Chartered Building Companies
Becoming a Chartered Building Company or Consultancy brings a multitude of benefits. As well as enhancing your reputation, adding to your brand and raising your profile, Chartered status sends out a strong signal to employees that they are valued and will be developed to their full potential.
Organisations chartered with CIOB are independently assessed and regularly audited. They can demonstrate that they:
- Are competently and professionally run
- Operate to high business and ethical standards
- Are committed to developing a fully qualified workforce
- Have a significant number of directors that are already Chartered, either with CIOB or other built environment organisations
Board directors of CBCs lead by example: At least half are Chartered with a built environment organisation, and a minimum of 25% of the board have full CIOB membership (MCIOB or FCIOB). Those who have achieved MCIOB or similar have a duty to maintain rigorous standards in all their activities, and this will be reflected in the organisation’s operations as a whole.
Chartered organisations are allowed to use the CBC logo and to add their profile to a prestigious public directory.
The CBC scheme has been running for more than 20 years. It’s administered and promoted by CIOB and has the backing of our strong international brand.
What kind of building company can become Chartered?
Any organisation that is involved with building can apply to become a CBC. Contractors, subcontractors, developers, clients, and even councils are eligible. There are no geographical limitations: applications are welcome from building-related organisations anywhere in the world.
Chartered Building Companies can be any size, from two or three person operations to multinationals. Branches of larger companies can also apply for CBC status, with the approval of their parent company or main board.
The key requirements are that at least half of board directors are Chartered and at least 25% Members or Fellows of CIOB. The company must have been trading for at least two years. Contact us for further advice.
Win new business and enhance your existing client relationships
Clients are increasingly specifying MCIOB-qualified managers as a non negotiable component of project teams. Ensuring that your organisation has a significant number of Chartered members at board level, and a strong pipeline of emerging talent in your wider operations, boosts your chances of winning bids – or getting onto tender lists in the first place. By following the CIOB Code of Professional Conduct and Rules, you will be able to give clients confidence that you are committed to achieving the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in construction.
Raise your profile
We offer a 20% discount to CBCs advertising jobs in our in-house magazine, Construction Manager. This is your chance to raise your profile in front of our full international membership.
You will have access to free tendering and certificate of completion templates which can demonstrate professionalism and quality to your clients.
Enhance your image
Joining the CBC scheme gives you access to our marketing tool kit and permission to use the CBC logo on all correspondence, websites and site hoardings.
You’ll also get a plaque that you can put in your office and will be encouraged to use the strapline: Professionalism and Integrity in Construction.
Take a holistic approach to staff development
Become a CBC and we will introduce you to our Training Partnership scheme. This free, tailored service provides unique support for your long-term learning and development strategies, with the aim of helping all relevant employees become Chartered. See our Training Partnerships section for more information.
Join an elite directory
As a CBC, your organisation will be added to our prestigious electronic directory of Chartered Building Companies and Consultancies. Found on the CIOB main website, this is open to the public and is fully searchable. CIOB will soon be enhancing the site with more refined search tools, enabling clients to seek out companies by specialism as well as by geographical region.
Access our Tomorrow’s Leaders Community
Our Tomorrow’s Leaders are shaping the future of the built environment. This is a community for all our members, delivering activities to empower, influence and support community members at every stage of their career. As a CBC, Tomorrow’s Leaders can give you access to the pipeline of talent, can support your staff with continuing professional development resources as well as the opportunity to showcase your firms’ specialisms.
How to apply for company membership
Applying is straightforward. Choose your webform below and we will send you the application form, which is an editable PDF. You will be asked to attach policies and statements on key policy areas such as Health and Safety, Environmental Performance, Equal Opportunities, Quality and CSR.
To meet eligibility, your organisation must have been trading for two or more years and at least half of the Executive Board must be Chartered, with a minimum of 25% Chartered with the CIOB.
In order to demonstrate positive relationships with industry, CIOB will also be asking for three references from clients and the supply chain. This can take some time, but in our experience, alerting referees that CIOB will be getting in contact can speed up the process.
Once we have received the references, your application is sent to the Membership Assessment Panel (MAP). This is a board of CIOB Fellows who are directors of Chartered Building Companies and Consultancies. They review and audit the processes by which CBC applications are approved. A member of this panel will sign off CBC applications monthly and report into the Employer Engagement Board.
Providing all the necessary paperwork is submitted with the application and depending on the response time of your referees, the process generally takes around two months. This is not intended to be an arduous process. Any professionally-run company should have the requested information easily to hand. In its review, CIOB will take the size of the company into account.
Company Membership FAQs
Apply to Become a CBC Now
Use the form on the left to request the application forms
In order to download the application forms, please tells us more about your company. This will allow us to assist you better in choosing the right membership path for your business and prepare a tailored offering to fit your specific needs.
We will contact you shortly to support you in your journey to becoming a chartered company.