UK and Ireland architecture presidents commit to ‘Five Principles’ for the future of the profession

The five presidents of the architecture institutes of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have committed to drive forward five shared principles to strengthen and safeguard the future of the profession.

The principles have been agreed to bring greater consistency of focus across the nations, as their collective membership serve their clients and society.

On behalf of their institutes and their combined membership of 46,700 architects, the presidents have committed to collaborate on the following five principles:

1. Place the public interest and value to society at the heart of all they do – by promoting the highest ethical standards and ensuring codes of conduct are continually strengthened.
2. Be accountable and the Gold Standard – by protecting the public and maintaining the highest standards of architectural education.
3. Reflect the diversity of the population in their workforce – by adopting reforms and policies that promote diversity and inclusion within business practices.
4. Research, build and share essential knowledge – by developing and disseminating the body of knowledge embedded within the profession.
5. Lead the profession in the fight for a more sustainable built environment – by placing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a key guiding principle in all they do.  

The Five Principles agreement has been signed by:

Joan McCoy, President of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA)
Ben Derbyshire, President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
Stewart Henderson, President of the Royal Incorporation of Architects Scotland (RIAS)
Carolyn Merrifield, President of the Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW)
David Browne, President of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI)