About ICW

The Institute is the thought leader for Collaborative Working following the development of the unique CRAFT methodology / portfolio based on the collective experience of the Institute's Executive Knowledge Network. As a totally self-financing, multi-tiered membership organisation the Institute provides practical guidance from extensive experience gained from working across relationships within the commercial, Government and academic arenas. The Institute was established in 1990 by the then Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The Institute's role is to establish collaborative working as a professional business discipline and help organisations, large and small, in both the public and private sectors, to build and develop effective competitive business relationships based on collaborative working good practice.

The Institute is focused on knowledge transfer through a broad range of training and development offerings supported by academic research and a portfolio of thought leadership reports. The Institute was the thought leader and driving force behind the development of BS 11000 Collaborative Business Relationship Framework, the world's first Standard in relationship management, published by BSI - the British Standards Institution in 2010 based on the CRAFT methodology and its evolution in 2017 to ISO 44001 the International Standard for collaborative business relationship management.

Lord Evans, Chairman

Frank Lee, Chief Executive Officer

Adrian Miller, Membership Services Director

Knowledge Sharing & Guidance

The Institute knowledge base is used to provide guidance, tools and support for both the private and public sectors predominantly in the UK but increasingly internationally. The Institute maintains a close association with the British Standards Institution (BSI)

Leadership Development

The effective deployment of collaborative working good practice places unique demands on leadership. Working with our affiliates the Institute provides specialist programmes ranging from accrediting internal facilitators through to executive leadership development.

Research

The institute is committed to furthering the development of the collaborative working discipline and the effective utilisation of the discipline through research across a wide range of global industries by way of reports and specialist papers to share the growing base of knowledge throughout the Institute's community and beyond.

Training & Skills

The Institute provides a range of skills development programmes to support organisations implementation of collaborative working both directly and through accredited training partners. These programmes are being progressively augmented by working together with specialist trainers and university partners.

Publications & Tools

The Institute website provides access to a wide range of publications, case studies, reference documents and tools to underpin the development of collaborative working approaches to promote widespread knowledge sharing.

Events & Conferences

Supporting the Institute's primary focus of knowledge sharing the Institute organises a regular series of focused events for Executive Network Members and guests, together with participating in a wide range of public conferences in order to underpin our core value of knowledge transfer.

Benefits to You & Your Business

If collaborative working is currently or part of your strategic business development then embedding good practice principles is a crucial. The growing collaborative working community facilitated by the Institute provides a unique forum to share knowledge and experience. The Institute aims to:

• Be recognised and acknowledged as the thought leader on business collaborative working.
• Carry out research to further develop collaborative working principles, practices and process.
• Ensure the widespread development of collaborative working skills through training and development.
• Progressively build a global collaborative working knowledge sharing community.

Academic Developments

Documents related to academic development with the ICW:

• Understanding the Psychology of Collaboration What Makes an Effective Collaborator.pdf (PDF, 1.72MB)
• Collaborative Working Benefits Realisation Report.pdf (PDF, 2.37MB)
• Collaborative Working Academic Forum.pdf (PDF, 324KB)