CPD accreditation, assessed activity by activity
Accredo International is an independent accreditation body. We assess CPD courses, events, trainers and employer training programmes against a published five-test standard, issue each approved activity a unique accreditation number, and list it on a public register that anyone can check without an account.
What is CPD accreditation?
CPD accreditation is independent confirmation that a learning activity meets a published quality standard. An assessor with no commercial stake in the activity checks its objectives, content accuracy, structure, duration and completion evidence, then issues a unique accreditation number that anyone can verify on a public register.
Read the full answer →Why it matters
“CPD” is not a protected term. Anyone may label a video as CPD, state an hours value, and print a certificate. Accreditation is what separates the claim from the checked.
For a learner facing an audit, the difference is whether the hours can be defended. For a provider, it is whether credibility has to be asserted or can simply be verified.
One standard, applied to every format of professional learning
A classroom, a conference hall, a podcast feed, a workplace induction pathway — the delivery differs, the assessment does not. Nine routes, one published standard.
Course Accreditation
Classroom, live online, self-paced and blended courses, each assessed individually for objectives, accuracy and honest duration.
Learn more →E-Learning Accreditation
Self-paced modules, SCORM packages and microlearning — assessed on realistic completion time, not advertised runtime.
Learn more →Webinar Accreditation
Live, recorded and on-demand sessions, accredited per episode or as a season, with an assessed hours value for attendees.
Learn more →Event Accreditation
Conferences, seminars and workshops, assessed session by session so hours reflect the teaching, not the timetable.
Learn more →Podcast Accreditation
Educational audio and video podcasts, awarded CPD minutes rather than rounded-up hours, claimed via a reflective check.
Learn more →Publication Accreditation
Articles, journals and technical publications, giving readers assessed CPD minutes for structured professional reading.
Learn more →Trainer Accreditation
A personal credential for freelance trainers, coaches and consultants — it belongs to the practitioner, not the platform.
Learn more →Employer Accreditation
Internal training turned into CPD that counts outside the building — hours your staff can record, keep and carry.
Learn more →Institution & Professional Body
Colleges, universities and membership bodies, where the governance of the programme is assessed as well as the content.
Learn more →
Five tests every activity has to pass
The same five questions are put to every submission, whether it is a two-hour webinar or a twelve-module programme:
- Purpose — are the learning objectives specific and measurable, written as outcomes rather than topics?
- Accuracy — is the content correct, current and properly sourced?
- Relevance — does it serve a defined professional audience at a defined level?
- Delivery — is the format right for the material, and does the stated duration match the learning?
- Evidence — can completion, and the learning itself, actually be demonstrated?
Where a submission falls short we say exactly where and why, and one resubmission is included. Failing quietly serves nobody.
How assessment works →How to get CPD accreditation, in three steps
Register as a provider
Tell us about your organisation, subject expertise and how you deliver learning. Registration is free and carries no obligation to submit anything.
Submit your activity
Send the outline, learning objectives, duration, audience and trainer credentials. Every submission is read by an assessor — nothing is waved through on a provider badge alone.
Receive your seal
Approved activities get a unique accreditation number, the Accredo seal, a public register listing, and the right to issue verifiable CPD certificates.
Typical time to an initial outcome on a complete submission: two to three weeks. Activity accreditation starts at £95; provider registration is free. See published prices →
An accreditation mark only means something if it can be tested
Every activity we approve carries a unique number that learners, employers and professional bodies can look up on our public register — confirming the provider, the activity, the CPD hours awarded and the current status of the accreditation.
- Unique accreditation number on every seal and certificate
- Public register lookup — free, and no account required
- Annual review keeps accredited content current
- Expired and withdrawn accreditations are flagged, not hidden
Institutions holding Accredo accreditation
Colleges, training providers, professional bodies and employers across every region — each assessed individually before joining the register.
Logos shown are placeholders pending provider sign-off. View the full institution directory →
Three marks, three different meanings
The distinction matters, and the CPD market often blurs it. A provider badge says the organisation was assessed. An activity seal says this course was assessed. Only the second tells a learner anything about what they are about to book.
Common questions about CPD and accreditation
Direct answers to the questions we are asked most. The full library covers 35 questions across six topics.
What is CPD?
CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. It is the structured and self-directed learning a professional undertakes after qualifying, in order to maintain and extend the skills their role requires. It is measured in hours, recorded over an annual cycle, and required for continued registration in most regulated professions.
How many CPD hours do I need per year?
There is no universal figure — each professional body sets its own. Common annual requirements fall between 20 and 50 hours, with some bodies requiring a minimum share to be structured or verifiable. Because these figures are revised periodically, confirm your current requirement directly with your own regulator.
What is CPD accreditation?
CPD accreditation is independent confirmation that a learning activity meets a published quality standard. An assessor with no commercial stake in the activity checks its objectives, content accuracy, structure, duration and completion evidence, then issues a unique accreditation number that anyone can verify on a public register.
How are CPD hours calculated?
CPD hours reflect actual learning time, excluding breaks, meals, registration and networking. A full training day is typically around six to seven CPD hours, a half-day around three, and a one-hour webinar one hour. Accredited activities have their hours value assessed independently rather than set by the provider.
Is CPD accreditation the same as a qualification?
No. A qualification is awarded by an awarding organisation, usually sits on a national qualifications framework, and certifies a level of attainment. CPD accreditation is an independent quality mark applied to a learning activity. The two are complementary: qualifications establish entry to a profession, CPD evidences development within it.
How much does CPD accreditation cost?
Accredo provider registration is free. Activity accreditation is priced per item and published openly: courses from GBP 295, e-learning from 345, webinars from 175, events from 395, podcasts from 95 per episode, publications from 145 per article, and trainer accreditation from 145 per year. Renewal is 60% of list.
How do I verify a CPD certificate?
Find the accreditation number printed on the certificate or seal and enter it on the accrediting body's public register. A genuine record confirms the provider, activity, CPD hours and current status. If a certificate carries a seal but no number, or the number returns no match, treat it as unverified.
Can AI-generated courses be CPD accredited?
Yes, on exactly the same terms as any other course. Assessment examines the finished activity — accuracy, depth, structure, currency and learning value. Material that passes those tests is accreditable regardless of how it was produced; material that fails them is not, however it was made.
What accredited providers say
The assessment feedback was the useful part. Our first submission came back with three specific points about learning objectives, and fixing them made the course genuinely better — not just accreditable.
Placeholder Name
Head of Learning, Placeholder Training Ltd
United Kingdom
We accredit around forty courses a year. Every one gets read by a person, and we can point clients at a register entry rather than asking them to take our word for it.
Placeholder Name
Managing Director, Placeholder Academy
United Arab Emirates
Delegates ask about CPD hours before they ask about the speakers. Having an assessed figure on the certificate removed the single biggest objection in our registration flow.
Placeholder Name
Events Director, Placeholder Events Group
Ireland
Testimonials shown are placeholders pending customer sign-off.
Ready to put your learning to the test?
Register free as a provider, or send us an activity and we will tell you honestly whether accreditation is the right fit.
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