and a continuing professional development education scheme. Its governing body is its council, comprising members elected from regional branches. Each of the branches has a committee and is responsible for much of the 'grass roots' activity. Activity such as qualification development is undertaken from the London head office. In 2011 CIMA left CCAB. In 2012, CIMA and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants created the CGMA designation (Chartered Global Management Accountant). The designation recognises the most talented and committed management accountants. The CGMA is the most widely held management accounting designation in the world with more than 150,000 designees; it is educationally equivalent to a master's degree. The designation is built on extensive global research to maintain the highest relevance with employers and develop the competencies most in demand. CGMA professionals are business strategists who can link the board's objectives with those of organisation's, guiding critical business decisions and creating sustainable business success. In 2014 CIMA, with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, launched the Global Management Accounting Principles (Principles). The Principles were endorsed by UK business leaders including: Mr Ian King, Chief Executive, BAE Systems and Howard Orme, Director General, Finance & Commercial, Department for Business Innovation & Skills. The CGMA Competency Framework was also launched in 2014. The framework shows the range of technical, accounting and finance skills that management accountants need to do their jobs and consists of four knowledge areas: Technical Skills, Business Skills, People Skills and Leadership Skills all underpinned by Ethics, Integrity and Professionalism. In 2016 CIMA, sponsored the creation of the world's first management accounting standard: Guide to management accounting principles. The standard, published by the British Standards Institute codifies a universal framework for best practice in decision making. Organisations including, Sky, The Environment Agency, Fujitsu, the NHS and Siemens had input into its development. It is designed as a best-practice guide to management accounting, allowing organisations to benchmark their finance function and unlock the full contribution that management accountancy can make. The specification is based on the Global Management Accounting Principles, created in 2014 by CIMA and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. In 2017, members of CIMA and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) formed the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants to unite and strengthen the accounting profession globally. Membership CIMA has two grades of full membership: Associate – designated by the letters ACMA Fellow