Layton Blackham, Smart & Cook and Stuart Alexander gain accreditation
Stuart Alexander, Layton Blackham and Smart & Cook have successfully achieved CII corporate chartered status for their individual firms.
Stuart Reid, chief executive of Stuart Alexander, said: “I am delighted to be one of the first general insurance brokers to be awarded this status of professionalism.
“I am delighted to be one of the first general insurance brokers to be awarded this status of professionalism
Stuart Reid, chief executive of Stuart Alexander
"We are deeply committed to providing our clients with the highest levels of quality, and the requirements under the CII chartered status application ensure 90% of our client-facing staff members adhere to a stringent code of ethics and practice.”
Chris Blackham, chairman and chief executive, Layton Blackham, also said: “We are at the forefront of a business which relies heavily on the competence of our staff, and therefore their recruitment, retention and development is imperative to our continuing business success.”
“We are at the forefront of a business which relies heavily on the competence of our staff
Chris Blackham, chairman and chief executive, Layton Blackham
Paul Meehan, managing director of Smart & Cook, added: “Corporate chartered status is of major significance. It will reinforce the importance of professionalism in a fast-moving and competitive market, and will also help place broking firms on a par with other professional practices, such as accountants and solicitors. This clearly states that our intention is operate at the highest levels of excellence within the marketplace.”
Firms seeking chartered status must apply to the CII for authorisation and will be required to submit an annual declaration of compliance confirming that continuing professional development requirements are being met, and that the code of ethics and conduct is being adhered to.
“It will reinforce the importance of professionalism in a fast-moving and competitive market
Paul Meehan, managing director, Smart & Cook
A disciplinary procedure exists and the CII has the right to remove chartered status from any firm found to be in breach of these regulations.
CII sales and marketing director Lee Gladwell said that insurance broking is entering a new era of professionalism: “These three brokers were the first to confirm their application of corporate chartered status and we are delighted that they are all fully committed to achieving high standards of practice.”
"These firms understand that professionalism must rise in the eyes of customers and the regulator, and will reap the benefit, commercially, of reaching the gold standard of integrity and excellence.
"This a clear message to the industry that professionalism is the way forward for the industry's long-term prosperity."
