At the Association of Professional Compliance Consultants one of the most impactful ways, we support members is through our Working Groups — dynamic forums where compliance professionals come together to discuss pressing issues, share practical insights, and help shape best practice across the regulated sector.
Whether you’re focused on a specific area of practice or interested in broader industry-wide themes, our Working Groups offer a structured yet collaborative space to engage with peers, regulators, and other key stakeholders.
What Are APCC Working Groups?
APCC Working Groups are member-led communities of practice focused on topics that matter most to compliance consultants and regulated firms. Each group is chaired by experienced practitioners who help set the agenda, guide discussions, and ensure outputs are meaningful and practical.
Most groups are defined by sectorial focus, while others take a holistic view across all FCA/PRA regulated activities — creating a balance between deep technical discussion and wide-ranging strategic thinking.
Importantly, working groups frequently benefit from regular attendance by key stakeholders including the Financial Conduct Authority, the Financial Ombudsman Service, and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, who join sessions to provide insight, discuss emerging issues, answer member questions, and also ask APCC members questions.
Sectorial Working Groups: Practical, Technical and Specialist
The APCC’s portfolio of working groups includes a range of sector-focused forums where members can explore the latest developments, share experience and respond to change:
- Consumer Credit – discussion on regulatory change affecting credit-related sectors.
- Payment Services – covering the fast-moving payments regulator landscape.
- General Insurance – sector-specific compliance trends and challenges.
- IFA Best Practice – tailored to the needs of independent financial advisers and their compliance advisors.
- Principal/AR – exploring compliance in principal and appointed representative models.
- Crypto – a specialised group for emerging digital asset regulatory issues.
These sectorial groups give members a forum to dive into detail — exploring new supervision approaches, thematic findings, and emerging risks specific to their area of expertise. Shared insight from regulators like the FCA and real-world perspectives from stakeholder bodies like the FOS further enrich discussions and help members stay informed and proactive.
Holistic Working Groups: Looking Across the Regulatory Landscape
Alongside sector-specific forums, APCC Working Groups also take a broader perspective — exploring themes that cut across sectors and influence the profession as a whole.
For example:
- Culture & Conduct Discussions – examining how organisational culture, professional conduct and risk frameworks interact with overarching regulatory expectations.
- Financial Crime – covering AML, sanctions, fraud risk and emerging threats.
- Vulnerability – focused on fair treatment of vulnerable customers and evolving regulatory expectations.
These groups provide members with an opportunity to step back from the detail and consider how broader regulatory shifts, consumer outcomes, and professional standards impact the whole community of regulated firms and compliance professionals.
Insight from Stakeholders — FCA, FOS & Beyond
One of the standout strengths of the APCC Working Groups is their ongoing dialogue with key stakeholders. Representatives from the FCA often attend sessions to share regulatory priorities, provide supervisory insights and set expectations on key areas such as vulnerability, financial crime risk, consumer duty, and changing governance frameworks.
Likewise, the presence of organisations like the FOS brings valuable perspectives on complaint trends, dispute resolution expectations and how firms’ compliance frameworks are operating in practice. These engagements help bridge the gap between regulatory intent and real-world implementation, giving members actionable understanding directly from the source.
Beyond the FCA and FOS, other contributors — including industry experts, strategic partners and specialist guests — regularly present on topics most relevant to practice, helping members build knowledge and confidence.
Why Participation Matters
Being part of an APCC Working Group isn’t just about attending meetings — it’s about contributing to a collective voice that helps shape industry best practice, identify emerging risks, and influence how compliance consultants’ approach some of the most complex regulatory challenges.
For members, the benefits are clear:
- Access up-to-date regulatory insight from both regulators and industry experts
- Peer-to-peer knowledge exchange on practical compliance challenges
- Opportunity to influence APCC responses to consultations and emerging policy trends
- Professional development and deeper understanding across core topics
Whether you work in a specialist sector or take a broader advisory role, APCC Working Groups offer a unique platform to learn, contribute, and lead in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment.
If you’d like to take part in a working group, learn more about agendas or speak as a guest, members can access details via the APCC membership portal or contact the APCC team here.
