What are schemes?

How we monitor Professional Standards Schemes

We assign a dedicated Professional Standards Scheme Manager to every association we work with. This partnership approach to regulation allows us to work with associations to:

  • Support them in their self-regulatory goals
  • Help them to understand their legislative obligations
  • Help them monitor and enforce the professional standards of their members
  • Increase consumer protection by improving professional standards.

In order to maintain a Professional Standards Scheme, associations must participate in ongoing compliance and professional standards improvement programs, and submit detailed annual reports on these programs to us.

If an association doesn’t meet its obligations under professional standards legislation, the Professional Standards Councils can issue warnings, seek fines through the courts, or consider revoking the association’s Professional Standards Scheme.

The Councils meet regularly to oversee associations’ compliance with their legislative obligations, review and assess applications, and approve new or amended Professional Standards Schemes.