📰 Insurance Institute of Halifax and Bradford

NC2026 Conference Update & What It Means for Us

President Amanda Shaw and Deputy President Kay Lang recently represented the Insurance Institute of Halifax and Bradford at the Chartered Insurance Institute’s NC2026 Network Conference.

Bringing together Local Institutes from across the UK, the conference focused on strengthening our profession, supporting members and ensuring we remain relevant in a changing world.

We’ve captured the key themes—and more importantly, what they mean for us locally and how we’re taking action.

🤝 A Stronger, More Connected Institute Network

A key takeaway was the importance of connection.

Local Institutes are more than event providers—they are communities that bring people together to share ideas, build careers and support one another. 

💬 What stood out most is how powerful we can be when we collaborate—both locally and across the wider network.

✅ What this means for us

We’re continuing to build a stronger local community by:

• Creating more opportunities for networking and collaboration
• Exploring joint activity with neighbouring institutes
• Encouraging members to connect, contribute and get involved

👉 A stronger institute starts with all of us.

🚀 Preparing for the Future of the Profession

The profession is changing—and we need to evolve with it.

The CII highlighted four key areas shaping the future:

• 📈 Financial resilience and growth
• 🎓 Skills, talent and the future workforce
• 🛡️ Professionalism and public trust
• 🌍 Environmental and systemic change 

These are not just high-level topics—they directly affect our members and the work we do locally.

✅ What this means for us

We will reflect these themes by:

• Designing CPD that supports real, current challenges
• Creating opportunities to build skills beyond qualifications
• Helping members stay relevant in a changing profession

⚖️ Professionalism, Ethics and Culture

One of the strongest and most important themes from the conference was ethics and behaviour.

Professionalism isn’t just about qualifications—it’s about:

• How we interact with others
• How we represent the profession
• The environments we create at events and in our workplaces

Sessions reinforced the importance of the CII Code of Ethics and embedding professional behaviours in everyday practice. 

💬 This is an area where Local Institutes set the tone.

✅ What this means for us

We are committed to ensuring our institute is:

• 🤝 Respectful
• 🌍 Inclusive
• 🛡️ Safe for everyone

We will:

• Include ethics-focused CPD and discussions
• Ensure our events reflect professional and inclusive standards
• Promote awareness of the Code of Ethics

👉 Professionalism is everyone’s responsibility—and it starts with us.

🏢 Corporate Chartered and Working with Firms

Upcoming changes to Corporate Chartered status place greater emphasis on:

• Customer outcomes
• Professional development
• Engagement with Local Institutes 

This creates a real opportunity for stronger collaboration at a local level.

✅ What this means for us

We will:

• Build closer relationships with local employers and firms
• Support firms in understanding upcoming changes
• Create opportunities for organisations to engage with the institute

👉 Our role as a partner to firms is growing—and we’re ready to support.

👥 Member Experience – At the Heart of What We Do

A really important insight shared was that while the CII has a strong reputation, Local Institutes are seen as the “warmer, more human face” of the profession. 

That’s something we’re incredibly proud of.

But it also comes with responsibility—to ensure we deliver real value.

✅ What this means for us

We will continue to focus on:

• 🎓 Relevant and engaging CPD
• 🤝 Opportunities to connect and network
• 💡 Listening to your feedback

👉 Your institute should work for you—and we want to keep improving.

🌱 Inspiring the Next Generation

Building a strong future pipeline for the profession is critical.

The conference highlighted the importance of consistent, local engagement, not just one-off activity. 

Local Institutes play a unique role in:

• Raising awareness of careers
• Supporting early talent
• Connecting education and industry

✅ What this means for us

We are looking to:

• Strengthen links with schools, colleges and universities
• Support mentoring and outreach initiatives
• Work with employers to showcase real career pathways

👉 Even small actions—one conversation, one event—can make a huge difference.

📱 Building Our Voice and Visibility

Another key takeaway: we are all part of the content world.

How we communicate matters—whether through events, conversations or social media.

✅ What this means for us

We will:

• Share more about what we do and what members achieve
• Use digital platforms to reach wider audiences
• Encourage members to share their own insights and experiences

👉 Every voice contributes to strengthening the profession.

💡 Bringing It All Together – Our Focus for the Year Ahead

Following NC2026, our priorities are clear:

• 🤝 Strengthen connections within our local community
• ⚖️ Champion professionalism and ethics
• 🏢 Build stronger relationships with local firms
• 🎯 Deliver meaningful value for members
• 🌱 Support future talent and careers
• 📱 Increase our visibility and engagement
• 🗣️ Play an active role in the wider profession

These are not just ideas—they are actions we are actively building into our plans.

📣 Get Involved – This Is Your Institute

Everything we’ve shared here depends on one thing: you.

We’d really love more members to get involved—because this is your institute and your community.

There are lots of ways to take part:

✨ Attend events and connect with others
🤝 Volunteer your time or join the committee
💡 Share your ideas and feedback
🎤 Speak at events or contribute your expertise
🌱 Support careers outreach and mentoring

👉 You don’t need to commit a lot of time—even small contributions make a big impact.

If you’d like to get involved (or just want to find out more), please reach out—we’d genuinely love to hear from you.

🔮 Looking Ahead

NC2026 reinforced something important:

Local Institutes are central to the future of the profession.

We’re excited about what’s ahead for Halifax and Bradford—and even more excited to shape it together with our members.