RSUA responds to ARB’s final guidance on the Architects Code of Conduct

RSUA has today responded positively to the Architects Registration Board’s (ARB) third and final consultation on draft guidance underpinning the new Code of Conduct and Practice for Architects.

Consultation detail

ARB’s Code of Conduct and Practice for Architects, which sets the standards of professional conduct and practice expected of all persons on the Register of Architects, is based on six Standards.

The Standards are intended to be supported by guidance, and a list of guidance topics was published as part of the consultation process.

ARB lately sought feedback on the last five of the 11 guidance documents, having already consulted on the remaining six last year.

These documents are:

• Building Safety
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
• Leadership
• Mentoring
• Environmental Sustainability

Suggested amendments

While supportive of the guidance overall, we submitted five editorial suggestions across three of the five documents. These proposed amendments concerned:

1. Clarifying in the Building Safety guidance that the “golden thread” applies only to higher-risk buildings under the Building Safety Act 2022.
2. Strengthening the EDI guidance by referencing specific supporting evidence.
3. Defining “presenteeism” to ensure clarity within the Leadership guidance.
4. Clarifying or removing “adequately prepared” in the Mentoring guidance, as it is not defined in the Architects’ Code.
5. Refining the Mentoring guidance to avoid setting an overly broad standard beyond clearly defined areas of professional responsibility.

Further engagement

Our full response can be accessed here.

If you have any questions or comments about this response, please contact Curtis Large, RSUA Policy and Public Affairs Officer, at curtis@rsua.org.uk