DFWC calls for industry response to draft professional standards

INTERNATIONAL. The Duty Free World Council (DFWC) has called on the industry to provide feedback on its draft professional standards.

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Phase one of the newly-established DFWC Academy’s strategy will be the development of Professional Standards for Frontline Retail & Promotional staff, with the industry consultation process set to run until 14 March.

The draft standards and accompanying survey have been distributed widely across the sector, and DFWC President Frank O’Connell called the consultation period “a unique opportunity for everyone to play their part in developing agreed standards for our industry”.

Professional Standards will be finalised and published once the consultation process has ended, giving the industry an agreed set of standards with which to assess staff and training programmes.

“The initial draft standards have been developed by a working group representing all strands of the business with the assistance of People 1st, specialists in the standards area,” explained O’Connell.

Frank_OConnell World Duty Free Council president
“A unique opportunity for everyone to play their part in developing agreed standards for our industry” – DFWC President Frank O’Connell

“Once these standards are finalised and published the DFWC Academy intends to make a Quality Mark Assessment programme available and move ahead with the development of standards for supervisory and management levels and additional product category specialisms.”

The forward momentum comes after the council and Travel Retail Training mutually agreed to terminate their collaboration on the project at the end of 2016.

Although they combined to develop the draft Professional Standards, both parties failed to reach an agreement on the vision for the initiative. DFWC said at the time it was fully committed to making the academy a reality.

Comments and feedback on the draft Professional Standards can be issued on the DFWC website, which includes a more detailed explanation of the DFWC Academy Professional Standards and an accompanying short survey.

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