A message from the Chair of the Board of trustees and the CEO

Message from the chair of the board of trustees:

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It is hard to believe that less than three weeks ago everyone was working as normal. Although we were all aware of COVID-19, I don’t think any of us had truly assessed its full potential impact. Since then, the change for us all has been significant – both personally and professionally – and we are all trying to adapt. Part of the challenge as we look forward is that none of us know when the current situation will end and what the impact will be when the restrictions are lifted. Will everything return to how it was or are we experiencing profound change that will establish a ‘new normal’ for how we live and work?

Whatever the outcome, our immediate aim is to protect the health and wellbeing of our staff and ensure that Association for Project Management (APM), our members and stakeholders are supported through this period and emerge in the best possible shape to face the future, whatever that may be.

The APM board and executive team are working closely together to identify ways to reduce cost and focus on providing the core value that is important to our members and wider stakeholders during this difficult period. We have made the difficult decision today to furlough 25 of our colleagues at APM and implement a 20 per cent voluntary pay reduction for our most senior employees. Over the coming weeks we will be exploring further short-term temporary actions to achieve the right balance between reducing costs and sustaining APM operations.

Thank you all for what you are doing to support APM and please keep yourselves and your families safe.

John McGlynn, APM chair

 

Message from the CEO:

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Over the past couple of weeks, you will have seen that we have increased communication to you, making you aware of the wide range of digital learning resources you can utilise.

With the help of our local branches and webinar programme on a wide range of topics.

We are also finalising new ways to bring you the speakers and content planned for our Power of Projects Conferences in London, Manchester and Edinburgh that we sadly had to cancel.

In the next two weeks we also plan to launch our APM Hub where you can come together as a community to share experiences, learn from each other and offer support to those who are facing particular challenges. Members who are struggling to pay their fees can also contact us at the point of renewal to seek support.

We will be proactive in informing you of new contacts you may require through this period in lieu of any furloughed employees. These details will also be on the out-of-office messages of your regular contacts should you need them.

We are very pleased to have launched, three months earlier than planned, our online qualifications platform which will ensure our members, corporate partners and training providers are able to continue to train and sit exams in a safe environment.

The creativity and willingness to change practice has never been greater and we need to harness that opportunity and make the most of it going forward.

We have made both the Government and NHS aware of your expertise and willingness to help and will reach out to you if they request us to do so.

I hope you can all enjoy a somewhat different Easter weekend than you might have had planned and most importantly that you keep safe and well.

Debbie Dore, APM CEO