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Why is Industry Accreditation being withdrawn?

At the beginning of 2015 the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) announced via the Industrial Strategy: Construction 2025, that industry, including trade associations, contractors, clients and government, should specify and promote card schemes displaying the CSCS logo with no equivalents accepted. This is known as the One Industry Logo action.

Among the recommendations set out by the CLC is that all construction industry card schemes must operate with nationally recognised qualifications (usually NVQ/SVQs) in place for all occupations.

Further information on the CLC’s recommendations can be found here.

CLC Statement on Industry Accreditation Cards

“Building Safety and competence are two of the CLC’s priorities. As an industry, and in accordance with various sets of legislation including the Construction Design and Management Regulations (CDM) and the Building Safety Act, we must demonstrate to the regulator, our clients, building occupiers and the wider public that those designing, building and maintaining the built environment are competent to do so. The CLC recommendation introduced in 2015 and updated in 2017 & 2020 set an expectation of all CSCS cards being achieved via qualification by the end of 2024.

“The different ways in which individuals holding blue, gold or Black industry accreditation cards issued by CSCS via industry accreditation can move to an appropriate card has been set out. This may be by recognising a qualification they already have, assessing their competence against the relevant qualification for their occupation, undertaking any additional training required and for a minority, it may require more extensive training. Members of the CSCS Alliance will be issuing guidance relevant to their individual card scheme. Whilst all Industry Accreditation cardholders are required to take action to retain their card from January 2025 it should not be overly onerous for those able to demonstrate their competence and there may be grants available for employers.”