A community of regenerative educators and consultants.

FAQ About accreditation

[1] What is the IEA accreditation?

The IEA Accreditation is a community of practitioners, educators, and consultants in regenerative agriculture upholding shared ethical and professional standards for quality of work. It is a first-party accrediting program designed according to the principles of Participatory Guarantee Systems. This means that accreditees are endorsed by their peers (not a third party) to collaborate and advise on regenerative agriculture.

[2] Who is the accreditation for?

IEA Accreditation is for practitioners, educators, and consultants giving advice or developing training relevant to regenerative agriculture. To become accredited, you must also be a member of the IEA co-operative.

[3] How does the accreditation work?

At the heart of the IEA Accreditation are ethical and professional standards, which all accreditees must commit to upholding when providing advice or trainings in regenerative agriculture. Accreditees participate in peer review – supporting their peers to uphold the IEA ethics and standards and undertake ongoing learning and professional development.

[4] Why do we need an accreditation?

IEA Accreditation exists to defend against greenwashing and uphold the integrity of advising and training in regenerative agriculture. It will create a community to advocate for regenerative agriculture in universities, schools, policy, and amidst farmer networks. The IEA believes that bringing diverse practitioners, educators, and consultants into dialogue and shared learning, whilst collectively upholding ethical and professional standards, is fundamental to maintaining the integrity of Australia’s regenerative agriculture movement. You can read more about the diversity of regenerative agriculture in this publication. The accreditation will also provide pathways for early-career practitioners, educators, and consultants (such as those emerging from studies in regenerative agriculture such as the Bachelor of Science (Regenerative Agriculture) at Southern Cross University).

[5] What are the ethical standards?

These standards exist in two documents (1) the Code of Ethics: a public statement of the principles, values and behaviours that are expected of IEA accredited members. (2) the Rules of Conduct: an expansion of the code that provides a framework for decision-making. It is expected that jointly these standards facilitate integrity, respect, and equitable relationships.

[6] What are the professional standards?

These are the standards of professionalism that IEA accredited members must uphold when offering advice on regenerative agriculture. The standards also ensure that IEA accredited members are undertaking continued learning and professional development. Accreditees should remain open to exploring new beliefs and attitudes, and it is expected that they share their knowledge and skills with the wider community.

[7] Who governs the ethical and professional standards?

IEA is a co-operative owned by the members; and so the IEA Accreditation and its associated standards are governed by this community. All members of the IEA co-operative (accreditees must be members) can vote to change the ethical and professional standards at the AGM. Any proposed changes must be sent to the membership in advance.

[8] How was the accreditation developed?

The accreditation was developed in consultation with IEA members. You can read about the history and development of the IEA Accreditation in this publication. The program is currently a pilot; this means that accreditees can participate in the ongoing co-design of the accreditation as it is refined throughout 2025 and beyond. IEA believes community ownership and industry collaboration through co-design are central features of the accreditation development. We hope accreditees will have a sense of pride in, and responsibility for, the process and standards of accreditation.

To read the ethical and professional standards, access the IEA Accreditation Handbook below.

IEA Accreditation Handbook

Knowledge Circles

To become accredited, applicants must demonstrate sufficient knowledge and experience across IEA’s four knowledge circles. It is not expected that applicants have knowledge across all the circles. However, once accredited, it is expected that they learn about the areas they’re weakest in (as per the professional standards).

The IEA knowledge circles are bodies of knowledge relevant to agricultural regeneration. They are used as a guide for understanding applicants' current knowledge and to discern relevant professional development and learning opportunities.

IEA’s four Knowledge Circles sit across three interrelated categories:

Head - theoretical knowledge
Hands - practical/experiential knowledge
Heart - principles for engaging with knowledge

Each knowledge circle has theoretical and practical components. We refer to these as the head and the hands. Some applicants might be more proficient in one area, which is okay, but a balance is desirable.

It is also important that applicants engage respectfully with knowledge and other knowledge holders. Consequently, the knowledge circles are also guided by two principles, which we refer to as the heart.

Holistic thinking means thinking beyond the boundaries of reductionist science, where everything is measured in isolation of everything else. This means considering complex relationships, patterns, and interactions that can lead to unexpected outcomes on the farm. Reductionist thinking can still be implemented, but within the broader context of seeing the social and ecological interrelationships. There are different approaches to holistic thinking. For example, applicants could cite their experience using the Holistic Decision-Making Framework. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants could explore their embeddedness in Indigenous Peoples’ relational worldviews.
Ecological literacy is about reading landscapes. This includes knowledge of ecological processes, e.g., the water cycle, carbon cycle, mineral cycle, and biodiversity. It includes broad principles of landscape functioning, but also • Has broad knowledge of ecosystem functions and/or practical skills in regenerating landscapes. For example, can monitor ecological indicators for determining whether regeneration has occurred. 27 28 knowledge of specific landscapes and their associations of climate, geology, geomorphology, soils, and native habitats. Being able to monitor ecosystems and listen to the land in formal (e.g., Ecological Outcomes Verification) and informal (e.g., routine observations) ways is crucial. It is a living knowledge that often emerges from interactions with the land. Alongside their practical experience, applicants could cite the completion or partial completion of a relevant tertiary degree (Bachelors, Honours, Masters, PhD), vocational degree (Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma), or short course
Human ecology is about how humans interact with the rest of nature. It considers the moral and ethical implications of agricultural activities and the role of mindsets and values in shaping decision-making on and off the farm. This includes considering animal sentience, welfare, and behaviour. Applicants can cite their experience supporting positive human-animal relations, e.g., through Low Stress Stock Handling. This knowledge circle also prioritises the overlap between culture and land care, e.g., via cultural burns or traditional ecological knowledges. Natural disasters (fire, drought, flood) and socio-economic disasters (Covid-19, political tensions, war) are becoming more frequent and increasing in severity alongside environmental change. Applicants could demonstrate their experience navigating environmental change (e.g., disaster preparedness and recovery).
Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food, to defining their own food system, and producing food using environmentally sustainable practices. The needs of local people producing, distributing, and eating food are prioritised over those of corporations and markets. Applicants should understand issues related to equity and power in agriculture. For example, Indigenous Peoples’ sovereignty; racial parity; land accessibility; the unequal distribution of resources; and over-reliance on external inputs. This knowledge circle is about building social cohesion and community wellbeing through agriculture (e.g., peer support for farmers, public awareness). Applicants can cite experience developing or working in participatory and democratic organisations, e.g., agricultural cooperatives).

Objectives and Benefits

Objectives of the IEA Accreditation

The objectives of IEA accreditation are to:

Facilitate a network of educators and consultants that are capable of supporting the required shift towards a more regenerative, ecological and holistic agriculture.
Create a supportive peer network of educators and consultants who are equipped to provide advice with integrity.
Provide opportunities for accredited educators and consultants to enhance their knowledge and skills.
As a cohort, determine and uphold the ethical and professional standards expected of an accredited IEA educator or consultant.
Recognise and reward outstanding contributions to agriculture in the context of a regenerative, ecological and holistic approach.

Benefits of the IEA Accreditation

There are many benefits to being IEA accredited, including:

Being part of a respected community advocating for ecological thinking in farming for food, fibre, and forestry
Connecting with like-minded others to build ecological integrity and resilience through regenerative agriculture
Contributing to a locally focused quality assurance system representing ethical and professional standards in regenerative agriculture
Participating in the further development of the Accreditation through trust, social networks, and knowledge exchange

Recognition of your knowledge, skills, and competency in consulting on regarding regenerative agriculture
Recognition that you possess the qualities and competencies associated with ecological and holistic thinking
The right to use the IEA Accredited Badge and “IEA Accredited” after your name to represent your professional status and credibility
Ongoing engagement, support, and professional development from other Accredited members of the IEA community-of-practice
The opportunity to play a significant role in the evolution of the IEA and Australian agriculture.

Apply for accreditation

Applicants are asked to submit an expression of interest to the IEA Accreditation Director, Dr Katharine Brown (kbrown@ecoag.org.au). This will open a dialogue and allow us to support you through the step-by-step process to apply for IEA Accreditation, including completing the IEA Accreditation Application Form. Applicants will also need to develop a portfolio of “evidence” to address the IEA Knowledge Circles, prior to participating in an interview with an accreditation panel.

The Knowledge Circles are theoretical and practical bodies of knowledge relevant to regenerative agriculture, and are used to discern where key professional development and learning opportunities might be for applicants. You can read more about the IEA Knowledge Circles in the Accreditation Handbook. IEA President, Dr Ethan Gordon, introduces the Knowledge Circles and their relevance to the IEA Accreditation in the presentation to prospective applicants below. Prospective applicants may also wish to refer to our Heart, Head, and Hands portfolio prompts as a guide to addressing the Knowledge Circles.

What are the requirements for accreditation?

To achieve IEA accreditation, you must:

Be a financial member of the IEA
Follow and abide by the IEA Constitution and the Ethical and Professional Standards, detailed in the Handbook
Create a portfolio of work based on the IEA Knowledge Circles, detailed in the IEA Accreditation Handbook.
Pay the one-off application fee and, on achieving IEA Accreditation, pay the annual Accreditation fee.

Access the IEA Accreditation Handbook below.