Get recognised for the standard of your work
The SFEDI Business Support Standards set out what good business support looks like. A recognised qualification shows you meet them, and Specialist Certification will let you show your specialist expertise.
For everyone who supports businesses
The Standards are for business advisers, mentors, coaches, consultants and trainers who support people starting, running and growing businesses. They are also for professionals who serve small businesses, such as accountants, bookkeepers, solicitors and bank staff, and for people new to business support who want a basis to build on.
The eight Core Standards describe the main functions of every business support professional, whatever their role or specialism.
Your routes to recognition
- See the qualifications
Meet the Core Standards
The SFEDI Awards Level 5 Certificate in Professional Business and Enterprise Support, and the Level 7 Certificate and Level 7 Diploma in Professional Business and Enterprise Support Services, evidence the Core Standards. Your qualification is your proof.
- About Specialist Certification
Show your specialist expertise
Coming soonSpecialist Certification will recognise practice in one of the twenty-four Specialist Standards, from Business Finance and Funding to Enterprise Mentoring and AI and Digital Adoption.
- About Recognised Programmes
Keep developing
Coming soonRecognised Programmes will be training and CPD mapped to a Specialist Standard, leading to Specialist Certification when you complete them.
Already hold a SFEDI qualification?
If you already hold an SFEDI Awards Level 5 or Level 7 in Professional Business and Enterprise Support Services, your qualification continues to evidence the Core Standards. You don't need to do anything.
Use the Standards to develop your practice
The Standards are free to read and use. Use them to:
- assess your own practice against the Core Standards and the professional behaviours
- plan your CPD around the areas you want to develop
- show clients and employers what you do and the standard you work to
- choose the specialist areas you want to build on
Questions from advisers
No. If you hold an SFEDI Awards Level 5 or Level 7 in Professional Business and Enterprise Support Services, your qualification continues to evidence the Core Standards.
Your qualification certificate is your proof. Employers, clients and commissioners can check a certificate online using its certificate number.
The Level 5 is available through approved SFEDI Awards centres. Get in touch and we'll point you to the options.
Yes. The Core Standards apply to everyone who supports businesses, and there are Specialist Standards for Enterprise Mentoring (S4), Business Coaching (S5) and Enterprise Training and Facilitation (S6).
No. The Business Support Standards are free and open under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives licence (CC BY-ND 4.0). You can use, share and refer to them, as long as you credit SFEDI and don't publish altered versions.
Specialist Certification is coming soon. Tell us which Specialist Standard interests you and we'll let you know when it opens.
Start with the Level 5
The Level 5 Certificate in Professional Business and Enterprise Support is the qualification route to meeting the refreshed Core Standards.