Founding of Association of Certified Commercial Diplomats
The Association's inception was mission specific. An international professional institution focused on the conduct of commercial diplomacy, professionalism and the transmission of the knowledge gained from experience in actually 'practising' commercial diplomacy to current practitioners and the private foreign affairs and diplomatic community. This was the mission the association embraced and the institutional niche it set out to fill by means of research, development, advanced programmes, independent regulation, public advocacy, interdiplomatic forums and blended learning instruction.
The New Unique Class of Professionals
Commercial diplomats have emerged from the requirements for policy coordination and negotiation among nations on issues affecting global trade, commerce and investment. The training of this new class of professionals has been haphazard at best, and has relied largely on a defacto apprenticeship system, which generates neither enough qualified professionals nor sufficiently well trained professionals. This gap between the demand and supply of qualified commercial diplomats has to be met through dedicated (advanced and specialised) training programmes focused on the skills and knowledge required of a competent professional in the field.
The Unique Commercial Diplomatic Profession
Commercial diplomacy forms the greatest proportion, in numbers of the trade, commerce, industry and investment professions as a whole. At no time had there been a professional regulation authority and awarding body for commercial diplomats, and the unique 'commercial diplomatic profession' had never been regulated. If professional regulatory and awarding bodies providing training, regulation and accreditation are available for other professions why not for the commercial diplomatic profession - the mainstream of foreign policy?.
Commercial Diplomat - The title
Another, but very significant consideration was that the title 'Commercial Diplomat' is a generic term and there is nothing to stop anyone identifying themselves as 'Commercial Diplomat' which, consequentially, does not distinguish the skilled, competent and accredited practitioner from the unskilled and this could be detrimental. Commercial Diplomacy is a unique profession that requires all the finesse and knowledge of traditional, intercultural and judicial diplomacy. In addition it requires an in-depth knowledge of commercial and macroeconomic analysis of policy issues ranging from health and the environment to the prudential supervision of insurance, contemporary international investment policy-making, social responsibility, the prevention of corruption, the politics of trade and foreign investment, national trade laws and global trade rules, international arbitration and public diplomacy.
Distinct Identification and Eligibility
It was considered that in order to overcome the shortcomings in knowledge and practise of commercial diplomacy, and to safeguard and enforce integrity, fully skilled, competent, qualified and certified practitioners should have a distinct identification which could only come about if there were specialised training, professional status, independent regulation, accreditation and qualification. As a result of the urgent need for an independent impartial regulation authority on professionalism, and a global voice that shall provide appropriate regulations, higher examination standards and professional accreditation on commercial diplomatic practise and for commercial diplomacy practitioners, the very first independent global and leading professional awarding body on responsible commercial diplomatic practise at the highest and professional level, and for practitioners was founded.
Accreditation
Any practitioner from all continents proving eligible upon completion of the 'QCD Mandatory Qualifying Course' (Doctoral programme in Commercial Diplomacy) and competent under the criteria laid out by Council on Commercial Diplomacy, with significant proven relevant practical experience, can apply for accreditation and be identified as Qualified Certified Diplomat (QCD) belonging to, satisfying the criteria of, and being bound by the rules of the Professional Body (ACCD), and the codes of the Commercial Diplomats Regulation Authority.
Pioneering Statutory Rights and Mandate
