Certification process

Achieving the standard of excellence in procurement

Our certification process provides your organisation with a unique, independent benchmark, gap analysis and improvement tool for your purchasing and supply management activities.

Step 1 – Planning and mobilisation

The appointed CIPS Certification Programme manager will meet you to plan data gathering workshops, share planning templates and agree key time lines for the work.

Step 2 – Data gathering workshop

A team of between four and fifteen people from your organisation attend a one-day workshop covering strategic, operational, ethical, statutory and environmental issues.

We recommend that this should include the head of your purchasing or supply chain function, key internal customers and the person who will have responsibility for maintaining and advocating the certification processes.

Step 3 - Document analysis

Existing documents and media are taken away and compared with the responses from the workshop.

Step 4 - Gap analysis report

The workshop data and documentation are compared against our standard and any gaps are identified. A comprehensive report is then sent to you for action.

Step 5 – Feedback workshop

The gap analysis report is openly reviewed and an action plan is drawn up to close all identified gaps.

Step 6 – Gap closure

Your organisation works to close the agreed gaps and supply documentary evidence of gap closure.

Step 7 – CIPS Accreditation Board

We formally reviews and endorses your case on its merits. Successful organisations are formally signed off by one of our directors.

Step 8 – Publicity

Assuming that your organisation meets our required standard, you will be awarded our prestigious Certification Award. We hold a ceremony at your premises and the award is presented by one of our directors. Your achievement will also be publicised in an edition of Supply Management magazine.

Step 9 – Continuous improvement

To ensure that your organisation maintains excellent standards and adapts to changes in best practice or legislation, we will conduct an audit every 18 months.