RICS Governing Council met on Wednesday, 10 February 2021 and initiated a review into the strategic direction and priorities of RICS. Recognising that the world in which its 133,000 members work has evolved significantly since the last strategic review of 2018, and having listened to views recently expressed by a wide range of members and stakeholders, the Governing Council believes that the time is right to review the key pillars of its business plan.

The review will assess the progress of existing strategic activities, focusing on member experience, membership value proposition, attracting diverse talent to the profession, enhancing the reputation of RICS globally, governance, thought leadership and embedding RICS standards. In addition, it will consider how best to maintain stakeholder and public trust in RICS and the profession, while ensuring RICS remains a sustainable professional body. It will also seek to investigate how the purpose and ambitions of RICS can be aligned to further reinforce its relevance to all its membership and relevant industry sectors, wherever they are in the world.

Governing Council has agreed that the review will be co-chaired by Kathleen Fontana, President, RICS, and Sean Tompkins, Chief Executive, RICS.

Recognising that there will need to be some planning to build mechanisms for consultation and engagement in this strategic process for such a diverse profession, Governing Council agreed that formal consultation associated with the review should commence in a matter of weeks. At that time there will be a range of ways in which members and stakeholders can engage and participate. Until then, and because Governing Council is aware that some members would like to share ideas and insights sooner, an email address (review2021@rics.org) has been established so that those who wish to offer comment before the formal consultation process begins can do so now.

Commenting on Governing Council’s decision, Kath Fontana said:

“This will be a very important piece of work and will enable RICS to evolve as an organisation and reaffirm our strategic direction and priorities. As we look to the future, we are committed to supporting every RICS member from the newly qualified to our established professionals. We will listen carefully to the views of every member who engages with this consultation. I strongly encourage all our members to take this opportunity to contribute to the future of RICS.”

You may also be interested in

Exploring new professional pathways for RICS membership

As industries evolve and new specialisms emerge, RICS is committed to staying ahead of the curve. We're launching a pilot programme to explore the potential for three new professional pathways that could expand the profession’s reach and better serve the changing needs of markets and employers.

Update from Justin Young, RICS CEO – July 2025

June saw us gather for the 2025 RICS annual general meeting (AGM). It was a privilege to be joined by hundreds of members, both online and in person, and to hear from the many members who took to the stage to speak about their work with RICS. Thank you for your commitment to our organisation.

RICS Scotland Conference 2025: Building Collaboration for the Future

On Thursday 12 June 2025, the RICS Scotland Conference convened at the University of Glasgow, within the prestigious Bute Hall under the theme “Collaborating for future success – working together to better the built environment”.

Leading the profession: RICS Governing Council elections are now open

Hear from Harriet Kemp, Chair, Nominations and Remuneration Committee (NRC) on the enhancements introduced this year and what it means to be part of the RICS Governing Council.

Update from Justin Young, RICS CEO - June 2025

We have reached the midway point of the year, and across the world, we are seeing high impact work change the narrative around surveying.

Understanding the skills challenge – our global skills survey

To overcome the issues of today, we need to protect surveying skills. This means encouraging young people into the profession, upskilling existing surveyors and retaining talent wherever it is found.

Update from Justin Young, RICS CEO - May 2025

Today we’re opening applications as we search for our next RICS Senior Vice President (SVP), and I’d like to encourage all chartered members (MRICS/FRICS) who are passionate about the future of RICS to consider applying.

Update from Justin Young, RICS CEO – March 2025

Recruiting surveyors is an ongoing cause of concern for many of our members. The skills shortage in our profession and the wider built environment is a barrier to project delivery, a key contributor to the housing crisis, and a threat to the everyday operations of countless firms.

RICS launches public consultation on new professional standard for responsible AI use

RICS has launched a public consultation on it’s new ‘Responsible use of AI 1st Edition’ Professional Standard, which aims to provide guidance on the ethical and practical considerations of artificial intelligence in the natural and built environment sectors.

Summary of the Governing Council meeting, 16-17 January 2025

The Council is keen to engage with our members and to hear your questions and views — we will be setting time aside on each meeting agenda for this purpose.

Update from Justin Young, RICS CEO – February 2025

Last year, we made significant progress on our transformation journey. We expanded our member engagement efforts globally by hosting more than 500 events, attracting over 30,000 attendees.

Justin Sullivan becomes RICS President for 2025

On January 1st, 2025, Justin Sullivan FRICS became the 143rd President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Justin is the founder and CEO of Adair, which has provided expert construction consultancy services globally for over thirty years.