PRESS RELEASE
21 February 2008, Amsterdam
The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) today announced a global framework agreement with risk management firm Det Norske Veritas. The agreement paves the way for international rollout of the Consultancy Management Standard (CMS), a professional accreditation tailored to the public relations consultancy industry.
The Consultancy Management Standard combines elements of ISO 9000 and Investors in People with criteria specific to PR consultancy. It was developed and introduced in 1997 by the PRCA (Public Relations Consultants Association) of the UK, a founding member of ICCO, as the industry’s first quality certification system for public relations. The standard serves as a badge of professionalism, helping to improve consultancy businesses while assuring both clients and employees that audited firms offer quality management and performance.
CMS certification is an exclusive benefit for ICCO-member trade associations and their affiliated firms worldwide. It has already been adopted – either on a mandatory or voluntary basis – by associations in eleven countries (Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, India, Ireland, Norway, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK) and is pending acceptance in several more.
According to Francis Ingham, Director General of the PRCA, “Consultancies often talk about how CMS has helped align their structures and systems with industry best practice. Licensing CMS can only help to improve the standards of PR consultancy around the world.”
The new, global agreement with DNV both simplifies and strengthens the process of international adoption by setting forth standardised conditions under which national trade associations can make CMS accreditation available to their member firms. Specifically, the document clarifies DNV resources and investment relevant to CMS audits along with providing for the centralisation of databases, administration and standard certificate issue. The text also offers a complete breakdown of fees and protects ICCO firms from rate hikes for a period of three years.
With a more efficient framework in place, the two organisations plan to redouble efforts to provide greater visibility and recognition for CMS on an international scale, thereby increasing the value of accreditation both for consultancies and their partners.
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The International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) is the voice of public relations consultancies across the globe. The ICCO membership comprises national trade associations representing independent public relations consultancies in twenty-eight countries around the world: from Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, America and Australia. These affiliated trade associations collectively have over 1,000 PR consultancies as their members, who between them employ some 25,000 staff.
DNV is a global provider of risk management services. It is an independent foundation whose purpose is to safeguard life, property and the environment. Through a network of 300 offices in 100 countries, DNV serves a range of industries, with a special focus on the maritime and energy sectors.
The Consultancy Management Standard is licensed by the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) of the UK and promoted internationally by the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) with permission. Made up of eight elements, CMS is designed to help businesses continually improve. The eight elements cover: Leadership and Communications; Business Planning; Business Improvement; Financial Systems; Campaign Management; Client Satisfaction; New Business; and People Management.
The PRCA (Public Relations Consultants Association) is the representative body for public relations consultancies in the UK. It has over 130 members and represents consultancies who account for more than 70 per cent of the consultancy fee income generated in the UK. The association provides support to PR consultancies to enable them to become better businesses and helps to demonstrate the value of public relations consultancy to clients. The PRCA developed the Consultancy Management Standard.
For further information, contact:
Virginia Hague
Executive Director
+31.613.262.584
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