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Introduction Key Learning Outcomes Training Methodology Who Should Attend? Outline

Introduction

Business acumen is a critical capability for professionals who must understand how decisions impact organisational performance, competitiveness, and sustainability. In today’s complex business environment, technical expertise alone is insufficient. Leaders and professionals are increasingly expected to interpret financial information, evaluate strategic options, understand stakeholder priorities, and contribute meaningfully to business success.

The Certificate in Business Acumen training course provides a practical foundation in core business principles, strategic thinking, and decision-making. Participants gain insight into how organisations operate, how value is created, and how informed decisions are made across functional boundaries. The course emphasises applied understanding rather than theory, enabling participants to analyse business situations, communicate insights clearly, and align their actions with organisational objectives. By strengthening business acumen, professionals enhance their credibility, influence, and ability to contribute at a strategic level.

Key focus areas include:

Understanding business structures, performance drivers, and value creation
Developing strategic thinking and commercial judgement
Strengthening leadership and decision-making capability
Communicating business insights with clarity and impact

Key Learning Outcomes

At the end of this Certificate in Business Acumen training course, participants will be able to:

Analyse core business concepts and organisational performance drivers
Interpret business information to support sound decision-making
Apply strategic thinking to evaluate risks, opportunities, and trade-offs
Communicate business insights and recommendations effectively
Strengthen leadership judgement within commercial and operational contexts
Integrate sustainability and governance considerations into business thinking

Training Methodology

This Certificate in Business Acumen training course adopts a practical and interactive learning approach focused on real business scenarios. Participants engage with applied frameworks, facilitated discussions, case-based analysis, and experiential activities to translate concepts into actionable understanding. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, professional judgement, and practical application to ensure relevance to everyday business challenges.

Who Should Attend?

This Certificate in Business Acumen training course is ideal for:

Leaders and managers seeking stronger commercial understanding
Professionals transitioning into leadership or supervisory roles
Team leaders responsible for business or operational decisions
Human resource and people development professionals
Operations, quality, and supply chain professionals
Project managers and professionals involved in cross-functional initiatives

Course Outline

Day 1

Foundations of Business Acumen

Developing your business acumen
Overview of business structures and operations
Key principles of business success
Finance for non-financial leadership
Stakeholder engagement principles

Day 2

Strategic Thinking and Planning

Understanding Strategy
Understanding the importance of vision and mission
The business model canvas tool
Macro-environment scanning with PESTLE & SWOT
Micro-environment scanning with Porter's Five Forces

Day 3

Leadership and Decision-Making

Understanding best practice in decision-making
Problem-solving techniques
Tools for making decisions (PMI, Crawford slip, multiple why’s, fishbones)
The Vroom-Jago Decision Model
Avoiding groupthink in your organisation

Day 4

Effective Communication in Business

Understanding the psychology of communication
Writing impactful business reports and proposals
Delivering clear, persuasive, and professional presentations
Negotiating in professional environments
Cross-cultural negotiation

Day 5

An Introduction to ESG and Sustainability Imperatives

ESG Overview: Definition, Components, and Importance
Governance Structures for ESG: Best Practices in Implementation
Social Responsibility in ESG: Employee and community impact
Environmental strategies: managing sustainable practices
ESG reporting and metrics: transparency and accountability

International Standards & Professional Alignment

Our training courses are aligned with internationally recognised professional standards and frameworks across leadership, strategy, finance, governance, risk, compliance, and audit. By integrating globally trusted models, we ensure learners develop practical, relevant, and industry-recognised capabilities.

Our trainings draw on leading international standards and professional frameworks, including ISO, ISACA, COSO, OECD, IIA, FATF, Basel, IFRS/ISSB, GRI, NIST, CPD, ILM and the OECD AI Principles. This alignment ensures consistency with global best practices across financial management, risk oversight, digital governance, sustainability, and strategic decision-making..

Designed in alignment with globally recognised professional bodies, our courses support continuous professional development, strengthen organisational capability, and provide clear pathways toward professional certifications valued worldwide.