The recruitment industry is under constant bombardment from legislation and bureaucracy both home and abroad that threatens to stifle all attempts at some kind of consistency in its standards.

What we have needed is a consistent, broad-ranging industry standard that clients and candidates and government will understand and value. As a member of the third largest staffing association in the world, which operates to the highest standards, I am increasingly frustrated by the way in which our industry is perceived.

Is this benchmark now within the industry's grasp? I refer to the changes which the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has made to the validation process for corporate membership (Recruiter, 13 December). These changes will go a very long way to helping us realise our objectives in not only providing a quality service but proving it to sceptical clients, candidates and other government decision-makers.

That the REC is taking the initiative on this is very good news for all of us and it does show that the rallying call of "raising the bar" issued when Marcia Roberts took over as CEO in August really was a positive statement of intent.

The fact that each potential member is now willing to commit themselves to an on-the-spot inspection shows that the whole question of standards of service is now being taken seriously by the REC. With this mutual commitment, that benchmark we have sought for so long may be a reality rather than an aspiration.

I wish you all a successful 2007.

Joe Vick

Managing director

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