Continuous Professional Learning and Development (CPLD)

	Introduction		Access to CPLD
	Mandatory CPLD		Reporting and Monitoring
	Effective Date		Policy Enforcement
	Qualifying PD Activities		CPLD Exemption Policy
	Need more information		FAQ
	Reporting Deadline – August 31, 2008
	Manual Reporting Form: 2005-06 | 2006-2007
	Chair's Memo to all Certified CMA BC Members
	CPLD Policy Guidelines

CPLD Online Reporting

PD Courses & Seminars

Introduction

It is in the public interest for all professionals to pursue Continuous Professional Learning and Development (CPLD). Professional accountants hold positions of utmost trust in organizations and as such owe a duty of care, not only directly to clients, but to employers, stakeholders and the public at large in bringing the most comprehensive and timely knowledge to their various tasks. The businesses served by accountants are vital to economic prosperity. Lack of competence has consequences to the view held of the profession by those served and affects all members in a negative fashion.

We live in a rapidly changing work environment. Only through CPLD can members maintain their relevance as they attempt to bring agile thinking to new, unforeseen circumstances. Those who employ professional members of the profession deserve no less, as they believe the professional designation is a mark of competence and professional standards.

It is, therefore, incumbent on all professional accountants to pursue continuous learning. As members of the accounting profession, Certified Management Accountants must participate actively in ongoing professional development. It is the foundation of these policy guidelines that the primary responsibility for competence lies with the individual member. CMA Canada – British Columbia protects the public interest through a mandatory member CPLD requirement.

At its May 2003 national Board of Directors meeting, CMA Canada approved a national standard for CPLD. This standard is based on the obligation of members, contained in all provincial/territorial codes of ethics, whereby CMAs are required to develop and maintain the skills, knowledge and attributes expected of professional management accountants. In BC, Section 203 of the Society’s Rules of Professional Conduct states, “A Member shall sustain his/her professional competence by keeping himself/herself informed of, and complying with, developments in professional standards in all functions in which the Member practices or is relied upon because of his/her calling.”

It is therefore the responsibility of each Certified Member in BC to ensure they are fulfilling CPLD requirements and reporting all such activities to CMA Canada – British Columbia.

Mandatory CPLD

The minimum requirement for CPLD for all Certified Members of CMA Canada – British Columbia is 120 learning credits over a moving three-year period. A minimum of 20 learning credits must be completed and reported annually. Learning credits that exceed the three-year, 120 unit minimum cannot be carried over to the next three-year period.

There is a great deal of flexibility within the CPLD guidelines for members to achieve their minimum requirement. This flexibility addresses the broad range of roles and responsibilities of our membership. Every member should strive to ensure their CPLD contributes to professional competence as a CMA while being relevant to the professional work of the individual member.

Effective Date

The revised CPLD requirement will become effective July 1, 2005 for reporting on June 30, 2006.

Qualifying Professional Development Activities

All CPLD activities must serve to increase professional competency in the broad area defined as the CMA territory. CMA Canada – British Columbia reserves the right to disallow any activity deemed not to meet the CPLD requirement. CPLD must be measurable and verifiable with concrete outcomes.

CMA Canada – British Columbia encourages its members to undertake a broad range of CPLD activities in order to enhance their cross-functional skills.

CPLD activities are broken down into six categories for the purposes of tracking and reporting. These activities are tracked on an input basis. This means that all CPLD activity will have a unit of measure (learning credits) associated with it. In most cases, a learning credit is equivalent to one hour, except where indicated below.

1. Formal learning and development activities
The CPLD requirement is satisfied through formal course study leading to a new degree, diploma or recognized professional designation, or coursework resulting in a final grade.

2. Informal learning and development activities related to professional competency
The CPLD requirement is achieved through a self-directed program of informal studies that serve to maintain and/or enhance the member’s business and professional competencies.

3. Reading or research related to professional competency
This category would involve business reading and research conducted at work and at home.

4. Volunteer and community leadership contributing to professional competency
This would require active involvement in the business and volunteer community in roles that highlight, enhance or maintain the member’s professional and business competency.

5. Formal teaching and writing contributing to professional competency
This would involve teaching in a formal academic environment or in a defined teaching role within business and/or writing for publication (including approved web-based publications).

6. Other professional learning and development activities as may be deemed appropriate by CMA Canada – British Columbia for developing and maintaining member competency.

Access to CPLD

CMA Canada – British Columbia will make every effort to facilitate access for CPLD opportunities and resources through our website (www.cmabc.com – Members/Professional Development/PD Courses/Seminars) or the Canadian website (www.cma-canada.org – Courses & Conferences, or – Business Publications, or their online library at www.cma-slp.com/onlinelibrary/login.html) in order to assist members in meeting their responsibility for continuous learning. However, given the diversity of the membership, it remains the sole responsibility of the member to fulfill their individual obligation for CPLD.

Reporting and Monitoring

CMA Canada – British Columbia requires all Certified Members to report annually, outlining their CPLD activities. Reporting may be completed using the on-line reporting system on the CMA Canada – British Columbia website. Members will also be required to retain documentation to support their CPLD activities for audit purposes by CMA Canada – British Columbia. Certified Members should retain all such documentation for a period of three years.

CMA Canada – British Columbia may randomly select a representative sample of the membership annually for verification of their CPLD. The individual member must provide evidence of their participation in a particular activity and will be required to submit supporting documentation to CMA Canada – British Columbia within 30 days from the date indicated in the notification.

All of the above applies to Certified Members of CMA Canada – British Columbia working both within and outside of BC.

Online reporting for a given reporting year (July 1 – June 30) is available on January 1 (6 months into the reporting year) in order to allow those reporting for the last reporting year 6 months after to the reporting year to do so. Reporting for periods earlier is done by downloading a manual reporting from (found on the website), completing it and forwarding it to Shobna Nand at the provincial office.

Policy Enforcement

Certified Members who are deemed not to have met their professional obligation with respect to their CPLD activities will be contacted, in writing. Such Certified Member will be required to provide CMA Canada – British Columbia with appropriate written plans that will result in those members complying with their obligations regarding professional competency. Members will be required to submit such remedial plans within thirty days from the date of the notification from CMA Canada – British Columbia requesting a written plan. CMA Canada – British Columbia will then follow up with these members to ensure they have complied with their professional obligations.

Mandatory CPLD will operate effectively and in the public interest only if Certified Members who willfully fail to comply with the requirement are brought into compliance on a timely basis.

All members who have not filed their annual CPLD report by October 31st will be assessed a late filing penalty of $150.

All members who remain CPLD non-compliant on January 1st of the following year will be fined $20 per deficient credit on the 3 year reporting minimum and an additional $20 per deficient credit on the 20 credit annual reporting minimum (unless they have submitted a written plan to the Society confirmation their compliance by June 30th of the following year).

Certified Members who wilfully evade their professional obligations regarding competency will be referred to the Board for consideration and disposition in accordance with Section 10.06(b) and 7.03(b) of our ByLaws.

As a self-regulating body it is the obligation of CMA Canada – British Columbia to protect the public interest. It is also unfair to the majority of members who participate in required CPLD programs, at a cost of time and money, to allow others who do not do so to escape sanctions.

CPLD Exemption Policy

Under certain conditions members can request an exemption to the CPLD requirement for a period of one year. The request must be made in writing to CMA Canada – British Columbia. If the exemption is granted, the member is still required to undertake CPLD activities for the remaining two years of the three-year period on a prorated basis.

1. Retired Status Exemption:
Members 60 years of age and over or who have received "retired" member status with the Society are exempt from mandatory CPLD (the exception being those still involved in public accounting).

2. Medical Exemption:
Members who are unable to work due to illness or disability (includes maternity leave and medical disability) are exempt. A medical certificate is required. This exemption is only granted for a one-year period, and must be renewed annually (medical only), if required.

3. New CMA / Education Exemption:
CMA graduates and individuals who have completed a degree or an additional professional designation are exempt from CPLD activities until July 1st in the year following the date of graduation.

4. Unemployment:
There will not be an exemption or reduction to the CPLD requirement in the case of unemployment. Should a member find themselves in a period of unemployment, the member is encouraged to make use of lower cost options to fulfill the CPLD requirement (such as reading, research, volunteering and the (no charge) online courses offered through the CMA Canada National website www.cma-canada.org – Courses & Conferences – Online Courses – no charge).

5. Other Exemptions as agreed upon between the Certified Member and CMA Canada – British Columbia.

Need more information?

If you have any questions concerning CPLD credits or regulations, call 604.687.5891 or 1.800.663.9646, or Fax: 604.687.6688 or e-mail: cmabc@cmabc.com.

	CPLD Online Reporting	ext. 7064
	CPLD Regulations	ext. 7061