In partnership with Ufi VocTech Trust, the RSA convened the Digital Badging Commission in 2024 to examine how digital credentials can transform skills recognition in the UK.
In 2025, the commission published its final report, From skills to growth: a plan for digital badging in the UK, which sets out a practical plan to embed digital badging across education, employment, and lifelong learning.
The UK’s current systems for recognising skills are fragmented and failing to keep pace with the needs of learners, employers and the economy. Many skills gained through work, volunteering, and life experience remain invisible and unrecognised, limiting opportunity and holding back productivity.
The commission calls for government, employers and providers to act together to establish a trusted digital badging infrastructure. Its three headline recommendations are:
Economic modelling suggests this approach could save billions annually by reducing duplicated training, speeding up hiring and improving workforce retention.
The UK has the chance to lead globally in building a digital credentialing system that works for learners, employers and the economy. It provides a way to recognise skills beyond traditional qualifications, supporting people often overlooked or excluded from formal education. The commission’s recommendations offer the blueprint to make this happen.
To get involved, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at: digitalbadging@rsa.org.uk
The RSA Badge Standard helps badge earners to understand the context of the learning they have obtained and their contribution.
