Being commercial is about understanding commerce - the buying and selling of goods and services, and the factors that influence success.  It means understanding the processes, relationships, risks and costs involved in commercial transactions so that we can assess whether value for money has been achieved. Commercial activity is no longer the remit of just a contracts or commercial function or department. Rather it is the process by which all individuals throughout an organisation operate to minimise its exposure to risk while achieving its corporate objective.

Our commercial awareness programme is designed for a wide range of individuals in public, private and not-for-profit organisations who have a direct interface with suppliers or customers and who need to be confident commercial decision-makers.
This two day programme covers the four key and interdependent areas where knowledge and skills are required if individuals are to become commercially aware:

• Legal environment: Contracting
• Financial environment: Understanding costs
• Risk: Risk identification and management techniques
• Negotiation: persuasion techniques