What counts as CPD?

Almost everything that improves your knowledge and skills is considered as CPD. To help structure
your development planning, learning activities fall into three categories:

Category What is means Examples of activities

Knowledge Improving your theoretical and Formal training and tuition,
practical knowledge of Reading books and journals online
procurement research, e-learning, webinars,
podcasts. CIPS qualifications and
other educational studies
Skills Improving your ability to do your Attendance at short courses and
job as a procurement professional training events (CIPS and non
CIPS). On the job development,
receiving coaching or mentoring.
Advocacy Improving non-procurement Giving presentations, coaching or
related knowledge and skills hosting a WebEx to impart
knowledge to others. Learning a
language, non-procurement
related training. Voluntary work.

The following activities, whilst not an exhaustive list, are examples of what contributes towards CPD:
Category Learning Activity Type Examples Examples of How many CPD
evidence required hours can I claim?
when adding to CPD
record
Knowledge Conference Attending a conference Certificate or 1 CPD hour for each
with a theme related to confirmation of hour at a conference
the procurement attendance (do not include
profession breaks)
Job shadowing Observing someone in a Company name, 1 CPD hour for each
different role in order to department, job title hour job shadowing
develop knowledge and description of
training
Non-CIPS e-learning Completing an e-learning Certificate or 1 CPD hour for each
course outside of the CIPS confirmation of hour of the e-
Academy site completion learning course
Non-CIPS award or Achieving a non-CIPS Award or Up to 30 CPD hours
qualification qualification or award qualification for each
which will improve your certificate qualification or
knowledge related to the award achieved
procurement profession
Reading Reading a book, magazine, Title and author(s) of 1 CPD hour for each
journal, research report or article / journal / hour reading
reading online resources book / podcast /
such as an e-journal or webinar
CIPS Intelligence
download or listening to a
podcast or webinar
Seminar Attending a seminar with a Certificate or 1 CPD hour for each
theme related to the confirmation of hour at a seminar
procurement profession attendance (do not include
breaks)
Skills CIPS qualifications Attending lectures or Certificate or 1 CPD hour for each
training tutorials while studying a confirmation of hour at a lecture or
CIPS unit, award or attendance tutorial (do not
qualification include breaks)
 On the job learning On the job development - Company name, 1 CPD hour for each
learning undertaken as department, job title hour undertaking on
part of your own role, or and description of the job learning
one you have been training
contracted to undertake.
Receiving coaching/ Receiving coaching or Confirmation letter 1 CPD hour for each
mentoring mentoring to improve from line manager, hour being coached
skills or behaviours coach or mentor or mentored
Training course/ Attending a training Certificate or 1 CPD hour for each
workshop course or workshop confirmation of hour at training
related to the attendance course/ workshop
procurement profession (do not include
including CIPS skills breaks)
training events or
Corporate Award training
Conference Attending a conference Certificate or 1 CPD hour for each
with a theme not related confirmation of hour at a conference
to the procurement attendance (do not include
profession breaks)
Advocacy Imparting knowledge Coaching or mentoring Description of the 1 CPD hour for each
another, giving a situation, audience, hour imparting
presentation or writing an topic knowledge
article or report
Non-CIPS award or Achieving a non-CIPS Award or Up to 30 CPD hours
qualification qualification or award qualification for each
which is not related to the certificate qualification or
procurement profession award achieved
Other Other learning activities Description of your 1 CPD hour for each
not listed in this guide learning activity with hour of learning
evidence of
participation
Seminar Attending a seminar with a Certificate or 1 CPD hour for each
theme not related to the confirmation of hour at a seminar
procurement profession attendance (do not include
breaks)
Training course/ Attending a training Certificate or 1 CPD hour for each
workshop course or workshop not confirmation of hour at a training
related to the attendance course (do not
procurement profession include breaks)
Voluntary work Contributing to the Description of your 1 CPD hour for each
community including work voluntary role and hour volunteering
undertaken by CIPS activity
branch committee or
board of management
members, or charity work