Corporate membership for suppliers
Natspec member colleges vary widely and have differing needs depending on their context, location, setting, and cohort of students. For this reason, Natspec does not endorse any particular service or product, and we do not have preferred suppliers. The corporate membership scheme is an alternative, designed to help member colleges hear from organisations that deliver services and/or products that may be beneficial to them and help improve their quality of provision.
Companies and organisations applying for corporate membership must have a track record of working within specialist FE, with at least one Natspec member college supporting their application.
All corporate members will be required to agree to the Code of Conduct (written below) before being accepted onto the scheme. Please complete our corporate membership application form to be considered.
Membership benefits
Corporate membership is priced at £2,000 plus VAT, per membership year (1 April-31 March). Corporate members are entitled to receive the following benefits over the duration of their annual membership:
- Early booking opportunity for sponsorship and exhibition spots at our 2 day national conference, held in the summer, and our TechAbility conference each November
- Fortnightly email briefings for two staff members with the latest sector news and policy updates from Natspec
- Ability to attend member-only webinars providing intelligence and information about a range of subjects
- An entry on the corporate membership directory page on our website, with links to your own website and resources
- Three social media messages per membership year from Natspec highlighting your association with us
- Natspec corporate member logo provided for your use
- Presentation opportunity at a Natspec network relevant to your products and services – 15 minute slot, once per membership year
- Discounted rate on Transform and TechAbility training and events for up to 2 people; paying the Affiliate rate instead of non-member
- Opportunity to be a sponsor for the fortnightly briefing, once per membership year, and include a briefing item up to 150 words
- Opportunity to share a promotional video, up to 5 minutes long, that will be shown at select member events where relevant and hosted on our website and YouTube channel
Code of Conduct
Corporate members must agree to:
- focus any information presented on the benefits of the products or services to learners, either directly or indirectly i.e. through enabling the college to better provide for their learners
- comply with all relevant legislation relating to advertising and marketing, the sale of goods, relevant European Directives/Regulations, consumer rights, disability rights, and data protection
- ensure that any products sold are of satisfactory quality and fit for the purpose specified
- use only ethical selling techniques and deliver high standards of service
- only supply products and services where they fulfil a genuine need
- communicate about their products and services honestly and truthfully, providing accurate, balanced, fair, objective, and unambiguous information, claims and comparisons
- respect the confidentiality of information obtained and not disclose such information without the consent of the customer concerned, or a person entitled to act on their behalf, except where such disclosure is required by law
- communicate, whether verbally or written, in plain, accessible language. Provide information to all customers in an appropriate format and take their particular needs into account.
Corporate members must not:
- engage in hard selling any products or services during any networks attended
- mislead Natspec members, either directly or by implication, or give rise to false expectations about their products or services
- imply that any invitation to make a presentation indicates an endorsement by Natspec of the company or its products or services
- disparage the products and activities of other companies.
If Natspec, or its members, consider there to have been a breach of this Code of Conduct, or have any other complaints, we will inform you in writing in order to give right to reply. We will work with all parties involved to determine the facts and will endeavour to solve any complaint by liaison. However Natspec’s members reserve the right to remain anonymous if they wish to do so.
Where a breach of code of conduct occurs, and a satisfactory resolution has not been possible, a notice terminating the membership will be served with immediate effect. In these cases, membership fees will not be refundable.
