Trusted Standard is about continuous improvement and the quality cycle does not stop with achievement of the Trusted Standard
Maintaining your award after achieving the Trusted Standard
We recommend that you continue self-assessing against the Trusted Standard indicators for the three years that your accreditation is valid. This is the best way to ensure that there are no major gaps and that your good practice is maintained.
Changes in staff, volunteers, trustees, the external environment, and the needs of your users mean that you have to constantly assess and evaluate where you are. Some organisations maintain their Trusted Charity working group as a mechanism for checking that the organisation is still compliant. Others incorporate Trusted Standard within their standard structures and review systems.
Sometimes organisations decide that this is an opportunity to consider implementing Trusted Standard at the next level. While working towards the next level, it is important to check that you are still maintaining your performance against all indicators at the previous level.
Annual Continous Improvement Conversations
As part of your of the three year accreditation cycle, and included in the external assessment price, you will have 12 and 24 month CIC with your Trusted Standard Practitioner. You will be approached by your practitioner for an online meeting. You will have the option to enhance this service eg. more qualitative interviews with colleagues and/or recipients of your services. Please discuss this with your practitioner when planning your meeting.
Renewing your Trusted Standard award
Your Trusted Standard accreditation lasts three years. To maintain your accreditation and avoid a gap between the expiry of your original award and your renewal, we will contact you twelve months before your accreditation expires to discuss your plans for renewal and updating the self-assessment. We recommend that you apply at least three months in advance of the award expiration to avoid a gap in award status.
If you don’t wish to renew your award, your accreditation will lapse at the end of the three-year period and your organisation will no longer be able to use the logo and certificate.