Our professional standards and code

To excel in your career and make your greatest possible impact, you need professional credibility. And that’s exactly what CIPD membership gives you. Your commitment to professional standards of knowledge, capability and ethical practice means leaders can trust you to deliver what’s right for people and organisations.

Through our Royal Charter, only we can award internationally recognised chartered status to HR, L&D, OD&D and all people professionals. Our Profession Map sets the international benchmark for the whole people profession. Members at all grades – with or without chartered status – adhere to the same Code of Conduct and Ethics and commit to their continuing professional development.

The Profession Map

The Profession Map sets the international benchmark for the whole people profession: HR, L&D, OD&D or another specialism. With our purpose and values at its centre, it defines the core knowledge, core behaviours and specialist knowledge that all people professionals need to make better decisions, act with confidence, and have a positive impact.

Explore the Profession Map

Membership standards

Our membership standards are taken directly from our Profession Map. They are the key knowledge and behaviour standards you need to demonstrate if you want to be a Foundation Member, Associate Member, Chartered Member or Chartered Fellow. We use them to assess all people professionals for membership, whether you’re doing a qualification, coming into membership for the first time or upgrading to the next level.

View the membership standards

Code of Conduct and Ethics

Our Code of Conduct and Ethics protects the interests of the public. And our Royal Charter demands that we require all of our members – regardless of grade, role or specialism – to uphold its obligations. We encourage our members and our wider community to review the new code and use it to reflect on their practice.

Read our Code of Conduct and Ethics

Continuing professional development (CPD)

Our Royal Charter also sets out our requirements for continuing professional development. And with our self-assessment tool, Learning hub, Knowledge hub, Views and insights, we’re here to support you in taking ownership of your reflection, learning and practice.

Find out more about CPD

Celebrating professional excellence

Chartered Companion is level of membership and accolade we award. Chartered Companions have a proven track record in our profession and have demonstrated exceptional impact in contributing to better work and working lives.

Meet our Chartered companions

"I am delighted to announce our new Code of Conduct and Ethics. Launched in January 2023, following consultation across and beyond our profession, we’ve embedded ethical principles more deeply. These principles of professional service and competence, civic virtue and stewardship, good character, and personal responsibility take our profession further in our positive and active impact on working lives, with ethics at the heart of our work."

Peter Cheese, Chief Executive, CIPD