IOSH signs skills letter to UK government

It did this by becoming a lead signatory to a letter to the UK government, addressed to the Minister for Skills, Jacqui Smith MP and copied to Peter Kyle MP, Secretary of State for Business and Trade. The letter is part of an initiative facilitated by Memcom, the body for senior leaders in professional bodies, trade associations, learned societies and the wider membership sector.

IOSH Chief Executive Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher, who signed the letter, said: “With their focus on high standards of competence, currency of skills, and the professional commitment made by members, professional bodies have a vital role to play in delivering the workforce the UK needs in the years ahead.

The full letter

Dear Jacqui Smith MP,

We, the undersigned, represent a coalition of leading professional and membership bodies across key sectors of the UK economy. Together, we set the standards, accredit professionals, and support employers and members in building the workforce capabilities that underpin the UK’s economic and social prosperity.

Our combined membership exceeds one million individually named members and reaches beyond them into the companies that we also include in our memberships. We represent a wide cross sector of our economy and society.

We believe that professional bodies can do more to support Government priorities, by:

• Boosting productivity: Embedding professional standards and accredited skills across the workforce ensures individuals and organisations are equipped to perform at their best.
• Reforming public services: Professionalising the public sector workforce—particularly in leadership, project delivery, and health and safety—will improve outcomes and value for money.
• Driving industrial growth and future skills: From green technology to advanced manufacturing, professional bodies are already delivering workforce solutions for priority sectors. We ensure a pipeline of capable, accredited professionals aligned with the UK’s industrial strategy.

We believe there is a clear opportunity to deepen collaboration between professional bodies and Government:

Our proposals

• Strategic engagement: Establish a structured mechanism for regular dialogue - such as a cross-sector working group - to align our work with Government policy priorities and delivery. This would enable better-informed decision-making and reduce policy and delivery risks through direct access to frontline professional insight.
• Skills collaboration: Partner on skills programmes that strengthen the UK workforce, support innovation, and enhance international competitiveness.
• Formal recognition: Embed professional accreditation in public sector workforce reform and industrial strategies to improve delivery and secure long-term skills investment.

At a time when the Government is focused on delivering economic growth, reforming public services, and improving productivity, we offer a ready-made part of the solution: leveraging the expertise and reach of professional bodies to drive workforce excellence, equip people with cross-cutting and specialist skills, and support sector-specific transformation.

Professional bodies are uniquely positioned at the interface of employers, education and training providers, and individual professionals. Every day, we connect these systems - helping businesses navigate complex labour market needs, advising on skills policy, and ensuring that training and qualifications meet evolving workplace demands. This means we not only set standards but ensure those standards are grounded in what’s needed in practice.

Our members - highly trained and skilled professionals - work at the heart of the UK economy, as well as in global markets. They are delivering complex infrastructure projects, innovating in R&D, supporting safe and healthy workplaces, shaping green growth, and transforming public services. Many do so in volatile economic and political conditions, giving them a real-time understanding of the pressures facing UK business and society.

At their best, professional bodies are a strategic partner to Government: shaping and upholding professional standards, improving productivity through accredited skills, and building trust in sectors critical to growth and public confidence.

Next steps

We would welcome a meeting with you and senior officials to explore how we can formalise a more strategic working relationship between Government and professional bodies. Integrating our coalition into the regular rhythm of policy development and decision making will ensure that the UK workforce remains globally competitive and that growth is underpinned by high standards of professionalism.

We look forward to your response and to working together to build a stronger, more productive UK economy.

Yours sincerely,