CIPR introduces compulsory EDI learning as part of annual CPD requirement
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) has announced that from 2026–2027, members that engage in the Institute’s CPD cycle will be required to log a minimum of five Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) points as part of their annual professional development.
The change positions EDI learning alongside the existing ethics requirement within the 60-point annual CPD framework. Members' CPD cycles will only be marked as complete once both components are fulfilled, and the MyCPD dashboard will track progress against the new requirement in the same way it does for ethics points.
Over 80 free EDI activities are already listed on the CIPR’s CPD database, covering areas such as inclusive communications, understanding bias and behaviour, and building inclusive organisations. Members will also be able to log bespoke or external EDI learning as a custom activity.
The change was recommended by the CIPR's EDI Committee and approved by its Council and Board. It follows the Institute becoming the first professional body to achieve the National Equality Standard in 2023 and was identified as a priority point of consideration in its EDI Strategy.
We introduced compulsory ethics learning because it is fundamental to professional standards. EDI belongs in the same category. Good public relations begins with understanding people, and in an increasingly diverse society, that understanding doesn't happen by accident. It takes deliberate, ongoing development, and practitioners who invest in that continued learning produce better work that genuinely connects with the people they're trying to reach.
Delivering more inclusive communications benefits individual practitioners, the organisations and clients they work for, and the profession's reputation more broadly. I'd encourage all members to embrace this change and get learning by exploring the many resources available on our CPD database.
- Log EDI CPD activities through MyCPD and explore a curated list of free EDI resources.
- Read our dedicated FAQs on the EDI CPD requirement.
About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations
Founded in 1948, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the world's only Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners with over 11,000 members.
The CIPR advances professionalism in public relations by making its members accountable to their employers and the public through a code of conduct and searchable public register, setting standards through training, qualifications, awards and the production of best practice and skills guidance, facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and awarding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status (Chart.PR).