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The description Chartered Management Accountant is protected by regulations because of its value.

CIMA has a duty to the privy council to ensure that the description is used appropriately and consistently.

Under CIMA's byelaws, use of the description is granted to the individual member ' not the firm or practice. Members in practice can use the description on their letterheads, business cards or other literature only where the sole proprietor is a CIMA member in practice or where ALL PARTNERS are registered CIMA members in practice.

You should always use the full designation, if choosing to describe yourself as a chartered management accountant, and not any shortened or abbreviated version.

Under no circumstances can the description be incorporated into the name of the firm or practice (e.g. 'J R Smith Chartered Management Accountants Ltd' or 'J R Smith Chartered Management Accountants Co').

Examples

• Acceptable uses of the description by a sole proprietor who is a member are as follows:

where J R Smith ACMA is identified as the sole proprietor and Chartered Management Accountant.

• Acceptable uses by a firm or practice where all of the partners are CIMA members in practice are as follows:

where J R Smith ACMA and J R Jones ACMA are both partners and each is a Chartered Management Accountant.

Members in practice should also bear in mind the requirements of the business names act 1985 and, certain circumstances excepted, of the general obligation to include the name of the sole proprietor of the firm or practice, or the names of all of the partners of the firm or practice, on all letterheads, business cards or literature.