Professional standards shape the advice people rely on across the built and natural environment.

As the profession works across borders and faces new challenges in areas such as conflicts of interest, sustainability and artificial intelligence, the question is not only what standards say, but how they earn trust and work in practice.

In this episode of The RICS Podcast, we explore what professional standards mean for the people who rely on a surveyor’s advice, and how they build trust across markets and borders.

Charles Golding is joined by Jose Covas and Pauline Wong to explore how standards guide difficult decisions, help professionals identify and manage conflicts of interest, and provide a consistent professional language for working across jurisdictions.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• How professional standards support client confidence, clear advice and consistent professional judgement.
• Why identifying, documenting and communicating conflicts of interest early is essential to protecting trust.
• How international standards provide a shared professional baseline while working alongside local laws and practices.
• Why standards are a shared responsibility, shaped by independent oversight, practitioner experience and stakeholder input.
• How AI, sustainability and digitalisation are creating new challenges—and why professional responsibility remains central.

RICS Regulation Hub

https://www.rics.org/regulation

RICS iConsult

https://consultations.rics.org/

Charles Golding

https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-golding-23512b175/

José Covas

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jos%C3%A9-covas/

Pauline Wong

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulinewong669903/

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors:

https://www.rics.org/uk/

RICS Podcast Page

https://www.rics.org/podcast/

Every infrastructure project requires the work of a surveyor, and when developing economies and public opportunity this role is akin to that of a ‘silent hero’.

In this episode of the RICS Podcast, host Kieran Halliwell is joined by Dorothy Natukunda MRICS, Principal Government Valuer at Uganda’s Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

This special member profile tracks her route into the industry, landmark work on the Standard Gauge Railway project, and how she’s balancing technical demands with empathetic stakeholder engagement to bring the project to life.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• Dorothy’s journey into surveying and her influential role in Uganda’s Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development
• The complexities and human impact of land acquisition for major infrastructure projects, such as the Standard Gauge Railway
• The importance of proactive stakeholder engagement and transparent communication in public sector valuation work
• The influence of international standards like RICS on local practice and professional development in Uganda
• The evolving opportunities for women and young professionals in the surveying and valuation profession

Dorothy Natukunda MRICS

https://www.linkedin.com/in/natukunda-dorothy-mrics/

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors:

https://www.rics.org/uk/

RICS Podcast Page

https://www.rics.org/podcast/

Kieran Halliwell

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kdhalliwell/

New Zealand’s ‘Central Interceptor Tunnel’ project represents a huge step towards upgrading the territory’s infrastructure for decades to come.

Central to its success is this week’s guest on The RICS Podcast, Dr Inoka Withana Gamage MRICS, Principal Contracts and Commercial Manager at Jacobs New Zealand.

In this member profile, Inoka talks us through the delivery of such a major project, the importance of collaboration, and how commercial and contract management plays its role in one of New Zealand’s largest landmark projects.

This episode of The RICS Podcast covers:

• The engineering and delivery complexities behind New Zealand’s largest wastewater infrastructure project, the Central Interceptor Tunnel
• The importance of collaborative working and stakeholder engagement in delivering major infrastructure
• Leadership lessons and the value of practical, adaptable management plans in large-scale projects
• The role of commercial and contract management in mitigating risk and ensuring project success
• Professional growth, continuous learning, and advice for early-career professionals in the built environment sector

Dr Inoka Withana Gamage

https://www.linkedin.com/in/inoka-withana-gamage-722a4b2b/?originalSubdomain=nz

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors:

https://www.rics.org/uk/

RICS Podcast Page

https://www.rics.org/podcast/

Kieran Halliwell

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kdhalliwell/