CPD accreditation is the independent, third-party assessment of a learning activity to confirm it meets recognised Continuing Professional Development standards.
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CPD accreditation is the independent, third-party assessment of a learning activity to confirm it meets recognised Continuing Professional Development standards. When a course, webinar, event, podcast, or other professional learning activity is CPD accredited, it means a qualified accreditation body has reviewed it against a defined quality framework and approved it as a genuine and valuable CPD activity.
The CPD Group is one of the UK's leading CPD accreditation bodies. We are the first and currently only organisation to be certified by The CPD Register — the independent body that verifies the standards of accreditation organisations themselves. We have been named the Most Trusted CPD Accreditation Service by the UK Business Excellence Awards, and we work with over 13,000 approved providers worldwide across all professional sectors.
CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. It refers to the ongoing process of learning, developing skills, and maintaining professional knowledge throughout a career — beyond any initial training or qualifications. CPD ensures that professionals stay current with the latest standards, practices, and developments in their field.
CPD is recognised internationally across virtually every industry. In some countries it is known as Continuing Education (CE), Continuing Professional Education (CPE), or Continuing Medical Education (CME), but the underlying principle is the same: professionals have a responsibility to keep their knowledge and skills current throughout their working lives.
noun — the independent assessment of a training course, webinar, event, podcast, or other learning activity by a qualified accreditation body to confirm it meets recognised quality standards for professional development.
CPD accreditation matters for two distinct audiences. For training providers — organisations and individuals who deliver professional learning — accreditation provides independent validation that their content meets recognised standards. This adds credibility, supports marketing, and makes their activities discoverable to professionals who need accredited learning.
For learners and delegates, CPD accreditation provides assurance that the time and money invested in a course or event will be accepted as valid CPD by their professional body or employer. It means the activity has been independently assessed for quality — not just self-declared by the provider. Accredited activities generate CPD certificates that can be used as formal evidence of professional development.
The CPD accreditation process at The CPD Group follows three stages. First, an organisation or individual registers as an approved CPD Provider — this is free and establishes that the organisation meets the fundamental criteria required to deliver CPD. Second, individual activities are submitted for assessment. Third, The CPD Group's specialist team evaluates each submission individually against the A.C.C.R.E.D.I.T.E.D Framework.
The A.C.C.R.E.D.I.T.E.D Framework assesses every submission across eight dimensions: Accuracy, Credibility, Clarity, Relevance, Engagement, Delivery, Impact, and Transparency of Evidence. If an activity meets the required standard, it is approved and listed on The CPD Register with a unique, verifiable accreditation number. If improvements are needed, the team provides detailed feedback and works with the provider to achieve accreditation.
Free registration confirms your organisation meets the fundamental criteria required to deliver CPD-accredited learning.
Register for freeSubmit individual courses, webinars, podcasts, events, or other activities for assessment — each is reviewed independently.
Our specialist team evaluates each submission individually against the A.C.C.R.E.D.I.T.E.D Framework. If approved, your activity is listed on The CPD Register with a unique number.
View the frameworkEight quality dimensions every submission is assessed against.
Free Provider registration. Per-activity assessment. No blanket accreditation.
The CPD Group accredits a broader range of learning formats than most accreditation bodies. Activities eligible for accreditation include:
Face-to-face, online, self-paced and blended
Live and pre-recorded virtual sessions
Educational audio content with CPD value
Educational video and visual content
Educational articles and written publications
Conferences, seminars, expos and summits
Internal staff training programmes
Individual trainer and coach accreditation
Every format is assessed individually against the same rigorous framework. The CPD Group does not offer blanket accreditation — a practice where a provider logo is applied broadly without assessing individual activities.
CPD accreditation and regulated qualifications are fundamentally different and serve different purposes. Regulated qualifications — such as degrees, NVQs, HNCs, and professional charters — are formal credentials regulated by government-appointed bodies such as Ofqual in England. They are assigned a level on the Regulated Qualifications Framework and confer formal educational standing.
CPD accreditation is an independent quality mark confirming that a learning activity meets professional development standards. It is not a regulated qualification and does not sit within Ofqual's framework. A CPD certificate is evidence of professional learning and development. The two serve complementary purposes: qualifications establish baseline competence when entering a profession, while CPD keeps knowledge and skills current throughout a career.
Blanket accreditation is the practice of some organisations approving a provider's entire output without assessing individual activities. A provider pays a fee, receives a logo, and can display it on all their content — regardless of quality. This approach offers no genuine assurance that individual learning activities meet CPD standards.
The CPD Group does not offer blanket accreditation. Every single activity submitted — whether a provider submits one course or six hundred — is assessed individually by our specialist team. This is one of the core reasons The CPD Group was certified by The CPD Register and named the most trusted accreditation service in the sector.
Read more about blanket accreditationThe CPD Register is the UK's independent certification body that verifies the standards of CPD accreditation organisations. The CPD Group is the first and currently only accreditation organisation to be certified by The CPD Register. When an activity carries The CPD Group's accreditation mark, it can be verified at thecpd.group/cpd-register using the unique accreditation number shown on the certificate or logo. Any accreditation that cannot be independently verified should be treated with caution.
Join over 13,000 approved providers worldwide. Becoming a CPD Provider with The CPD Group is free — start your accreditation journey today.