APS has increased its sector-wide engagement to better support members in developing and maintaining professional competence. Each week, we’ll share an update from APS HQ so you can see the breadth of work being carried out for your benefit.

What’s been happening?

• Sofie Hooper, Deputy CEO, kicked off last week’s external engagements by attending the second public webinar organised by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the call for evidence for the Professions Strategy. During the webinar, officials reiterated the Government’s commitment for meaningful reform and the ambition for a maximalist approach to change while ensuring that the market remains functional. This means they are looking at a whole systems approach which goes beyond the recommendations flowing from the Grenfell Inquiry. They reiterated the message that not all change can be put onto a single Regulator, but that systemic culture change is needed over and above compliance fear. APS considers that to drive culture change and deliver safer buildings, there needs to be greater clarity and prescription on the competence requirements for safety critical professionals such as the PD CDM and the PD BR, as the recent CDM Post-Implementation Review illustrates what happens when such clarity is taken away.

  Members are strongly encouraged to participate in the Government’s call for evidence. Please ensure your responses are submitted to APS by 13 July.

  You can find further information on how to contribute to the APS submission, including how to provide your input in this news item: calling all members

• While the ICSG - SLG2 Consultant Design meeting due to take place last week was cancelled, Sofie ended up attending a CIC Business and Project Committee to discuss next steps of the Building Safety Alliance.

• In preparation of the kick off meeting of BS 8770 on the management of competence in organisations, Sofie met with the BSI editorial lead. This new standard will be translating the ITFG guidance on managing competence in organisations into a BSI Code of Practice. APS is acting as the convenor of the guidance and its President, Mark Snelling, is part of the drafting panel too.

Recent updates that members should know about

Nima published health and safety information management

The IMI Framework, the UK’s source of guidance on information management in accordance with the ISO 19650 standards, has been expanded to include insights on health and safety information management as set out in ISO 19650-6. As well as helping to improve health and safety performance, BS-EN ISO 19650-6 also provides a key tool for managing the golden thread of information for higher-risk buildings as required by the Building Safety Act. Read more here. **

What’s coming up this week? (29 June- 5 July)

Meetings that APS is involved in this week include:

• BSI kick off meeting for BS 8770, which will translate the ITFG guidance on how to manage competence in organisations into a Code of Practice
• Sofie will present the recently published ITFG guidance alongside the ICC and BSR during a BSI webinar on their Built Environment Competence Hub
• CIC Finance and Governance Committee We’ll continue to keep members updated on key developments and engagement across the industry as plans for 2026 take shape.

If you would like to contribute or share expertise on issues that matter to you, please contact APS HQ at info@aps.org.uk.