Continued Professional Development (CPD) comprises learning activities that enhance individual knowledge, skills and personal growth. CPD supports growth and currency in behavioural, business and workplace capabilities as well as technical competence.

ICAN, as a member of IFAC, is also required to comply with International Education Standards (IES). A purpose of the IES is to ensure that individual professional accountants of IFAC member bodies develop and maintain their professional competencies necessary to:

• provide high quality service to clients, employers and other stakeholders; and
• strengthen public trust in the accountancy profession.

As the scope and nature of occupations of individual professional accountants vary widely so will their required competencies. For this reason, ICAN does not prescribe specific learning activities or the content of CPD programmes. Members are deemed professional and able to select their own learning activities relevant to their needs.

CPD activities can vary widely and can lead to the maintenance or enhancement of professional knowledge, professional skills, professional values, ethics and attitudes. In addition to education, practical experience and training, CPD can also include learning and development which derives from activities such as coaching and mentoring, research, reading and networking.

Typically, CPD can be measured in terms of an output- or input-based model. An output-based model requires an individual to demonstrate, in the form of outcomes, that they have developed and maintained professional competence. An input-based model measures or records time spent on CPD activities as an indicator of the maintenance and development of professional competencies. ICAN has elected to adopt an input-based model which requires members to achieve a minimum number of credits for their CPD activities per annum.

Recognising the diversity of activities that could constitute CPD and without wishing to restrict the choice of activity ICAN has elected to determine classes of activities and to allocate a credit ratio for every hour spent on a specific CPD activity. This structure also allows ICAN and a member to distinguish between verifiable and non-verifiable CPD activities.

ICAN would like to encourage and foster a personal culture of lifelong learning in each of its members as each member is a brand ambassador for the profession and professional competence is a keystone on which the profession is based.

In compliance with the requirements of IFAC membership, ICAN adopted and implemented a CPD policy as early as 2004. The ICAN Council took the matter of CPD seriously and included CPD requirements directly into the ICAN constitution and pursued annual CPD declarations diligently since 2005.

A CPD policy which requires ICAN members to undertake and record relevant learning activities is a means by which ICAN can safeguard the accounting profession and protect the public interest by ensuring that there is a framework within which members commit to on-going learning and development throughout their careers. Having a robust CPD policy ultimately assists in protecting ICAN and its related designations brand.

As a member of IFAC, ICAN is required, in terms of Statement of Members Obligations 2 and International Education Standard 7 (CPD) to monitor whether ICAN members fulfil their obligations towards lifelong learning. Monitoring of whether learning and developing is taking place is articulated through the formalisation of a Continued Professional Development (CPD) Policy.

The IAESB issued the IES 7 standard on 29 January 2019 which clarifies the principles and requirements on how professional accountancy organisations measure, monitor and enforce their continuing professional development systems.

The revised IES 7 standard places greater emphasis on learning and development needed for professional accountants roles and responsibilities rather than focusing on a minimum number of hours. The revised IES 7 standard becomes effective 1 January 2020.

With the review of IES 7 as well as developments in technology supported learning it is appropriate that ICAN review its CPD policy to ensure relevance and compliance.

ICAN does not prescribe specific learning activities nor the content of CPD programmes. Members are deemed professional and able to select their own learning activities relevant to their specific roles.

When approaching CPD activities, we expect members to form their own professional judgment as to the best way of assuring that you are making a meaningful contribution to the development of your knowledge, competencies, and skills. A member is responsible to maintain professional competence by undertaking relevant continuing professional development activities in relation to their current and future professional roles.

Given that ICAN members are active in a spectrum of professional roles their individual needs for CPD will differ. These needs will include technical and non-technical knowledge, skills and values. As such it is up to the member to use their professional judgment to select and complete sufficient CPD activities that relevant to their role.

A crucial aspect of a member’s role is to be up to date and conversant with current trends, topics, legislation and regulations and ICAN is committed to providing ample opportunities, tools and resources to help you meet your CPD goals and demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and competence.

This will ensure that each ICAN member is professionally competent and is maintaining and developing their knowledge and skills throughout their careers.

CPD requirements for members who consider themselves as fully retired from the profession but where they still wish to retain their professional qualification as a chartered accountant.

That where a member of the Institute has retired from active practice and they no longer act professionally either by way of providing services to the public or by participating on audit or similar committees, or acting in other advisory functions where there might be reliance on their professional qualification then such a member will be exempt from compliance with the CPD policy of the Institute as determined from time to time.

Such a member will be required to provide an annual declaration of their retired status to qualify for the exemption. The declaration to be provided in an annual affidavit. Should the retired status change for whatever reason the member will be obliged to comply with the CPD requirements as applicable to non-retired members.

A CA must comply with the following fundamental principles:

• Integrity: to be straightforward and honest in all professional and business relationships.
• Professional competence and due care:
  • Attain and maintain professional knowledge and skill at the level required to ensure that a client or employing organization receives competent professional service, based on current technical and professional standards and relevant legislation; and
  • Act diligently and in accordance with applicable technical and professional standards.
• Confidentiality: to respect the confidentiality of information acquired as a result of professional and business relationships.
• Objectivity: not to compromise professional or business judgments because of bias, conflict of interest or undue influence of others.
• Professional behaviour: to comply with relevant laws and regulations and avoid any conduct that the professional accountant knows or should know might discredit the profession.

CPD non-compliance includes:

• not achieving the minimum credits required per year;
• not achieving the minimum credits required in a rolling 3-year cycle;
• not achieving the minimum of 50% verifiable credits required per year;
• not providing a remedial action plan for non-compliance with minimum number of annual CPD credits;
• not submitting an annual declaration; and
• not logging CPD onto the ICAN system.

What to consider before making a complaint:

• As a professional association, the scope of our jurisdiction is limited to investigating breaches of ethics, and the Institute’s By-Laws.
• Is the accused a member of ICAN? The institute only handles complaints against members of the Institute. You can obtain this information from our website at Verify a CA, or contact us.
• If the CA is also Registered with the Public Accountants and Auditors Board (PAAB), the Institute is not permitted to deal with this case and it should therefore be submitted to the PAAB.
• We would encourage you to raise your complaint directly with the accused before contacting ICAN.
• ICAN will not deal with the following matters as they are either legal matters or commercial matters. Legal advice should be obtained to deal with such matters.
  • a dispute regarding fees charged ICAN does not prescribe the basis for calculating fees or any other matter relating to fees.
  • Complaints about ownership/possession of books and records
  • Concurrent investigations by other regulators, government agencies, statutory bodies or the courts – If other regulators or agencies are considering a member’s conduct at the same time as ICAN, our investigation may be stopped until it is completed. If any adverse finding is made by a court, tribunal or other regulator, the matter should be sent to ICAN for consideration, as the adverse finding may breach ethical standards.

Making a complaint:

In order to ensure that the complaint can be processed and can be successfully taken through the Disciplinary process a complainant needs to submit the following information to the Institute:

• An affidavit stating the following at a minimum:
  • Whether or not you as complainant would like to remain anonymous
  • The exact details of the alleged misconduct in sufficient detail to allow the CA to respond to the complaint. Your complaint should be clear, logical and easy to follow. A timeline of events can be helpful.
  • Which fundamental principle you believe the CA breached

The Institute is not obliged to disclose the source of the complaint. Should the accused request the institute to furnish the accused with this information, the Institute will request permission from the complainant to do

You should expect to receive the following information following your submission of the complaint:

• Acknowledgement of receipt of the complaint stating:
  • Who will deal with the complaint (the PAAB or the Institute)
  • Whether or not the Institute is of the view that the complaint amounts to a prima facie case against the accused or where the complainant has neglected or refused to comply with the requirements of the Institute’s By-Laws
  • Whether or not additional information is required by the Institute.
  • No further communication with the complainant will be made.

You could receive the following information should a complaint be submitted against you as a CA:

Notice of the complaint stating:

• of the nature of the complaint
• of the determination that the complaint constitutes a prima facie case against the accused
• to respond to the Secretariat EXCO regarding the merits of the complaint within the 21 (twenty-one) days. The accused’s response shall indicate whether he or she admits the facts set out in the complaint or any portion thereof and whether the accused admits that he or she is guilty of a Punishable Offense in the respects alleged or any part thereof;
• that any response from the accused will be taken into account to determine the accused’s misconduct and may be used in evidence against him/her;
• that if he/she fails to respond to the complaint within the stipulated time, the accused will be regarded as having pleaded guilty whereupon the Secretariat EXCO shall refer the matter to the DC and notify the accused of the referral to the DC. The Secretariat EXCO may, without inviting further representations, refer the matter to the DC in the absence of the accused’s representations.

Communications to members regarding the complaint

• ICAN By-Laws
• ICAN Constitution
• IFAC Code of Ethics