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NISCL-CSCL Maintenance

CPD Policy Update: Annual Cycle, 30-Hour Requirement, and Dual Designation Perks

NISCL is excited to announce that all NISCL-CSCL designation holders in good standing will now gain access to the prestigious chartered MCIPS designation, as part of NISCL’s strategic partnership with the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply. This means that going forward, NISCL-CSCL designation holders will also hold an MCIPS.

Both designations require annual maintenance via Continuing Professional Development (CPDs) to remain in good standing. Therefore, as of May 1, 2025, NISCL has changed its CPD policy to align with the maintenance requirements of both designations via one annual cycle to better serve dual designation holders.

You must review the revised policy in detail. Review the revised CPD policy here.

Key Changes 

Below are four key changes to the policy (see FAQs for more details below):

  1. CPD Cycles Now Annual - All cycles will now be annual. For example, this new annual cycle begins on May 1, 2025, and ends on April 30, 2026. This aligns with CIPS and your membership cycle, making it easy to remain in good standing.

  2. 30 CPD Hours Required Annually - We are changing the CPD policy from a credit-based policy to an hours-based one. Therefore, you will now be required to report 30 hours of learning annually. This means you will no longer need to convert activities to credits. Simply report the number of hours you spend completing the activity. Activities can either be structured or unstructured. For example, you may report 5 CPD hours if you attended a five-hour workshop, where you previously would have been awarded 3 credits.

  3. Commitment to Leadership Growth - As a dual designation holder, you are required to demonstrate your commitment to growing your leadership acumen. Therefore, you must dedicate at least 10 of the 30 hours required annually to leadership activities.

  4. Commitment to Ethical Standards of Practice  - You will also be required to demonstrate your commitment to ethical standards of practice. Therefore, you must dedicate time to complete the CIPS Ethics assessments annually. These assessments are free to members and available in your My CIPS account, under My Learning. The time you spend reviewing the Ethics eLearning and completing the Ethics assessments may be counted toward your annual 30 hours of CPDS.

Breakdown of CPD Categories

To help you meet the 30-hour CPD requirement, here’s how each category is defined and what qualifies:

Leadership Development

10 of your 30 required CPD hours must focus on leadership development.

This includes growing the knowledge, skills, and behaviours that empower professionals to guide, influence, and motivate others.

At least 5 hours must be from structured sources (e.g., courses, workshops, webinars), while the remaining 5 hours can be unstructured (e.g., mentoring, leading projects, team motivation).

Ethics Assessment

Each year, members must complete the Ethics Assessment, available for free under My Learning in your My CIPS account.

These assessments cover topics like ESG responsibilities, human rights, bribery, fraud, and corruption.

The time spent on this mandatory activity can count for 3 hours of your 30 CPD hours.

Discretionary CPD Activities

The remaining 17 hours of your CPD requirement are flexible.

These can include any mix of structured or unstructured learning that supports your professional development in supply chain and procurement—like books, podcasts, industry research, informal learning, or peer discussions.

Have Questions? Read the CPD FAQs