The Chartered Insurance Institute is encouraging members to adopt its Professional Map as a useful tool to help meet the regulator’s Consumer Duty requirements.

The CII has shared industry views of the map, launched two years ago, in an attempt to encourage more Planners and advisers to use it.

The Professional Map is a competency framework, career development tool, and an international benchmark for excellence in the insurance and personal finance professions, the CII said.

Vanessa Riboloni, professional capabilities and insight manager at the CII, said: “Under the Consumer Duty, firms are required to ensure that every aspect of their business is customer-centric, providing valuable, needs-based products and services, with timely and proactive customer engagement.

“Continuous improvement is essential, and boards and senior managers are accountable for delivering the best possible outcomes. Achieving this requires a cultural and behavioural shift.”

She said the map identifies key behaviours, including insight, drive to deliver, curiosity, and integrity, as a way for firms and practitioners to approach work and working relationships.

Caroline Hawkesley, UK managing director at Chartered Financial Planning firm Progeny, said: “The majority of the enablers, behaviours and technical expertise on the Professional Map should occur naturally within a Chartered firm. However, formally aligning these with our professional body, in the same way that firms commit to the CII Code of Ethics, can help us deliver consistently high standards and become a force for good for everyone who works in, and is served by, our industry.”

The CII said the Professional Map also allows firms to standardise ethics and compliance competencies across their business, with banding, training and assessment that covers integrity, impartiality and independence, principled behaviour, organisational and professional standards, and risk.

Philip Greenwood, head of technical consulting at EQ Investors, said: “The CII Professional Map delivers understanding and structure around the key behaviours we should all aspire to, to best serve our clients. It acts as a reference point for setting expectations, as well as a resource for developing these areas, signposting towards structured learning opportunities which can be tailored towards the individual.”

More generally, Sarah More, learning & development manager at Apollo Underwriting, said: “Beyond technical competence and ethical judgment, the Map also emphasises innovation skills, such as creative problem-solving, curiosity and data literacy, which are essential for driving growth and adapting to a changing environment.”