BCS Foundation Certificate in the Ethical Build of AI

Overview

Supporting surveyors in an evolving technological landscape

RICS is proud to collaborate with BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT—the UK’s chartered body for IT professionals and a global leader in ethical digital practice, with over 70,000 members in 150+ countries. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to raising professional standards, supporting innovation, and responding to the challenges of a data-driven world.

As the surveying profession embraces emerging technologies like AI, PropTech, digital twins, and geospatial analytics, surveyors need more than just technical skills. They need the ethical insight, digital fluency, and sustainable mindset to guide clients, lead projects, and shape the future of the built environment.

What is in for RICS members

Through our partnership with BCS, RICS members can now access accredited training that supports our commitment to professionalism, ethics, and innovation. The BCS Foundation Certificate in the Ethical Build of AI offers essential guidance on one of the profession’s most pressing issues—the responsible and transparent use of AI in the built environment.

• AI is here to stay – in valuation models, smart buildings, automated design, and beyond.
• Surveyors are increasingly advising on or implementing AI-driven tools, often in high-stakes, high-value settings.
• Ethical and transparent AI use is essential to protect public interest, data integrity, and long-term value.
• Understand the risks and responsibilities tied to AI in surveying
• Build credibility when engaging with digital systems, clients, and regulatory stakeholders
• Strengthen your alignment with ESG principles, data ethics, and professional trust
• Gain a globally recognised certification from the UK's chartered IT institute

Key learnings outcomes

• The ethical issues of AI and data use.
• How to use virtue-based thinking to gain trust in AI.
• How AI ethics and data keep the law from stifling innovation.
• If and how to approach creating ethics guidelines.

Learning portfolio 

The BCS Foundation Certificate in the Ethical Build of AI is just one of several new learning options now available to RICS members through this collaboration. You can also explore individual modules: 

• An Introduction to Information Security
• Discovering Green IT: An Introduction to Tech Sustainability
• Driving Sustainability: Exploring Green IT Policies and their Impact
• Avoiding Greenwashing: Identifying and Addressing the Risks and Roles in Green IT
• Developing an Agile Mindset

These modules support RICS members in developing future-ready skills across ethics, cybersecurity, sustainability, and digital transformation, all aligned with the needs of today’s built environment. 

Each module costs £32 for RICS members, and £36 for non-members.