ACCT Operation Accreditation

Validate your Challenge Ropes Course (CRC) operations and get ACCT Operation Accredited!

The Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) started offering an Operation Accreditation in 2019. Sites like challenge courses, aerial adventure / trekking parks, zip line and canopy tours will receive an ACCT operation accreditation if they demonstrate compliance to the ACCT Operations Standards. The purpose of Operation Accreditation is to identify sites that serve through a commitment to quality, professional conduct/business practices, and ongoing use and adherence to industry standards. 

To find out more about the ACCT Operation Accreditation, visit www.acctinfo.org/page/OperationAccreditation .

In Singapore, we have experience working with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to review the Challenge Course operations at the four Outdoor Adventure Learning Centres (OALC) in 2021. This is to help the MOE ensure that the centres’ operations are meeting a reputable international standard like the ACCT.

Ops Review Process

An Operations Review (Ops Review) will be conducted by a licensed ACCT Operations Reviewer and will involve the following process :

  1. Kick-off Meeting to brief the site operator of the Ops Review process.

  2. Documentation Review of the Challenge Ropes Course (CRC) operations.

  3. Site Observation of a CRC programme.

  4. Staff Interviews with staff involved in the CRC operations.

Final Report will then be delivered to the site operator within 2 weeks of the completion of the Ops Review process. The site operator can then submit the Final Report to the ACCT for accreditation.

The sites will receive one of the following responses for every standard statement in Chapter 2 : Operations Standards of the current ACCT Standards :

  • Pass-Reported: The client reports compliance in certain areas that were not directly observed. 

  • Pass- No Contradictions: The absence of other behaviors or conditions that would contradict the standard.

  • Pass- Observed: Evidence in terms of behavior, documents, or conditions are present in at least one staff member or piece of evidence that would show that the sample would indicate at least that person or document is in compliance.

  • Fail- Critical: Immediate action is required to rectify the failed portion of the report. The specific standard must be re-evaluated by an Operation Reviewer before it can be determined as passing.

  • Fail- Non-Compliance: The operation was shown to not be in compliance with the Standard being evaluated. The specific standard must be re-evaluated by an Operation Reviewer before it can be determined as passing.

We review to the ACCT Standards and NOT to our own preferences.

This is an important distinction that Blackbox OE makes in our Operations Review service. We acknowledge that every reviewer has their own personal preferences especially with so many years of experience in the industry. However, as tacit practitioners we are constantly reminding ourselves to differentiate between our preferences  and with what the standard statement is looking for. WE REVIEW ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS, so our clients are assured that we will not push an arbitrary requirement on them and demand compliance during the review process.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

No it is not compulsory for CRC operators in Singapore to get accredited. However, some organisations might indicate ACCT Operations Accredited as a requirement in their procurement specifications. The Ministry of Education (MOE) for example has made it a requirement since 2022 for CRCs to be ACCT Ops Accredited before schools can send their students for CRC related activities at external sites.

It really depends on the scale of your operations and the availability of programmes for us to observe and staff availability for us to interview. All these are very dynamic factors so we will work closely with the site operator to understand the operations before providing a quotation and an estimate on the timeline for us to come in. Note also that we are only doing a small part of the review and there will be additional time needed to liaise with the ACCT for the accreditation. From our observations, the whole process can take between 3-6 months.

It really depends on the scale of your operations again. We generally have to review the different types of elements at your site. Hence we will work closely with the site operator to understand the site operations to provide a quotation. Note also that there will be other costs payable to the ACCT for accreditation. For more information visit https://www.acctinfo.org/page/OperationAccreditation .

We will only be looking at the Challenge Ropes Course component of your site operations. 

As Operations Reviewers, we do not decide whether the site passes or fails a review. The ACCT Ops Accreditation panel will be the body to determine whether the site receives an accreditation. The spirit of the ACCT Operations Accreditation is to help sites improve their operation processes. Hence, after receiving the Final Report from us, it is up to your site to decide whether you would like to proceed with submitting the report to the ACCT for accreditation.

Unfortunately because this is a review, we will need to keep the integrity of the review process and not interfere with your actual operations. Hence we will not be able to provide consultancy services during the review process. You can however engage us separately outside of the review process to help with your site operations. See our Consultancy Services for more information.

Got any more questions? Drop us an email at connect@blackbox-oe.com and we’ll be happy to explain further.

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