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IABC Newsletter - December

Merry Christmas to all of our members and we trust that you and your family will have a relaxing and refreshing break over the holiday period.

As the year comes to an end it is timely to update you on what has been happening recently and outcomes of the Annual General Meeting held in November. To read a full version of the Annual Report, please click on the following link: www.iabc.org.nz. 

2009 Highlights for IABC

• There were no elections this year as there was no one on the board that was required to stand down.  Your board for 2009 to 2010 consists of Lloyd Davies, Tauranga; Gaelle Deighton, Manukau; Chris Elphick, Wellington; Russell Harray, Auckland; Lindsay Jeffs, Christchurch; Michael Knight, Wellington; Ron Massey, Napier;  John Segalla, Tauranga; Tony Stephenson, Auckland.

• We have again co-opted on to the board the assistance of Di Davies, Wellington.

• The officers elected at the board meeting immediately after the AGM were
o President: Gaelle Deighton (gaelle.deighton@em.org.nz, 09 262 7329)
o Vice President: Michael Knight (smsgroup@xtra.co.nz, 04 386 1069)
o Secretary Treasurer: Ron Massey (ron@napier.govt.nz, 06 834 4193).

• We are currently near to 400 members.

• A new website has been developed in preparation for the on-line certification process.  This is a work in progress, with more changes set for 2010.

• A new constitution was approved.

• The regular committees have been active throughout 2009.  The Certification & Education Committee, previously known as the Accreditation & Education Committee has been very active again this year with Michael Knight as the chair; as have The Marketing & Communications Committee who are still to select their chair for 2009–2010.

• As the organisation is growing and developing we have a newly constituted committee, the Appeals & Disciplinary Hearings Committee, chaired by Lloyd Davies. We are looking for two members of the organisation to become members of this committee for 2009-2010. As a new committee, it does need to develop its Terms of Reference and establish policies and procedures for dealing with any appeals or disciplinary matters. Grant Raven from Advantage Business Limited has volunteered already.  Thanks Grant, we really appreciate that you have made this commitment and know your experience will prove to be of great value. If you want to put up your hand and get involved then please contact the committee chair directly: lloyd@mediationplus.co.nz

•  The really big move forward this year has been the development of the on-line certification system. There has been a complete rewrite of the previously qualification based accreditation system into a competency based personal certification system. Even more impressive is that we have secured the titles “Professional Business Consultant” and “International Business Consultant” certification which are internationally recognised certifications and are registered with the international certification body RABQSA.

All of the new systems and processes are secure and audited.  The Content Management System is certified to ISO 9001:2008 whilst its assessment methodology is compliant to both ISO/IEC 17024 and 2003 Conformity Assessments "General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons for assessing ”Competent/not yet Competent:” in fair, valid and reliable means. It is also compliant to ISO 23988 and 27001 covering the secure and confidential delivery of online assessments by the latest electronic technologies.

We will be limiting the numbers of members into the system as we launch the new process, but we are taking applications in the new year. Now’s the time to do your planning. More details to come in 2010.

As you can see it has been a really big year and I would imagine that yours has been as well! The board and secretariat wish you all the very best for the holiday season, and trust that you are able to spend some wonderful time with your family and friends and are relaxed and refreshed for the new year.

We’ll talk to you again then.

Regards,

Gaelle Deighton
Chairperson

Press Release

Institute of Accredited Business Consultants (NZ) Inc Congratulates Members' APEC Qualifications

May 18, 2009

Institute of Accredited Business Consultants Inc (IABC) members Barbara Joy and Pauline Meredith-King are to be congratulated on receiving the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) IBIZ Certification.

The programme which is run by Auckland University of Technology involves a rigorous certification process and competency-based training and is designed to improve the quality of advice and counselling given to small business owners and managers.  It introduces five of the six functional areas that a learner-counsellor may work on with a small business owner and manager including Business Planning, Marketing, Financial Planning, Human Resource Management, Legal and government issues. As IABC business consultants Barbara and Pauline have already demonstrated high levels of excellence awarding them the national title of NZ Accredited Business Consultant (NZ ABC) which qualifies them as SME International Advisors.

Barbara has a lifetime background of managing and working in and with a wide variety of businesses.  For many years she has managed the Work & Income Be Your Own Boss contract for Waitakere Enterprise, tutoring and mentoring clients coming from various benefits and wanting to establish their own business. The impact on the lives of these clients by completing business plans and stabilising their ideas and goals into the future provides Barbara with the most satisfying aspects of her role.

Pauline opened her first business at the age of 24 and went on to develop several businesses winning many awards. As an IABC consultant and founder of Snap! Business Breakthroughs Pauline is committed to empowering business owners to achieve in all aspects of their business and personal lives.  In order to grow a business first we need to grow the business owners and leaders. Education through leadership and coaching are Paulines formulas for accelerated success.

The IABC strongly emphasises professional development of its members to ensure that best business practice is adopted and regulated. As a result, businesses are assured that the IABC member they hire has been through a comprehensive accreditation process and has the necessary skills and competence to provide relevant and reliable advisory services.

Top Tips: Mentors Give Helping Hand

NZ Herald Sunday April 20, 2008

Jack Stephens, group general manager for business and regional capability at New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, explains why you should consider using a business mentor.

Do New Zealanders Lack the Skills Needed to Run Their Businesses Well?
By our rate of business ownership, Kiwis are the most entrepreneurial people in the world, but this doesn't mean we're always well-prepared for the daily challenges of running a business. This is as true for those focusing on domestic markets as it is for companies going global. Indeed, we think improving the management skills of our exporters is central to improving our international competitiveness.

For the rest of the NZ Herald article click here

Tougher Rules for Advisers Will Take Time

NZ Herald Thursday Sep 25, 2008

A law change allowing tougher rules for financial advisers has passed through Parliament but industry leaders say it will take at least a year before the details are worked through and longer before the rules can be introduced.

For the rest of the NZ Herald Article click here

Press Release : 13 April 2007

New Professional Body Launched for NZ Business Consultants

New Zealanders using business consultants have a new organisation to look to for assurances about the standard of service they will receive from them.

The Institute of Accredited Business Consultants (NZ) Inc is the new name for the Australasian Institute of Enterprise Facilitators (NZ). IABC aims to be the number one professional body of business consultants in New Zealand

The new institute has a wider range of membership categories for consultants, while the accreditation process has been strengthened.

The first APEC Approved Business Consulting Course (modules 1-4) for New Zealand was organised by the institute. Completion of the course results in certification recognised in a dozen APEC countries. Further courses will be held at the Auckland University of Technology, the newly elected APEC Economy Institute.

Chairman Dr Coral Ingley said the changes to the organisation were made to better reflect members' accreditation status and experience while ensuring membership was accessible to a wide range of people without compromising quality.

The institute's predecessor was formed in 2002. It was recognised as an important service by the Government's Small Business Advisory Group as they believed it was important to support a network of accredited business consultants in New Zealand.

Since then, it has provided accreditation, registration and professional development for small and medium sized business consultants in New Zealand and is supported by the Government's economic development agency New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE).

The Institute of Accredited Business Consultants (NZ) aims to ensure New Zealand's small businesses have the confidence to work with qualified business consultants to help them grow.

The new organisation remains affiliated to the Australasian Institute of Enterprise Facilitators and is supported by NZTE.

Dr Ingley added the new name better reflected the institute's vision and cleared up confusion as to its country of origin.

"People kept thinking we were an Australian organisation. The new name more accurately represents and conveys the independent New Zealand focus of the Institute."

For more information contact:
Dr Coral Ingley
info@iabc.org.nz