What the licence covers
When an activity is accredited you receive a licence to display the mark on that activity, for the accreditation period, alongside the accreditation reference. The licence does not extend to your organisation, your other courses, or activities you deliver after the period ends.
This is the mark as licensed. Reproduce it in this form, at a minimum width of 32mm in print or 120 pixels on screen, so the lettering inside it stays legible. An asset pack with print and screen files should be published from this page.
Rules for display
- Display the mark only on the accredited activity and its own materials.
- Always show the accreditation reference with the mark. The mark on its own does not tell a learner what was accredited.
- Do not alter the mark: no recolouring, stretching, rotating or adding to it.
- Keep clear space around the mark equal to the height of the glyph, and do not place it on a background that reduces its contrast below the published minimum.
- Do not combine the mark with wording that implies we regulate you, approve your organisation, or endorse a product.
- Remove the mark from live materials within 30 days of an accreditation ending, and from any material still being distributed.
Certificate wording
Certificates have to distinguish completion from achievement, as outcome 3.2 of the Standards requires. Use the wording that matches what you actually assessed.
| Where you assessed the outcomes | Where you recorded completion only |
|---|---|
“This confirms that [learner] achieved the learning outcomes of [activity], a CPD Accredited activity, on [date]. Accreditation reference [reference]. [n] CPD hours.” | “This confirms that [learner] completed [activity], a CPD Accredited activity, on [date]. Accreditation reference [reference]. [n] CPD hours.” |
Common mistakes
- Organisation level claims. “We are a CPD Accredited provider” overstates what accreditation covers when only some of your activities hold one. Name the activity.
- Mark without reference. A mark with no reference cannot be checked, which defeats the purpose of publishing a register.
- Expired accreditation. Brochures and landing pages outlive accreditation periods. Diary the end date.
- Implying regulation. We are not a regulator, and wording that suggests otherwise misleads learners.
Misuse
Where the mark is used outside these rules, we ask for it to be corrected and give a deadline. Where it is not corrected, or where the mark is used by an organisation holding no accreditation at all, we can suspend or withdraw the accreditation and record that on the register.
Anyone can report a concern about how the mark is being used, including anonymously.