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Initial Professional Development (IPD)

Join our route to Chartered membership

IPD is a route our Certified Members can take to progress to Chartered status. It includes an assessment process, continuing professional development (CPD) review and Peer Review Interview (PRI). Chartered status shows employers, recruiters, customers and peers you’re at the top of your game.

Benefits of Chartered membership

IOSH is the only organisation in the world that offers Chartered membership to health and safety professionals. It carries the same benefits as Chartered status in other professions, which include:

  • improve your ability to influence decision-makers
  • gain international recognition
  • work on an equal footing with other professionals
  • increase your employability.

How can you get there?

There are currently three IPD routes available. We will advise you which route is applicable, based on the qualification you submitted to reach Certified status.

  1. Certified Member with a level 6 degree or diploma.
  2. Certified Member with a level 6 NVQ/scenario assessment/portfolio-style qualification.
  3. Certified Member with a non-accredited degree.

How long does it take?

You will have two years to complete the assessment stage (Electronic Skills Development Portfolio and/or Electronic Open Assessment). If you don't complete it in this time, you will have to register for the new Professional Development Assessment route (see information box further down this page).

Some members achieve Chartered status within six to nine months.

We will inform you, via email, that you have completed the first stage of your IPD, and your CPD will be audited shortly after. Once you pass your CPD Review, we’ll send you an email to book your PRI – the final step.

Email IOSH’s Professional Assessment team or call them on +44(0)116 350 0888 for help with:

  • qualification queries
  • support with IPD assessments and peer review interviews
  • progressing to your next membership grade.

We also hold free online workshops for members registered on IPD as well as those interested in joining this route to Chartered status.

IPD remains open until 23:59 (BST) on 13 August 2024 for Certified Members looking to progress to Chartered status. Anyone who registers for IPD by this date can continue this route unchanged.

We will replace it with the Professional Development Assessment (PDA) on 14 August 2024. This new route costs £550. 

If you want to achieve Chartered membership, it’s worth considering which route best suits your circumstances. Find out more about PDA. You can also download the comparison table at the bottom of the page to help you.

Compare our IPD/PDA routes (pdf) (98.905KB) (opens in a new tab)
  • CPD programme
  • Financial support