We are delighted to announce that we have recently been accredited by the Enforcement Conduct Board (ECB).
The ECB was introduced in 2022 to bring accountability to the enforcement industry and ensure that everyone receiving enforcement action was treated fairly. In September, the board introduced an accreditation scheme which provides enforcement providers with a dedicated framework of best practices to adhere to. The accreditation promotes organisations’ commitment to pursuing high standards and accountability and allows for ECB oversight.
The accreditation also supports creditors in driving good practice by ensuring they only use accredited firms to act on their behalf.
As part of the application in the first year, organisations are required to commit to the following:
- Comply with the current Ministry of Justice National Standards
- Provide the ECB with quarterly data returns
- Provide information to the ECB on request
- Payment of the levy in a timely fashion
Throughout the first year of the accreditation, the ECB will be developing their own standards and oversight model, so it will not be actively monitored against the existing standards; however, it will carry out targeted reviews if there is a concern of any serious issues.
From the second year, the board will implement their own code of practice and standards and introduce operational oversight and complaints handling.
We recognise the importance of the ECB, and since 2013, our work has been overseen by an Independent Advisory Group (IAG), which has helped us to strive and do better. The IAG meets a minimum of five times a year and challenges our business culture and ethical practices, assessing whether ethical standards have been applied by our organisation.
We look forward to working closely with the Enforcement Conduct Board and being guided by their framework. Providing a high-level service is important to us, and we want to continue to support our customers and clients in the best way and make a positive difference within the industry.
