A notepad, pen and glasses sit on a glass table alongside two glasses of water. The two smartly dressed individuals sit buy the table yet slightly out of view

Professional Practice Committee

The responsibilities of the Professional Practice Committee shall be to guide both Council and the Senior Management Team in work that promotes and supports geographers, geographical communities and professional geographical practice through a wide range of activities. The Professional Practice Committee receives reports from the Chartered Geographer Assessors Committee

The Professional Practice Committee reports to Council.

Membership

Membership is to be drawn from those actively engaged in professional geographical practice.

Current committee members are:

Angela Baker
Dr Luke Burns
Dr Rob Francis
Rachel Higgins
Dr Mark Jarman
Andrew Linnell
Damien McCloud
Ian McGuinness
Dr Paul Munday
Andy Murdock
Ashley Parry Jones (Chair)
David Wood

Ex officio members are the Director, Professional and Policy Manager and Head Research and Higher Education.

Frequency of meetings

The Committee meets formally bi-annually, in November and March. Additional meetings may be scheduled to discuss specific and timely issues.

Quorum

The Committee shall be quorate when 50% of its members are present, in person or through teleconferencing.

Decision-making

Decision-making shall be by consensus as far as possible. If a vote is required, each member shall have one vote and the Chair shall have the casting vote.

Duties

The duties of the Committee shall be:

Policy and strategy

To advise on the delivery of the Society’s strategy relating to professional practice
To contribute to the review and development of the Society’s strategy, focusing on areas relating to, or with an impact upon, professional practice
To contribute to the development of the Society’s thinking on all aspects of geographical practice in the workplace and its understanding of the wider context
To advise on the Society’s response to consultations on the application of geographical skills and knowledge in professional practice
To advise on the prioritisation of work within the Society’s Professional and Policy team, leading to an agreed work plan
To support the Society’s work on specific time bound projects relating to its work with professional audiences by evaluating, advising and reflecting on their efficacy

Professional Activity

To understand, support and advise on the range of work undertaken by the Professional and Policy team, and others in the Society, including:
- Chartered Geographer accreditation
- Mentoring and peer-support for professionals
- Outreach and support to employers and industry networks
- Advocacy for the impact and benefits of geography in professional practice, including case studies and events
- Professional Practice Groups
- Programme accreditation (which sits primarily with the Research and Higher Education Committee)
- Awards and recognition
- Resources to support career progression in professional geographical practice
- Equality, diversity and inclusion in professional geographical practice
- All other work relevant to professional geographical practice

Recruitment and professional development

To support the Society’s work in raising the profile of geographers in professional practice
To advise the Society on work with early career professionals
To advise the Society on work with Chartered Geographers and geographers in the professions
To advise on the Society’s membership offer to professional geographers
To recommend areas in which the Society might most effectively contribute to the professional development of professional geographers, and methods by which this might be achieved

Communication

To advise the Society on the handling of controversial issues relating to geography in professional practice where there is an overlap with the Society’s interests
To recommend effective engagement strategies for the communication of the Society’s thinking to those working in professional practice
To advise on membership recruitment, retention, engagement and communications with geographers in professional practices, including Fellows, Associate Fellows and Corporate members

Ethics and professional standards

To advise the Society on codes of conduct and professional standards for professional geographical practice

Review

These Terms of Reference will be reviewed by the Committee every three years.

Due for review by Council in December 2025