Driving our purpose

The fundamental purpose of the people profession is to champion better work and working lives. Creating roles, opportunities, organisations and working environments that help get the best out of people, delivering great organisational outcomes, in turn driving our economies, and making good, fair and inclusive work a societal outcome.

This purpose is an international rallying cry for people professionals to be a force for positive change. This is why it sits at the heart of the Profession Map. To achieve this, we need a strong professional identity grounded in shared values and robust standards - the Profession Map.

Why is the purpose important?

A shared purpose is important to maintain our collective identity as a profession, an understanding of what’s important, what we stand for, and what we’re trying to achieve. This is what we’ve distilled into the Profession Map.

This framework of shared values and standards allows the profession to maintain and build the trust and credibility we need in order to affect change in the world of work.

By applying the Profession Map in your daily work, the profession collectively gains a higher degree of trust and credibility. From this position of trust, we’re able to have the greatest impact on practices in people and organisation development.

Keeping you future-fit and purpose-driven

The Profession Map won’t tell you what to do, but it will show you how being principles-led, evidence-based and outcomes-driven leads to better decisions in any situation.

Applying these professional values will guide professionals, teams and organisations through an uncertain future as it unfolds, helping you ensure the decisions you make have a long-term, positive impact – on yourself, organisations, the professional community, and wider society. A profession that truly works for the benefit of all.

Explore our professional values

Principles-led

Explore the three key principles to making good decisions

Evidence-based

Learn how evidence-based decision-making informs your professional judgement

Outcomes-driven

Make a positive difference personally, professionally and socially by championing better work and working lives

The Profession Map

Make the most of the Profession Map

The Profession Map is for everyone in our profession – individuals and teams, members and non-members. Learn more about the Profession Map and how you can use it. 

Explore the Profession Map

Explore the purpose, values, knowledge and behaviours at the heart of our profession

How to use the Profession Map

How the international standard works for all people professionals

Find your level with the Profession Map

Find your current level of knowledge and experience and the next step in your career

Profession Map FAQs

Check out our FAQs on the Profession Map, membership, and qualifications

The Profession Map overview