Who accredits CPD courses?
Short answer
CPD is accredited by independent accreditation bodies, by professional membership bodies for their own members, and in some sectors by regulators directly. There is no single global authority. What distinguishes a credible accreditor is a published standard, individual assessment of each activity, and a public register anyone can check.
Because the market is unregulated, the quality of accreditation varies widely. Some bodies assess every activity; others issue a provider badge and let the provider apply it to anything it produces. The second model is quicker and cheaper, and worth substantially less.
Three questions separate them. Is each activity assessed individually, or only the organisation? Is there a public register where a specific accreditation number can be checked? Is the standard published, or described only in general terms?