Approved CPD Provider logo which contains your unique verification number. This logo provides proof that your company is CPD ready, and can be used across your social media and website to demonstrate this. However, as CPD approval doesn't assess your individual courses and trainers, it may not be used on any CPD activity certificates, as this may mislead your customers into believing they are individually CPD accredited.
Learn more about Provider Approval here!
CPD Accreditation includes Trainer accreditation, where each individual trainer receives an exclusive Trainer ID card!
CPD Accreditation: Recognising Excellence
CPD accreditation builds upon the foundation established through CPD approval, focusing on the specific elements of your business, such as individual courses and trainers. Accreditation delves deeper into the evaluation process, employing more thorough criteria to ensure that your CPD activities meet the highest standards set by The CPD Group.
CPD accreditation employs a more robust and thorough form of assessment, using our A.C.C.R.E.D.I.T.E.D Frameworks
How does CPD Accreditation Work?
During the CPD accreditation process, your courses and trainers undergo a comprehensive assessment to determine their quality, relevance, and effectiveness. The Accreditation and Compliance Team examine factors such as the learning outcomes, course materials, instructional methods, and assessment procedures. With trainer accreditation, they will evaluate the qualifications, expertise, and professional development of your trainers. CPD accreditation provides an added layer of assurance to professionals seeking CPD opportunities, highlighting the excellence and value of your offerings.
Please note that Podcasts, Edutorials and Webinars employ a light touch accreditation model, which you can learn more about here!
Each activity and trainer you accredit receives a unique accreditation logo
Where can I use my accreditation logo?
When it comes to CPD Courses, Webinars, Edutorials and Podcasts, each accredited activity will carry its own accreditation logo and verification number. These logos should only be used in relation to their specific activity and nowhere else. This includes activity marketing materials and your activity certificates.
The same goes for CPD Trainers. Each of your Trainers will receive their own unique accreditation logo and number which is not interchangeable between trainers and should only be used by that specific individual.
CPD Approval vs CPD Accreditation: What's the difference?
- Scope: CPD approval assesses your organisation as a whole, while CPD accreditation focuses on specific elements such as courses and trainers.
- Evaluation Criteria: CPD approval evaluates the overall readiness of your organisation, ensuring it meets the foundational requirements for CPD provision. CPD accreditation employs more detailed criteria to assess the quality and effectiveness of individual courses and trainers.
- Thoroughness: CPD approval acts as a prerequisite to accreditation, setting the groundwork for a more in-depth evaluation in the accreditation process.
- Significance: CPD approval establishes your organisation as a recognised CPD Provider, while CPD accreditation showcases the excellence and adherence to high standards in specific aspects of your CPD activities and other elements of your business.
Why do we differentiate the two?
CPD approval and CPD accreditation are two distinct processes that contribute to the overall recognition and credibility of your organisation. Whilst CPD approval lays the foundation by assessing your organisation as a whole and checking you're CPD ready, CPD accreditation focuses on evaluating specific elements such as courses and trainers, ensuring they meet the highest standards of quality and relevance. By understanding the differences between CPD approval and CPD accreditation, you can navigate the path to becoming a trusted and respected provider of CPD activities with The CPD Group!
Other CPD Accreditation bodies use a "Blanket Accreditation" approach that uses one assessment process to accredit your organisation, courses, trainers and any other CPD you offer. At The CPD Group, we don't think this approach is enough to ensure quality - as such accreditation bodies often do not assess every course individually, and may miss key elements of your organisation by using such a broad approach. We think it's essential to undertake a thorough quality check on each element of your business separately, using tailored criteria specially designed to assess your trainers, courses, webinars, events and any other types of CPD learning.
Ready to start your accreditation journey? Contact our team!