CSD posts plan to lead the industry

The Chartered Society of Designers has revealed plans to make itself the lead body for the design industry bar none, through a process of full accreditation that will eventually encompass consultancies, as well as individuals, and in-house design teams.

The CSD is in negotiations with ‘one of the UK’s leading assessment and certification bodies’ to develop the procedure for full accreditation with the objective of making MCSD ‘the pre-eminent design qualification’.

It has been working on the scheme for some 18 months and is hoping that individuals and consultancies will be working towards full accreditation by mid-2002.

CSD president Stephen Hitchins wrote to its 4687 members last week outlining the plans. Further initiatives include setting up mentoring and licentiate schemes.

He also confirmed Frank Peters’ appointment as permanent chief executive – Peters has been acting chief executive since 1999 – and the creation of a trading company the Design Association, which has been operating since June.

Peters is also chief executive of the Design Association, which has so far taken over running the CSD’s awards, events, training programmes and bursaries.

Eventually it will take over the CSD’s trading activities, including copyright and other legal issues, insurance and the full accreditation process for students, courses and designers.

The CSD president-elect is fashion designer Jeff Banks.

The CSD’s revamped identity, which was also launched last week, has been created by Randak Design Consultants, of which former CSD president Lin Gibbon is a director, for no fee.