RIBA Chartered Practice

Demonstrating your excellence

 RIBA Chartered Practice

RIBA Chartered Practice accreditation is applicable for any

size of practice. Whether you are a sole practitioner, medium
sized business or large practice, it is designed to help you
improve your business effectiveness and performance.
Being an RIBA Chartered Practice provides a quality assurance
to potential clients and the wider construction industry.
Accreditation to the scheme confirms that your business is
committed to excellence in design and service delivery;
something that may give an RIBA Chartered Practice the edge
over the competition.

RIBA Chartered Practices work to a common set of

standards and their clients can expect a high quality service.
RIBA Chartered Practices participating in the scheme gain
from better management systems and business information,
improved employment support and marketing promotion.

RIBA Chartered Practices are the only practices to be

endorsed and promoted by the RIBA. RIBA Client Services
works directly with clients and Chartered Practices to
accurately match the project requirements to meet the
needs of each client with the expertise of the relevant
Chartered Practice/s.

“Our Chartered Practice Status has reinforced

the quality of the service which we offer our
clients. As a marketing tool, it assists in
presenting an assured quality level to new
clients – it helps us achieve a wider audience
for our completed projects, and helps us
remain competitive through use of the
benchmarking service.”
Marco Da Cruz, Director, Sjolander da Cruz Architects.
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RIBA Chartered Practice accreditation
RIBA Chartered Practice accreditation
exists to recognise your organisations
excellence and raise the standards of the
profession. It encourages not only the
highest levels of design capability, but
better working practices and improved
customer service.
• Help you to improve your business
effectiveness and performance
Access and share the latest knowledge,
research and information as well as
considerable promotional and
marketing benefits, including a wide
range of business support services to
help you stay ahead of the competition.
• Help match your practice with new
clients and projects
RIBA Client Services can promote
your RIBA Chartered Practice through
its bespoke business matching service.
In 2009, the team received over 4000
enquiries from clients who were
provided with a shortlist of appropriate
RIBA Chartered Practices.
• Assure potential clients of your
quality, design excellence and service
Appointing a practice is a key decision,
and clients appreciate the reassurance
of a trustworthy accreditation from
the RIBA.
Advertising your practice as RIBA
accredited will enable your organisation
to have the edge over the competition.
• Sustain your organisation through
economic difficulties
Helping members and practices
emerge stronger from the recession is
of vital importance to the RIBA. As the
economic downturn continues, there
has never been a more vital time to be
part of the RIBA – the collective voice of
architecture and the built environment.
In the coming 12 months, we will
continue to strive to create the best
conditions to support the work of RIBA
Chartered Practices.
The RIBA works to influence policy
making with government. We focus
on issues that matter to practices,
lobbying to improve the public
procurement systems, the planning
process and building regulations.
The RIBA’s monthly Future Trends
Survey was launched in January 2009 to
monitor business and employment trends
affecting the architects’ profession. The
survey is based on a representative
sample of a range of different practice
sizes and geographical locations, which
enables analysis of the trends in sectors,
size groups and by region. It takes about
five minutes to complete each month, and
all returns are independently processed in
confidence by the Fees Bureau.
If you would like to participate,
please contact the RIBA Practice
Department on 020 7307 3749 or
e-mail practice@inst.riba.org.
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 RIBA Chartered Practice benefits and services
Every company, regardless of size,
profession or sector understands the
importance of appropriate marketing to
attract new business and raise its profile.
Only RIBA Chartered Practices will be
endorsed and promoted by the RIBA, as
well as benefiting from the following:
Marketing your Practice
• Matching your Chartered Practice
with potential clients
RIBA Client Services offers an unbiased,
bespoke nominations resource used
by private and commercial clients
worldwide. The service only nominates
RIBA Chartered Practices and is based
on the information from your on-line
practice portfolio. To find out how to
raise your profile contact
cs@inst.riba.org
• Entry in ‘The List’, The RIBA
directory of Chartered Practices
The printed, annual, national directory
of RIBA Chartered Practices is
distributed free to targeted clients.
• Entry in the on-line RIBA Chartered
Practice directory
As an RIBA Chartered Practice, you
will have an on-line portfolio on
www.architecture.com. This facility
will feature projects, expertise and
services offered and will comprise of
your entry in the web directory.
• Entry in the RIBA Sector directories
Printed throughout the year, these
directories offer RIBA Chartered
Practices the chance to publicise sector
specific projects, together with your full
contact details and markers showing
your areas of expertise. The directories
are distributed to key decision makers
within each sector.
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• RIBA Value Toolkit
This has been developed to help
practices add value to projects. It is
particularly appropriate at the pre-
project and negotiation stages and in
helping bid for work.
• Use of the RIBA Chartered Practice
insignia on letterheads, signboards
and other promotional materials; a
mark of your quality signalling your
practice is RIBA accredited.
• Enhanced and discounted
RIBA Yellow Pages advertising
With tens of thousands of searches
for architects and architectural services
a month, the RIBA is well positioned
to ensure that RIBA Chartered Practices
receive greater exposure than the rest.
• Discounted website development
RIBA Chartered Practices looking to
enhance their online presence can take
advantage of Acefolio’s RIBA Microsite
solution; this popular product has been
designed specifically to enable smaller
architecture practices to ‘punch above
their weight’ and market themselves
like larger practices do. Based around a
simple-to-use online account, the RIBA
microsite offers practices a fully
updateable website capable of being
maintained in-house quickly and easily
without the need for specialist skills.
• Receive discounts on the use of RIBA
meeting rooms, presentation suites and
venue hire.
All benefits and services can be found in
the Resources section in the members
only area of www.architecture.com.
RIBA Chartered Practice benefits and services
Access a range of business
support services
RIBA Chartered Practice accreditation
demonstrates to potential clients
that you operate efficient business
management systems and appropriate
risk management procedures.
The RIBA offers a range of services to
support its members which maximise
business effectiveness and performance.
These include:
• RIBA Business Benchmarking Survey
By taking part in this survey it will provide
you with invaluable intelligence which
can inform your business planning,
resource and fee management. The data
you receive in your bespoke report will
enable you to benchmark your practice
against key indicators, including:
Profit to turnover, profit per fee earner,
turnover per free earner, marketing
spend, hourly charge out rates,
targeted chargeable hours and salaries.
By making business benchmarking an
RIBA Chartered Practice accreditation
criteria, the RIBA can provide assurance
to clients that practices have access
to accurate resource management and
market data.
• RIBA Value Toolkit
The toolkit helps practices articulate
the benefits of well conceived design
and the value it can add to projects.
• RIBA Quality Management Toolkit
This provides quality assurance
guidance designed to assist
architectural practices of all sizes.
• RIBA Environmental Policy Guide
Designed to help practices reduce their
carbon footprint, improve recycling,
reduce reliance on packaging and
better understand the potential effects
of their designs.
• RIBA Employment Policy Guidelines
and Model Employment Contracts
Encourage recruitment and retention of
quality staff, and be acknowledged as a
good employer.
• RIBA Health and Safety Policy
Template
Based on the general needs of a typical
architects’ practice.
• Receive discounts on a range of
personal insurance policies and services
designed to meet architects’ needs.
• RIBA Business Support Helpline
provided via Croner
This is a telephone support and advice
line for RIBA Chartered Practices.
They have specialist advisors for HR,
Health and Safety, Contract Law and
Tax advice which is available 24 hours,
5 days a week.
• RIBA Online Service provided by
Croner, equips you with upcoming and
pending legislation with practical
guidance on how to implement it.
• Croner also provides advice on debt
recovery including legal processes,
procedures and administration for
RIBA Chartered Practices.
Receive preferential rates on a range of
business services, including:
• Building Cost Information Service
(BCIS)
Access accurate and realistic
construction cost information and
estimates from the UK’s most
comprehensive building cost database.
• RIBA Appointments
Find your next employee with
discounted rates for job adverts at the
RIBA’s flagship recruitment service.
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 RIBA Chartered Practice benefits and services

Assure potential clients of your quality, • RIBA Library

design excellence and service Free use of the RIBA Library with
Keeping your business at the cutting edge access to Europe’s largest collection
and ensuring you take advantage of of architecture books, publications,
new opportunities means staying abreast drawings and manuscripts.
of developments in the profession. At the
Use of the RIBA Library’s loan
RIBA, we offer a number of services
collection; allowing you to borrow
aimed at helping RIBA Chartered
books on the history and practice
Practices stay completely up-to-date:
of architecture, the built environment
• Support from the RIBA and landscape design.
Access to the latest knowledge and
Tap into electronically networked
research information through the RIBA
technical library resources and
Information Centre on 020 7307 3600.
full-text journals.
• Receive the Chartered Practice
Receive discounts on RIBA Library
Newsletter exclusive to RIBA Chartered
products, reproduction fees and
Practices; the newsletter is a topical
bookings.
publication providing updates on the
industry, the RIBA and potential clients. • RIBApedia
Exchange information and inspiration
• Latest Industry news
on topics relating to architectural
Access to a range of RIBA email
research. Strengthen the connection
bulletins, covering Practice and
between research, the practice and
International issues, CPD and more.
potential clients through the RIBA
• Support documents and guidance online community wiki.
Access invaluable practice guidance
• Access an extensive resource of
through the members only section of
relevant products and services through
www.architecture.com.
the Product Selector.
• Stay connected with other members
and practices
Share your thoughts and debate issues
with fellow RIBA members and staff
through the lively online discussion
forum – RIBAnet.

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RIBA Chartered Practice benefits and services
Promoting your Practice through
economic difficulties
The RIBA is still working hard to provide
advice and information to combat the
effects of an economic downturn as well
as exploring new opportunities to
promote RIBA Chartered Practices to
prospective clients:
• RIBA Client Services endeavours to
improve the service offered and identify
and target new clients to work with
more closely. By keeping in touch with
us and regularly updating your on-line
portfolio you can ensure that your
practice is promoted to potential clients
most effectively. To find out how to raise
your profile contact cs@inst.riba.org.
• RIBA Recession Survival Kit provides
RIBA Chartered Practices with
invaluable guidance from your institute,
specialist experts, colleagues and
government bodies to help you survive
the recession and prosper when the
economy recovers. This tool can be
found in the Members only area of
www.architecture.com and is updated
on a regular basis.
• The RIBA’s presence at a wide range
of events, and extensive press
coverage, means that the institute and
its members achieve high profile
exposure.
As well as increased promotion for
RIBA Chartered Practices, we are
developing new benefits and services to
complement those you already have
access to including:
• RIBA Knowledge Communities
These are free, web supported
interdisciplinary groups. They facilitate
the capture, sharing, and application of
professional knowledge relating to
architecture and the built environment.
On joining this networking resource you
will have your own personalised profile,
a contacts directory, a blog and an
events calendar. In each community
you choose to join you will find space to
engage with the debates affecting the
subject and will have the opportunity to
help plan and create your community’s
policies which may in turn go on to
influence even more significant debate
and policy.
Current RIBA Knowledge Communities
include Small Practice, Education
Building Design, Traditional Architecture,
Regulations and Standards and
Integrated Project Working.
To find out about upcoming
events, make new contacts, and
get involved, register at:
www.riba-knowledgecommunities.com
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 Becoming an RIBA Chartered Practice

To become an RIBA Chartered Practice, • Your practice must operate an

your office will need to meet the below appropriate Health and Safety Policy.
criteria – if registering more than one
• Your practice must have a written
office each separate practice will need to
employment policy in place which
demonstrate the following:
addresses the principles of the RIBA
• At least one of your full-time principals policy statement on employment.
(director or partner) must be an
• Your practice must have an appropriate
RIBA Chartered Member and on the
Continuing Professional Development
ARB register.
(CPD) framework in place.
• All of your architectural work must be
• All practices with 6 or more staff will
supervised by an RIBA Chartered
be required to take part in RIBA
Member who is on the ARB register.
Business Benchmarking by
• At least 1 in 8 of all staff employed in 31 December 2010. There will be a
your practice must be on the ARB phased introduction for small practices
register, or an Associate Member of in the period 2011–2012.
the RIBA or a CIAT member with RIBA
• Your practice must now operate an
Affiliate membership.
appropriate Environmental
• At least 1 in 10 of all staff employed in Management Policy as part of the
your practice must be an RIBA Chartered accreditation criteria. Guidance on
Member or Associate Member. preparing this is available in the
resources section of the Chartered
• Your practice must have a current and
Practice area of www.architecture.com.
appropriate Professional Indemnity
Insurance Policy.
• Your practice must operate an
appropriate Quality Management
System.

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RIBA Chartered Practice subscriptions

Band 1 – £110 Band 5 – £395

1 1 1 51–56 7 6
57–60 8 6
Band 2 – £145 61–64 8 7
2–5 1 1 65–70 9 7
71–72 9 8
Band 3 – £190 73–80 10 8
6–8 1 1 81–88 11 9
9–10 2 1 89–90 12 9
91–96 12 10
Band 4 – £270 97–100 13 10
11–16 2 2 101–104 13 11
17–20 3 2 105–110 14 11
21–24 3 3 111–112 14 12
25–30 4 3 113–120 15 12
31–32 4 4 121–128 16 13
33–40 5 4 129–130 17 13
41–48 6 5 131–136 17 14
49–50 7 5 137–140 18 14
141–144 18 15
Number of staff in your office 145–150 19 15
Minimum Number of ARB Registered 151+ 1 in 8 1 in 10
Architects and/or CIAT RIBA Affiliate
and Associate Members
Minimum Number of See example overleaf
RIBA Chartered Members

Renew online for a discounted subscription fee

All subscriptions are currently inclusive of VAT

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 RIBA Chartered Practice subscriptions

Example
Band 4 – £270
25–30 4 3
If you have 25–30 members of staff in your • working between 5 and 25 hours a
office, RIBA Chartered Practice week should be counted as part-time,
membership will cost you £270 (Band 4). ie. 0.5 person when calculating the total
In addition, at least four members of staff number of staff.
must be ARB Registered Architects
• working more than 25 hours a week
and/or CIAT RIBA Affiliate and Associate
should be counted as full-time, ie.
Members and three of those four must also
1 person when calculating the total
be RIBA Chartered Members.
number of staff.
Part-time and full-time staff/employees When calculating your band add together
Each member of staff: all full-time and part-time staff as indicated
above. Totals should then be rounded up
• working less than 5 hours a week
to the nearest whole number (ie 5.5 staff
should not be counted when
equals band 3).
calculating the total number of staff.

“Being an RIBA Chartered Practice has

provided us with recognition. Additionally
the RIBA has provided us with useful
resources in order to aid our work abroad.”
Jacqui Labb, Director, Dexter Moren Architects
RIBA Chartered Practice.
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What is RIBA Chartered Practice accreditation worth?
Return on investment
Benefit for Definition of Benefit Estimate Saving as
Chartered Practices a Member = £1770

Business Enables you to compare your worth up to £800

Benchmarking performance against your profession and
peers. Analyse your financial performance,
identify new business areas, staff training
issues and best practice.

Business support Can guide you through employment, four calls worth
helpline provided health and safety, Tax, VAT, payroll and up to £200
via Croner other commercial legal problems
affecting your business. This service is
available 24 hours/ 5 days a week. RIBA
Chartered Practices can make as many
calls as possible in the year. Therefore if
a practice is in Band 2 and they make
3–4 calls a year, this alone covers their
subscription fee.

Free Listings in RIBA Practice listings in RIBA directories worth up to £200

Directories and Sector widely distributed to clients. Listings in
Reviews other similar industry directories can
be expensive.

Preferential rates in With tens of thousands of searches for worth up to £100

Yellow pages architects and architectural services a
month, the RIBA is well positioned
to ensure Chartered Practices receive
greater exposure than the rest.

Building Cost Access accurate and realistic worth up to £120

Information Service construction cost information and
estimates based from the UK’s most
comprehensive building cost database
at a reduced cost.

RIBA Chartered Use of Quality Management, worth up to £350

Practice Toolkit Environmental Policy and Value Toolkits.

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 Practice no.

Official use only

Practice details
The information here will be used to form your basic entry in the online and
printed RIBA Directory of Chartered Practices.

Address Contact (Must be an RIBA Chartered Member)

Practice name as it will appear in the directory

(e.g. The ABC Practice = ABC Practice, The)
Postcode
Telephone
Please tick practice type
Fax
Email LLP Ltd Partnership
Website Sole Practitioner Other

Date established

Please state below the details of ALL ARB Architects and CIAT RIBA Affiliate Did this practice arise as a result of a merger?
and Associate Members in your office. If you require more space, please
attach an additional sheet to this form and return to the RIBA. Yes If Yes, please list practices merging on a separate sheet

First name/surname Director Partner Staff ARB number RIBA number

Total number of ALL full time staff
Total number of ALL part time staff
Total number of RIBA Chartered Members in your practice
Total number of ARB, Associate Members and CIAT Affiliate Members in your practice
Total number of all staff employed in your practice

Payment Method
See page 9 to calculate the registration fee. You will be sent a VAT receipt by return post.

Please debit my Visa Mastercard Maestro card or I enclose a cheque payable to the RIBA

Card number Expiry date Valid from

For Maestro, use the long number from the middle of your card and put the issue number below

Issue no. (Maestro only) Name of card holder

Card holder’s signature Date

 architectural staff in employment at this architects’ office.
7 I confirm the number of ARB Registered Architects, CIAT
RIBA Affiliates, RIBA Chartered Members and RIBA
Associate Members in this office are of the required
amount to meet the eligibility criteria.
8 I declare that this office holds Professional Indemnity
Insurance (PII) cover which satisfies the Architects
Registration Board’s guidelines for PII, is appropriate for
the work undertaken by the practice and that the policy
does not expire within the next month.
PII details
Provider
Policy number
Amount of Cover
Expiry Date
9 I declare that a Quality Management System is operational,
relevant to the size of practice.
10 I declare that an appropriate Health & Safety Policy
is operational.
11 I declare that an appropriate Employment policy is in
place which addresses the principles of the RIBA Policy
statement on employment.
ARB number
RIBA number
Please return to
Membership Services,
RIBA Register of Chartered Practices,
Royal Institute of British Architects,
66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD
Mailing preferences
The data you provide will also be used in listings
publications, and for automatic processing with regards to
annual membership and architectural information
dissemination.
Please tick the relevant box if you wish to receive RIBA
practice information and selected mailings about useful
products and services
I consent to receive information about RIBA services
I consent to receive information from selected
commercial partners
Please tick the box
If would like to receive more information and take part in
the RIBA Future Trends Survey which monitors business
and employment trends affecting the architects profession
VAT registration no: 232 3518 91
Registered charity no: 210566
Declaration 12 I declare that the practice has an Environmental
Please complete all sections. Your application cannot be Management Policy in place.
processed if incomplete.
Guidance on preparing an environmental policy is
available in the Resources section of the members-only
1 I declare that this is a full time architects’ office and area in www.architecture.com.
accept responsibility for all information held by the RIBA
and published about this office for the RIBA Register of 13 Those practices with 6 or more staff are required to make
Chartered Practices 2010/11. an annual return to the RIBA Business Benchmarking
Survey by 31 December 2010
2 I declare at least one of the full-time principals (Director or
Partner) in the architects’ practice is a Chartered Member 14 I declare there is a management system in place to
of the RIBA and is also registered with the Architects ensure that architects in this office adhere to the RIBA
Registration Board (ARB). Code of Professional Conduct and comply with
Continuing Professional Development obligations.
3 I declare that all architectural work is under the personal
15 I accept that 5% of Chartered Practices will be randomly
supervision of an RIBA Chartered Architect and that
monitored to verify that the above criteria are maintained
arrangements are in place to ensure work is covered in
and will co-operate fully if this practice is selected.
the event of the Architect’s absence.
16 I accept that should this architects office cease to meet
4 I declare that at least 1 in 8 of all staff employed in the
all of the above criteria that the office will be removed
architects’ practice is a registered architect (on ARB
from the RIBA Register of Chartered Practices and that no
register) or an Associate Member of the RIBA or a
refund will be due.
Chartered Architectural Technologist (CIAT Member) with
RIBA Affiliate membership.
Signed Principal/Executive Company Director
5 I declare that at least 1 in 10 of all staff employed in the
practice is a Chartered Architect (i.e. Chartered Member
of the RIBA). Date
Print name
6 I declare that the list on side 1 or attached sheet is of
For information about becoming an
RIBA Chartered Practice please contact:
RIBA Membership Services team
on +44 (0)20 7307 3800 or email
practice.administration@inst.riba.org.

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