Business Scotland 15

BusinessScotland Scottish Chambers of Commerce Magazine

SPRING2019

Mentor plan for female entrepreneurs Strathclyde University solar project changing lives in Malawi Dundee – living wage city

Work based learning unlocks potential in Scotland’s young people

Scottish Chambers of Commerce

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BusinessScotland

CONTENTS

SPRING 2019

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APPRENTICESHIPS ARE KEY TO UNLOCKING FUTURE TALENT FUNDING GROWTH FOR SCOTTISH BUSINESSES 4 MUST-HAVE APPS FOR BUSINESSES IN 2019 ENCOURAGING CHANGES IN WORKPLACE TRAVEL BEHAVIOUR

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SCOTRAIL STATIONS ON THE UP LATEST SCC SURVEY RESULTS SHOW A CHALLENGING TRADING ENVIRONMENT FOR SCOTTISH BUSINESS A GLOBAL OUTLOOK AND A LOCAL WELCOME INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL FOR TEENS

Scottish Chambers of Commerce Business Partners

Front Cover Image: Tafara Gopoza, a Civil Engineering Foundation Apprentice with McTaggart

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NEW BOARD CONVENED FOR LANARKSHIRE CHAMBER

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CAL MAC CUTTING CARBON AS PART OF NEW ECO ACTIONS

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NEW CEO TAKES THE HELM AT LOCHABER CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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FOREWORD

Inspiring stories from Scottish businesses I’m delighted to showcase the great stories from the Scottish business community in this edition. A lot has been going on since our last edition, not least the hugely successful Scottish Apprenticeship Week, led by Skills Development Scotland.

With many businesses facing challenges in recruiting the right skills and people, Skills Development Scotland are playing a critical role in preparing the next generation for the world of work. This year’s Scottish Apprenticeship Week highlighted the diverse range of options that young Scots have as they look to begin their careers. The work SDS does to support young people at school, in the workplace and in further and higher education is vital to helping future generations of Scottish workers access jobs in vital Scottish industries. Credit should also go to Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of Commerce, whose event ‘Bang Goes D&G’, run by the local DYW group engaged hundreds of young pupils to promote the benefits of studying STEM subjects. Glenhead Engineering, a member of Dunbartonshire Chamber, is also working with young people to inspire them about the immense possibilities in engineering opportunities.

Tim Allan

President, Scottish Chambers of Commerce

Our partners, Virgin Trains, have also been busy, introducing new handheld devices for their staff to improve customer service, accessibility and reduce waste. The ‘Avocet’ technology will benefit customers who are

travelling all over the UK and help to create a better journey experience.

Scottish Chambers of Commerce were delighted to host the Association of Scottish Businesswomen’s Women of Inspiration Awards in Q1 in the same week as International Women’s Day, during Women’s History Month.

It’s important to remember that we all have a part to play to ensure workplaces are inclusive.

Inclusivity and equality are essential and beneficial for both the economy and society and as such we are proud to have such exceptional business women and entrepreneurs featured in this edition.

Elsewhere, ferry operator and Scottish Chambers partner CalMac have produced a detailed report and strategy to reduce their carbon emissions. In partnership with marine charities and other organisations such as Scottish National Heritage, it is part of their goal to become a green leader in the industry.

Meanwhile, in Malawi, the University of Strathclyde have joined with charities and development bodies to support local businesses who had previously been off the grid with solar powered generators to connect remote areas and open up new opportunities for business.

Thank you for picking up this edition of Business Scotland and I hope, like me, you are energised after reading the innovative and inspiring stories from Scotland’s businesses.

Featured Stories and Contributors Frank Mitchell

Derek Shaw

Ronnie Corse

Liz Cameron OBE

Fiona Wilson

Lucy Bradshaw

Malcolm Roughead OBE

Neil Amner

Ian Ivory

Helen Potter

Lyndsey Greer Philips

Liz Jackson

Chair, Skills Development Scotland

Director & Chief Executive, Scottish Chambers of Commerce

Chief Executive, VisitScotland

Co-founder and CEO of Potter Innovation

Head of Investment Management, the Scottish Investment Bank

Clinical Psychologist and Practice Director of The Edinburgh Practice

Director, Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Director, Anderson Strathearn

ASB President

Head of Technology at Sky and Vice Chair, DYW West Lothian Regional Group

Chartered FCIPD

Business Scotland

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COVER STORY

Frank Mitchell

Work-based learning unlocking potential in young people Frank Mitchell

Chair, Skills Development Scotland

Two years ago, Deputy First Minister John Swinney, underlined his commitment to provide up to 5,000 new Foundation Apprenticeship opportunities available in schools by the end of 2019.

That is the potential prize for introducing work-based learning earlier, forging better links between employers and education through Foundation Apprenticeships.

Foundation Apprenticeships mean pupils spend time out of the classroom working on real projects with real employers getting qualification at the same level as a Higher.

The changes required within schools and the education system to enable young people to choose a Foundation Apprenticeship can’t be underestimated.

The ambition is a bold one for Scotland’s young people. It has the potential to reshape the future skills of our economy.

Schools and businesses are different.

Building better links locally between both presents challenges we need to tackle with creativity, determination and flexibility.

Evidence from around the world tells us that countries with well-developed apprenticeship and work-based learning systems are more

Even changes to timetables to ensure pupils can attend college or work placements needs a degree of thinking differently.

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productive, have more resilient economies and lower youth unemployment.

It’s incumbent on us all to ensure young people, schools and parents understand the value of work-based learning.

Critical to this challenge is that although all universities and colleges now recognise and value Foundation Apprenticeship qualifications for entry, we still measure a school’s success or failure by Highers.

SDS has delivered on the commitment to making more than 5,000 Foundation Apprenticeships available for the academic year ahead.

Thousands of young people across Scotland have just chosen their school subjects.

SDS clearly has a crucial role to play in the success of Foundation Apprenticeships.

We are ensuring young people see this opportunity is being achieved through social media, advertising, TV campaigns and of course our professional career advisors.

But it will also take a unified effort from local

COVER STORY

authorities; schools, colleges and employers across the country to ensure they are able to deliver on that commitment and young people are able to take up the places on offer.

And why does that matter so much?

Over the years, I have been lucky to meet and work alongside some great people.

I have seen the benefits of investing in talent and developing the young workforce through apprenticeships.

It was a real pleasure when I met Scotland’s Apprentice of the Year, Fraser Wallace, and his very proud parents.

Fraser is a Modern Apprentice with aerospace engineering firm GE Caledonian.

It’s fantastic to think about the heights Fraser’s career could reach in the future.

It’s also important to recognise how got to where he is just now.

Fraser was one of the first young people in the country to complete a Foundation Apprenticeship.

He completed his engineering Foundation Apprenticeship attending Ayrshire College and work placements with GE Caledonian while he was a pupil at Greenwood Academy.

He learned in the workplace from expert engineers with decades of experience on the job.

The company was so impressed they offered him an apprenticeship job when he left school.

It’s not hard to see how Foundation Apprenticeships are bridging the gap between education and employers – the aim of Scottish Government’s flagship youth employment policy to develop the young workforce.

Full-time further education is not for everybody.

The ability to earn and learn opens up more opportunities for all of society; the benefits of increasing work-based learning opportunities are good for individuals, good for employers and overall good for the Scottish economy.

We all must work together to make the most of this fantastic opportunity.

Schools and businesses are different. Building better links locally between both presents challenges we need to tackle with creativity, determination and flexibility.

Apprenticeships are the key to unlocking future talent Liz Cameron OBE CEO Scottish Chambers of Commerce

Uncertainty over recruitment is one of the biggest challenges facing employers in Scotland as the UK prepares for departure from the European Union. But there are practical steps businesses can take to bolster the talent pipeline as well as benefit the communities in which they operate.

Apprenticeships offer people the sort of hands-on training they need to succeed, while also offering businesses a flow of exceptional individuals with highly valuable skills. Workplace training offers a win-win for both trainees and employers and there is no better time than Scottish Apprenticeship week to highlight these benefits.

The range of apprenticeships available is wider than most people think and can start as early as S5 in school. Foundation apprenticeships, which require pupils to spend one day a week in an office or workshop, provides young people with invaluable experience of what it is like to be in a working environment as well as industry-recognised accreditation.

These students are more employable and have that edge no matter if they continue their training with a Modern or Graduate apprenticeship, or they decide to go to work, college or university.

This is an important point – the career path for young people has never been more challenging, or indeed presented such a massive opportunity to spend their working time in different careers.

Their lifetime of work faces increasing disruption from automation and globalisation – the same issues that face employers. The hands-on experience of work offered through workplace training is an effective way to develop skills sufficient to meet the demands of the future, increase understanding of what is available and enable more informed decisions.

Scottish Apprenticeship week exists to highlight the value of apprenticeships to students, teachers, employers and parents alike. Businesses and members of Chambers across Scotland already

hold the full apprenticeship focus in exceptionally high respect – it simply works. Companies of all sizes, all sectors, see the apprenticeship model as an obvious way to develop and shape talent for today and into the future.

With Foundation, Modern and Graduate Apprenticeships, there’s never been a better time for businesses to adopt the apprenticeships model into their employment mix. Across Scotland, thousands of businesses are involved in apprenticeships, supported by Skills Development Scotland. Further, Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) business groups across Scotland are doing stellar work providing information and opportunity to trainees and employers alike, as well as enabling young people while still at school to begin to focus on their career choices.

The recent economic data from the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Network’s Quarterly Economic Indicator survey , and many others, all point to an environment where business confidence is dipping, recruitment difficulties are expected to persist, and future investment expectations are slowing down. In this uncertain environment, we must continue to nurture and offer opportunities to Scotland’s future talent pool.

We at Scottish Chambers of Commerce, and many Chambers throughout Scotland, are examples of how small businesses can gain advantage by creating opportunities for potential apprentices. We have employed two and they are already making an impact to our business and wider team.

From my own experience of collaborating with apprentices, the value they bring to any business is abundantly clear. From increasing productivity to supporting succession planning, to accessing specialist skills and engaging in new technologies, apprenticeships are an important lever for all businesses to access and develop their own talent.

The game changer is to ensure that every young person across Scotland is aware of this message and the outstanding opportunities which the Apprenticeship career routes can offer.

Apprenticeships will be the key which unlocks the development of our future talent.

Business Scotland

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COVER STORY

Lucy’s in business through her Foundation Apprenticeship Teenager Lucy Gallagher got the chance to get her foot in the door at a world-leading technology firm thanks to her Foundation Apprenticeship.

Now, more doors are opening for the 17-year-old pupil at St Ambrose High School in Coatbridge.

Lucy chose a Business Skills Foundation Apprenticeship in fifth year alongside her other subjects so she could get relevant experience towards her dream job in procurement.

Now in her second year of her Foundation Apprenticeship, Lucy’s getting work experience at world-leading technology firm, Dell UK. She said: “Going to university wasn’t for me. I wanted to go straight into work. A

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Foundation Apprenticeship let me see how I would get on in a work environment and lead to a qualification.”

Lucy, from Baillieston, heard about Foundation Apprenticeships at a careers presentation during school assembly.

She explained: “The teacher talked about a range of career options and Foundation Apprenticeships really stood out.”

Lucy went on to the apprenticeships.scot website to find out more and see what Foundation Apprenticeships were available near her.

After registering online for Business Skills, she went to Glasgow Kelvin College who accepted her on interview.

“College work is managed step-by-step to make sure it’s not too difficult and in the second year there’s a focus on the work placement.”

Dell UK has offered her a job through a Modern Apprenticeship with the prospect of staying on to gain a degree with a Graduate Apprenticeship.

At Dell UK, Lucy has been working on a variety of projects which are designed to increase her knowledge of the business and position her for a role in sales support at the end of her apprenticeship. She says: “The environment is not what I expected.

Doing the apprenticeship alongside her Highers was straightforward.

“I thought it would be quiet and formal but there’s so many different things happening; like days out of the office and activities to keep you motivated.

Lucy said: “My school was able to manage my timetable for fifth and sixth year so I could fit in all the subjects I wanted to do.

“I love being in Dell and it’s been brilliant to get insight into the work environment through my Foundation Apprenticeship.”

COVER STORY

Going to university wasn’t for me.

I wanted to go straight into work.

A Foundation Apprenticeship let me see how I would get on in a work environment and lead to a qualification.

Lucy Gallagher

New national network of apprentices Pupils in every high school across Scotland will benefit from a new national network of apprentices.

“I get treated like any other member of staff and trusted with my own projects. Just like all new Dell employees, I had to give a pitch presentation to a group, which was fantastic experience.”

Varry McMenemy from Dell said: “We are thrilled to have Lucy and four other Foundation Apprentices within our team.

It’s a privilege to be able to support them on their learning journey and to have them contribute to our business at such an early point in their careers.”

Lucy added: “It blows my mind that others don’t take a Foundation Apprenticeship.

The network will help inspire future generations to benefit from apprenticeship opportunities.

Scotland’s Apprentice Network is open to current and former apprentices who want to encourage young people to follow in their footsteps, with every school in Scotland to be linked with an ambassador from the network.

The network was launched by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week.

Apprentices of tomorrow

“I would recommend a Foundation Apprenticeship to everyone; there’s so many different types that people can take.

The First Minister said: “Creating this network of apprentices, who can share their experiences with others, will help inspire the next generation.

“Choosing a Foundation Apprenticeship has built my confidence and given me a secure future.”

“We know that work-based learning delivers for individuals, employers, and the Scottish economy.

Foundation Apprenticeships have been developed by Skills Development Scotland in partnership with industry and supported by the European Social Fund.

“Through the network, apprentices are going to have the chance to inspire young people to follow their example and become the apprentices of tomorrow.

Foundation Apprenticeships are open to pupils in S5 and S6, usually take two years to complete and result in a qualification at the same level as a Higher. The Foundation Apprenticeship combines learning at college and work-based learning with a relevant employer.

“Their success stories are the best way to show pupils that work-based learning offers fantastic career opportunities.”

Unique opportunity to talk to pupils Director of National Training Programmes at Skills Development Scotland, Katie Hutton, said: “We know that the best people to showcase the benefits of apprenticeships are successful apprentices.”

“Through the network, apprentices will have a unique opportunity to talk directly to school pupils who are making their career choices and encourage others to follow in their footsteps.”

National network The Network was launched by the First Minister at Forth Valley College, where she met members of the Network and engineering apprentices.

Scotland’s Apprentice Network is facilitated by Skills Development Scotland (SDS). SDS will ensure the inclusive recruitment of network members, from across the whole of Scotland, different sectors, industries and disciplines.

Network members will use their own first-hand experiences to communicate the benefits of Foundation, Modern and Graduate apprenticeships to young people, employers, parents, schools and other stakeholders at a local level, ensuring employers and schools can benefit from the national network.

Current and former apprentices are being encouraged to sign up and join the network - www.apprenticeships.scot/ network

Business Scotland

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Jarmo Eskelinen by © Uupi Tirronen

Big data, huge opportunies You don’t need to spend long chatting to Jarmo Eskelinen to pick up on his excitement at his new role as the man in charge of helping drive data driven innovation into the hearts and minds of people in and around Edinburgh…

The £661 million Data Driven Innovation programme is at the heart of the recently announced Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, and will play the key role in helping Edinburgh achieve the ambition of becoming the Data Capital of Europe.

Working together to deliver the 10year programme are the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University, whose experts will collaborate with industrial partners on data-based projects in the public, private and third sectors.

If all that sounds just a bit high tech-speak to you, then recalibrate. Data science is already playing a massive part in our daily lives, and that is only going to increase. Through high-

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speed data analytics, our ability to capture flows of data and understand what they tell us is bringing better and faster capability to identify trends and improve processes across many sectors, leading to better services for consumers and citizens.

All of this at a time when the world is wresting with huge and complex issues such as the mass displacement of people, or global warming and climate change, the need for data science has never been stronger.

Jarmo believes Edinburgh is uniquely well placed to meet the challenge. “The City has a tremendous physical infrastructure, and is fast developing a global reputation for its technical expertise and digital infrastructure.

The University of Edinburgh and HeriotWatt are both world leaders in their fields in data, artificial intelligence and robotics.

We are setting ambitious targets – such as producing 100,000 data science qualified graduates over the next ten years.

Jarmo added: “Placing Edinburgh at the world-leading edge of that movement will create jobs and opportunities, and will help deliver more services, more effectively. Of course, there will be some areas in which

industry disruption, brought by changes such as AI and autonomous systems, will mean jobs might be at risk, but we believe the opportunities for new jobs will be even greater. Unlike in previous industrial revolutions, what we need to do is make sure all our citizens are ready for the opportunities.”

That means engaging with schools, colleges and universities, as well as with the public, private and third sectors. It means working with educators to ensure young people are better skilled to succeed in the new age of data and informatics. DDI programme is already engaging with schoolteachers, with students, with teachers: the DDI Skills Gateway programme aims to reach out to all schools in the region, teaching data to up to 250 000 pupils.

Meeting challenges that affect us all inevitably means having to stretch across the traditional boundaries of national borders, institutional walls and areas of expertise.

Centres of action are five new innovation hubs located in University campuses, to be completed during the next few years.

“The Bayes Centre is already connecting informatics researchers with innovators

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

from companies. The site of the old Royal Infirmary is being renovated to create the Edinburgh Futures Institute, opening in 2021.

While it is a place where we can assemble experts who can tackle issues from different and unconventional perspectives, gathering many hands to untangle the world’s knottiest problems, it is also open to teachers, schools and the general public. The motto above the entrance works today as well as in the 1700’s: Open To All.”

“By asking different questions of the data, new information came to light. The focus turned into much lower dosages of a particular heart-based protein than previously considered relevant. The analysis proved that female patients with slightly elevated levels had ten times higher risk of a sudden cardiac arrest than average.

Changes to lab testing are now in clinical trials, with the potential to detect heart failure risk better, saving lives.”

Jarmo provides a particular example to show that how well we mine our data can change lives, in a sector rich in potential as far as data innovation is concerned – health. Cross disciplinary experts of the Usher Institute, the DDI Hub for health and social care, examined the information contained in coronary artery disease clinical work with 42,000 patients, looking at the occurrence of sudden heart attacks – those that could not be predicted.

Roslin Institute will be the hub for Agritech, and National Robotarium in the Heriot Watt campus will bring robotics expertise of both Universities under the same roof.

Supporting the work of the hubs, is a the World Class Data Infrastructure in the EPCC super-computing facility for the secure and trustworthy sharing and analysis of datasets.

The Programme will increase the contribution of university research and

in-demand graduate skills to the region’s economy, launching more spinout companies, attracting start-ups and established businesses, and driving public and private sector investment.

And as part of all of the work, the Data Driven Innovation Programme will also lead the way in looking at the ethical issues of using data. Jarmo added: “This is an important issue. Look at the current situation around the world - there is lots of work to be done to create the balance between respecting privacy, enabling innovation and making sure our systems are secure. While we want to maximise the benefits of data science for the common good, we also need to be aware of ethical issues and be comfortable that we are not just doing it well, but that we are doing it right.”

The City has a tremendous physical infrastructure, and is fast developing a global reputation for its technical expertise and digital infrastructure.

Piggery Smokery know everything about curing bacon.

But what they didn’t know was... ...that our advice on funding was the missing piece to take them into the finest restaurants.

Connect with us at bgateway.com

Business Scotland

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BUSINESS PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Funding growth for Scottish businesses

Derek Shaw

Derek Shaw, Head of Investment Management at the Scottish Investment Bank, the investment arm of Scottish Enterprise, tells us more.

For many Scottish companies with ambitions to grow their business, one of the things that

We have a broad range of funding to support businesses throughout their lifecycle - from start-up, early stage development and growth stages.

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can hold them back is a lack of knowledge about how to raise funding and where to seek support. That’s where Scottish Enterprise can help. Scotland’s national economic development agency supports businesses with a variety of funding options to help them grow, including grants, loans and equity investments.

from start-up, early stage development and growth stages. Equity, loan and grant funding are all available to Scottish companies with big ambitions.

Who is the funding for?

We’re here to encourage and stimulate investment in businesses, and to help companies secure the right type of funding they need to expand, invest, innovate and export. We work with ambitious Scottish businesses who are looking to compete within the global marketplace, providing funding and support throughout their journey.

We know that an injection of new funding at the right time can be the catalyst that propels companies to success, but are also aware that sometimes there are reasons why conventional funding routes are not available. We would encourage such companies to talk to us as soon as possible, as we know our funding can make a real difference and be truly transformational.

Our funding is very much complementary to the finance that is available from existing sources working with other funders in a flexible manner to support companies to achieve their growth ambitions.

What funding support is available from Scottish Enterprise?

What type of funding is available and for what purpose?

What is Scottish Enterprise’s role in helping Scottish companies?

Scottish Enterprise provides a variety of advice and tangible support, both financial and non-financial, to help companies grow.

We have a broad range of funding to support businesses throughout their lifecycle -

Grants are available for a wide range of purposes, including research & development, job creation and capital expenditure. For example, an R&D grant could enable a business to research an

BUSINESS PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

innovative new product or service whilst SE’s Regional Selective Assistance grant can help companies create new jobs in Scotland. A commercial loan could be used to invest in new equipment or expand into new markets, for example. Equity funding, on the other hand, often provides vital capital in the early stages of a high-growth company where alternative sources are not available. Working alongside privatesector investors, we provide patient capital where we can take a long-term view on our investments, thereby seeking to grow and scale companies in the medium-to-longer term.

What makes Scottish Enterprise’s funding support different?

If companies can secure the funding they need from elsewhere, that’s great and we encourage it. Indeed, our advisory support is here to help companies identify and secure funding from existing public and private sector funders. Where, however, there is a gap in a company’s funding package, then we can help. Our funding is often about making a project happen that wouldn’t without Scottish Enterprise’s support, derisking projects by leveraging our funding to enable companies to carry out research and development, innovate and commercialise new products and processes, and take on new people.

How can companies find out more?

Completing an online enquiry form will lead to a more detailed conversation with a funding adviser to guide you through the process. I would actively encourage ambitious, growth-oriented companies to get in touch today.

Apply for Scottish Enterprise funding today.

Visit www.scottish-enterprise.com/fundinggrowth to find out more and take the first steps to growing your business.

Innovation Programmes

Digital Skills Support

Market Research You know your business.

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UK’S INDUSTRY-LEADIN G

CYCLE-TO-WORK SCHEME Port of Ayr aerial shot

NO £1,000 LIMIT EMPLOYEES SAVE UP TO 47% EMPLOYERS SAVE UP TO 13.8% NO END-OF-SCHEME EXIT FEES IMPROVE STAFF HEALTH & WELLBEING

New state-of-theart warehouse at the Port of Ayr Associated British Ports continued its significant contribution to the economy in the South of Scotland with an investment of £2.2 million in a new state-of-the-art warehouse at the Port of Ayr. The new agribulk terminal will be 4,000 sqm and work began last year on construction on the West side of Griffin Dock.

The facility will add to ABP’s support of the Scottish Economy through the Ports of Ayr and Troon contributing £28 million to the local economy, which is part of a £40 million contribution to the economy in the UK as a whole. As an organisation ABP is worth £7.5 billion to the UK economy, and supports 119,000 jobs.

ABP’s investment across its network of ports is going to continue, as part of a 5 year investment programme worth £1 billion that intends to meet the needs of customers whose businesses rely on access to both international and domestic markets.

ative.uk greencommuteiniti 020 3740 1836

Business Scotland

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REGISTERS OF SCOTLAND

One year of getting to know everyone

Keeper of the Registers of Scotland, Jennifer Henderson

It’s almost a year since I came into post, and I’ve spent much of that time on engagement with RoS colleagues, as well as our customers and external partners.

Getting to know the staff was an early priority for me, as I was keen to get to know as much as possible about the many different areas of work we are involved in, and talking to those delivering our products and services seemed like one of the most effective ways of doing this. That’s something I’ve kept up – not only in terms of spending face to face time with our teams, but with an internal blog each Friday, where I detail what my working week has entailed, and quarterly town hall events where I provide a retrospective overview on the business as a whole and open up the floor for questions on anything that people want to ask me about.

organisation that has such knowledgeable and dedicated people, working hard to support each other and to deliver great service to our customers.

I was recently delighted to meet with some members of staff at our Glasgow office, to celebrate their 25 years of working for RoS each. I was glad to have the opportunity to thank them for all their hard work hearing about 150 years of land registration experience was terrific and our conversation reinforced what I’ve already learned about RoS – our people are what makes us such a special organisation. I feel very fortunate to lead an

As I suspected at the start of my visits around the country, there is a common ground around getting applications done quickly, efficiently, and accurately, but beyond that, the issues change in different parts of Scotland – Orkney is just one example of how things can be different depending on geographical location.

There people were keen to talk about crofting, and how the Crofting Register interacts with the Land Register.

I’ve also enjoyed getting out of the central belt and travelling the length and breadth of Scotland in order to meet our customers and find out what we can do to make our services better. It became apparent to me soon after I took up my role that the challenges for a rural solicitor in Orkney are not the same for a solicitor in Edinburgh, and it felt important to me to fully understand all of the challenges that all of our customers are facing, as well as let them get to know more about the direction RoS is heading in.

It was also useful to be able to talk directly to our customers about the work that we are doing over the next few months to eliminate a backlog of work that we have accumulated, as well as our longer term objective of completing the Land Register by 2024. Our future brings the additional challenge of delivering new digital ways of working. Our ScotLIS service, launched in October 2017, has been positively received by our business customers and our Digital Discharge Service has made removing a mortgage from a title easier, faster and more secure. Our next steps will be to look at how we can make buying and selling property a fully digital process, and ensure that our new products and services have the customer at the core of their design. www.ros.gov.uk

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4 must-have apps for businesses in 2019 Technology is fast-paced – and there are more efficient ways to do everyday tasks emerging each day.

Stay up to date and increase workplace productivity through introducing these free apps into your work life.

1. Google Calendar

3. Hootsuite

Organisation is key – plan the year ahead with Google Calendar. Add reminders, tasks and events to your personal calendar and create shared calendars for the whole organisation. Each calendar entry is colourcoded too making it easy to map out group tasks and deadlines.

If you don’t have a dedicated social media executive in your team, its often difficult to find time each day to post on social media, which is where scheduling posts is extremely useful.

Hootsuite allows you to schedule posts across a number of social media channels including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, as well as offering an analytics service making it an essential tool for beginners and social media experts alike.

2. Canva

4. SurveyMonkey

From creating logos to social media graphics to large documents, Canva can be used for anything and by anyone - you don’t need an in-house designer or advanced knowledge of digital art to create graphics on Canva.

You can even select from a wide range of templates and customise a pre-made design to your own specifications rather than starting from scratch.

Find out exactly what customers and clients think of your events and services within a few minutes. Survey Monkey is an online survey tool which can be used by businesses to capture the opinions and suggestions of the people you want to hear from. Online surveys are easy to create and distribute, allowing your business to constantly improve.

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THISTLE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, COWDENBEATH

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ChamberFORCE

Highland Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association ChamberFORCE initiative was launched just three months ago and is already demonstrating its worth The Highland Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association (HRFCA) ChamberFORCE initiative was launched just three months ago and is already demonstrating its worth.

ChamberFORCE is a partnership between five Scottish Chambers of Commerce (supported by HRFCA), and units of the Army, Royal Navy and RAF Reserves.

Each Chamber has been assigned its own special military “buddy”, with the partners working together to build a mutually beneficial relationship.

Dundee & Angus Chamber partners with 225 Medical Regiment of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Fife Chamber partners with 154 (Scottish) Regiment of the Royal Logistic Corps. Dunbartonshire Chamber partners with 7th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland (7 SCOTS). Aberdeen Chamber partners with the Naval Regional Command for Scotland and Northern Ireland, and Moray Chamber partners with RAF Lossiemouth.

7 SCOTS is privileged and delighted to be involved in ChamberFORCE. Our Army Reserve men and women are ‘citizen soldiers’ who live and work within the local community alongside their civilian counterparts

Chambers members are able to access a range of benefits such as help with recruiting highly skilled ex-military personnel, access to exclusive networking and briefing events, and a range of nocost leadership and staff development opportunities.

One example of those benefits was the recent opportunity for employers to see Reservist soldiers from 7 SCOTS in action at the Barry Buddon Training Area near Carnoustie.

This provided a unique opportunity to see Army Reservists demonstrating the skills and expertise that make them valuable employees in the civilian world.

The employers – Aberdeenshire Council, McRoberts LLP and Muir Construction – were able to watch a variety of training events including General Purpose Machine Gun live firing, mortar fire drills, and counter improvised explosive device training.

Before moving on from each training drill, employers were given the opportunity to speak with the Reservists about their time with 7 SCOTS and the ways in which their military skills can be used in their civilian jobs; the resounding response being their strong sense of self confidence.

The morning was a great success and left employers with a greater understanding of the benefits of hiring Reservists and how better to support them.

The Commanding Officer of 7 SCOTS, Lieutenant Colonel Matt Sheldrick, said: “7 SCOTS is privileged and delighted to be involved in ChamberFORCE. Our Army Reserve men and women are ‘citizen soldiers’ who live and work within the local community alongside their civilian counterparts; employers, work colleagues, family and friends alike.

“It is important that there is an open and honest relationship between the Reservist and their employer, and that employers are aware of the range of benefits of employing a member of the Reserve Forces and the many and varied hard and soft transferable skills which Reservists learn and develop during their Military training and take back to the workplace at no cost to the employer.

“Our objective is to engage with Chamber members so that they gain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the quality of our people and the value of their transferable skills in order to encourage the employment of Reservists, which will in turn allow for a receptive audience in which to promote the Reserve Forces, 7 SCOTS in the workplace.”

Employers will have further opportunities to see Reservists in action this year, through the popular Exercise Executive Stretch and Exercise Mini-Stretch, details of which will be published shortly.

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LOGANAIR

Loganair sets course for the future Founded in 1962, Loganair is the longest-serving airline operating under its own name in the UK. Like many inventions and innovations before it, the airline was founded out of necessity.

For as the story goes, a construction firm upon being let down by a charter airline, took things into their own hands and set up an airline. Today it’s still going strong.

Ever since those early days, the company’s pioneering spirit has set it on a distinct course. In this issue, Loganair’s Managing Director Jonathan Hinkles explains how they’ve changed tack over the years and where they’re setting course for next.

“We have a tremendously strong and loyal customer base in the Highlands and Islands from Stornoway to Shetland. Our lifeline services are those of which I’m most proud.

In 1967 we began regular flights between the Orkney Islands, then to the Shetland Isles in 1970 and we’ve never looked back.

“The smallest community we serve is North Ronaldsay, with a population of 30 people to which we operate three flights a day using an eight seater plane. During the winter months, when the ferries can’t operate, we take the seats out and fill the space with essential supplies for the Islanders.

“We’re very conscious that there are rural communities highly dependent on our services. Our strong social obligation is at the heart of our services and it extends from these lifeline services to all the flying we do.

When we have committed to something we do it.

“There’s a perception that we’re reliant on government subsidy, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, subsidy makes up just 5% of our revenue, so the airline has to work commercially to survive.

“We have to stand on our own two feet and make the business viable, so in this respect, we are different from some of the ferry and train operators in Scotland. We put a lot of time and effort into getting the balance right.

If we run flights with no passengers on the majority of our routes, we have no revenue.

“In addition to our public services, we run charter flights for the oil and gas industry and premiership football teams, amongst other businesses. We’re also one of only two airlines operating services for the Royal Mail.

“Flying four aircraft to Scotland’s Islands to deliver the post each day is a really important part of what we do. You can post a letter in Exeter which will reach Inverness later that day before being flown out to the Islands early the next morning.

“We employ 800 people, the vast majority of whom are based in Scotland, including a significant number in the Highlands and Islands. As one of the largest employers in the country, we are contributing to the economy and supporting local communities.

“We have pilots and engineers based in Inverness and Aberdeen and ground crew in Orkney and Shetland, all of whom go above and beyond to keep our services operating, throughout the seasons and whatever the

weather. Our fantastic team is a large part of why I enjoy this job so much.

“The sheer variety of my job is a joy too, as you never know what’s coming next and no two days are the same. It’s a broad-ranging role which necessitates dealing with a range of issues.

“Our pioneering spirit is the thread that runs through everything we do, from those first services to the Orkney Isles to our work today around customer service. We deliver more than people typically expect from a regional airline.

“Basing our customer contact centre in Scotland, in the same office as the majority of our team is crucial, so there’s no disconnect between the company and the service we deliver to our customers.

“When our customers call us, they’re chatting to someone based in the area we serve, who knows our services inside and

We have a tremendously strong and loyal customer base in the Highlands and Islands from Stornoway to Shetland. Our lifeline services are those of which I’m most proud. In 1967 we began regular flights between the Orkney Islands, then to the Shetland Isles in 1970 and we’ve never looked back.

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LOGANAIR

out and who is very much part of the airline.

“Our entire team understands that customer service is part of their role and that they have an impact on the customer experience.

Providing what they propose is legal and safe, they are empowered to take decisions on the spot if it’s in the best interests of a customer.

“We’ve just had a call from a customer to say ‘thank you’ after a member of our team went out of their way to help them. The customer’s circumstances didn’t fit our compassionate fare rebooking policy, but our employee helped them anyway because it was the right thing to do and the customer was grateful.

“Sometimes it’s the small things that make a big difference to customers. Amending our baggage allowance to allow for two or three smaller bags weighing up to 20 Kilos, rather than one larger bag of up to 20 kilos, has proven more convenient for a significant number of customers. Whilst allowing people to check in up to four days ahead of their flights has also been a popular move.

“When it comes to staff engagement, communication is really important. Keep communicating as regularly as you can and listen to what your team are saying.

Give your team a chance to draw on their experiences and provide feedback.

“I wholeheartedly agree that good ideas come from every corner of the business. If

the team can see that something could be improved, I want them to feel comfortable about sharing those insights.

“As a business, we try to be agile and respond well to changing circumstances.

We’ve faced several significant changes over the years and my advice when it comes to managing change is don’t put it off.

“If change is needed, then tackle it straightway, as quickly, safely and legally as you can. Delaying change only leads to uncertainty and damages morale.

Implementing change quickly minimises the uncertainty and means you reap the benefits sooner.

“In September 2017, after a quarter of a century of operating under franchise agreements, we took the unusual step of breaking away and operating under our own brand name once again.

“Operating independently was a huge change to make, but I’m very glad we did.

People don’t tend to launch regional airlines, but we’ve always done things differently and it’s working really well.”

In the last few weeks, Loganair has faced another significant change, stepping in to provide services on five key routes following the unfortunate news about Flybmi. “In the space of a few days, we took on 115 additional staff, along with six additional aircraft from Flybmi,” explains Jonathan.

“We organised a conversion course within 24 hours and two thirds of our new staff have completed this training and are flying with us, whilst another course is underway.”

In another development, Loganair has just launched services to London Southend Airport from Aberdeen, Glasgow and Stornoway, providing customers with more journey options to the City of London and beyond.

Whilst looking a little ahead, the company is to begin operating flights between Glasgow and Dusseldorf, illustrating that Loganair is clearly going from strength to strength, serving more customers on more routes.

“Aeroplanes have always been an interest of mine, as a young lad, whilst my siblings played sport, I liked nothing better than to visit our nearest airport to watch the planes.

It’s a fascination that’s never left me.

“I left school with the idea for working for an airline for a year or two before going to university, but I’ve enjoyed it so much I never made it to university.

“In the intervening years I’ve had a variety of commercial and operational roles, 25 years after landing that first job, I’m still in the industry and loving it just as much.” www.loganair.co.uk

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

A smarter vision in Fife So many people take technology for granted these days. But have you ever considered the impact that today’s technology advancements have meant to the visually impaired?

Stuart Beveridge is the assistive technology trainer at seescape in Fife one of the leading organisations in assisting and training people with a visual impairment.

Stuart has no sight and is an enthusiast when it comes to Smart Technology, not only when training other people who are Severely Sight Impaired, but also in his everyday life, allowing him to live independently with his guide dog, Ron. Stuart is able to demonstrate, advise and train clients to use all of the devices listed in this article as well as specialist assistive technology such as Braille and screen reading software for Windows computers such as JAWS.

How can a visually impaired person possibly use one of these devices?

“Apple provide accessibility features in all of their products which can be used by people with a range of disabilities including sight loss, hearing loss, dexterity issues etc. Clients who use the Android platform such as Google, Samsung and Amazon also have a range of similar built-in accessibility features.

Whether you use products such as iPhones, iPads, Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy or Amazon Fire, these features are right at your fingertips and can be enabled as soon as you switch your device on for the first time.

The main accessibility features provided for sight impaired people are VoiceOver (Apple), TalkBack (Google) and Voice View (Amazon).

When a screen reader such as VoiceOver is turned on, the device will speak information about any item on the screen. It also reads text messages, emails, notifications and alerts when they appear.

Training to use these features is provided by the Assistive Technology Team at seescape and once mastered; a visually impaired person can use their preferred device just as well as a sighted person.

The only thing that changes is the way you interact with the screen.”

The barriers which exist between visually impaired people and the sighted world are being broken down with each product introduced to the market.

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Game Changer “However, it’s not only the area of phones and tablets which are changing the lives of people with a visual impairment. The recent introduction of smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home has taken accessibility to a whole new level.

Virtual Assistants such as Siri and Cortana which respond to audible commands have been in our phones, tablets and computers for a while, but the recent release of the standalone Amazon and Google smart speakers has been a game changer for people with a visual impairment.

These speakers are fully controlled using voice activation commands and allow the user to accomplish everyday tasks such as: Get date time and weather information, setting alarms timers and reminders, listening to radio and news, create shopping lists, listen to audiobooks, play games, ask factual questions etc. These smart speakers can be used by anyone regardless of their technology skills. Another huge advantage of these speakers is that you have instant access to public transport timetables and information relating to departure and arrival times for public transport options such as buses and trains. This means that a lot of the stress in planning a journey is avoided.

Another area of smart technology focuses around robotic devices which perform everyday tasks such as mundane cleaning.

The best example on the market at the moment is the Dyson 360 Eye Robot Vacuum.

This is a robot hoover which can be controlled either manually or via a smart device such as a phone or speaker. Many of the clients who visit seescape live by themselves and

Dyson 360 Eye Robot Vacuum

sometimes struggle to accomplish everyday tasks such as cleaning. This robot vacuum cleaner makes this task much easier for people as, once activated, it will map out the room and clean the floor of said room in its entirety avoiding any obstacles in its path. It will then move on to the next room and repeat the same process until all of the floors in either the downstairs or upstairs are cleaned. It will then return to its charger which gives the added bonus that it will be easy to locate again if needed. There are many robot vacuums of this description on the market, all claiming to do the same as the Dyson model and some are substantially cheaper. However, most of these devices are touch screen operated therefore meaning they are in most cases totally inaccessible to people with a visual impairment. The Dyson version only has one button located on the top of the device which is used to activate it and start it on the cleaning cycle.

Stuart finishes by saying: “The barriers which exist between visually impaired people

and the sighted world are being broken down with each product introduced to the market.

With the help of apps for navigation, travel, bar code reading for food products to gaming as well as reading your mail, controlling your heating or doing your own online banking and shopping, they are all making a difference.

The technology service the charity is providing for our clients is leading the way.

We know that the future is set to bring new technology for people with sight loss and it’s hugely important that I am able to stay up to date and ahead of the game to provide the very best for our clients. In terms of current and future developments in smart technology, there has never been a more exciting time to be involved and we are only scratching the surface at present.”

If you would like to find out more about seescape please contact them on 01592 644979 or email stuart.beveridge@seescape.org.uk

Chamber 2019 events showcase Fife’s ambition and success Fife Chamber’s 2019 event schedule is its biggest yet. It is putting a big emphasis on showcasing business success, not only through the Fife Business Awards, but also by delivering masterclasses, site visits and member briefings.

Members have already enjoyed a behind the scenes tour of Mowi’s (formerly Marine Harvest) impressive facility in Rosyth, where they heard about its ambitions to grow its range and output of added value consumer products made at the 20,000-metre squared site. Two weeks after that, 60 members were briefed by Edinburgh Airport about its plans for airspace changes, new road infrastructure and other big capital investment to support more routes to grow passenger numbers beyond the 14 million a year the airport already handles.

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Sharon Colvan

Engineering a success story in Dunbartonshire An innovative company is flying flags on a number of fronts for Dunbartonshire including diversity, skills development, international trade and sustainability.

Glenhead Engineering is already tearing up the rule book with a female Operations Manager, Sharon Colvan, providing leadership for the business in one of the UK’s most male-dominated sectors.

It is under Sharon and the management team’s stewardship that Glenhead has increased its turnover more than ten-fold from £300k in 2006 to £3.5m in 2018 with profitability soaring.

Glenhead now has over 600 customers, with engineered components being exported to Russia, Norway, EU, Kuwait, India, UAE, Algeria and USA. The wide range of services

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and products take in precision engineering, the manufacture of parts for life sciences, gas and wind turbines and fault testing for sub-sea.

biomass heating system that helped win the company the Crichton Carbon Centre’s “Best Overall Reduction in Carbon Footprint” Award.

Sharon, who started her engineering career on the workshop floor before moving into Quality, Health & Safety and then Management, puts the success down to a number of factors including an uncompromising focus on quality, responsiveness, re-investment and the development of a highly skilled and motivated workforce.

Corporate culture is an important part of the mix at Glenhead with an emphasis on the value of “the team”, motivation and generating a sense of ownership and loyalty.

This, along with a genuine customer-focus, is what Sharon says keeps them at the forefront of the sector: “We are continuously improving our processes and systems to respond to the needs of our customers and to maintain our own meticulous quality standards to meet and exceed expectations.”

In the past 5 years Glenhead have invested almost £1 million in a new factory and machinery including the installation of a new

Sharon explains: “We ask a lot of our team to maintain high levels of productivity and quality so giving something back is key to recognising their contribution. We host family days, organise an annual go-karting “grand-prix” and some of the team play in 5-a-side charity football league. We also do a lot to support charity throughout the year and hold at least one main fundraiser which is something we are very proud of raising more than £4,000 for McMillan last year.”

Sharon, who recently joined the Dunbartonshire Chamber board to lead on Skills and Workforce Development, explains: “We ask a lot of our team to maintain high

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Our investment in our plant and equipment is mirrored by our investment in people. We provide ongoing training and CPD opportunities and actively encourage both work-based learning and off-site learning within our workforce. levels of productivity and quality so giving something back is key to recognising their contribution. We host family days, organise an annual go-karting “grand-prix” and some of the team play in 5-a-side charity football league. We also do a lot to support charity throughout the year and hold at least one main fundraiser which is something we are very proud of raising more than £4,000 for McMillan last year.

Glenhead also have a strong commitment to developing the young workforce whether that is going out to talk to primary school children, hosting school visits at the plant or providing apprenticeship opportunities.

There are currently 10 engineers working at Glenhead that were originally brought through the apprenticeship programme and this is something that Sharon wants to promote to other businesses following her recent appointment as a director at Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce.

Glenhead were recognised for their work in this area winning the Developing Young Workforce category at the 2017 Working4Business Awards.

Sharon has also embraced flexible working with the introduction of flexible hours and the ability to respond to specific staff needs such as additional time off: “Our investment in our plant and equipment is mirrored by our investment in people.

We provide ongoing training and CPD opportunities and actively encourage both work-based learning and off-site learning within our workforce. We also recognise

the importance of flexibility in the modern workplace and, following consultation, the team decided to do away with an afternoon break to allow us to finish up at lunchtime on a Friday. With most staff having young families, childcare can be an issue and we always support them where we can.”

Glenhead recently joined up to “Partner+”, Dunbartonshire Chamber’s enhanced membership scheme: Damon Scott, Chief Executive, Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce summed up: “We are delighted to welcome Glenhead as our most recent Partner+ which demonstrates their commitment to

both the Dunbartonshire Chamber and the future prosperity of Dunbartonshire.

“They have built their success on far-sighted thinking about the capabilities, welfare and workforce morale, while at the same time integrating themselves into the community and championing environmental and social values. I am confident that Sharon will also be an excellent addition to the board.”

For more information about Glenhead Engineering visit: www.glenheadengineering.co.uk To find out more about the Dunbartonshire Chamber and the Partner+ Programme visit: www.dunbartonshirechamber.co.uk

Clyde Blowers Capital complete Hydreco sale In February, Clyde Blowers Capital completed the sale of hydraulic technologies provider Hydreco.

The sale, to Italian firm Duplomatic Motion Solutions, marks the end of a successful ownership by CBC that had begun in 2008. In the ensuing time period, CBC had enable Hydreco to expand on both their range of products available and their market presence. Hydreco increased its

presence in India in addition to developing a presence in China, and since 2015 the firm had seen a 28% increase in sales, to £25.6 million.

The next step for Hydreco will be contributing to Duplomatic’s strong position as a leader in the global Motion Control market.

impressive period of global expansion and product development” before finishing by stating that “the company is now well placed for their next chapter of growth under new ownership. It’s been a great pleasure working with the team at Hydreco and we wish them all the very best for the future.”

CBC CEO and Chairman, Jim McColl, commented that he was “thrilled to announce the successful exit of Hydreco to Duplomatic” He remarked on “an

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INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT

Encouraging changes in workplace travel behaviour Travelknowhow Scotland is a unique, government funded initiative that is leading the way in supporting businesses to encourage changes in workplace travel behaviour.

Travelknowhow Scotland is a free online resource which offers organisations across Scotland free, easy access to a wide variety of travel planning solutions to develop and implement workplace Travel Plans and to engage with employees in order to start changing travel behaviour within organisations. Covering travel by both staff and visitors the website offers: access to travel planning information and links to local resources; specialist travel planning advice; specialist marketing advice to aid employee engagement; practical hints and tips; adaptable downloadable templates aimed at providing cost effective internal and external communications.

Funded and supported by Scotland’s 7 Regional Transport Partnerships and Transport Scotland, Travelknowhow Scotland supports and contributes directly to the achievement of the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Scotland ambition in relation to reducing transport emissions and achieving

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wider Climate Change Act objectives and outcomes.

With its unique web-based toolkit structure Travelknowhow Scotland offers comprehensive guidance, resources and expert support on all aspects of Travel Plan implementation in a format that is highly accessible for any organisation looking to develop and implement a Travel Plan. It provides resource efficiencies in terms of time and financial resources whilst offering organisations advice and support specific to their particular needs.

Over 175 Scottish organisations are currently registered on the website.

Fiona Bailey of Scottish Water said: “Travelknowhow is our go to place when looking for additional resources on Sustainable Travel. It provides quick and easy advice ensuring we can deliver the best sustainable options to our people. It is a great resource which provides us with effective support in promoting sustainable travel.”

In Spring 2019, with funding from the Smarter Choices, Smarter Place Open Fund and the 7 Scottish Regional Transport

Partnerships, Travelknowhow Scotland will be running an exciting 6- month pilot project for a Workplace Multi Modal Data Capture and Engagement Platform.

This platform will provide participating organisations with a multi – faceted approach, driven by robust data capture, that allows for engagement with employees through an ongoing, two-way communication channel that is much more personalised to them and their circumstances. This pilot system provides an opportunity to extend/ enhance the current Travelknowhow Scotland offer through its ability to capture, analyse and utilise data to engage with users and encourage changes in travel behaviour.

For more information on how Travelknowhow Scotland can assist your organisation, contact info@travelknowhowscotland.co.uk or visit www.travelknowhowscotland.co.uk and register to gain full access to all available resources.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT

Scrabster Harbour sets course for the future Founded over 175 years ago, Scrabster Harbour has gone from strength to strength, playing a crucial role in traditional and emerging industries, bolstering the economy of Caithness, North Sutherland and beyond.

For those not in the know, Scrabster is a trust port, set up by an Act of Parliament and administered by an independent board. As custodians of the port, the board is responsible for handing the port on to subsequent generations in a better state than it was inherited.

Though Trust ports are run commercially, there are no shareholders, so all profits must be reinvested in the port and at Scrabster, development plans are underway, so the port can contribute even more to the economy.

A crucial economic hub for the Caithness and North Sutherland economy, Scrabster Harbour’s strategic position means it has a key role in a number of industries.

Scrabster continues to be a major fish and seafood landing port as well as providing lifeline ferry services to Orkney and international cargo links with the Faroe Islands. Around ten years ago, the board

published a new vision and strategy for the port, focusing on diversification and broadening the business base.

The strategy seeks to combine a programme of port infrastructure improvement, with competitive charges and access to a developed local supply chain to turn Scrabster’s geographic advantage to commercial benefit.

As the nearest mainland port to the oil and gas fields west of Shetland, Scrabster Harbour has an important role to play in the energy industry. This role will increase as activity on the Atltantic frontier is forecast to increase over the coming decades.

Scrabster also has an increasing role to play in the renewables sector, due to its close proximity to offshore and onshore renewable projects. Given the Scottish Government’s targets for increasing the proportion of energy supplied by renewable sources, the harbour’s role is set to grow in this respect too.

Tourism represents another facet of Scrabster’s portfolio, with cruise ships making the Caithness harbour a regular port of call.

The first stage of the infrastructure programme was completed with the opening of £17m Jubilee Quay in June 2013. This was quickly followed by the acquisition of a new harbour workboat and the installation of a new Ice Plant in 2017.

With the strategy well underway, the signs are good, for the port is on track to achieve

record revenue for the fifth consecutive year, plus the number of local jobs supported by Scrabster has increased to over 400. All the more important given the decommissioning of Dounreay and the reliance during the last few decades on the nuclear power plant for local jobs.

The gross value added to the regional economy by the port has risen to £25million per annum, an increase of over ten million pounds compared to 2008 through this increased economic activity.

The next phase of the strategy involves the redevelopment of the St Ola Pier creating a modern deep-water harbour infrastructure, allowing larger vessels to berth at Scrabster, including more cruise ships and energy sector vessels. A project which it’s estimated will create a further 40 local job opportunities.

Today, cargo and cruise ships, ferries, fishing, oil and gas and marine renewables all utilise Scrabster Harbour, supporting more local jobs and contributing an increasing amount to the regional economy.

As Sandy Mackie, Trust Manager explains, “The harbour’s contribution to the economy of Caithness and North Sutherland is growing, but we’re not resting on our laurels.

More ambitious plans are in the pipelines that will benefit the harbour, the local community and the regional economy.” www.scrabster.co.uk

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INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT

What can shared transport do for your business?

How do you travel for work? Whether it’s getting stuck in traffic, boring and lonely drives to the office or travel to meetings, none of it is particularly enjoyable. However there are lots of shared transport options out there and at CoMoUK our aim is to find the one that works for you.

The question that is most likely on your lips is ‘what is shared transport?’ At its most simple you either share the journey or share the means of transport. For many the idea of car sharing would bring to mind Peter Kay’s TV show of the same name.

It was hilarious but not always an ideal commute. Rest assured that his portrayal of shared transport isn’t at all typical! Shared transport can include ride sharing and even bike sharing.

Car clubs are pay-as-you-drive hire schemes which allow members to book a variety of cars online for the time that they need from an hour to a day - and paying only for the hire time and the distance driven. Bike sharing works very similarly to car clubs.

It provides users access to bikes when they need them, for the time they need. On the other hand ride share is something many people are familiar with; it allows you to share journey with others going to the same destination, whether it is a commute to work or a longer distance trip.

Shared transport offers businesses the opportunity to support their staff, the environment and the local community. But the other great thing about shared transport is that it can save organisations money. In the UK businesses spend millions of pounds on grey fleets for staff travel. Swapping to utilising a car club rather than a grey fleet can greatly reduce this burden. Car clubs are already in most cities in Scotland. This means as a business you could utilise existing car clubs. There is also the option of having a car club set-up specifically at your office or other sites. If you used car clubs in tandem with bike share the option you can further reduce the costs of vehicle usage.

By helping to support schemes such as car clubs and bike share, businesses can benefit the local community. Allowing local residents access to your businesses car club can help reduce the need for local residents to own more than one car and can also allow those who do not own a car to undertake journeys that can’t be made by other means.

The same can be done with a bike share scheme, giving local people access to the bikes and encouraging them to participate in active travel.

What are the benefits?

Studies have shown that sitting in traffic alone during a journey increases stress levels and often feels like time is being wasted. Offering your staff the opportunity to share can make it a more enjoyable journey and alleviate stress. Having access to a car club vehicle for work travel gives staff access to vehicles at when they need them and allows them to consider other commuting options such as cycling.

By using shared transport your business can help reduce emissions and promote a healthy lifestyle if you encourage your staff to cycle.

From a business perspective by swapping your travel choices you can reduce the costs to your business.

What next?

Studies have shown that sitting in traffic alone during a commute increases stress levels and often feels like time is being wasted.

If any of these shared transport options sounds like something your business would like to explore then please get in contact with CoMoUK. E. info@como.org.uk W. www.como.org.uk Twitter. @Como_uk

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INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT

McLaughlan Transport ( Perth ) Limited Started by current MD George McLaughlan . as an owner /driver in 1976 and has grown to present size 36 trucks and 46 trailers operating from a 4 acre site with chilled and ambient warehousing on North Muirton industrial estate adjacent to Perth New Food park .

The company has grown through CARE. For the produce we carry by insuring that they arrive at the customer in as good a condition as when they left the Producer.

For our customers by providing cost effective solutions to their logistic requirements.

For environment by using most fuel efficient trucks and minimising empty running.

For our staff providing conditions to encourage them to SHARE our ethos of Care, For our suppliers by paying a fair price on time so they can grow their businesses.

We provide temperature controlled storage and distribution. UK +Europe Truck load ambient transport throughout UK. Container collection and deliveries within Scotland.

Chilled and Ambient storage.

McLaughlan Transport ( Perth ) Limited.

Inchcape Place, Perth PH1 3DU. Tel: 01738 634321 E-mail: george@mclaughlantransport.com

Trust Stagecoach To Get You Home!

You might be heading to meet friends, visiting family, shopping or heading to work. Wherever you’re travelling, we can help get you there.

Planning your journey is simple, the Stagecoach bus app lets you find live bus times, your closest stop or even buy your tickets online.

@StagecoachWScot

www.stagecoachbus.com

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BUSINESS PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

ScotRail stations on the up New figures published reveal that ScotRail’s station and train facilities have improved to their best level for two years – and with recent investment in stations facilities, it’s not hard to see why.

The Service Quality Incentive Regime (SQUIRE) released by Transport Scotland published in January 2019 show that ScotRail’s train and station facilities for Period 9 (11 November 2018 – December 8 2018) had the best results for any period since the same time in 2016.

Additionally, results improved by 52 per cent from Period 8 (14 October 2018 – 10 November 2018) to Period 9 (£346,303 to £164,055) and is 60 per cent better than the equivalent period in 2017 (£407,125).

The improvements come following series of station upgrades and redevelopments over the past year, with more due to complete in the next couple years.

Edinburgh – Glasgow Improvement Programme Prior to the introduction of its brand-new fleet of electric Class 385 trains, the ScotRail Alliance – a partnership between ScotRail and Network Rail Scotland – upgraded stations along the Edinburgh – Glasgow mainline.

Former waiting areas at Croy, Falkirk High, Polmont, Linlithgow and Haymarket have been transformed into new ScotRail lounges, with customers benefiting from a

refurbished area with padded benches, new flooring, and softer lighting - making the stations a more pleasant and relaxing place to catch a train.

The new lounges at Linlithgow and Haymarket offer a place to relax or work in comfort, with a mix of sofas and padded chairs, as well as space to work with additional power sockets for charging personal devices.

As part of the investment, 11 new selfservice ticket machines have been installed across Croy, Falkirk High, Polmont, and Linlithgow. New 24-inch and 46-inch digital customer information screens are also being installed, along with additional platform seats.

This refurbishment programme is a clear sign of what’s to come as work progresses on the redevelopment of Glasgow Queen Street station due to complete next year.

The redevelopment of Queen Street will create a modern contemporary building both internally and externally with improved entrances and new station facilities including accessible toilets, lost property and travel shop, as well as space for new retail outlets.

Longer platforms will also accommodate eight carriage trains.

Dundee waterfront Creating welcoming, efficient stations for passengers is key to making destinations more attractive and improving overall experiences. The new-look facilities for customers installed at Dundee station – which form part of the significant investment to regenerate the city’s waterfont – certainly achieve that.

Customers now benefit from a refurbished lounge area, with a similar look and feel to those between Glasgow and Edinburgh - a mix of sofas and chairs, softer lighting, bookshelves and a series of images highlighting local attractions and points of historical interest.

The concourse area between platforms 1 and 4 has seen its flooring and lighting replaced.

As well as a new ceiling, modern glazing and automatic doors to the platform have been fitted. A new changing place accessible toilet is also due to be installed in the Spring, along with further enhancements to the station retail facilities.

The ScotRail Alliance is responsible for the redevelopment of Dundee station on the platform level, with the brand-new station building at street level constructed

by Dundee City Council. The new station includes a ticket office and hotel, as well as new lifts and escalators down to the platform level.

Funding for these improvements has been provided by the Scottish Government’s Scottish Stations Fund.

The project shapes a gateway to the city and

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BUSINESS PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

is an excellent example of how the industry can work in partnership with public and private sector partners to deliver to wider regeneration goals.

New retail opportunities It’s not just new-look lounges that are improving at stations in Scotland, as ScotRail recently announced a host of new retail opportunities at stations across the country.

Local business Flahute Coffee opened at Markinch station last year offering artisan coffee, luxury Belgian hot chocolate, speciality teas and nutritious snacks to the 315,000 people travelling to and from the station each year.

And ScotRail is now looking for other local and national retail partners to improve the range and quality of facilities at stations - from coffee and food outlets to other services that would benefit the local community.

Over 20 stations from Aviemore to Bathgate have been made available for new ventures, with many locations offering significant footfall in the centre of towns and cities.

Available space and properties range from vacant station buildings and existing retail outlets to the opportunity for stand-alone kiosks in the station.

As well as providing a regular income for Flahute Coffee, which has allowed the business to both establish itself and grow, the business is also feeding into the local community and providing a valuable service to the commuters and locals.

Still to come The investment in stations across Scotland will continue over the next few years, with redevelopments of Aberdeen, Inverness, Motherwell, Stirling and Perth stations.

Aberdeen will benefit from a significant enhancement in retail at the station alongside a new ticket office and new firstclass lounge, with work on the project due to begin later this year.

A year-long programme of work to redevelop Inverness station is also scheduled to start in 2019. The work will improve links from the station to the city by transforming the station entrances, which includes a new frontage on Station Square, more retail opportunities and a new ticket office.

At Motherwell, a new transport interchange will be created which is combined with a wider public realm programme being delivered by North Lanarkshire Council.

This work will include extending street level concourse building to provide new retail facilities, ticket gates and ticket retail environment. There will also be an enhancement of the environment at platform level. Work is planned to begin in 2020.

Stirling station will see a new public space in front of the station, with associated reconfiguration of the access, drop off and taxi arrangements to the station. Work will enhance links to the city and the heritage of the station environment and is due to begin later this year.

comprehensive masterplan for the station and surrounding area which is being led by Network Rail in partnership with Perth & Kinross Council.

A programme of works to resurface car parks across the network also recently completed in February.

Service Quality Incentive Regime (SQUIRE) SQUIRE is used by Transport Scotland to assess facilities on ScotRail trains and at stations.

If something is found during routine SQUIRE inspections that does not meet the expected high standard, ScotRail contributes to the SQUIRE investment fund.

All money raised through the SQUIRE investment fund is reinvested into projects across Scotland’s railway - including funding which has been allocated to improve broadband at multiple stations throughout the country, and is helping to improve the service provided by ticket vending machines and customer information screens.

The figures of improvement in SQUIRE contributions are encouraging and show the hard work of everyone at ScotRail to give customers the best possible experience when travelling by rail.

There is still more work to do, but the investment ScotRail has made in station upgrades and refurbishments, frontline staff and on new trains is delivering significant improvements for customers.

The scope of work at Perth is still under development, but will be informed by a

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Ivory Solutions proves local is best When you hear the term ‘local business’ you tend not to picture a company that has reach throughout Scotland and the rest of UK. Very rarely does a company manage to combine the operation of a large business with the mentality and focus on customer service that local businesses strive on. Ivory Solutions, based out of Kilmarnock, is certainly the exception to the rule.

Ivory Solutions are an independent company supplying Photocopiers/Printers, MFDs/ Franking Machines/Wide format Printers and now 3D Printers and have been established for 16 years. The owner, Ian Ivory, has had quite a journey to the position he is in today. Having played football for Wolverhampton from the ages of 14 to 16 as well as Ayr (picking up a Gothia Cup win), Ian was certainly full of ambition from a young age which clearly paid off. Unfortunately, a medical condition which affected his knees prevented him from pursuing football as a career path. His choice to move on from football was cemented when a young Alex Ferguson advised that he do just that. Seeing that Ferguson then went on to become one of the most successful managers in the world, Ian believes he couldn’t argue with that advice. Going back to the drawing board, he got a job with an office equipment provider before going on to be a service engineer. This experience in the industry formed the knowledge needed to start Ivory Solutions and the rest was history.

As previously stated, Ivory Solutions is an independent business that has a large reach across Scotland and England. For potential customers this may seem daunting when, especially those with small businesses, have had bad experiences with big chain suppliers. Ivory Solutions’ aim is to ensure you that even though they have the reach and manpower, their main focus is on customer service and making sure you feel comfortable at all times as a client.

To Ian this means a few things, he knows too well the horror stories people have had with contracts and especially the dreaded small print that comes along with buying equipment like this. Additional charges being added to the cost of this equipment is prevalent in situations like this. This is why Ivory Solutions’ contracts have four bold clauses that ensure the customer is aware of what they are signing and paying for. This is a truly unique style of contract that makes Ivory Solutions stand out in the realm of customer care.

Not to mention the customer care that is carried out on the road. With 150 UK based service centres, Ivory Solutions can provide unmatched maintenance service to all of its customers nationwide. With maintenance workers on the road equipped with state of the art equipment that allows repairs to

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Ian Ivory

be done on the day as opposed to ordering parts. On top of this, their Service Control software means they get constant info from the equipment they supply you with. This means that if there is an error, they will get notified through this software and may have an engineer on the way to you before you even know there is an issue. This is a big change for this industry as traditionally it was a reactive industry that involved contact from the customer before issues were dealt with. Software like this allows Ivory Solutions to be proactive in how they deal with customer care which truly puts them at the forefront of the industry.

Keeping up to date with modern technology is something that Ian and Ivory Solutions thrive on. The equipment they can offer goes far beyond just printers and copiers. Normal printers, scanners as well as wide format versions are all available but on top of this they offer franking and telecoms equipment.

An interesting addition to this is Document Management Solutions which monitors supply usage in your office. The most recent addition to the equipment on offer at Ivory Solutions is 3D printers. 3D printers have been around for a few years but are now getting to the point where the technology is accessible to all and the equipment is affordable. 3D printers at their core are

printers that build objects out of plastic based on models made in 3D computer software. These machines have jumped right out of science fiction movies and into our living rooms seemingly from nowhere. This technology is limited only by imagination and businesses are jumping at the chance to get their hands on one and Ivory Solutions are happy to demonstrate them to anyone who wants to see how they work. A quick search online will reveal anything from glasses to houses being built with these amazing machines and now Ian and his company are the first Ayrshire based suppliers to have them in stock. Just a few years ago these machines were almost unattainable but now they can be found in our very own local community supplied by a local business.

Being local really is a message that Ivory Solutions wants to spread. They want the people of Ayrshire to know that they are here and ready to help your business with any needs it may have. From installing one printer to one hundred, nothing is too small a job. With the company planning on growth it’s only a matter of time before Ivory Solutions is synonymous with bringing new and leading technology to businesses all over the UK but always keeping Ayrshire firmly in its sights.

BUSINESS PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

How to avoid the queues Virgin Trains customers now have the chance to skip ticket office queues with the introduction of hand-held ticketing devices across the Virgin network.

The new tablet technology is designed to improve the operator’s customer service, by allowing travellers to make the most of new tablet technology, while not losing the benefits of person to person interaction between staff and customer.

This move follows those in other sectors such as banking or retail, where there has been an increase in staff moving from behind a screen to a position where they can aid

Avocet is giving us flexibility. Our people can work behind a window, on the concourse, on the platforms or within the ticket machine vending area

customers directly. This adds flexibility and is a more efficient way of helping customers find their way through Britain’s rail network.

The system also helps reduce paper wastage by giving attendants the ability to issue digital tickets directly to mobile phones, part of an ongoing attempt by Virgin to make travelling on their trains as sustainable as possible.

The new system will also allow Virgin Trains staff to be as responsive as possible to the needs of customers. Staff will be more accessible and able to provide more immediate support to help passengers with ticketing, onward travel or mobility issues.

Known as Avocet, the technology was rolled out across the Virgin Trains network in August after being trialled successfully at several major stations. It is another step in making Virgin services as efficient and environmentally and customer-friendly as can be.

Nick Dodd, Director of Digital Projects at Virgin Trains, was keen to stress that the

new technology will help staff members to be adaptable and to help customers in a multitude of ways. He said that “Avocet is giving us flexibility. Our people can work behind a window, on the concourse, on the platforms or within the ticket machine vending area.”

He praised the system’s ability to help customers with accessibility needs, and pointed out that by being able to help customers across different areas within stations is integral to achieving Virgin’s aim of meeting all passengers’ needs.

He said that “It’s about opening up ticket offices and ensuring customers have better access to our frontline teams as well. This approach has been successfully adopted in banks and on the high street so it makes sense to introduce it at our stations, but we are taking this a step further as we are focusing on face to face engagement whilst making best use of the technology in a customer’s own pocket – their mobile phone.”

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ANDERSON ANDERSON & BROWN LLP

Has your business undertaken a review of the Corporate Criminal Offences (“CCO”) legislation?

If not, your business could be exposed to one or more of the following: Criminal prosecution Unlimited penalty Loss of revenues Adverse publicity The CCO has been included within UK Legislation since September 2017, however many businesses are yet to take the necessary action.

As it stands, it is deemed to be a criminal offence should any business fail to prevent a person associated with it from facilitating tax evasion. Anyone performing services for or on behalf of the business is an associated person, such as an agent, intermediary, subcontractor or employee.

In order for a business to be found to ‘facilitate tax evasion,’ three conditions must be met; 1. Criminal tax evasion must have been committed by a taxpayer, in the UK or overseas; and 2. Criminal facilitation of this offence is committed by an associated person of the business; and 3. The business failed to prevent the associated person from committing that criminal act.

The illustration below demonstrates how simple it could be for a company to be unwittingly liable:

Andrew Shaw Tax Senior Manager at Anderson Anderson & Brown LLP

ABC Ltd contracts services from Contractor X; Employees of Contractor X deliberately fails to declare all of their income and thus commit tax evasion; If Contractor X is aware their employees are doing this, for example where an employee or subcontractor mentions a comment about paying less or no tax in an overseas jurisdiction, ABC Ltd’s defence against such facilitation would be for them to demonstrate they had reasonable procedures in place to prevent such an evasion from happening.

If ABC Ltd cannot show this, then they could be liable under CCO legislation.

In order to have ‘reasonable procedures’ in place, it is firstly imperative for companies to conduct detailed internal risk assessments to identify any potential weaknesses under the legislation. It is then essential to act on the results of their risk assessment by implementing safe guards and defences to ensure that internal controls are deemed sufficiently robust to detect a potential tax evasion.

We are seeing more and more businesses being asked by their customers what procedures they have in place in order to

comply with CCO legislation, and thus all businesses (regardless of size) are starting to take action. This legislation is now being enforced by larger businesses and if their associated persons (e.g. subcontractors) are not able to demonstrate or confirm their position with regards to tax evasion and CCO, they risk future business with their customer. The scope of the legislation is very wide reaching and businesses should act if they have not already done so. Businesses which require additional guidance or support should seek this from a suitably qualified advisor.

The correct formula for your business ANDERSON ANDERSON & BROWN LLP

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Success Stories Selected transactions from the past year.

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ECONOMIC INSIGHT

Latest SCC survey results show a challenging trading environment for Scottish businesses

Neil Amner

Director, Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Director, Anderson Strathearn The results of Scottish Chambers of Commerce’s Quarterly Economic Indicator were released in February and they told of mixed fortunes for Scottish businesses, who are managing to perform well in spite of difficult trading conditions. They also suggest that there is more governments can do to support businesses and increase their trading confidence moving forward, particularly towards a critical period for the economy as the effects of Brexit become clearer.

Scottish businesses have demonstrated their robustness and resilience by maintaining strong sales figures, although this is being offset by costs that they wouldn’t typically be incurring due to political uncertainty. Extra outlays in preparing for various possible Brexit scenarios have taken up valuable resources and time for businesses that

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would otherwise be focusing on growth.

The effect of having to implement these contingency measures, alongside stalling investment, is reflected in falling levels of business confidence across the majority of sectors with many businesses appearing to be in a holding pattern.

UK businesses. As the proposed system stands, it will be difficult for most Scottish firms to access any non-UK talent or labour. That could have a drastic effect on Scotland’s economy due to demographics and prove a very real challenge in the face of an ageing Scottish population.

Confidence in the manufacturing sector is at its lowest level since 2012 as it saw a generally negative set of results, with an expected fall in orders from Scotland, the rest of the UK as well as from abroad. The festive session that did not prove to be as lucrative as hoped for Scottish retailers, resulted in dipping confidence and rising cost pressures.

Overall, the survey highlights the extent to which business uncertainty in the Scottish economy has been affected by Brexit. It is important to note that there are global economic and societal trends at play too, particularly when it comes to manufacturing and retail respectively.

Over the course of the coming weeks and months, it is critical that political decision-makers take into consideration measures to alleviate cost pressures upon businesses and take action to clear a path for firms to focus on growth and sustainability.

Cost pressures remain a key concern for firms, with raw material prices cited consistently as a leading cost pressure for Construction, Manufacturing, Retail & Wholesale and Tourism. Recruitment difficulties also remain a persistent challenge, an issue that is particularly affecting manufacturing and tourism.

An ability to access the skills that they require in a post Brexit UK is a priority for businesses across all sectors. Any future immigration system must be one that meets the needs of Scottish and

*The Quarterly Economic Indicator is owned and produced by the Scottish Chambers of Commerce Network, in collaboration with the Fraser of Allander Institute of the University of Strathclyde.

This survey was conducted between October and December of 2018. 385 firms responded to the Q4 2018 edition of the Indicator.

RGDP’s Ten Top Tips for GDPR Compliance We can be your DPO, we can conduct a GDPR ‘health-check’ and assist with compliance or we can simply be on call to help when breaches or other incidents occur. Our experienced DPOs are bang up to date with the latest regulatory requirements and best practice solutions; they can come to you or provide advice remotely, whenever required.

Since the introduction of GDPR, the Information Commissioner’s Office has seen its busiest period ever with a 300% increase in calls to its helpline and a huge rise in the number of personal data breaches being reported.

RGDP’s own evidence supports these facts with our customers seeing considerable increases in data subject rights requests and personal data breach notifications. With the risk of potentially significant fines and reputational damage for non-compliance, now is the time for positive action and so here are RGDP’s Ten Top Tips for GDPR compliance: 1. Understand your data protection responsibilities and appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) or Data Protection lead.

2. Conduct an audit of your personal data; make sure you know what personal data you hold, why you hold it and where you store it.

3. Establish the appropriate legal basis for processing each category of personal data you hold.

4. Ensure your privacy notices and cookies policies are GDPR compliant.

5. Get appropriate data protection policies in place; ensure your staff understand them and know where to find them.

6. Understand your data controller / processor / data sharing relationships and actively monitor third parties.

7. Produce and maintain a Record of Processing.

8. Ensure the security of the personal data you process.

9. Understand the rules for direct marketing and transfers of personal data to third countries or international organisations, if relevant to your business.

The reality is that GDPR isn’t going away, even after Brexit. With the ever present risk of fines and reputational damage, seeking out expert support that enables you to concentrate on your core business, safe in the knowledge that RGDP will help you meet your data protection responsibilities, is a prudent course of action to take.

Mark Chynoweth is the General Manager of RGDP and he can be contacted at: t: 0131 222 3239 / 07741 738842 e: Mark@rgdp.co.uk www.rgdp.co.uk

10. Embed the culture of privacy by design into your organisation and train your staff.

At RGDP, we provide a flexible, high quality and cost effective GDPR solution by supplying DPO services to organisations choosing to outsource their data protection requirements.

In association with BTO Solicitors LLP and Computer Law Training Ltd

PROPERTY TO VALUE OR SELL IN SCOTLAND? From Residential properties, commercial opportunities, development sites and international investments, Wilsons Auctions can tailor to sell any asset.

As the largest independent auction house in the UK and Ireland, we bring the reassurance of award-winning performance, proven success and robust accreditations

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6 Kilwinning Road, Dalry, Ayrshire, BELFAST | PORTADOWN | DALRY | DUBLIN | TELFORD | QUEENSFERRY | NEWCASTLE | MAIDSTONE | NEWPORT KA24 4LG

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BUSINESS PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

A global outlook and a local welcome Malcolm Roughead OBE Chief Executive, VisitScotland

As we approach Brexit, the quality of Scotland’s welcome is more important than ever as we work to reassure our visitors – especially our European friends – that we are open for business and that we continue to offer that famous Scottish welcome.

Europe provides seven out of ten of Scotland’s key markets. In 2017 1.9 million Europeans visited Scotland, or, put another way, 13% of Scotland’s international and domestic visitors, spending £1.1 billion.

A very important market and perhaps not surprisingly we know that there are jitters amongst our key European markets of France and Germany.

The German market appears to be the most concerned about the impact of Brexit – particularly in the context of the end of March this year. There has been at least one

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article in a German travel trade publication advising Germans to avoid travelling to the UK in late March and enquiries to VisitScotland about the possible impact have been more prevalent amongst German trade contacts.

Tourism is a truly global industry, where visitors have more choice of destinations than ever before. VisitScotland will keep making the compelling case for visitors to choose to spend their time and money here in Scotland.

VisitScotland is working with partners to provide messages of reassurance, alongside campaign activity keeping Scotland’s inspirational holiday experiences firmly in the spotlight amongst these important visitors.

It helps that we are an international organisation with 22 different nationalities working across the organisation.

Scotland’s welcome and outstanding visitor experience will be there for all to see at the SEC in Glasgow on 10 and 11 April.

At this year’s VisitScotland Expo, Scotland’s premier business-to-business travel trade event, we will once again be bringing international buyers together with companies within Scottish tourism, who will showcase their products and services to this highly influential group of global contacts.

It’s something we’ve been doing for 40 years and each year it gets stronger and stronger.

This year the flagship event will see tour operators and travel agents from more than 30 countries meet with over 300 Scottish tourism businesses.

VisitScotland is supporting our non-UK EU staff, who will be affected by Brexit. The implications of Brexit also mean that we need to consider what actions we must take as a business to continue to attract and retain talent regardless of nationality – the fact is that the EU provides us with a valuable pool of talent and we need to do what we can to continue that trend.

Successful National Tourism Organisations need to be global in their outlook, reach and in the composition of the people it employs.

These are all factors in VisitScotland’s success and we intend to keep it that way.

HEADER

Become a friend of Bipolar Scotland

There is no cure for Bipolar Disorder... but our support transforms lives Bipolar Scotland is Scotland’s national charity for everyone living with Bipolar Disorder friends, family, carers and people with a diagnosis.

• We maintain a helpline for people seeking advice and information on how to control this condition.

• We organise support groups throughout Scotland where people can share advice, information and experience.

• We challenge stigma and discrimination wherever it exists.

• We offer free courses where people can learn to manage the condition.

All these things improve quality of life, reduce hospital admissions and hold families together.

BipolarScotland @Bipolar Scotland

At the moment, people with Bipolar are twelve times more likely to be unemployed than their fellow citizens and their life expectancy is often 10-15 years shorter.

These are figures we’d all like to change and - with your support - we will.

2-3% of Scotland’s population (150,000) live with bipolar disorder so we all know someone with a diagnosis - a relative, a friend, a neighbour, a workmate. Become a friend of Bipolar Scotland and give them a fair chance of living life to the full.

Contact Bipolar Scotland on 0141 560 2050 or info@bipolarscotland.org.uk

www.bipolarscotland.org.uk

WORKING TOGETHER is a new activity programme for employee groups, designed to improve communication and decision-making skills through a series of innovative vehicle-based challenges. Priced at £100 per participant, for groups of 5 to 20, WORKING TOGETHER combines an enjoyable group day away from the workplace with a seriously effective employee collaboration programme.

The half-day programme has been specifically designed to be different from standard “team-building” events. All group members contribute equally and no-one is left out; this is about challenge and team-work, not a white-knuckle ordeal for the fit and fearless.

To find out how your company could benefit from something a little bit different, call us on 01350 727720 or email info@landroverexperiencescotland.co.uk Land Rover Experience Scotland, Butterstone Loch, Dunkeld, Perthshire PH8 0HH

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In 2018, skills shortages cost Scottish businesses £352 million and 30% of Scottish businesses struggled to recruit due to a shortage of IT skills in applicants The Open University’s 2018 Business Barometer

Invest in your workforce and bridge skills gaps with The Open University’s Graduate Apprenticeships: • BSc (Honours) IT: Software Development (Graduate Apprenticeship) • BSc (Honours) Cyber Security (Graduate Apprenticeship) • BSc (Honours) IT: Management for Business (Graduate Apprenticeship) • MSc in Cyber Security (Graduate Apprenticeship)

openuniversity.co.uk/skills-scotland

Graduate Apprenticeships have been developed by the national skills agency, Skills Development Scotland, in partnership with employers, universities and colleges.

The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302). The Open University is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. © 2019 The Open University.

R.E.D Pest Control putting the customer first The recent media reports linking the deaths of patients in a Glasgow hospital to feral pigeon droppings has put a spotlight on the dangers presented by pests in and around buildings.

Given the danger presented by all pest species, it is imperative that any pest control activities carried out in and around buildings are thorough, detailed and complete.

We carry out detailed building surveys and pest risk assessments to identify how and where buildings may be vulnerable to pests and identify specific factors pests may take advantage of.

being taken against those operating the building.

Once the risks have been identified, our audit compliant R.E.D. Alert Pest Monitoring and Control Systems are put in place.

If you are a business who have a pest control contractor currently in place but would like to talk to a company who believes in “customer first”, please do not hesitate to contact us.

To ensure our customer’s premises remain pest free we carry out regular site inspections, assessing, reporting and acting on any issues or situations which may make their buildings attractive to pests.

At R.E.D. Pest Control we provide professional pest control services to a diverse

Our commitment to exceeding customers’ expectations and our “customers first” attitude has seen our company enjoy continuing steady growth, with over 90% of our new business coming from our customers referrals.

range of clients, working across a wide range of industrial sectors and see it as our job to protect them not only from pigeons but all pest species who could impact their lives and businesses.

As demonstrated by the Glasgow hospital case, pests living in a building undetected can pose very serious risks to human health and can also result in the loss of businesses reputations and, in some cases, legal action

If you think your building may be at risk from pests please give us a call for a free informal chat.

RED Hotline 0800 035 3055 e: info@redpestcontrol.co.uk www.redpestcontrol.co.uk

office furniture & interior professionals combining comfort and function to create inspirational workspaces

Tel 0141 225 5170 www.alphascotland.com e hello@alphascotland.com Alpha Scotland is part of the Alpha Group @AlphaGrpOffice

The Alpha Group

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INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL

International Summer Schools – the experience of a lifetime ISSOS International Summer Schools offer high school students from over 80 nationalities the opportunity to combine learning, creative enrichment and action-packed adventure in one of three amazing, historic and picturesque university towns of St Andrews, Cambridge and Yale.

ISSOS provides a well balanced, supervised summer program where students from all over the world come together and choose academic and elective classes to suit their needs and interests. We offer our students the opportunity to have the summer adventure of a lifetime where the focus is on personal safety and wellbeing, quality individual instruction and a unique international experience. ISSOS is a values led company offering a value led education, where we endeavour to deliver the highest quality programs in the safest locations led by an inspirational team.

ISSOS was born out of a passion and desire to impact the world through business and to create a safe place for people to learn and grow. With everything we do, we are conscious that it needs to make an impact on the students, staff and parents we communicate with. When I started ISSOS, I wanted to create a company that was different, a company where those who worked in it believed in the values that it was set up to exemplify, a company where those who worked in it enjoyed what they do and exist in a culture that encourages them, supports them and is fun to be part of.

I am passionate about making everyone in ISSOS feel a part of something, it is important that people are allowed to

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bring themselves to work and that the environment they work in encourages them to be the best they can be and that there is laughter. Laughter is a very undervalued thing especially in a work environment and for us in head office it is a constant and it’s important. Business and work should not be boring or lack fun or creativity, it should have all those elements involved to create a positive and vibrant company culture.

I believe anyone who decides to start a business has the responsibility to grow a business that impacts those who work within it positively and create a company culture that is welcoming, encouraging and a place where people want to work.

Balance is one of the ISSOS values and I strongly believe that everyone has the right to a work-life balance. In August 2018 we decided that head office staff would have a 4 day working week. This has worked really well, productivity has increased and the girls in head office have the opportunity to do something non-work related on their day off whether that be spending time with their children, going to the gym or just relaxing with friends.

The journey we have been on over the last 13 years as a company has been fantastic and seeing the results and impact of putting 600 students from over 80 nationalities under

one roof for 3 weeks has been amazing. We get to witness how our students learn from one another and watch as social stereotypes are broken down. When young people and staff have that moment of realisation that we are all the same, that we are all connected and that together this leads to a greater social understanding - is what gets me and the girls that work in head office, out of bed in the morning. Knowing we are making a difference to the lives of young people and at the same time running a successful, profitable business, is very rewarding.

Business being used for good - it’s a simple concept but this is how much of the world has been changed over the years and we are just trying to play our part in education, business and developing people. As the business grows and we look to welcoming more students to our summer schools, we also aim to create more impact in the world around us and this year have set up the ISSOS International Charitable Trust where every year from now on we will donate 5% of our profits to charities and social enterprises. www.issos.com

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Women in Business In this issue, we celebrate Women in Business. Firstly, we take a look at the increasing contribution that women-owned businesses are making to the Scottish economy.

We also shine a light on women who are making their mark in fields of expertise from software and website design to innovation, HR, business consulting, mental health and more besides.

Globally, much more remains to be done to ensure gender parity in both the ownership and leadership of businesses, in Scotland however, a new mentoring scheme is underway which hopes to redress the balance.

As First Minister Nicola Sturgeon recently said: “Helping more women to set up and succeed in business is both an economic and a moral imperative.�

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Women owned businesses contribute £8.8bn to the Scottish economy New research published by FSB and launched at Facebook Community Boost, reveals the contribution women-owned businesses make to the Scottish economy has increased by a staggering 76%, from £5bn GVA in 2012 to £8.8bn (2015 data) Women-owned businesses are now responsible for creating 231k Scottish jobs, up from 153k in 2012.

Women are increasingly becoming the job creators and growth drivers both in Scotland throughout the UK, according to new research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), which was authored by Women’s Enterprise Scotland and staff from the University of Portsmouth and the University of South Wales.

The new report, ‘Supporting Women’s Enterprise in the UK: The Economic Case’, shows that women owned businesses in Scotland now contribute an estimated £8.8bn GVA to the Scottish economy, an increase of 76% from £5bn GVA in 2012.

a quarter of private sector employment (23.85%) is now calculated to be generated by womenowned and women-led businesses.

94,000 women are self employed. 82% of women want to grow their own business

The ‘Supporting Women’s Enterprise in the UK: The Economic Case’ report is being launched at a #SheMeansBusiness presentation at Facebook’s Community Boost event, in partnership with FSB, taking place on 13th and 14th November at London’s Millbank Tower.

Women-owned businesses contribute £105bn to the UK economy, an increase of 40 per cent since comprehensive data was last collected and analysed.

This equates to women owned businesses SME’s account contributing for 99.3% of Private £36k Gross Sector Enterprises.

Value Add (GVA) 63% are family for each run & 21% person they are led by employ, 6.3% of total women UK GVA. From a sector perspective, Scottish womenowned businesses contribute more GVA than Food and Drink and Life Sciences combined (£7.26bn) and more than Creative Industries and Sustainable Tourism combined (£8.3bn).

Scotland’s women-owned businesses are now responsible for creating 231k Scottish jobs, up from 153k in 2012. Across the UK,

Lorna Trainer, a Glasgow business and member of the FSB’s Scotland policy unit, said: “Over the last decade, the community of female entrepreneurs in Scotland has grown dramatically. That’s due to any number of factors – but we shouldn’t forget to give credit to the women themselves. Up and down Scotland women in business have been turning hard work and determination into jobs and turnover.

“But we can’t rest on our laurels.

Scotland’s business start-up rate still lags behind both the UK average and our international competitors. One way to address this problem is to get even more women to start up on their own.FSB continues to influence policymakers on

this whilst offering valuable tools to its members – from networking to access to finance.””

Carolyn Currie, CEO of Women’s Enterprise Scotland, which compiled the report for FSB, said: “Our research shows that women-owned businesses are providing critical employment in communities throughout Scotland and are now contributing £8.8bn to the Scottish economy. We must ensure that this momentum continues and we are calling on decision makers and key business influencers to step forward and help to provide the needs based support that these businesses need to continue growing. With dedicated resources and support, women-owned businesses have the opportunity to harness the momentum already created and continue to grow their economic impact and value across all areas of the UK and all sectors.”

29% want to grow rapidly.

Self employed women are the majority of newly self employed

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Mentor plan for female entrepreneurs The First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced £100,000 of new funding for an initiative aimed at driving entrepreneurship among females in Scotland.

includes the Chambers’ Future Female Business Leaders programme.

The Scottish Chamber of Commerce will partner with the Scottish Association of Business Women to deliver the ‘Future Female Business Leaders’ programme.

“One of the things that I decided to do as an individual two years ago was to become a mentor to a young woman. It is incredibly valuable to share experiences and insights with people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives.”

The programme draws on Chambers’ skill and experience in connecting entrepreneurs with established business mentors who will provide them with direct support.

It will offer women help as they move into leadership roles, and includes an element to help to stimulate ‘internationalisation’of Scottish business.

Speaking at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce ‘Women in Business’ lunch, the First Minister said: “Helping more women to set up and succeed in business is both an economic and a moral imperative. By encouraging and supporting women to create and grow businesses, we can create greater equality which in turn builds a stronger and fairer economy.

“The Scottish Chambers represent more than 11,000 companies across the country with a pool of over 1,000 mentors dispersed widely across Scotland. We have invested nearly £400,000 this year on projects to support female entrepreneurship, which

“It is a scheme which will help some of the next generation of women business leaders as they start their careers. And it will also - if my experiences are anything to go by provide enlightenment and inspiration for the mentors.

Chief Executive, Dr Liz Cameron, OBE, of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, welcomed the announcement. “This is a perfect example of playing to the strengths and connectivity of both the public and private sector. It is an economic priority to ensure that we create an infrastructure which will unlock the outstanding opportunities which exist for females in the workplace enabling more of us to progress to the very top. It will also be a beacon for others to follow, and at the same time, increase the number of successful businesses run by women to grow and expand their businesses.

“Mentoring will be integral to our focus, but it will be in wider terms of bringing together business leaders and other organisations who want to play a role in this development.

We are also excited at bringing in an international dimension, identifying potentially new connections and new orders.”

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“Mentoring will be integral to our focus, but it will be in wider terms of bringing together business leaders and other organisations who want to play a role in this development. We are also excited at bringing in an international dimension, identifying potentially new connections and new orders.”

Liz McAreavey, chief executive of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce said: “A drive to support more women to succeed in business is not just morally right, but also proven to generate better performance for businesses. More women on boards and in senior positions leads to better innovation, improved sales revenues and margins and increased satisfaction and productivity. For example, McKinsey reports that gender diverse companies are 15 per cent more likely to have financial returns above their national median.

“There is no doubt workplace equality and fairness equals improved business performance. I am delighted with the extra measures announced by the First Minister today and we will work with all engaged parties to ensure they benefit as many women as possible.”

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

What is Innovation Engineering?

Helen Potter, Co-Founder and CEO of Potter Innovation, explains her passion for Innovation Engineering (IE) and how anyone willing can learn how to innovate.

Innovation Engineering is a scientifically proven framework that transforms the mindset of people and organisations, enabling them to work smarter, faster and with increased creativity to accelerate the development of more profitable products, services and internal work systems.

IE began in the United States and is taught in over 20 universities as a new form of leadership science. Used by thousands of organisations worldwide, including Proctor & Gamble, Walt Disney and Toyota, IE has been proven to get products to market six times faster and with a ten-fold increase in the chance of success. Doug Hall, whose 40 years of research has given rise to the new discipline, has applied the systemsthinking of Dr W. Edwards Deming to innovation, turning it from a random gamble to a reliable science.

How did you become qualified to teach IE? I discovered IE while I was working as the Innovation Manager for The Famous Grouse. IE was in its infancy, so I decided to fly out to Doug Hall’s Eureka! Ranch near Cincinnati to learn more. I had the chance to pilot many of the tools I now teach while at The Famous Grouse, adding over £12 million profit through innovation and portfolio expansion. I qualified as a Black Belt in IE soon after and when my role was made redundant, Doug offered me a license to teach and bring IE to Europe. I am currently the only female IE Black Belt outside North America and I am passionate about enabling people, no matter their skills or backgrounds, to innovate.

What drives your passion for IE? I am living proof that anyone can learn how to innovate when given the right tools and training. When I began studying IE, it was life changing. My Career accelerated and along the way I became more resilient and I found myself better able to deal with change. Learning how to innovate using IE also builds courage; it is empowering to approach the unknown with a datadriven system that shows you the steps to move forward. I also love teaching others and enabling people to do the things that matter to them the most. One client has added a new division to their business with a multi-million-pound order book after

only two years. Another, since taking part in our “Quick Start” programme, has been promoted to head up Innovation at a major energy supplier, and is the youngest person to ever hold the role.

What is the IE Quick Start programme?

Working with our colleagues at Eureka!

Ranch we have condensed the Graduate Certificate taught on campus to a short, immersive course on the fundamentals of IE which we call “Quick Start”. This is delivered in three steps: 1. Half-day home study to introduce the concepts of IE 2. Two and a half days in class working through interactive application exercises 3. 60 days mentorship and real-world application to embed learning.

Participants have access to me as their coach and various tools through our cloud-based software suite for digital learning.

sector or ambition, to work smarter, to problem solve effectively and to find, filter and fast track big ideas.

Where can I find out more?

I will be touring Scotland this spring as part of the Can Do Fest delivering my workshop, Being Meaningfully Unique™, where attendees can discover practical tools and techniques to measure the probability of success of an innovation. I will also be running various Quick Start courses throughout the year and can be booked for speaking engagements, bespoke workshops and one-to-one mentoring.

To find out how Innovation Engineering can help your business, get in touch for a free consultation:

helen@potterinnovation.co.uk www.potterinnovation.co.uk

The Quick Start programme enables anyone, no matter their educational background,

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

ASB Business of the Year Award Winner: Jacqui Taylor, Lifelink

Dani Horton Senior Graphic & Web Designer

Founded by a group of visionary women in Royston in 1992, Lifelink has focussed over the last 26 years on empowering young people and adults to manage their mental health more effectively.

As the Senior Graphic & Web Designer of BOLD, Dani provides outstanding design for the Third Sector, giving back through her passion for design.

From branding to web design and everything in between, BOLD is the first and largest Social Enterprise Design Studio in Scotland. These ethical brand specialists, based in Merchant City Glasgow and partnered with Community Enterprise, are a team of down-to-earth and knowledgeable experts with an open door to anyone in the sector.

And just a few months short of her 5-year anniversary with the company, CEO Jacqui Taylor was proud to collect the Association of Scottish Businesswomen Business of the Year 2018 award in testament to the vibrant and creative social enterprise that Lifelink has become.

“Our vision is that people are healthier and happier wherever they live, work or learn and we achieve this through ensuring that people are at the heart of everything we do.

Whether that be our clients or our own staff - we empower people to do more.” explained Jacqui.

Today, Lifelink is looking to help other businesses and their staff to do more, through their range of stress management and wellbeing support services, including one-to-one employee counselling, staff training courses and group workshops.

“We know that stress is one of the most common reasons for long-term sickness in the UK, costing employers billions each year, and it can be a struggle knowing the best way to support someone suffering from stress or anxiety. Our wellbeing and stress management services are based around the same principles we use to support our own staff, so we have confidence in the quality and effectiveness of the support that we can provide to business clients.”

At the age of 21, with a degree, freelance work and some experience designing for Cumbria County Council, she set herself the goal of becoming a Senior Designer within 5 years. She was successfully chosen out of 100+ candidates as the Junior Graphic Designer at Paligap Brands, Ayr. Two years later she became Senior Graphic Designer of Microtech Digital, Kilmarnock, achieving her goal three years early.

Find Lifelink online at lifelink.org.uk,

Having served on the Ayrshire Business Women committee for the past 3 years in various roles including Vice President, and currently a STEM Ambassador, Dani never passes up an opportunity to support those around her, with a special focus on the next generation of women in business.

on Twitter @LifelinkGlasgow and on

www.bold-studio.co.uk

Facebook @LifelinkScotland.

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This drive to provide bespoke and high-quality design services has shaped Dani’s journey to where she is today.

Moving south for University at 17 years old, she never considered her age or gender to be an issue, even within a still primarily male-dominated industry, “judge me only by my work” being her personal mantra.

Setting the standard With a background in business consulting, process design and training provision, Stirling-based Mary Walford of Cloud Street Ltd is well placed to help companies refine their processes to bring about business improvements.

Having previously worked for the Boston Consulting Group, one of the world’s largest strategy consulting firms, and holding an MBA from the London Business School, Mary’s business credentials are impeccable.

With a first-class engineering degree from Cambridge University, Mary is highly numerate and solution driven Over the course of her career, Mary has worked with multinational corporations, business start-ups and non-profit organisations. For the last several years, her attention has been on working with mediumsized businesses in Central Scotland.

As joint founder of business system architects Cloud Street, Mary uses bespoke software to help companies improve their business processes, so they work more effectively to deliver value to their customers. For many businesses, off-thepeg solutions are incapable of meeting their needs. Cloud Street, however, design and build software that can reflect all aspects of a business’s operations in one coherent system.

“Clients put their faith in us to deliver software that empowers their teams to accomplish more, in less time. Our bespoke systems get to the heart of what their business does, so they can serve their customers better.”

It is an approach that is steadfastly achieving results, meaning Cloud Street now serves businesses across the UK and further afield.

Mary and her team are clearly setting a new standard in the delivery of bespoke business systems. www.cloudstreet.co.uk

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Business success: accomplishment and real meaning!

The core objective of my work is for you to get greater results from your business. Creating profitable companies which perform to their shareholders, customers and employees’ expectations, helps everyone in the community to live in a prosperous, healthier society.

As a Director, owning and developing your business can be hard work and can involve major challenges, typically around areas of your time (never enough), the team (mediocre performance) and money (growth of revenue but small profitability).

Some people think that having a business coach means you don’t know what you are doing, but, like many top sports and business people, coaching can keep you at the top of your game through objectivity, accountability and practical business techniques. You may be running a good business, but you find yourself “stuck” in that Comfort Zone and you don’t know how to grow it into a great business.

I learned about being in business and running other people’s businesses over a number of years in several countries; this is the type of knowledge and experience that I draw upon to support you, in particular offering the ability to see things from a different perspective, especially during times of uncertainties.

This will not only lead to better profitability but also enhance the long-term asset value

of your business. As your environment continues to change and evolve, the insight and perspective provided by an external professional can help you make the changes that you need to stay competitive in the marketplace and grow to the next level.

enjoyment; that’s why several of my clients and myself support the B1G1 initiative. danielagrendene@actioncoach.com www.actioncoach.co.uk/coaches/danielagrendene

I also believe that every business can be a Business for Good, with an established giving culture that leads to lasting success and

The Edinburgh Practice: Changing the face of mental healthcare in Scotland Dr Fiona Wilson is a Clinical Psychologist and Practice Director of The Edinburgh Practice, a private mental health practice offering assessment, treatment and therapy services for children, adults, families & businesses nationwide.

Established in 2017, this award winning practice has quickly become a leader in the field of mental health in Scotland.

The practice’s multidisciplinary team of professionals offers support to individuals, families and businesses nationwide.

The team is passionate about the work that it does and its members have joined together to offer fast access to assessment and carefully-tailored treatment for a wide range of mental health issues for people across the life span. Dr Wilson’s vision for establishing the practice was to help individuals and families to access every mental health service they needed under the one roof. It was also established to enable people to access the support they needed at their time of difficulty, without also having to handle a significant waiting period.

There is now a legal obligation on businesses to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees. Strong research evidence demonstrates that employers who invest in the mental wellbeing of their employees see significant improvements in productivity and quality and substantial reductions in absence due to sickness. The Edinburgh Practice has been working with some of the big companies in Edinburgh and tailoring workshops to cover areas such as mental health awareness, resilience building, communication training and mindfulness training.

Dr Wilson was delighted to have been awarded the 2018 Young Business of The Year Award at The Association of Scottish Businesswomen’s Annual Award ceremony.

The services which the Edinburgh practice offers are psychiatry, psychological therapy, speech and language therapy, paediatric occupational therapy, art psychotherapy and educational psychology.

For more information on The Edinburgh Practice and the range of services it offers please visit www.edinburghpractice.com

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Unstoppable Women!!

The Association of Scottish Businesswomen (ASB) was founded in 1995 as the umbrella organisation for a number of business and professional women’s groups throughout Scotland.

Our mission and vision is to raise the voice of women in business in Scotland through collaboration, networking, events and stakeholder engagement.

ASB has around 800 members, either directly, or through our nine affiliated groups, creating wealth through their own business enterprise or contributing to Scotland’s prosperity through their managerial and professional skills.

Our members come from every sector, age group, and level of experience and responsibility.

We offer our members opportunities to link and connect across Scotland, building and strengthening business relationships via our national events and in our affiliated

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groups. Through a programme of national recognition of achievements, providing support and inspiration, ASB enables affiliated organisations and members to develop and grow in the business world listening to and consulting with our members ASB forms a consolidated businesswomen’s voice for Scotland. We work with government, both national and local, universities, enterprise organisations and businesses to further the interests of women in business, the professions and the voluntary sector.

We also represent our members on the Scottish Government’s Women in Enterprise Group and attend the Can Do Forums providing a voice for women in business across the country.

ASB is run by a voluntary Executive Committee of self-employed and corporate business women, who freely give of their time, business skills, experience and connections for the benefit of the organisation and its members. We understand the challenges facing our members in today’s business climate.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Our Women of Inspiration Awards are run every year around International Women’s Day on 8th March. This year we have received a record number of nominations for women who have inspired others by their achievements in business or the wider community. Their contribution will be recognised at a special reception to be held in collaboration with Scottish Chambers of Commerce.

‘Our Unstoppable Women – Finding Your Voice’ national conference will be held on Tuesday 30th April at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow.

Our annual conference gives an opportunity for delegates to hear from inspirational keynote speakers and panellists. With a choice of practical workshops for business owners and women at every stage in their

career, the conference will give each delegate the opportunity and confidence to step up, both personally and professionally, in their career, life and business activities.

Our National Business Awards will celebrate their 20th year in 2019. We expect over 200 guests to attend the event in Edinburgh Celebrating success and sharing achievements is key to fulfilling our mission of linking, inspiring and supporting our members. The ASB national Business Awards highlight the achievements of businesswomen across Scotland, promote role models and demonstrate the contribution women make to the economy in Scotland. With thirteen categories, there is scope for everyone to enter and raise the profile of themselves and their businesses to a national audience.

Visit our website to find out how to become a member, or join one of our affiliated groups to enjoy the benefits of being part of a fantastic movement who are raising the voice of women in business across Scotland.

“The ASB is a place for all business women to feel supported, and to grow their ideas and confidence. We are together in taking our voice to the next level and ensuring support for business women in Scotland for the coming years” Lyndsey Greer Phillips, President www.asb-scotland.org

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Web design to online hampers – Lucy has grand ideas After finishing University gaining my Bachelor of Honours degree, I moved to Scotland, working many jobs, including a large financial bank and running a successful nursing agency branch to name but a few.

I returned to studying achieving SVQ level 4 in health and social care for adults. I had a family and was very happy in my life, and then, in the blink of an eye, my health took a dramatic turn and I was in hospital for months. During this period my marriage broke down and against all odds, I finally got released from hospital.

Needing to be able to attend the hospital, and fit round my son whilst allowing time for my body to recover. Rather than thinking ‘woe is me’, I thought, ‘well I might as well work for myself’. So that afternoon I set up my consultancy business which helped small businesses to start up including funding help, policy and procedures, risk

plugins keeping sites up to date, fast and super secure. Like your mobile phone your website needs to be constantly updated to run on the latest versions. We offer this for around the price of a mobile phone contract a month. Skocia has been running now for four years and during that time I was part of the committee for Ayrshire Business women.

I ran a networking group for the owner allowing businesses to meet and connect with no fees, mentoring other women in business. I consult for business gateway and as recently as last week I have just purchased an online hampers business and can’t wait to see where I will take it. www.skocia.net or www.ayrshirehampers.co.uk Lucy Bradshaw

assessments funding , website design and social media.

It became clear that websites and social media is a growing industry, so Skocia web design was born. Working with a business partner to help deal with the demand, Skocia has evolved. We now offer managed WordPress hosting doing daily backups and all updates of WordPress, themes and

Business health checks Too much time ‘in’ your business; not enough time ‘on’ your business? Familiar?

This is a common problem for business owners striving to deliver on business ambitions and objectives. How do you make decisions? Finger in the air? Gut instinct?

Business health checks give you data and evidence that underpins crucial and informed decision-making. This information will form the back-bone and allow you to scenario plan the options going forward.

We all know the importance of numbers but our health checks drill into, and interrogate, your 1) income, 2) cost of sales or delivery and 3) overheads from every angle. No stone left unturned, nothing left out. We delve into the usually ‘hidden’ costs that service industries do not always include. We calculate overheads by the year, month, week, day or hour; if you charge by the hour, you need to know costs by the hour!

When we have finished analysing these three numbers, we can be confident that we have a true picture of your current business ‘as is’.

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Some interesting insights from previous clients:

One business was on the brink of geographical expansion only to show evidence that 70% of their income came from just 3 geographical areas.

We have worked with a large consultancy firm who never calculated their onboarding/exiting costs when hiring out a consultant; this artificially inflated their profit margin by circa 15-20%.

Are you a service provider with ‘dedicated’ spaces? One spa had a dedicated tanning ‘booth’ that brought in just 5% of the income.

The list goes on! The first part of the journey is the most challenging, but also the most rewarding, and the benefits are enormously empowering!

If you would like to know more, contact Khlayre Cairney.

T: 07568 143929 E: khlayre.cairney@jkcconsultancy.co.uk W: www.jkcconsultancy.co.uk

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Bespoke software that drives business success Software systems are integral to many business operations. Getting the right system in place galvanises improvements that nurture business success.

Designing software, building trust.

We go above and beyond to add value for our customers.

Clients put their faith in us to deliver software that empowers their teams to accomplish more, in less time.

Business system architects, Cloud Street, design and build bespoke software for mid-sized companies. Their custom-made software systems sit at the heart of their clients’ businesses, managing workflows and processes which can’t be addressed with off-the-peg solutions. As a result, daily tasks and activities, even in complex settings, become wholly visible and longer-term goals measurable.

Users know exactly where things stand, can empower their teams to achieve more, and can serve their customers better.

For most medium-sized companies, it simply isn’t possible to directly employ software developers with the suite of skills required to design robust bespoke software - but this is where Cloud Street can help.

Their high-calibre team put a superior level of software expertise within reach.

A good case in point is WoodWinters Wines and Whiskies, who required a single system capable of overseeing the complexities of moving stock internationally and storing it in multiple locations, while meeting the duty and tax requirements of their business sector.

Managing duty paid retail sales, a broad trade business, and bonded investment stock all fall within the capabilities of the bespoke system, designed for them by Cloud Street, providing them with complete control over reporting, stock and sales. The Cloud Street team are, as WoodWinters testify, “thorough, patient and helpful”.

Cloud Street stand out in the extent to which they work closely with clients to understand and address the unique challenges their business faces, and thus to ensure a solution that exactly meets real business needs. Cloud Street’s development team have created a set of in-house tools and software architecture that allow them to repetitively produce sophisticated, robust interfaces for business users. Coupled with excellence in database design and a culture of continuous improvement, it’s a recipe for software that delights their clients.

Ongoing support is also provided, with updates and improvements continually rolled out to live systems.

A strong pattern of repeat custom has emerged, with many clients staying with them for the long term - which speaks volumes about the standard of Cloud Street’s offering.

Though the majority of Stirling-based Cloud Street’s clients remain mid-sized companies in and around Central Scotland, such is their reputation, that they now have clients across the UK and further afield.

info@cloudstreet.co.uk www.cloudstreet.co.uk Applications that create competitive advantage.

Business Software for Windows, Web & Mobile SALES | PURCHASING | SPECIFICATION | PRODUCTS | SERVICES PRICING | QUOTES | INVOICES | STOCK CONTROL | WORKFLOW SCHEDULING | TIMESHEETS | ASSET MANAGEMENT | & MORE

www.cloudstreet.co.uk

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Calm, responsive and Really Useful HR expertise when you need it Over 30 years’ experience in HR working for companies such as Starbucks, Boots, Royal Bank of Scotland and a variety of smaller businesses, working with you to not just deal with HR issues, but build a fantastic company culture and employee experience.

value to any business. The most successful businesses I have worked with never forget the importance of engaged employees irrespective of job titles

Hiring an external HR consultant is the flexible solution which growing companies need. It feels like having an in-house HR professional, but is far more cost-effective.

We can collaborate with you to build the employee experience which enables you to get the best from your people, to be guided through the employment law minefield, managing risk and avoiding pitfalls and remain with you as you grow. We are always available at the end of the phone

www.reallyusefulhr.com

We help businesses understand their most important asset is their people, to provide a great employee experience by helping employers through the minefield of employment law. We talk about employment tribunal prevention because the aim is you never have to deal with one.

Proactive HR and tribunal prevention is a must for any employer no matter how small.

Sheena Doyle FCIPD whenever you need to ask a question or get advice on an issue.

Tel: 07748 074243 Email: sheena@reallyusefulhr.com

I've seen many changes over the last 30 years particularly but for me it's always been about people. We need to get the human back into Human Resources.

Helping businesses thrive and grow through their people is how HR can add

Celebrating Scotland’s first accredited business mentoring programme The award-winning business mentoring programme run by Perthshire-based community enterprise support organisation GrowBiz is the first in Scotland to achieve the Scottish Mentoring Network Quality Standard.

achieve in a supportive, safe and confidential environment.

To achieve this, an organisation must demonstrate that it meets the expectations and requirements of those taking part in its mentoring programme and that the initiative is applying good practice to all aspects of its work.

In 2018, GrowBiz held 29 women’s enterprise networking events and supported 280 women-owned businesses.

The GrowBiz mentoring programme - which has gone from strength to strength since it was established in 2014 - is the first enterprise-focused scheme to be accredited in Scotland.

The programme is delivered with the help of Rural Perth & Kinross LEADER, and is managed by Clair Smith.

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“The mentees benefit from being challenged, from focusing and prioritising, and developing new personal skills and abilities, while the mentors enjoy the challenge and opportunity to guide, encourage and empower mentees from many different enterprises.

“There is also a huge positive impact on the local rural economy.”

She said: “It is fantastic to have achieved this award from the Scottish Mentoring Network and we are over the moon that the hard work and dedication of our volunteer mentors has been recognised.

“The GrowBiz mentoring programme, which currently has over 70 participants, is a network of trained mentors who give their time to encourage, motivate and support local enterprises.

“It provides an opportunity for participants to discuss and work out what they would like to

www.growbiz.co.uk GrowBiz Perthshire @Grow_Biz GrowBiz Perthshire

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Fairways provide ‘value for money’ recruitment and specialist HR support services Double business award winning Fairways, established back in 1984 and under the ownership and management of Liz Jackson Chartered FCIPD, (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) has a different working model from that of other recruitment companies.

Liz, with a strong corporate background in HR stemming back almost 30 years, operates the business with a HR mind-set which she believes gives the company a leading edge on her competitors. She has developed a steely determination for success over the years due to mentoring she was given way back in her manufacturing days and believes her success today stems from this and the two very astute business owners she worked with at that time.

Her own team are developed within the company to a collaborative working ethos that is fitting for a modern-day service business and not one that is driven on weekly sales targets and consultant commissions. Instead, the business focus is on providing exceptional service delivery at all times and nurturing customer relationships to understand their businesses as well as we understand our own to become the trusted ‘go to’ experts.

Fairways provide ‘value for money’ recruitment and specialist HR support services to employers and people seeking new work challenges which places Fairways as local experts in delivering meaningful people solutions. Fairways is a business that thrives on people, vision and values.

As a people focused business, Fairways is committed to building and sustaining client relationships which are based on trust, integrity, communication and aiming to delight clients with meaningful solutions delivered throughout the entire employment journey from beginning to end, to provide an unrivalled service.

With local offices in Perth and Dundee, Fairways is dedicated to securing permanent and temporary positions for its candidates, the quality of whom are second to none. The team believe it’s not only vital to place the correct people in the right positions at the perfect time whilst also ensuring that all policies, systems and procedures are resilient and appropriate, but to nurture and develop these people to allow them to become the very best they can. A workforce, with the right skills, attitudes and behaviours are all critical to job retention, productivity and business growth.

That being the case, employers need to be able to compete within the world arena and will not be able to do so unless core skills including creativity and innovation are developed in order to stay ahead of the constant changes we face. The dynamics for recruitment alone have changed dramatically in the last few years due to advanced

Fairways is committed to building and sustaining client relationships which are based on trust, integrity, communication and aiming to delight clients with meaningful solutions. technology in big data analytics, social media, mobile apps and of course AI therefore employers need to grow a talent pipeline that is both agile and age diverse. At Fairways we look at character, attitude, skill-set and behaviours; we never judge someone by their CV in isolation. We meet everyone face to face to determine suitability. Our workers are genuine and committed people. The provision of temporary staff is a vital resource for a wide variety of businesses, this not only offers flexibility but also additional knowledge and expertise which really adds value to the workplace.

Of course, it’s not just about recruitment solutions, the human resources function is

essential in almost every organisation in that it is responsible for a broad range of functions including overseeing the payroll of employees, employee benefits, dealing with people issues, contentious and otherwise. From contracts of employment to maintenance of files and records, dealing with legal compliance, learning and development to name a few, notwithstanding the dreaded employment tribunals. The HR function is extremely complex so where better to outsource your HR than Fairways for the complete end-toend employment solutions package from recruitment to termination for an organisation - provided by CIPD qualified HR practitioners to ensure compliance with regard to employment legislation.

Fairways commission customer service surveys to be carried out by an external third party so that they can respond and react proactively to information received and continue to innovate and improve services year on year.

The business also believes in giving back to the community, with three main areas of focus involving various members of the team which includes, Developing the Young Workforce (DYW Perth) which is a partnership between employers and education to help boost youth employment, improve their skills base and help the region grow. Also, Dundee’s Centre of Excellence Accelerator programme for founders and entrepreneurs through Elevator in Dundee and Perth to give them expertise, mentoring and business knowledge and providing business mentoring through the Scottish Chamber of Commerce. fairways-uk.com

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Auchenblae Design & Build Ltd As a design and build company, they take on any project, no matter what size, from inception through to completion, which includes planning applications and building warrant, to the building works and then interior design to finish the space, ready to live in.

Their collaboration has brought together two worlds, design and build, and has become a successful company, creating a wonderful mix of unique and beautiful spaces. The company portfolio is growing exponentially, with an array of conversions, extensions and interiors, however they harbour a passion for new build projects and believe they can deliver the most wonderful, unique and functional homes. They are keen environmentalists, where they take great pride in creating designs that are sustainable, efficient and resilient to our wet weather conditions.

Interior Design

Both directors have excelled in their field over the last 27 years, where Brian Douglas Wilson has run his own successful joinery company and Amanda Jane Tervit has worked for big companies in the interiors and architecture world.

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Amanda is a fully qualified interior architect and has a real passion for interior design, where she loves to take on anything from full house renovations to one room schemes. She designs one off pieces of furniture, kitchens (as shown in the images) and soft furnishings through to the flooring details and plaster ceilings. Her designs are inspired by the client, where they remain at the heart of every decision.

Amanda believes in getting things right first time and will spend time with you to find exactly what you are trying to achieve. She has a vast collection of fabric and wallpaper books to browse, but her accounts stretch farther still, giving you the widest range of choice to fill any idea. Amanda designs around you and your home, making sure that everything fits, whether it be a traditional Georgian property through to an ultramodern apartment in the city centre. There is no challenge she would not take on.

Please call or email us for any of our services; Interior Design Architectural Design Building and Project Management amanda@auchenblaedandb.com 07919 575 898 01786 462 393

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Appetite for Business I started my journey working as a management consultant for a large American IT company, gathering experience delivering large scale programmes across new technology and user adoption.

In 2016, I founded Appetite for Business.

Not afraid to ‘niche’ I found our value as an organisation is helping people, both individually and in organisations, using Office 365 and SharePoint technology. Slowly building the brand resulted in steady growth, tripling the team and expanded our client portfolio from local to global footprint. It’s about being responsive and invested in your customer’s success. In 2018 I was named Female IT leader of the Year. Nominated by a peer this meant a great deal.

of female role models who others can aspire to, who are beyond the one-person business.

I recognise how lonely and isolating working as an entrepreneur can be. So, I’ve formed or taken part in multiple initiatives to promote opportunities in STEM-related subjects and a former VP of ASB and current President of Women Connect. I have also been invited

by Cancer Research’s Women of Influence to mentor one of its top scientists, and I’m currently mentoring another two women from technology backgrounds.

I have a strong character, determined to succeed, extremely hard working. Developing others has always been important to me; enjoying people advance regardless of age, gender or background.

There’s a lot to be said for watching and learning from people, so that female entrepreneurs can benefit from the wisdom of other women in business.

As a female business owner, I want to encourage and support more women to start a business. It’s not necessarily the ladies with large teams that are the most successful; however I want others to have the ambition to scale up their enterprise. There is still a lack

Building the business from nothing, I understand it is difficult, and how rewarding it is. My greatest challenge is my health, so for those who say, ‘I can’t’, I assure you, ‘You Can’. appetiteforbusiness.com

Sheryl Newman, managing director of Appetite for Business, a people-focused technology consultancy supporting organisations achieve significant savings and process improvements through better understanding of how employees engage and interact with technology.

We can help any organisation embarking on a move to a new modern way of working to maximise success save time and money

Microsoft Office 365 and SharePoint Consultancy Data migration into SharePoint from Dropbox, G-Suite, Network Drives Training across 365 Apps, MS Office 2016, Adobe Automation of business processes

Tel: +44(0)1224 824111 | Web: appetiteforbusiness.com

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Tech employer engagement in schools is crucial to girls embracing a career in technology the programme typically receives over 100 applicants each year, but in previous years it was not unknown for there to be not one single female applicant.

Ronnie Corse

Head of Technology at Sky; Vice Chair Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) West Lothian Regional Group Many school pupils weighing up their career path options will not necessarily be aware of the variety and flexibility that a career in technology can offer, with girls in particular not always considering a tech career as broadly as we would like them to.

Thankfully, we are starting to see a shift in these perceptions, with excellent initiatives like Developing the Young Workforce helping to influence young minds that fantastic opportunities in technology are there to be grasped.

Within Sky’s Technology Division, we are reaching out to schools in a big way and driving forward our Modern Apprenticeship programme. Established five years ago,

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Last year – progress! We had 150 applications, 15 of which were from girls.

Let me be clear, competition is tough and the application process rigorous. We look to place four people on the Apprenticeship programme, whittled down from a short list who will go to our assessment centre from the initial applications, but we’re delighted that girls are seeing technology as a pathway worth pursuing.

Getting into the 11 local catchment secondary schools across West Lothian to speak with teachers, pupils and in some cases, parents, has been made much easier by the Developing the Young Workforce Regional Group, based within the West Lothian Chamber of Commerce.

It is therefore up to employers in West Lothian, like Sky, to continually foster these strong links and help to gradually change perceptions that technology careers are there for everyone – not just boys!

We take part in several outreach activities to address the gender issue, from attending STEM events, to inviting school pupils into our offices to chat with our female engineers. Activity like this clearly inspires young girls, showing them that possessing a great attitude and passion is more important

than possessing technical skills. We show that you don’t need to be just scientifically minded to work in technology – indeed, some of our best engineers at Sky, both female and male, come from wide and varied backgrounds including arts and humanities.

At Sky, we also have female Analysts, Project Managers, Coders, Software Technicians and several in senior or leadership roles.

These are demonstrable role models and a powerful way of showing girls what can be achieved if they wish to pursue a career in technology. Furthermore, we are helping to redress the ‘myth’ that technology continues to be a male dominated environment.

Lauren Brown, Project Manager of DYW West Lothian Regional Group, has worked with our team over the past 18 months. She said it is evident that ‘investing in the young workforce is not only an important priority in attracting new talent but is a fundamental component of the Sky company ethos when it comes to developing the existing staff.’

We hope that, by continuing to reach out to schools within our region – and by encouraging other employers to do the same - we start to achieve the gender balance that is so important for our industry.

CHAMBER NEWS

Top city organisations named at Edinburgh business awards Over 500 leaders from Edinburgh’s business community gathered to celebrate their outstanding achievements at a glittering ceremony in the capital city.

Finalists of the Business Awards were announced at the beginning of February, with 69 businesses in the running across the 16 categories. Winners were announced on the night, with activpayroll picking up two awards – Export Business of the Year and Director of the Year. The Best Performing Business titles, which celebrate organisations who’ve excelled managerially and financially, were awarded to Anturas Consulting (micro), Changeworks Recycling (medium) and Edinburgh Airport (large).

Amongst the other winners of the evening was Leonardo, the global aerospace engineering company who won the ‘Developing the Young Workforce’ award due to their employees’ enthusiastic work to inspire the next generation of engineers and business leaders, who will shape the future of Scottish industry.

Over 500 guests turned out to support and celebrate the immense talent and success we enjoy across many sectors in the city.

“Edinburgh is an outstanding place to live, work, raise a family, grow a business, be educated and be entertained and despite the obvious adversity, with pro-business and pro-economy leadership, I believe we are on the cusp of something very exciting for the capital and the country.

Professor Joe Goldblatt, retired lecturer of Event Management at Queen Margaret University, and long-time supporter of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, received the Lifetime Achievement Award, for his contribution to business in the capital.

Guests heard from three keynote speakers on the evening – Kevin Mathers, Sales Director at Google UK, Derek Mackay MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Economy and Fair Work, and Rebecca Moore, Senior Growth Director, Skyscanner. Each speaker shared insight on the changing face of business, covering topics such as digitalisation and internationalisation, as well as drawing upon their own business journeys and highlighting Edinburgh as a fantastic city to do business.

Economy Secretary Derek Mackay said: “It was a pleasure to attend the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.

“I want to congratulate all those who were nominated for the recognition they rightly deserve. Being in business is hard work and I want to thank you them, and Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, for their continued commitment and drive which underpin Scotland’s economic success.”

Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce chief executive Liz McAreavey said: “Our Business Awards have now become a key date in the Edinburgh business calendar. Over 500 guests turned out to support and celebrate the immense talent and success we enjoy across many sectors in the city.

“With sustainability becoming a priority for businesses and the city, we added a Circular Economy Award this year and were particularly pleased that this was one of the most popular categories. A strong message from the business community.

“I would like to extend huge congratulations to all winners and finalists, all of whom are truly inspirational and well deserving of the recognition. Sincere thanks also to all our sponsors whose support has enabled this event to go from strength to strength. We are already looking forward to next year.”

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Focus on Training and Development

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Unique Courses DISCOVER DIVERSITY IN DUNDEE

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Discover diversity at Al-Maktoum College

Dundee’s Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education is in a unique position to help individuals looking to expand their prospects, make a career change, or to progress on to further academic qualifications.

Study at Al-Maktoum College The Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education is pleased to be offering two new Higher National courses to its curricular, HNC/HND in Business and HNC/Diploma in Management & Leadership.

Both courses are set to begin in September 2019 and will adopt a flexible approach to teaching and learning, offering participants the opportunity to study either full-time or part-time to suit individual circumstances.

In studying with Al-Maktoum College, participants will gain a broad spectrum of highly sought-after skills. The courses are heavily theory based and are designed to provide a fundamental understanding of business operations and management/ leadership principles.

In studying mandatory and optional units throughout both courses, individuals can expect to cover aspects such as Business Accounting, IT Skills in Business, Marketing, Business Law, Global Environment and Customer Care. Such a wide range of unit options will enable candidates to also progress on to specialist roles such as Human Resource Management, Marketing, and Financial Services.

On completion of the courses, participants can expect to have: • Developed knowledge and skills required for employment in business/ managerial environments • A global understanding of business, management and leadership issues • A set of enhanced transferable skills which comply to the demand of employers • Competencies in a range of specialist areas of choice in line with preferred career pattern • Innovative and creative approaches to work, with the ability to respond quickly to the challenges posed by changes in environments • Enabled progression within the SCQF framework and to further professional, academic or vocational qualifications • Developed study and research skills

What makes Al-Maktoum College different?

The independently-funded Al-Maktoum College was founded in 2001, with a vision for multiculturalism and education. Its goal to build bridges between communities through intellectual debate, and the promotion of Middle Eastern and Islamic studies has resulted in a diverse, friendly and international approach to teaching and studying.

Exclusively to Scotland, the Al-Maktoum College will be the first educational institution to allow individuals the opportunity to study basic Arabic language (an introductory certificate) as an optional unit, alongside their chosen course (HNC/D).

Learning to speak, write and read in Arabic could prove of interest to those working in businesses or managerial roles dealing with Arabic speakers, or to individuals seeking to create new opportunities. Adding to the uniqueness of the course, all staff teaching Arabic language are native Arabic speakers and will present an authentic teaching and learning experience for participants.

For those also interested in working in Middle Eastern countries, the HNC/D courses will provide a unique teaching perspective and insight vital to international business, management and leadership. The College prides itself in its Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies expertise and are keen to incorporate aspects of these studies into courses, enhancing participants prospects.

Overall, the HNC/D in Business, and in Management & Leadership are contemporary courses and have been designed to have a wide-range appeal. The opportunity to study the Arabic language may help them to stand out against other candidates with similar qualifications from other educational institutions.

Discover more at almcollege.org.uk

Discover Courses

As well as higher national courses, Al-Maktoum College offers a range of qualifications in Arabic Language, Islamic Studies, as well as Islamic Economics and Finance.

Courses are open to individuals from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. For more information, please visit almcollege.org.uk/study

Study options Full time – 7 months Part time – from 12 weeks (1 semester) up to 3 years Flexible learning – classes are offered in the daytime and evening

Fees & Funding

Information on fees can be found here: almcollege.org.uk/study/fees There are also a range of scholarships and bursaries available: almcollege.org.uk/study/available-bursaries

Apply now for September 2019 How do I apply?

Apply online: almcollege.org.uk/study/how-to-apply

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almcollege.org.uk

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT - UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW

Keeping people at the heart

Glasgow may seem a significant distance from the Indonesian town in which Adisti Chandra spent much of her childhood. In this issue, we learn what inspired Adisti to cross the globe to study for an MBA and about the changes it galvanised in her career.

“I was suffering from burn out working long hours in a job I didn’t find 100% fulfilling.

Having studied international relations I found myself working as a marketing executive in an advertising agency. I knew this wasn’t the right path for me and that I needed to make a change in my working life, but I wasn’t sure how to bring this about.

“I wanted to progress in my career but at the same time I had a desire to travel too. Soon the seed of an idea took shape – to study for an MBA – enabling me to develop my career and see more of the world at the same time.

“The UK and US were my destinations of choice and I started to research colleges and courses. Soon the UK was in pole position due to factors including economy and time as MBAs in the US are typically studied over several years.

“I was accepted for a number of MBAs in the UK, but the University of Glasgow’s Adam Smith Business School soon stood out due to its repeated high ranking in league tables, with the MBA rated particularly highly.

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“Before long I was travelling to Glasgow to take up my place, never having been to the UK before. Upon arriving, I was taken aback by the wind and rain, and at first, I found the accent difficult to understand, but I soon discovered what a fantastic place Glasgow is to live and study.

“Living in Glasgow was a very positive experience, much more so than some other cities in which I’ve lived, as it is such a friendly place, offering a great quality of life.

lot from them. It was a very supportive group who encouraged one another.

“My outlook broadened, I learnt to see things from different perspectives and to approach problems from a different angle – all of which have been invaluable in business.

“I relished the learning environment in which we were encouraged to speak up, debate issues and challenge received wisdom. We had some very intense discussions in class.

“One factor that marks the Adam Smith Business School MBA out from other MBAs is the small but diverse intake on the course.

With around 30 places - a lot of thought is put into who is accepted on to the course.

“I wasn’t used to such a dynamic learning environment and it was a revelation to me.

The lecturers took the time to answer our questions, provide feedback and give us 1-21 support.

“Students came from around the globe, including the US, Thailand, India, China and Europe, as well as home students and this diverse intake was enormously valuable, as each person brought something unique to the course.

“The small cohort on the course meant the lecturers took the time to get to know us as individuals and provide a level of mentoring which is rare on an MBA. I received help in identifying my strengths and understanding my potential better.

“Most of my peer group had more experience of the working world than me and I learned a

“During the course my analytical skills developed enormously and I learnt to trust

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT - UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW

my judgement more. Soon I was contributing to the debates as much my fellow students and I grew to love giving presentations.

“English isn’t my first language but I overcame what could have been a barrier and improved my written communications skills. My growing analytical skills informed my essay writing too and I learnt to construct much stronger arguments.

“Approaching things strategically comes easily now and I’m more adaptable than was once the case, with the ability to cope with uncertainty and changing circumstances. I’ve developed the skills to be a leader as well as a team player.

“My people skills are better too, I can put myself in someone else’s shoes see a situation from their perspective and be more empathetic.

“And my improved communication skills mean I’m comfortable meeting new clients and speaking with people at all levels of an organisation.

“The Glasgow MBA has given me a more holistic view of business. Instead of understanding a particular role or facet of a business, I’ve developed a much broader understanding of what it takes to make a business work, from finances to the supply chain or managing international expansion.

“Many of my lecturers had commercial as well as academic experience, providing me with insights I wouldn’t otherwise have had.

We also gained vital hands-on experience during the course working in small groups as consultants to a business, in my case a small medical company in Cambridge, providing the opportunity to apply what we had learnt. All in all, I developed a better understanding of what it takes to run a business and how I could best use my skills in that context.

“Lots of practical help was forthcoming too in areas such as CV writing, making the best use of LinkedIn and interview techniques – all have been instrumental in developing my career. The support from the Business School continues today, it’s not something that stops with the last day of the course.

Adisti Chandra

“During the MBA I was fortunate to discover what I feel passionate about – management consultancy – meaning I’ve taken my career in a whole new direction. People are surprised that I’ve progressed from a marketing executive in an advertising agency to a financial adviser at The Big Four and finally a management consultant.

“None of this would have been possible without the Glasgow MBA. One year of study has propelled my career forward in a way which would have taken me years in the workplace.

“Studying for the Glasgow MBA has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. It changed my outlook and helped me become who I am today.

“I’ve since set up a management consultancy in which I specialise in supporting social enterprises. If you’d asked me before I studied for an MBA if this was possible I never would have thought so, but I’ve stepped out on my own, set up a business and I’m helping others to do the same.

“The start-ups I’m advising are social enterprises which have a social, cultural and/or environmental impact making a difference to the communities in which they’re based, so I have the fulfilment that comes from knowing my work has a positive impact.

“I’m using my skills to help others.

Whichever project I’m working on; I always keep people at the heart of everything I do.” glasgow.ac.uk/mba

I’ve progressed from a marketing executive in an advertising agency to a financial adviser at The Big Four and finally a management consultant. None of which would have been possible without the Glasgow MBA. Business Scotland

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TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Fully funded, work-based learning, tailored to the needs of industry and individuals A revolutionary teaching programme is taking hold at universities across Scotland giving people the chance to earn degree-level qualifications whilst in paid employment.

Graduate Apprenticeships (GA) launched in 2017 with Heriot-Watt amongst the first universities to sign-up.

The Edinburgh-based institution is now one of Scotland’s largest provider of GA courses covering a range of subjects including Business Management as well as Construction and Civil Engineering.

implemented in, and relevant to, the workplace of the apprentice.

And already many Heriot-Watt students are enjoying the benefits of studying whilst in employment.

Last year, 24-year-old Ryan O’Connor was named Apprentice Ambassador of the Year at the Scottish Apprentice Awards.

Graduate Apprenticeships is a pioneering initiative, creating degree-qualified employees with the skills companies are looking for.

Ryan successfully progressed from a Modern Apprenticeship into the Graduate Apprenticeship programme at Heriot-Watt with his employer Jacobs UK.

Employers and universities are working together to shape the programme around the needs of industry, guaranteeing the content and study practices are easily

He was fast-tracked into year two of a BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering course at the University after completing a specialist construction course in 2017.

He explained: “We went to Breadalbane School last year to help get fourth fifth and sixth years get ready for the work environment.

“We did different things, such as mock interviews and CV writing. I did a presentation on what it’s been like for me coming through the apprenticeship and explaining to young people that going straight from school to university isn’t the only way to get into this profession.”

Heriot-Watt currently is working with organisations to deliver world-class apprenticeships, creating opportunities for individuals like Ryan to transform their lives and drive productivity growth within Scottish businesses.

Invest in your company’s future - for free!

Graduate Apprenticeships offer learn while you earn degrees focused on work-based and work-relevant learning.

Apprenticeships are open to existing employees and new recruits - and all apprenticeships are fully funded, so no programme fees for you or the apprentice!

Our 7 programmes are designed around the needs of industry to help your business grow: Engineering Design and Manufacture IT Software Development for Business IT Management for Business Civil Engineering Built Environment Business Management Business Management (Financial Services)

Become a partner today. www.hw.ac.uk/ga ga@hw.ac.uk

Heriot-Watt has a reputation for producing pragmatic “can do” graduates.

Paul Garnham, Campus Ambassador, Shell

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SQA Customised Awards

Design your own qualification SQA Customised Awards are unique qualifications developed in partnership and owned by you. We work with a variety of public, private and third sector organisations to meet their individual training needs.

All Customised Awards are certificated and quality assured by SQA.

Business Development T: 0303 333 0330 E: mycentre@sqa.org.uk W: www.sqa.org.uk/customisedawards

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

What exactly is Hamilton College?

A survey was recently conducted asking people if they had heard of Hamilton College or if they knew what it was? The results were broad as expected. “That’s a teacher training building on Bothwell Road” said one, “That’s a College in Hamilton, the other one is in Paisley” said another. Whilst there has been incorrect answers given to those unaware of the school, one answer sticks out for the pupils who attend Hamilton College. It’s home.

One of the main reasons Hamilton College is home to many of our pupils is because each of our three schools (Nursery, Junior and Senior) are based under the same roof.

Pupils who join from Nursery before leaving in S6 spend approximately 15 years in the same building, thus making it their second home.

A home isn’t complete without a family.

Hamilton College has and is, a very supportive family.

Pupils are nurtured from a young age by our teachers, pastoral care and support

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staff. Our transition programme throughout the year introduces children to various new areas of Hamilton College so they become familiar with the building, teachers and other pupils.

Pupils and staff also support each other due to the caring ethos. As a Christian school, we instil the elements of our ethos, Grace, Confidence, Wisdom, Innovation, Compassion and Reflection from a young age. This helps mould each child into a kind, appreciative, capable and confident young adults and this lives with them long after they leave Hamilton College.

Hamilton College may be an independent school based for ages 3 – 18 in Hamilton, around 20 minutes from Glasgow, however, it’s home to our pupils. www.hamiltoncollege.co.uk

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

BA (Hons) Business Management (Graduate Apprenticeship) Enabling employees to learn and earn Are you an employer who is looking to upskill your workforce?

Are you currently employed and would like to do a business management degree?

Queen Margaret University is looking for new employers to participate on the Graduate Apprenticeships (GA) scheme.

GAs are aligned to your organisation’s business goals and are an excellent way to develop existing employees or attract new talent. The scheme is free and open to employers of any size.

If you are an employee, why not ask your employer to get on board with the scheme. Graduate apprentices spend four days at work and one day on campus at QMU each week during term time (approx. 20 days per year).

MORE INFO: For all enquiries, including how to register interest or to apply, please contact Dr Andrew Bratton, Programme Leader e: abratton@qmu.ac.uk or visit w: www.qmu.ac.uk/GA

www.qmu.ac.uk

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TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Seven things you need to know about Scottish Apprenticeships 1

The Apprenticeship system in Scotland isn’t the same as other parts of the UK.

The UK Government has introduced a new way of funding apprenticeships through the Apprenticeship Levy.

Skills, including apprenticeships, are a devolved matter so apprenticeship systems across the UK are different.

Scotland has developed an apprenticeship system to drive economic growth and prosperity.

In Scotland, the continuation of the wellestablished and successful Modern Apprenticeship system, along with the expansion of Foundation and Graduate Level Apprenticeships affords stability and continuity.

If you’re an employer in Scotland who already employs Modern Apprentices then funding towards the cost of training will continue to be administered by Skills Development Scotland through contracted

training providers and direct employer contracts.

While Graduate Level Apprenticeships mean businesses can benefit from employees getting qualified up to Master’s level through work-based learning.

If you don’t currently employ Modern Apprentices, this is your opportunity to discover how work-based learning can improve your business performance and productivity. You can also benefit your business through new fullyfunded Foundation and Graduate Level Apprenticeship programmes.

2

Now public sector employers also have the same access to Modern Apprenticeship funding as those in the private and third sector.

Scotland’s Apprenticeships system is flexible.

Scotland’s Apprenticeship system has been developed with employers, for employers.

Foundation Apprenticeships for pupils mean the work-based learning skills pipeline starts at school.

There are more than 80 different types of Modern Apprenticeships – or frameworks – covering hundreds of different job types.

The number of Modern Apprenticeship frameworks that can be supported for apprentices aged over 25 has been increased.

Eligibility for enhanced contribution rates for disabled people and those with experience of care has also been extended up to the age of 29.

3

Employers influence the design and priorities of the skills, training and employability system in Scotland.

The Scottish Government consulted with employers, industry and stakeholders on the introduction of the UK Apprenticeship Levy.

COULD YOUR BUSINESS BENEFIT FROM APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING? Do you run a business in or around Lanarkshire? New College Lanarkshire can help you add new skills, knowledge and experience to your workforce – whether to existing staff or new recruits.

Contact us at apprenticeships@nclan.ac.uk or call: 0300 555 8080.

APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING AVAILABLE FOR: Business Administration

Engineering Manufacturing

Vehicle Accident Repair

Light Vehicle Maintenance

Computing Hardware & Software

Electronic Fire & Security Systems

Vehicle Paint Refinishing

Heavy Vehicle Maintenance

Dental Nursing

Fabrication and Welding

Life Sciences

Motorcycle Maintenance & Repair

Engineering Maintenance

Hairdressing

New College Lanarkshire is a registered charity. Charity number: SC021206. NCL Marketing no: 160825.

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IT & Telecommunications

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Almost 400 responses were received with the majority from the private sector.

The findings were used to directly inform Scottish Government budget priorities.

Led by employers and representatives from industry bodies across a range of sectors, the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) provides employer leadership and contribution to the development of apprenticeships in Scotland; ensuring they are aligned with industry and economic need, Fair Work and job opportunities.

The Board consists of four groups – a Group Board, Employer Engagement Group, Employer Equalities Group and Frameworks and Standards Group.

4

All employers in Scotland can access Apprenticeships.

In Scotland all employers will still be able to access funding for approved apprenticeships.

There’s no upper limit on the number of apprentices your business can employ.

We recognise that apprenticeships are an essential way for all employers, regardless of size and sector to develop their workforce and contribute to business and economic growth. Larger employers are encouraged to raise awareness across their supply chain.

Skills Development Scotland will continue to actively raise awareness of the benefits of employing apprentices.

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In Scotland, Levy paying employers can access training and skills programmes.

In Scotland, the system is different than in other parts of the UK. The Scottish Government’s response to the UK Government Apprenticeship Levy sets out how the £221m of levy funding over 2017/18 will be used to support skills, training and employment in Scotland.

Employers in Scotland can benefit from publicly funded programmes paid for by the proceeds of the Levy.

Examples include a contribution towards training costs for Modern Apprentices and the cost of training Graduate Level Apprentices; recruitment incentives for people who require additional support and the new Flexible Workforce Development Fund available from autumn 2017.

The Scottish Government does not have the powers to introduce an exemption to the UK Apprenticeship Levy for Scotland-based employers.

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Implementing training levies is a reserved matter for the UK Government. The Apprenticeship Levy was introduced by the UK Government without consultation with

employers or governments in the devolved nations. All eligible employers in the UK are required to pay the levy, which will be collected by the HMRC on behalf of the UK Treasury.

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The UK Apprenticeship Levy does not provide a new stream of funding to the Scottish Government.

The Apprenticeship Levy is a new tax on employers and its proceeds will largely be replacing existing apprenticeship funding in England of which Scotland will receive a proportionate share through the block grant arrangement with the UK Treasury.

For employers who may be liable to pay the Apprenticeship Levy, HMRC published guidance, ‘When you have to pay Apprenticeship Levy and how to report your payments’

Further information for employers: Find out about Scottish Apprenticeships and get support on how to recruit apprentices at www.apprenticeships.scot Get information on other workforce development services at www.ourskillsforce.co.uk Contact Skills Development Scotland on 0800 917 8000.

APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING Are you an Employer?

ENGAGE

DEVELOP

GROW

Have you thought about employing a Modern Apprentice?

If the answer is yes, then let us help you make your business our business.

• A Modern Apprenticeship allows businesses to offer Government Funded training to new employees or further develop the skills of their existing employees to enhance their business.

If you would like some assistance to move your business forward, please get in touch with us: Sharyn Prendiville: prendivilles@dumgal.ac.uk or 01387 734193

Bankend Road, Dumfries, DG1 4FD Tel: 01387 734000 E: info@dumgal.ac.uk

www.dumgal.ac.uk

Scottish Charity Number: SCO21189

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NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and SQA — Healthcare Technology Management

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is committed to supporting businesses and meeting Scotland’s education and training needs. SQA supports organisations across a variety of sectors and industries through a wide provision of industryrecognised qualifications and education services.

Through SQA Customised Awards, organisations can design their own qualifications to meet their business needs. SQA Customised Awards are unique qualifications developed in partnership with, and owned by, the partner organisation to meet their business needs, and demonstrate quality and industry compliance.

In 2016, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GG&C) worked with SQA to develop their Customised Award: Diploma in Healthcare Technology Management at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) level 9. This award recognises the specialist skills within the Medical Physics department of NHS GG&C.

NHS GG&C Medical Physics department employs engineering graduates who undertake a significant period of work-based learning and study (approximately 2 years) in the specifics of medical equipment management. Upon completion, employees receive a recognition certificate from IPEM (the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine). However, there was a need for a formal qualification which was industry-recognised, certificated and quality assured by an external awarding body.

The development of their own Customised Award gave the Medical Physics department the opportunity to cover particular specialisms that are not currently available within existing qualifications delivered in the higher education sector.

The qualification covers a variety of learning units including:

• medical gases • foetal monitors • medical equipment purchasing • infusion devices.

Laura Metcalfe, Technical Manager at NHS GG&C, outlines how the SQA Customised Award process has been beneficial for their engineers: ‘Developing a credit rated Customised Award with SQA has allowed us to identify and focus on the essential areas for our practitioners in the management of medical equipment.’

‘We’ve also seen increased motivation and positive changes in staff morale, with colleagues working hard to complete their qualification.’

SQA’s credit rating service positioned and levelled the Customised Award: Diploma in Healthcare Technology Management at SCQF level 9 with 77 credit points.

‘It’s important for our practitioners to have the recognition they deserve, and our SQA Customised Award: Diploma in Healthcare Technology Management does just that!

Having it credit rated at SCQF level 9 gives national recognition for our employees working in a unique field.’

The unique nature of this qualification does not mean that it is limited to just NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and it is currently being reviewed to see whether this qualification can be extended and used in other NHS boards across Scotland.

Kelly Milford, Regional Manager at SQA, has been working with Laura and NHS GG&C every step of the way: ‘The Customised Award: Diploma in Healthcare Technology Management at SCQF level 9 is a great example of SQA bringing national and industry recognition to a very unique area of vocational learning. Working together with NHS GG&C, we’ve managed to enhance this training programme with external recognition and certification — demonstrating a real commitment to quality.’

‘Our dedicated Business Development team can support a variety of organisations to meet their qualifications needs. We have extensive experience of working with employers in public, private, and third sector to meet their unique requirements.’

About NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been an SQA approved centre since 2007, with a long history of delivering SVQs and other SQA qualifications, including Business and Administration, Healthcare, and Management.

To find out more about SQA’s Customised Award service visit: www.sqa.org.uk/customisedawards e-mail mycentre@sqa.org.uk or call 0303 333 0330

BPCS

Is your business protected from pests?

Pest control and the risks of pests have been put under the microscope following the recent tragic events at a Scottish hospital*.

In this article Nikki Munro, Pest Control Surveyor for Scotland at MPCL Ltd, advises how Scotland’s businesses can protect themselves from the dangers of pests.

What are the risks of pests?

Many pests, including birds and rodents, carry disease that can harm people and contaminate goods. Ensuring your premises is pest-free can help ensure the health, hygiene and wellbeing of employees and visitors.

Having a pest problem can result in brand or reputational damage, and bad news can spread quickly by social media, leading to loss of trade or even business closure.

Finally, if you are in the food & beverage industry, you must adhere to food safety legislation. So, it is imperative your pest control manager understands and complies with relevant auditing standards. Failure to do so could result in significant fines and can impact production.

What can businesses do to reduce their pest risk?

The first step is to safeguard your premises; by limiting a pest’s ability to enter or nest around your building you will greatly reduce your risk. This may require minor building repair works or the installation of barriers such as fly screens, door brush strips or bird netting. This is known as pest proofing and is best carried out by a professional pest control company.

The second step is to ensure you have good housekeeping standards, to remove any potential food sources.

So, keep your building clean, ensure your waste is managed effectively and if you have external areas; make sure they are well maintained.

What are the most common pests in Scotland?

The most common pests in Scotland are rats, mice and garden ants, but the risks vary by the season. Summer is a busy time for gulls and insects, Autumn for wasps and Winter for rodents.

How much does it cost?

The cost of pest control varies by provider and the requirements of your business.

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Many companies will offer one-off proofing work along with a contract of several inspections per year. Larger providers, such as MPCL, may be able to offer a free pest risk assessment of your business before you commit.

applications require specific equipment or specially trained teams which may not be available to all pest providers.

What should I look for in a pest control provider?

Innovation – Larger pest control providers, such as MPCL, are able to offer online reporting, drone surveys and introduce new pest control methods, designed to deliver more effective pest management.

Qualified - You should look for a company that has the necessary accreditations and British Pest Control Association (BPCA) membership. You may also find companies that are ISO registered, comply to health & safety industry standards and quickly adhere to new legislation – this may be essential for larger businesses and certain industries in Scotland.

You should also enquire if the provider complies with CRRU, a legislation designed to protect other wildlife through the reduced use of rodenticide.

A providers’ pest control officers should be experienced, knowledgeable and customerfocused.

Geographical Coverage - This is important in locations such as Inverness and the Scottish Borders. If you have multiple sites, it would make sense to partner with a pest control company that can service all premises for a consistent approach.

Capability - Are they able to offer a wide range of services and protection against any pests you may face? Some pests and

If a pest problem is critical for your business, select a provider who can offer a reactive service and 24/7/365 availability.

What does the future of pest control look like?

There is a growing trend towards digital pest control products, such as cloud-enabled traps, sensors and cameras to monitor pest activity. These products can enable the technician to understand your risk better and deliver highly targeted pest control solutions.

Online reporting enables pest control providers to share greater insights with customers, analyse trends and respond quicker to emerging issues. MPCL’s ‘PestAlert’ portal provides a record of all pest control visit reports, health & safety documentation and outstanding actions.

To arrange a pest control assessment, please call MPCL on 0345 1017 1069, email mpc.sales@mitie.com or visit mitie.com/pest-control. *Source: BBC

Trust MPCL’s specialist proofing teams to protect your business against birds, rodents and other unwanted pests.

To protect your business from pests contact MPCL. 0345 017 1069 mpc.sales@mitie.com

mitie.com/pest-control MPCL Ltd t/a Mitie Pest Control under Reg. No: 3173779

CHAMBER NEWS

A World First - Highlander International pioneer new equipment Lanarkshire Chamber of Commerce members Highlander International Recycling have provided recycling services to Arjo Wiggins since 2013. In this time they have pioneered innovations such as solar powered compactors and “smart” auto alert compactors. Now they have now combined both technologies to install the world’s very first solar powered “smart” compactor machine.

Highlander installed a new solar powered “Auto-alert” compactor system, which alerts Highlander & Arjo staff whenever the compactor is ¾ full and requires emptying.

This means that the compactor is only empied when required, improving the costper-ton of each collection. The unit also provides electronic self-diagnosis meaning if any fault develops with the machine, the user can log-in and pre-warn the engineers of the problem in advance, meaning the parts required can be taken with them, resulting in quicker machine repair times.

The machine location could not economically support a power supply being brought to it, so Highlander used solar panels to ensure a readymade, free and abundant power source without having to spend tens of thousands of pounds in cabling.

The “auto-alert” system in place for the new Arjo waste compactor, transmits an e-mail and / or text message to nominated operators (up to 7 is possible) who can then take appropriate action. This alert system allows an interactive experience with the compactor machine, meaning improved operation efficiency, all-round.

The machine came with a side tipper unit which is designed to accommodate wheeled bins from size 240 to 1100 litre meaning waste can be collected from different departments and brought to a central

location for bin tipping and compaction, resulting in reduced transport and disposal costs.

Highlander are delighted to be able to help firms reduce their recycling costs and help them make money from their waste for a more cost effective and sustainable future. These compactors are available on a competitive rental basis to organisations across Scotland.

Please call us on 01355 524215 or visit www.highlanderinternational.co.uk for more information.

Success at Lanarkshire Chamber Launched in late August 2018, newly formed Lanarkshire Chamber has gone from strength to strength. Since January, 65 businesses have joined the refreshed Lanarkshire Chamber of Commerce. By the start of Quarter 2, this will be well over one hundred members, and the Chamber is currently on track to have a membership of over 200 by the end of the year.

We have been very active in connecting our members to build a strong business community in the area. Our successful events programme, supported by Lanarkshire organisations, have taken place regularly to a great response from members. In total, we have had over 230 business people attending our events, impressive numbers for a newlylaunched Chamber. In addition to our own events, Chief Executive, Sean Walls is working in collaboration with others in the area including FSB, Lanarkshire Business Hub and RBS. Together, we have formed the Lanarkshire Business Partnership to create a powerful, collaborative partnership for our local business community. The first joint event through the Partnership was held at the

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Network to tap into the global reach of the Chamber Network. Through the Chamber International Trade Partnership, we are in early discussions with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce to explore opportunities for bilateral trade and business opportunities.

University of West of Scotland with over 200 businesses in attendance, with more events to come throughout the year.

From local business support to looking internationally, your Chamber is working with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce

With membership going from strength to strength and future international opportunities, the Lanarkshire Chamber of Commerce is working hard for our members. With a strong Board in place supporting the growth and development of the Chamber, an excellent events programme in place and exceptional business volunteers giving to the Chamber, there has never been a better time to join Lanarkshire Chamber of Commerce and grow your business.

GRETNA GATEWAY OUTLET VILLAGE

Designer discounts at Gretna Gateway Outlet Village Following on from a successful year bucking national footfall, 2019 brings in an exciting year ahead at Gretna Gateway Outlet Village.

In the shopping centre’s 20th anniversary year, regeneration plans kick off with a brand-new look Nike store reopening at the end of March, featuring a clad exterior and a more streamlined, interactive customer journey in store.

Strategically situated just off the M6 and neighbouring the world-famous village of Gretna Green, Gretna Gateway Outlet Village offers a unique shopping experience in Scotland.

The centre benefits from footfall both sides of the border, seeing over 2.3million visitors annually with regular repeat custom from Glasgow, Newcastle and beyond as well as gaining from the travel and tourism of the local area, ideally located in passing to Edinburgh, Stranraer and The Lake

District and offering exclusive coach driver incentives.

Gretna Gateway has over 50 stores, featuring world leading fashion brands and luxury homewares with up to 60% off the recommended retail price as well as a mix of cafes and restaurants and 1200 free parking spaces.

To keep up with all that’s going on at Gretna Gateway Outlet Village, visit www.gretnagateway.com

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Back with a bang!

Developing the Young Workforce in Dumfries and Galloway is once again working with partners, Energy Skills Partnership, Food and Drink Federation Scotland, DG College and the Crichton Trust to present a follow up to their hugely successful 2018 STEM event, this year called ‘BANG GOES DG!’ that exist around them in Dumfries & Galloway, tying in with the DYW DG ‘brand awareness’ service.

The inaugural 2018 event involved 40 businesses and saw over 350 S1/2/3 pupils from the region’s secondary schools attending. Feedback from businesses, students, teachers, organisers and other visitors was incredible, motivating the team organisers to produce a 2019 event which would allow them to build on what they had learnt to make the 2019 version even grander.

‘BANG GOES DG! 2019’ will be held at Easterbrook Hall, part of the Crichton Trust business park in Dumfries on Wednesday, May 8th and the team has offered open invitations to businesses to take part.

As with last year, aims of the day include not only informing young people about what Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) actually are and how they are involved in numerous sectors, but also to showcase the many opportunities

Each business is asked to present an interactive presentation meaning that young people can work on the activities alongside the staff representatives, ask questions and become informed of just who they are and what they do. “It’s all about informing our young people correctly” says DYW DG Programme Manager, Justin Thomas. We at DYW DG have found that introducing young people to business out of the classroom is more successful than the more traditional method of taking a business into the school. In that safe environment, this is just another adult who has come to talk at them.

Taking them out of their comfort zone on a site visit or to something like ‘Bang Goes DG!’ provides a difference and once they understand their new environment they become settled and begin to react to the adults around them.” #BGDG19 already promises to be a bigger, faster paced, more exciting day to inform and inspire young people and is primarily aimed at school pupils in S1/2/3. However the team do stress that College and University students and home schoolers are welcome and are encouraged to pop by.

Tricia Hunter, DYW DG Programme Director says, “Showcasing the amazing businesses, in such an interactive way, allows them to demonstrate a wide range of career pathways that can be followed and hopefully raises the aspiration in our young people that they are needed now and in the future. Teachers obtain an insight to the business world helping them realise how their curriculum subject is relevant today, tomorrow and in this fast changing world for the future.”

Inn, also based on the Crichton grounds are supporting the event by offering a special ‘BANG GOES DG! rate for any businesses that are attending and need to stay over and information on this is available when enquiring.

Justin continues; “Last years event was exciting as this was a new concept for Dumfries & Galloway schools and that showed in the response we had from the young people who attended. They came in thinking they were just going to be able to walk around and see presentations and stands and what they got was a ‘roll up your sleeves and get in there’ attitude! It was just terrific to see them learning and having fun, whether it be deep in slime, using virtual technology or using giant building bricks!

The support and enthusiasm after 2018’s show from teachers, businesses and pupils, was overwhelming, it was that that really got us organising this one so quickly! This year we are continuing the interactive elements and highlighting how STEM and technologies are shaping the working world our young people are going to be encountering. We already have some great ideas from businesses on what they want to do. This is an ideal event to really interact with the region’s young people and in many cases, to introduce the business, the sector and future possibilities to them whilst also promoting the fact that STEM is all around us from traditional ideas of engineering right to fashion design”.

If your business/organisation is interested in being part of this year’s event, please contact justin.thomas@dywdg.co.uk to register. www.dywdg.co.uk Video: www.dywdg.co.uk/about-dyw/ourservices/the-big-bang/

DYW DG and DG Chamber friends, Holiday

We at DYW DG have found that introducing young people to business out of the classroom is more successful than the more traditional method of taking a business into the school.

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

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L OCHCAR RON o f SCOT L A N D

... from kilt to catwalk

WAVERLEY MILL Rogers Road, Selkirk, TD7 5DX +44 (0) 1750 726123 www.lochcarron.com

WEAVING MILL TOURS Mon - Thurs 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30 or by appointment, please email LVC@lochcarron.com

VISITOR CENTRE AND COFFEE SHOP Monday - Saturday 9:00 - 5:00

BUSINESS PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Strathclyde University solar project changing lives in Malawi The three year initiative, led by researchers from the University of Strathclyde, has seen affordable energy supply businesses set up in four villages bringing life changing technology to the local populations.

The university have done this in partnership with the development charity United Purpose and the Centre for Water, Sanitation, Health and Alternative Technology Development in Malawi. It has been supported by a £600,000 grant from the Scottish government and ensures the locals own and operate the equipment. It includes battery chargers and power connections for other small businesses.

Only 12% of Malawi’s 18 million population is connected to the main electricity grid, which falls to a mere 2% in rural areas. For the vast majority of people in Malawi the main energy source is open fires, which puts pressure on the country’s green spaces and forests.

The solar powered project was also set up to provide more opportunities and support for local communities.

Professor Stuart Galloway, who led the project, said: “The aim was to make a direct impact on the communities involved so the project doesn’t just provide an engineering solution, but is actually improving lives.”

The new changes have brought in new customers who come to either rent and buy batteries or charge their mobile phones. It has also enabled the creation of many new business start-ups in the villages to take advantage of the capabilities of the new technology.

Two schools in Mandrade and Gola, with a combined pupil roll of more than 12,000, are now also supplied by solar energy, along with two health clinics.

Professor Galloway detailed more of the benefits the project has had, particularly on education: “One of the benefits has been that schools which use renewable energy are recording large numbers of students studying at night, and the most recent exam results indicate a substantial improvement in pass rates.

“Teachers are also more inclined to come and work in the schools because they have electricity.”

The percentage of households now using renewable energy in the villages the project has reached – Mandrade, Kandeu, Gola and Thendoin – has almost tripled, with energy access improving for more than 4,000 people.

Scottish international development minister Ben Macpherson praised the impact of the project and said it was an example of a “commitment to good global citizenship.”

He added: “Implementing efficient energy schemes in rural areas of Malawi will play a major role in alleviating poverty and reducing inequalities in some of the country’s most vulnerable communities.”

“This project will continue to have a life changing impact beyond the three-year grant period through enabling communities to develop new enterprises, supporting schools and helping hospitals.”

The Strathclyde team is now building on the success of the partnership, which ended in September, with a new initiative planned to install micro grids to support solar power in the district of Dedza in Malawi’s central region.

The new project, which has been awarded £1.3m by the Scottish government, will create enough solar energy to connect about 50 households and 20 small businesses.

The aim was to make a direct impact on the communities involved so the project doesn’t just provide an engineering solution, but is actually improving lives.

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BUSINESS PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

Image by Bill Kasman

CalMac cutting carbon as part of new eco actions Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne is set to make a 5% reduction in its carbon emissions in the year 2019.

The firm, which is the main operator of ferries between the West Coast and number of the Scottish Islands, released a new Environmental Strategy that included a progress report to indicate how CalMac intends to work towards sustainability moving forward. The report is a key

Environmental issues are now at the forefront of CalMac thinking across the business.

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factor in the organisation taking action to protect the environment in which it and its customers sail.

Amongst the targets set out as part of the strategy include aims to: Reduce carbon footprint by 5% by the end of 2019 (against a 2016 baseline) Reduce water consumption by 10% by 2020 (against a 2016 baseline) Deliver action led biodiversity plans at half of CalMac sites by 2020 Increase recycling rates by a minimum of 15% by 2020 (against a 2017 baseline) CalMac’s Environmental Manager Klare Chamberlain said of the promising results that delivering the strategy was “a key part of our winning bid for The Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service contract”. She emphasised that it was important to have” achievable objectives” that “really make a difference to protecting and enhancing the environment”. This honesty about what CalMac would be able to achieve in terms of carbon reduction has been key to the success of the strategy so far.

Chamberlain also emphasised the extent to which the operator is looking to keep environmental issues in focus, saying that “Environmental issues are now at the forefront of CalMac thinking across the business” and that the measures are taking them “a step closer to becoming a green leader within the industry”.

Another sustainable move from the organisation is to look to be more efficient in the reduction and eventual elimination of single use plastics as part of a more general attempt to reuse and recycle more – something that has the potential to benefit the organisation both financially and environmentally.

CalMac has worked with ORCA, a charity for marine mammals, since 2015 in their Marine Awareness programme as well as receiving support through partnerships with Marine Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and other partners. CalMac is understanding of the importance of helping passengers to get the most out of the environment through which they travel, while also preserving the landscape and marine environment for future generations.

CHAMBER NEWS

L-R Lynn Anderson, Living Wage Places National Coordinator; Christine McGlasson, MD Xplore Dundee; Alison Henderson, CEO Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce; John Alexander, Leader Dundee City Council

Dundee and Angus Chamber joins campaign to become a living wage city Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce was delighted to be part of the City of Dundee’s plan to become an accredited Living Wage City. The Chamber teamed up with a number of the City’s prominent employers to create a plan that was recognised by Living Wage Scotland.

The launch was hosted by DC Thompson and attended by Chamber members such as Dundee City Council, Dundee and Angus College and Xplore Dundee.

minimum wage of £7.83, while supporting and recognising the positive impact of small businesses who commit to the project.

The approach to becoming a Living Wage City will centre around the Living Wage Places scheme, which invites employers to commit to being accredited as a Living Wage employer, with the aim of incrementally giving pay rises to workers across the city.

More than 50 Dundee employers, totalling around a quarter of all workers across the city have signed up.

The plan would see this double over the next three years, and hopefully see Dundee become the UK’s first Living Wage City.

Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Alison Henderson said that the Chamber was “proud to be a partner in driving this (the project) forward” emphasising that “the economic benefits of change in our city must make a difference to everyone”.

The Living Wage requires employers to ensure that their staff pay a minimum of £9.00 per hour rather than the national

Jamie Hepburn, the Scottish Government’s Fair Work Minister, praised the ambition and vision of the city’s employers: “The

significance of the Living Wage cannot be overstated. Evidence shows that paying it leads to increased productivity, better morale and lower sickness absence. It also demonstrates to the world that an organisation is committed to treating its workforce well”.

The project is another step in the region’s development, and looks to capitalise on the economic benefits brought by the transformation of Dundee’s Waterfront, as well as making sure that those in the workforce know that they are valued ahead of the Tay Cities Deal being implemented, along with other developments that will be an economic boost to Dundee and the surrounding area.

The significance of the Living Wage cannot be overstated. Evidence shows that paying it leads to increased productivity, better morale and lower sickness absence.

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CHAMBER NEWS

New CEO takes the helm at Lochaber Chamber of Commerce Change is in the air at Lochaber Chamber of Commerce this spring time as local business man Frazer Coupland takes up post as Chief Executive Officer, taking over from Lesley Benfield who has moved on after five successful years in the role.

Frazer has been a key player in Lochaber’s business community for many years as one of the founding directors of the popular ‘No Fuss Events’ the Lochaber-based outdoor events company, which runs a variety of events throughout Scotland.

Frazer has also been instrumental in helping to promote and celebrate the incredible range of activities on offer in Lochaber through his active involvement as a Lochaber Chamber of Commerce board member, and as the former Programme Director of the Outdoor Capital of the UK destination management organisation, which merged with the Chamber of Commerce in 2014.

Frazer is excited about working with the wide range of businesses in Lochaber. As he says, “Although we are primarily thought of as an iconic and very successful visitor destination, there’s a lot more to Lochaber than just tourism. The Lochaber economy is made up of a huge variety of businesses and at the Chamber we’re here to help support all of our members, no matter what size they are or what sector they’re in. From aluminium production, through to timber processing and fish farming, climbing guides to retail and hospitality, we’ve got a real mixture of businesses to serve.”

Frazer says, “We’re rightly proud of the work we’ve been doing for our local business community and our aim now is to take that success and build more for our members: enhanced benefits, greater involvement and more support to help them make the most of business opportunities. These are exciting times in Lochaber as our population and workforce look set to increase because of large-scale new business developments like GFG Alliance’s planned aluminium wheel factory. The team at Lochaber Chamber of

Frazer Coupland

Commerce are excited to help our members make the most of opportunities to develop their businesses.”

With so much going on, the Chamber also plays a key role in representing member businesses on critical issues like the pressure on our road infrastructure and a shortage of suitable local housing for workers. Frazer comments, “A crucial part of our work is to make sure that our members’ views and needs are taken into account by those with the power to make things happen.

We’re here to speak up for the needs of our business community and engage with Scottish Ministers and key decision-makers to lobby for positive change. Being able to get your views heard as part of a strong collective voice is what makes being part of a local Chamber so important.”

To get in touch with Frazer, please email him on ceo@lochaberchamber.co.uk. Find out about news and events in Lochaber at www.lochaberchamber.co.uk.

The team at Lochaber Chamber of Commerce are excited to help our members make the most of opportunities to develop their businesses.

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EUROWINGS

Europe’s fastest growing airline GENERAL INFORMATION

Eurowings operates from 10 UK airports to 9 destinations in Germany and Austria. With London’s Heathrow Airport being its largest operation offering seamless connections to important German business centres such as Düsseldorf. From Edinburgh Eurowings flies to Cologne, Dusseldorf and Munich. At a time when other airlines are reducing passenger comfort, Eurowings is proud to promote its greatest USP; legroom!

Eurowings offers 32’’ in the first 12 rows on its A320 fleet and the first 10 rows onboard the A319 fleet, which means that Eurowings offers the best economy short-haul legroom in Europe, while still offering low fares.

Since April this year Lufthansa’s low cost subsidiary is the first Low Cost carrier to offer a full flat Business Class Service on 5 of its intercontinental routes from Düsseldorf: New York, Fort Myers, Miami, Punta Cana and Cancun. From the UK the new BIZclass can be tested on connecting flights via Düsseldorf from London Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow.

PRODUCT

Whatever your budget, Eurowings has a product offering that meets every passenger’s requirements. The BASIC fare, for the price conscious customer, Eurowings offers a flight only fare with a difference, compared to other low cost carriers, guests on Eurowings can still collect miles.

Looking for a little more comfort? The SMART fare offers just that! Choose your preferred seat, enjoy an inclusive snack & drink, travel with one 23kg bag whilst at the same time still collect your miles.

For maximum comfort Eurowings also offers BIZclass across the short haul route network. This premium offering includes a seat in the first 3 rows of the aircraft with the added benefits of a free adjacent seat, 2 x 23kg bags, à la carte catering, lounge access, security fast track and priority boarding.

Furthermore, next to the already mentioned best economy leg room - Eurowings also offers on-board Wi-Fi and on-board entertainment.

For corporate travelers, Eurowings is pleased to present; Dynamic Flex. This specially designed corporate product allows contracted partners the opportunity to take advantage of up-to the minute pricing combined with discounted flexibility to make booking changes or cancellations. Therefore, making it the perfect offer for small and medium-sized enterprises and corporate groups whose travel guidelines may require the purchase of best-buy fares.

Benefits include:

Corporate benefits for companies with an annual turnover of just €10.000* Daily business fares with SMART, BEST

and BIZclass products including flexible conditions Dynamic Flex SMART fare: Preferred seating in the more legroom section** Booking changes possible, also after departure Cancellations possible, also after departure Valid on the Eurowings non-stop short and medium-haul route network*** Bookable for Eurowings long-haul connections to selected business destinations Opportunity to collect Boomerang Miles Opportunity to collect Miles & More premium and status miles Corporate benefits are available via eurowings.com, an online booking engine (OBE), where available, and via all standard global distribution systems (GDS), such as Amadeus.

* Separate conditions apply to customers with their registered office in Germany, Austria and Switzerland ** Customers who have booked the Dynamic Flex SMART fare on short and medium-haul flights can reserve a seat in the more legroom section at no extra charge, subject to availability. A fee will be charged for bookings made via a GDS-based channel. *** Connecting flights are possible for bookings made via a GDS-based channel. **** For corporate fares booked via eurowings.com

NETWORK

From the UK, Eurowings is proud to offer 26 direct routes from 10 UK airports connecting 9 airports in Austria and Germany.

London Heathrow is connected with regular daily flights to Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Stuttgart, whilst from Birmingham, the heart of the UK, passengers from across the Midlands can fly directly to Düsseldorf or Vienna.

London Stansted has 5 Eurowings routes: Cologne, Hanover, Munich, Vienna and Salzburg.

In addition the British cities of Manchester and Newcastle, Newquay and the beautiful channel islands of Guernsey and Jersey are also connected to Düsseldorf.

Scotland is also directly connected as part of the ever growing Eurowings network with direct flights to Düsseldorf whilst the stunning city of Edinburgh is connected to Cologne, Düsseldorf and Munich.

In 2015 Eurowings started its low cost long haul operations from Cologne, which subsequently were expanded to Munich and later Düsseldorf. In April 2018 the inaugural flight between Düsseldorf to New York took place, which was the first low cost flight featuring a full service complete with a full flat business class seat.

The long haul, full flat BIZclass is now offered on 5 routes from Düsseldorf direct to New York, Fort Myers, Miami, Punta Cana and Cancun. Additional long-haul destinations also on offer from Düsseldorf for winter 2018/19 will also include Bangkok, Havanna, Varadero, Cuba and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

BIZCLASS

The introduction of Eurowings’ intercontinental full flat BIZclass marks a big milestone in aviation history being the first low cost airline to lead in this innovation.

Apart from the 1.98m flat bed, BIZclass offers outstanding comfort incl. 64’’ seat pitch and 180° banking angle, intuitive and easy handling of the seat, additional stowage space, an individual in-flight entertainment system with a significantly bigger 15-inches monitor and an adjustable armrest which offers more space for the shoulder region whilst lying down.

What’s even better for Eurowings guests in BIZclass is that the catering won’t let you down either! From green Twinkies (Milchschnitte) to Poke Bowls it is the Eurowings vision is to bring passengers a fresh new approach that moves away from the conventional and traditional legacy carriers. Most notably recent cooperations with young and stylish partners are rounding up this cool, but still classy service: Craft Beer from Crew Republic, trendy wines from Geile Weine, tasty Lakrids by Johan Bülow or calming and refreshing mint tea by pukka.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Transformational change in West Dunbartonshire – And looking to the next 10 years

West Dunbartonshire Council’s Infrastructure Investment Plan outlining the regeneration opportunities was first produced in 2012. Since then, there has been considerable regeneration at Queens Quay in Clydebank and Dumbarton Waterfront, with much more to be delivered.

An outline business case has been approved for the City Region funded Exxon project near Bowling that will result in over £34m of investment, and a mixed housing and retail development is taking place at Dumbarton Waterfront.

is scope to extend the heating network beyond Queens Quay. A Queens Quay design code will be in place ensuring high quality, sustainable development, connections and public realm as the masterplan is delivered over the next 5-10 years.

In the next 10 years, the Council will continue to build on these investments and will deliver the regeneration of the North Inner Clyde Estuary stretching from Clydebank to the ExxonMobil site at Bowling, the delivery of homes across Queens Quay and improvements to the town centres at Dumbarton, Clydebank and Alexandria.

North Inner Clyde Estuary

Queens Quay Queens Quay is one of the most significant regeneration projects in west central Scotland, and the long-term impacts are transformational for Clydebank and West Dunbartonshire. West Dunbartonshire Council and development partners had already invested in the redevelopment of the former John Brown’s shipyard, delivering West College Scotland Clydebank campus, the Clydebank Leisure Centre and offices at Aurora House and the Titan Enterprise Centre.

Delivery of the rest of the masterplan by a successful partnership between site owners CRL and the Council is underway, including work on a new care home and day care centre, with planning advanced on the relocation of Clydebank Health Centre to the Quay’s Civic Quarter and the first phases of over 1,200 new homes. Further commercial and business opportunities are built into the masterplan, and interest from investors is promising.

Queens Quay will be powered by a district heating system, generating heat from the river Clyde. Development of the Council-owned energy centre is currently underway and there

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The North Inner Clyde Estuary between Bowling Basin and ExxonMobil site provides unique opportunities for waterfront development for leisure/recreation, housing, commercial and business uses. By working in close partnership with landowners along the Estuary, West Dunbartonshire Council will ensure that the redevelopment of the ExxonMobil site, including significant new roads and infrastructure, will pump-prime further developments in this location.

With City Deal and West Dunbartonshire Council funding, the site will be bioremediated, serviced and secured by West Dunbartonshire Council to promote for economic regeneration. The site’s proximity to the A82 trunk road and Erskine Bridge means that once enabling infrastructure is constructed, it will act as a magnet for private sector investors to develop employment and commercial floorspace.

The North Inner Clyde Estuary sites will benefit from better connectivity as a result of the new roads infrastructure at ExxonMobil site, and are situated next to Bowling Station, on the Helensburgh to Glasgow and Edinburgh main railway line.

Dumbarton Town Centre and Waterfront Dumbarton has many natural assets. Its position on the confluence of the Rivers Leven and Clyde gives easy access and impressive views to the firth of Clyde, and the town is close to one of the world’s most

recognisable inland stretches of water, Loch Lomond. Dumbarton’s skyline is dominated by the impressive Rock and Castle.

Dumbarton’s town centre is a traditional high street with a mix of building styles and ages, and also contains the Artizan Centre, a 1970s shopping centre. There are many historic buildings within the town centre, and in recognition of this Conservation Area status is proposed. The modern St James Retail Park is situated on the edge of the town centre and further small unit retail development is planned near the waterfront, between the High Street and the Dumbarton Rock.

In 2018 West Dunbartonshire opened its new offices in Church Street in Dumbarton town centre. Representing over £15m of investment in the heart of the town centre, the relocation of up to 1,200 staff to the town centre in this and two other town centre offices has already reaped benefits for high street businesses.

The Council is committed to putting the town centre first and will be promoting a Town Centre Improvement Area, with practical and other help available to businesses wishing to invest in the area. Priority action will be taken on dilapidated buildings that could be put to better use, and projects that improve the connections and feel of the town centre.

With the new waterfront pathway between the town centre and Rock and Castle planned for 2020, and significant new residential and retail developments overlooking the River Leven and Rock, the waterfront regeneration is now being realised, bringing not only new jobs and homes to the town and the economic growth that they represent, but also a vital connection to the Dumbarton Rock from the town centre. west-dunbarton.gov.uk

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Scotland Exports!

It’s long been understood that employing distinctive Scottish branding when exporting products and services pays dividends.

Although estimates for the number of heritage Scots world-wide vary from 50 million to 100 million, it’s easy to see why differentiating one’s offering by harnessing the benefits of Scottish provenance and reputation has been used so effectively for a long time. And this is one of the main drivers that has seen ever increasing adoption of Scotland’s own domain name on the Internet - .scot.

The same is now also true for small businesses, consultants and self employed who don’t want the overhead of maintaining a website. Now that .scot email addresses are available for less than £15 per year, with the first year free of charge, anyone can bring the power of Scotland the brand to bear for the benefit of their business.

Available in several variations such as yourname@mail.scot or @blether.scot there are others for those who have dual affinity, such as @european.scot or @canadian.scot plus many more. So it has never been easier to appeal to Scots and Scots-at-heart around the world.

More and more Scottish business websites who sell goods and services internationally feature .scot web addresses. Considering an independent study showed that 75% of people would rather buy from a .scot website it’s a bit of a no-brainer.

To be effective, they say that branding has to be consistent and pervasive, so it’s strange that many companies don’t consider their websites as part of their brand. It’s a bit of an understatement to say that wrapping up a quintessentially Scottish offering in a .co.uk or .com wrapper is less likely to hit the mark.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Strathleven Regeneration CIC Event more to the local area”.

£414m gross value has been added to Dumbarton’s economy since the creation of Strathleven Regeneration CIC. The new job count is 671 and 344 houses have been built.

SRCIC has a solid track record of private investment as it moves forward towards a new era.

Working with Walker Construction, Chivas, Costa, Whitbread, Aggreko, The BBC, and Eurogarages have resulted in an impressive £112m of private sector investment. The Strathleven Regeneration model remains in robust condition to meet all of the economic and social challenges ahead.

SRCIC’s development agreement with Walker Group of Livingstone reached its natural end in December 2018 and this was marked by a successful event held at Strathleven House on 28th January 2019. Directors and senior staff of all partners gathered to hear presentations on the future of the company and the great achievements co-operative working has achieved to date.

Strathleven Regeneration CIC is a lean structured organisation led by a non-exec board of experienced directors. Office Manager Sandra Armstrong has been with the company for several years and seen the

Conversations are being extended to include a wider group of private sector partners and landowners around this hugely successful cooperative working and funding model. The ambition and determination of the board throughout past leaner times has translated into confidence within investors, public sector and the local population.

Left to right: Sandra Armstrong SRCIC Manager, Craig Watson Director of Walker Group, Bruce Malcom, SRCIC Chair, Steven Szostak, SCIC Project Director.

transformation of the area and the delivery of its award-winning projects. Project Director, Steven Szostak joined Sandra in March last year. He has brought a wealth of experience in property regeneration, a specialist track record in ‘succession planning’ and a commitment to maximising property ownership and revenue to provide long-term income for local communities. Steven said, “We have 23 acres of prime, developable, employment land which 11million people drive past every year. We are at the gateway to Loch Lomond and our visibility and connectivity are high. Our next phase is going to be a fascinating mix of new partnership, building on successful ones and contributing

The next phase will focus on a closer link with the challenges facing the local residential community where unemployment remains high. The Strathleven board will be constantly measuring their impact against demanding local jobs targets. The skill will be in matching new property occupants with the availability of local labour and supply chains.

Regeneration background and board vision Steven Szostak at SRCIC on 01389 722282 or steven.szostak@strathleven.org site enquiries: Paul Broad Avison Young (formally GVA) Tel: 0141 305 6382

Pete Harding Cushman & Wakefield Tel: 0141 223 8762

or visit: www.lomondgate.com / www.strathleven.org

BUSINESS PROPERTY RENTAL Offering customised serviced offices, industrial units and workshops in business parks across Central Scotland.

All-inclusive, flexible and cost-effective leases include utilities, reception, insurance, maintenance, cleaning, meeting room hire, car-parking, refuse and recycling.

T: 01259 721454 E: property@ceteris.co.uk

Visit ceteris.co.uk for more information

01259 721454 | property@ceteris.co.uk | ceteris.co.uk

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CONSTRUCTIVE THINKING TSL IS A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY COMPANY THAT OFFERS A RANGE OF INTEGRATED SERVICES IN THE WEST OF SCOTLAND, TO A VARIED CLIENT BASE Based in West Central Scotland these services include building new homes, schools, healthcare facilities, industrial and commercial premises as well as infrastructure, utility and renewable sector civil engineering.

We also offer various construction related services which include Mobile Concrete Solutions, a mobile concrete batching facility and Skyhook helicopter services. Operated plant hire, aggregates and ready mixed concrete is available on the Isle of Mull.

In addition to this we provide a national road haulage service and operate port facilities at Mull Commercial Marine Facility.

100+

40

500+

Employees

Years in Business

Contracts Delivered

TSL Contractors employees adding skills and knowledge for our clients’ benefit.

Years in Business, developing and growing relationships across sectors and disciplines.

Contracts Delivered, creating client confidence through project and contracts delivery.

T: 01680 812 475

|

E: info@tslcontractors.co.uk

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

PROFESSIONAL LANGUAGE SERVICES • INTERPRETING • TRANSLATION • TRANSCRIPTION • WEBSITE LOCALISATION • VOICE OVERS • LANGUAGE TUITION • LINGUIST TRAINING

mail@globallanguageservices.co.uk Craig House, 64 Darnley Street, Glasgow G41 2SE

Tel / Fax: 0141 429 3429 Edinburgh Office - 0131 220 0115 Inverness Office – 01463 258839 www.globalglasgow.com

CONTINUED GROWTH AND SUCCESS FOR ARGYLL AND BUTE’S VISITOR ECONOMY Argyll and Bute is a world-class visitor destination with a 7.3% increase in visits to attractions ((Jan-Dec 2016) - (Jan-Dec 2017)). There is a lot to enjoy for all interests - 3,500km of coastline, 23 inhabited islands, 14 world class distilleries, 60 medieval castles, an incredible variety of wildlife, a rich history and culture, and mouth-watering local food and drink from award winning businesses.

Argyll and Bute’s towns and villages benefit from ongoing private and public investment with positive progress being made on securing a Rural Growth Deal, to unlock even more opportunities for growth. * Moffat Centre (2017): Scottish Visitor Attraction Barometer Report: December 2017/2016, Glasgow School for Business and Society, Glasgow Caledonian University: Glasgow, UK.

If you are interested in finding out more about what Argyll and Bute can offer you, contact: marketing@argyll-bute.gov.uk and take a look at: https://www.wildaboutargyll.co.uk

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Enterprise-class ICT Managed Services For Every Business When everything else in your business is getting sharper and more able, how does your inhouse IT department compare?

These days, everything is getting smaller, smarter, more connected and more affordable. Everyday technology has given businesses everywhere unprecedented agility and reach.

But, when everything else in your business is getting sharper and more able, how does your in-house IT department compare?

At Dacoll Group Ltd, we know that every organisation needs an intelligent and responsive IT service, 24/7. Without it, you just can’t get on with the job of running your business.

But could your IT services be letting you down? Or costing you too much?

Dacoll Group Ltd can professionalise your IT infrastructure and services, with a price tag that may just surprise you. In fact, we will confidently provide the level of IT managed services that you’d expect to receive only from a tier 1 provider, but couldn’t afford.

Until now.

Think LEANcompacting

By Mil-tek

5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping are just a few of the useful tools that we use to add value to your waste handling solutions.

Call today on 0800 033 7300 to arrange a free site survey & a free trial.

Mil-tek Scotland Ltd | 31 Colvilles Place | Kelvin Industrial Estate East Kilbride - G75 0PZ | phone: 0800 033 7300 office@miltekscotland.com | www.miltekscotland.com

From our headquarters in the heart of Scotland, we provide a 24/7 service desk, manned by real people, whatever the hour.

In addition, our UK-wide fleet of skilled engineers means that we will come right to your own desk for those manual fixes.

These, and other services, are tailor-made to fit your needs, whatever your size, so that you get the best value support possible.

We’re a family-run business, and we know all about the daily pressures of running your own company. Because of that, our people care about your IT and its smooth running as much as we do our own.

So, let us take care of your ICT. And you can get back to work. sales@dacoll.co.uk | www.dacollgroup.co.uk

By minimizing your waste streams at the source you can minimize your waste of time, space and money Bale your plastic, cardboard, cans and PET bottles to save time and money.

Ideal for manufacturers, retailers, wholesalers, pubs, hotels and many other sectors. Waste savings range from 50% - 90% Special discounts for Chamber of Commerce members.

Do You Need Low Cost Quality Banding?

With 100% inhouse manufactured banding from Mil-tek, you can’t go wrong!

Mil-tek banding is specially designed for all types of bales and fits most machines. It is quality checked on a daily basis to guarantee you an excellent product at the best possible price.

Mil-tek Original Banding “Best value in the UK”

Minimize your waste

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Leading the way to cloud telephony

Save money on calls by switching to NFON ahead of the ISDN cut off

All users should consider cloud telephony when BT discontinues its ISDN service.

But you could start saving even sooner with Cloudya, the cloud telephone system from NFON. There are no more long-term contracts and you’ll only pay for the extensions you use. Better still, our 30-DAY FREE TRIAL means you can try this service before you buy.

Call us, or visit our website to discover how much you could save with an NFON cloud phone system

Telephone: 0333 9000 100 www.forthtech.co.uk/save-with-nfon

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Bring your own identity From a consumer point of view, digital identity remains fragmented, exacerbating the issue of username and password overload. Consumers are dealing with too many digital identities, which leads them to conduct numerous account/password resets. This reduces customer experience and inhibits digital business.

Enhancing user experience, whilst accelerating business growth, revenue and increasing security via identity platforms is something of a unique skill of mine, previously running the Public Sector of Okta (World’s largest Cloud IDAM Company) and previously heading the UK Sales at Imprivata (World’s strongest Legacy & Cloud Identity provider) I have front line experience of these technologies from both on prem and cloud viewpoints.

At Avari Identity we provide a Bring Your Own Identity environment, at the same time as ensuring the level of trust provided by the identity provider matches the level of risk.

The digital Identity industry as a hole based on the recent findings by Gartner and Cision Newswire; Digital Identity Market to grow the highest from 2018 to 2023, is set for a huge increase in market share, exponential to the growth of IOT in general.

Bring your own identity is a concept of allowing users to select and use a digital ID, such as a social identity (Google for example) or a higher assurance identity (such as a bank identity) to access multiple digital services. These digital IDs are created by identity providers (IdPs) and are then enabled to allow third party access and usage service providers (SPs). BYOI is used for authentication and access to digital services but can also be used for authentication and access to digital services, along with identity attribute sharing. Digital services can consume BYOIs directly, through consumer IAM solutions or via a digital identity Eco stream.

When considering the above diagram if we look at Technology and Talent, the two biggest expenses in any modern SME being staff and buildings and how the change in technological landscape is swiftly changing

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Identity and Access Management Enhancing Security and Risk Management Trust

Confidentiality, integrity and availability Privacy, safety and reliability

Resilience

Architecting IAM for Digital Business Identitiy Governance and Administration

Privileged Access Management

Access Management

Authentication

Consumner Identity and Fraud

Enabling Digital Business Agility and robustness Customer satisfaction Employee engagement

Shifting investments

Diagram outlines the impact and scalability of a successful BYOI environment this. We want the best people to be able to focus on their roles and be free of technological distractions, with AI, Robotics and the digital revolution taking its toll we need to know how to navigate this space within a commercial environment and what larger organisations may learn from the successful SME on how best to to leverage these new technologies.

The cost savings increase in productivity and revenue however are linear values that will impact any organisation embracing an enterprise BYOI solution from Avari Identity. In fact, the Cybersecurity Landscape document recently produced by the Cybersecurity Start Up Observatory

has placed Avari Identity into more categories than any other company based on the breadth of value our solutions bring.

CyberSecurity Start-Up Observatory Placings Should you or any of your team, require any further information on how Avari Identity are poised to bring identities to the modern business and Public Sector Organisation in Scotland at unprecedented levels throughout 2019 please call + 44 (0) 845 036 0040 or email ross.garman@avari.solutions .

Warm welcomer.

Coffee pourer.

Safety demonstrator.

Mark Holman, we salute you.

Where next?

Now serving you on Glasgow / Aberdeen London Southend Business day-return schedules and frequent flyer rewards Taking off May 2019 Book now at Loganair.co.uk or via your business travel provider

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Chamber President Ross Graham (right) and Event sponsor Allan MacGregor (left) present the overall winner John Reynolds of Castle Water with his Business of the Year 2018 trophy

Water company showered with praise as it secures Perthshire’s top business accolade Congratulations poured in as Blairgowrie-based company Castle Water was crowned Perthshire Chamber of Commerce “Business Of The Year 2018”.

The UK’s leading independent water retailer lifted the title at a glittering Star Awards ceremony, sponsored by Binn Group, at Crieff Hydro. Castle Water CEO John Reynolds OBE and his staff celebrated winning both the Business Growth and the Developing The Young Workforce Partnership category awards before going on to claim the overall trophy.

A record audience of more than 420 representing local businesses, heard how

Castle Water captured the judges’ vote for their “impressive and sustainable business growth, superb level of customer service and innovative strategy.”

“Castle Water shows excellence and expertise in all areas of their business,” explained Chamber President Ross Graham.

“Top notch customer service sustained and impressive growth through innovation and a cutting-edge shining example of excellence in their field.

“We are delighted that we have this brilliant business based here in Perthshire substantially boosting the local economy and demonstrating tremendous innovation and ambition which looks set to continue.”

Blairgowrie-based Castle Water won its first customer in April 2014. Since then, the company has undergone impressive and sustained growth within the highly regulated

Thank you to our Sponsors

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business water market. Today, Castle Water is supplying over 560,000 business supply points across Scotland and England.

A thrilled John Reynolds said: “Everyone at Castle Water is absolutely over the moon at this recognition of our achievements over the past four years, having grown from two employees to over 370, and having cemented a leading market position in the new business water market.

“We are especially pleased that our partnership with Blairgowrie High School has been recognised with the Developing Young Workforce Partnership Award,” added Mr Reynolds. “Through this partnership, we are delivering joint initiatives that enhance and enrich education while raising awareness to improve recruitment potential and the preparedness of young people entering the workplace.”

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

In other highlights of the evening, the Chamber’s coveted Outstanding Achievement Award went to Brigadier Sir Melville Jameson KCVO CBE for tireless work to promote Perthshire - its tourism, products, businesses and charities during his 12 years as Lord Lieutenant of the area.

And Stephen Leckie, CEO of the Crieff Hydro hotel group, was awarded the Business Leader of the Year accolade, following 25 years at the helm of the long established family business - taking it from two local hotels to a family of nine high-quality independent establishments across Scotland.

In total, 15 new Business Stars shone at the 2018 showcase, recognising and rewarding outstanding contributions across the whole spectrum of local business – from tourism, food and drink production and independent retailing to customer service, innovation, sustainability and business growth.

Ross Graham, said this year’s event sponsored by Binn Group - had proved “an outstanding celebration of business excellence”. “Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Business Star Awards repeatedly deliver a tremendous celebration of the vibrant business community in this area,” he added. “It’s wonderful to be able to give local companies a platform on which to shine and to showcase the amazing quality of businesses based here.”

Event organiser, Chamber CE Vicki Unite, reflected on another sellout success. “The Star Awards is the Perthshire business community’s big night out and everyone has a great time,” she said. “People are so supportive of all our nominees and our winners and the atmosphere is really lively and engaging.

“This year has been another sparkling showcase of the best in the business with a host of very impressive companies and individuals coming to the fore – Perthshire really does boast some outstanding business stars.”

“We are so grateful to Binn Group and all of our sponsors and supporters for making it all possible.”

In addition to Main Sponsor, Binn Group and the fifteen category sponsors, support was also received from Highland Spring, Perthshire Advertiser and Jelf Clark Thomson with each worthy winner taking home a beautiful, unique, handmade, glass Star Award crafted by Caithness Glass.

Outstanding Achievement Award goes to Brigadier Sir Mel Jameson, Lord Lieutenant of Perth & Kinross who is pictured receiving his award from Perthshire Chamber of Commerce President Ross Graham

Thorntons Business Leader of the Year 2018 goes to Stephen Leckie who is pictured getting his award from Debbie Fellows

The galaxy of shining new Business Stars winning on the night Developing Young Workforce Perth & Kinross Partnership Award Castle Water and Blairgowrie High School

DWK Office Solutions Beyond Scotland Award ACS Aviation

Blackadders Employee of the Year Award Liam Wilkie, Kilmac

Johnston Carmichael Chartered Accountants Business Growth Award Castle Water

Perth College UHI Apprentice of the Year Award Liam Boyle, Balfour Beatty

ACS Aviation Independent Retailer of the Year Award Loch Leven’s Larder

Elevator & Business Gateway Most Promising New Business Award Tay MediSpa

Castle Water Excellence in Food & Drink Produce Clootie McToot Traditional Dumplings

Graham Environmental Services Excellence in Customer Service Award Kisa’s Restaurant

Farquhar Print Employer of the Year Perth & Kinross Association of Voluntary Service

Fairways Excellence in Business Innovation Award Peel Tech

Thorntons Business Leader of the Year Stephen Leckie, Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels

Handelsbanken Commitment to the Community Award Perth Autism Support

Outstanding Achievement Award Lord Lieutenant of Perth and Kinross, Brigadier Sir Melville Stewart Jameson KCVO CBE

The Enchanted Forest Excellence in Tourism & Leisure Award Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Perthshire Business of the Year 2018 Castle Water

Stagecoach Group Contribution to Sustainability Award Molke

All images were taken by Graeme Hart and are copyrighted

by Perthshire Picture Agency.

Platinum Partners

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CONFERENCING AND EVENTS

Do you think business events are a waste of resources? You’re doing it wrong Just over a decade ago, the financial crisis and ensuing recession changed everything – and those working in the events industry were hit hard.

Gone were the days of lavish budgets and using events as a spending exercise, it was time to get creative. While nobody would have wanted that cataclysmic global event to happen, the change it forced on the industry hasn’t been all bad. In fact, it could be said that it’s revitalised the work that is done by events professionals, compelled them to work more closely with in-house marketing teams and the benefit to clients is significant. That’s why when you do them right, events can deliver a great return on your investment.

So, how do you avoid the pitfalls of staging an event?

Speak to a professional There’s a good reason why an events specialist should be your first investment and that’s because of the amount of time and money they can save you. Don’t expect your in-house team to have the knowledge and

expertise to deliver a great event because the chances are that they won’t. There are several key decisions an events professional will help you make – including whether your idea can be achieved for the budget you have, the right suppliers to use to help you deliver a great experience and any risks you need to take into account.

Decide on your business goals It’s so easy to hit upon an idea you love and get carried away with excitement.

You need to keep your business goals in focus. Ask yourself, how does this event fit into the bigger picture of our marketing activities? What value will it create for my target audience? How does the customer experience map out at the event and beyond? Any events professional you use should be guiding you through these questions, and helping you to define what a return on investment means for your company and how to achieve it.

Be realistic At great deal of businesses have amazing ideas for events but don’t have the budgets to make them happen. This doesn’t have to be the end of the conversation, because any events professional worth their salt will help you find innovative ways to solve gaps in funding. They’ll also be able to give you advice on the timeline of event preparation.

Fantastic events involve a time investment and can’t be turned around in two weeks, so be prepared to take your time.

Mitigate risk Every decision you take in your events planning will have consequences so think them through. An events manager will help you avoid making costly mistakes, or taking a decision that could backfire on another part of the planning. Minimising risk and fighting fires are badges of honour for seasoned events pros. Let them help you to deliver an amazing experience on budget and on time.

Galileo Restaurant Refreshingly different hospitality at the Races

Book online at perth-races.co.uk

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CONFERENCING AND EVENTS

Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery reveals its secret bar for the first time Five-star visitor centre Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery has opened its exclusive Secret Bar for corporate bookings for the first time.

Corporate visitors can now enjoy the previously unavailable Secret Bar, hidden in a corner of the distillery’s historic warehouse space. Created for Dewar’s VIP influencer programme, the bar has been the whisky industry’s best kept secret for years and is available on a limited basis.

A shrine to Tommy Dewar, one of the company’s founding fathers, the Secret Bar is the ideal location for an incentive group seeking inspiration, fun and a unique experience. Appropriately for a hidden room, the venue is a modern take on the speakeasy, featuring concrete floors, atmospheric lighting, and Dewar’s themed games and artwork. Typically used in conjunction with the beautifully restored Whisky Lounge in the main visitor experience, the Secret Bar enhances events

Scotland’s Largest Hotel Event Space gets £1M Makeover

when used for a short whisky tasting or cocktail workshop, with the ‘big reveal’ of the space proving a highly memorable moment.

The Secret Bar is just one facet of the growingly popular corporate and private events offering at the distillery. The unique venue, situated in the Highlands, yet within reach of Scotland’s main cities, has seen a 50% increase in corporate bookings in

2018, led by exclusive hire private dining events and day meetings. Private dining amongst the displays within the distillery’s unique heritage exhibition has proven an unexpected hit, utilising the skills of local caterers Season Catering and Errichel. Day meetings benefit from use of the venue’s unique ‘auditorium’, a plush, traditional cinema, for audio-visual presentations.

Beginning in February, Fairmont St Andrews will embark upon a six-week £1M makeover of it’s 3000 sq metres of Resort Event Space including the Ballroom and 14 meeting and event rooms. We look foward to seeing you soon!

FAIRMONT.COM/STANDREWS +44 (0)1334 837000

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CONFERENCING AND EVENTS

Nestled on the banks of the River Tay in the heart of Perthshire sits the four star Dunkeld House Hotel The historic country house, built by the Dukes of Atholl, mixes the splendour of traditional Scottish hospitality with 21st century comforts and has gone through some exciting developments recently including the completion of a multimillion pound refurbishment.

Dunkeld House Hotel boasts 98 bedrooms with many enjoying fine views over the scenic river, lawns or surrounding woodlands. Dine in the restaurant on dishes brimming with local produce. Or spend an evening in the cosy bar enjoying the vast array of specially selected drinks served by the experienced and knowledgeable staff.

Choose to book one of the event suites, suitable for weddings, drinks receptions, meetings, conferences and much more. With six individually designed function rooms, the luxury venue has the capacity to cater for both small and large meetings and events of up to 200.

Although providing offerings for both the leisure and MICE markets, Dunkeld House

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Hotel has found the perfect balance so that everyone can enjoy what they have to offer whether it be the activities on the grounds such as clay pigeon shooting, getting an adrenaline rush with Land Rover Off Road or enjoying some ‘me time’ in the health club and spa.

A dedicated events team will ensure that you and your guests enjoy the best of Scottish hospitality during your visit, bringing your ideas to life. With many clients hosting conferences and events at the Perthshire resort, it is clear that Dunkeld House Hotel is becoming a popular choice for industry professions.

To find out more, call 01350 728338.

CONFERENCING AND EVENTS

SWIFTS RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE SOMETHING DIFFERENT PRICES START FROM £72 pp inc vat CARLISLE.THEJOCKEYCLUB.CO.UK 01228 554706

ONE ISLAND TWO DISTILLERIES Lochranza Distillery

ISLE OF ARRAN DISTILLERS ARE EXPANDING. VISIT THE PICTURESQUE LOCHRANZA DISTILLERY AND BRAND NEW LAGG DISTILLERY OPENING THIS SPRING ON THE BEAUTIFUL ISLE OF ARRAN. In 1995, Isle of Arran Distillers revived whisky distilling on the island with the building of a brand-new distillery in the village of Lochranza, situated in the north. Twenty-four years later and whisky distillation is now also being brought back to the south of the island with the construction of Lagg Distillery.

During the 1800s, the south-end of the island was a hotbed of illegal farm distilleries and casks would be

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smuggled off the shores in small boats headed for the mainland.

The Distilling Team at Lagg Distillery will be under the watchful eye of Graham Omand, the nephew and protégé of Isle of Arran Master Distiller James MacTaggart, who has been running operations in Lochranza since 2008. Graham will oversee the production of a heavily peated Single Malt Scotch whisky which will be earthy and rich in character. The Distillery at Lochranza will continue to produce the un-peated, award winning The Arran Malt range.

The Distillery Visitor Centre in Lochranza has become one of the most visited attractions on the island with hourly tours of the distillery as well as a welcoming café and well stocked gift shop. Lagg will also be open to visitors, offering them the chance to tour the new Distillery and relax in the Café & bar which have panoramic views of the Ayrshire Coast and Kintyre Peninsula.

For more information about tours visit us at: arranwhisky.com laggwhisky.com

Lagg Distillery Opening Spring 2019

20/02/2019 11:54

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#NOWHERECANCOMPARE

Opened in 2017 the purpose built, state of the art, Firth Pavilion at Seamill Hydro has been designed as the ultimate conference and banqueting destination.

The ÂŁ6 million development has made the most of the stunning coastal setting of the Victorian eighty bedroom hotel and enhanced it with all of the modern comforts and conveniences you would expect of a leading modern hotel. There is a choice of three sizes of conference room and a smaller break-out or meeting room so events from 2 to over 200 can be accommodated in comfort.

Meeting rooms are set over two floors and all enjoy natural light and panoramic view of over 100 square miles and land and sea including the majestic mountains of Arran across the Firth of Clyde.

The delegate experience is further enhanced by the superb quality of food and the dedicated service from our team of experienced managers and conference porters, who are always on hand to help.

FIRTH@SEAMILLHYDRO.CO.UK | 01294 822 217 Ext. 200 | SEAMILLHYDRO.CO.UK/WORK

CONFERENCING AND EVENTS

Inspiring meetings.

House for an Art Lover is a truly special venue for your corporate meeting or event, with delicious menus prepared freshly by our in-house chefs. Our luxury suites and meeting rooms come with all the technology you would expect, and at House for an Art Lover you can relax and be assured that, with us, business truly is a pleasure.

FREE ONSITE PARKING / GREAT MOTORWAY ACCESS / WIFI

DAY DELEGATE RATES - FROM £28pp T: 0141 353 4770 E: EVENTS@HOUSEFORANARTLOVER.CO.UK W: WWW.HOUSEFORANARTLOVER.CO.UK

A unique event venue in the heart of Highland Perthshire Make work into fun with unique conferences and team-building events

Ask a Theatre team member for your exclusive -30% online discount code for the Aberfeldy, Cask Tasting & Chocolate Tours

Enjoy memorable private dining and exclusive evening event hire

Impress clients, colleagues and guests with a private tour and tasting experience

www.DewarsAberfeldyDistillery.com

#HomeofDewars

AberfeldyDistillery@Dewars.com

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Just Rock Up

The Scottish Event Campus just got a wee bit better.

A new contemporary space to host your meetings at Scotland’s national event destination. A bright, modern space, creating the perfect environment to educate and share.

State of the art technology, nourishing food, all the benefits of an experienced event team, and situated in the heart of Glasgow. All you need to do is turn up.

To find out more about how to host a meeting for 100 delegates or more, please do drop us a line, Glenda.Carlyle@sec.co.uk or Emma.Richards@sec.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can pop in for a site visit. The kettle is always on.

+44 (0)141 275 6232 | secmeetingacademy@sec.co.uk | sec.co.uk/secmeetingacademy

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Brexit – what can your business do to prepare?

Brexit remains high on the agenda for many businesses and, despite news of a recent extension of the Brexit deadline from the European Union, businesses must remain prepared for all possibilities, including that of a “no-deal” exit.

This is particularly important in light of recent figures from Scottish Government, which suggest that just 8% of businesses feel they are “fully prepared” for Brexit, while 18% have done no preparation at all.

It’s also important to remember that even businesses which do not trade directly with the EU may be impacted in the event of a no deal, as they may currently be trading with third countries under existing EU Free Trade Agreements.

With so many businesses unsure of where to turn, the Europe Direct Information Centre (EDIC) for the North Highlands & Islands, hosted by Caithness Chamber of Commerce, has prepared a handy guide of key resources for businesses in the runup to Brexit.

prepareforbrexit.scot Managed by a partnership of Scotland’s public agencies, prepareforbrexit.scot is a one stop shop for businesses trying to prepare themselves for Brexit. Featuring a self-assessment tool, guides, and links to further resources, this should be the

first port of call for any business looking to prepare for the UK’s exit from the European Union.

controlled goods. A full suite of technical notices and guidance can be found at tinyurl. com/govukbrexit.

HMRC

Enterprise Europe Network

Many aspects of Brexit will affect the work that HMRC does with businesses, including import VAT and the recently introduced “Transitional Simplified Procedures”. To ensure you’re up to date with all the latest, make sure you’re subscribed to HMRC’s Business Help and Education email service.

Scottish Government The Scottish Government has recently published its own EU exit portal, containing a wide range of advice and guidance for businesses and individuals alike. Simply visit mygov.scot/euexit to access all the latest information.

Those looking to do business in Europe after Brexit will still be able to access opportunities through the Enterprise Europe Network. Full details of the Network and the services it has to offer to businesses can be found at een.ec.europa.eu This is just a sample of the advice available to businesses, with many industry and professional bodies preparing specific guidance for their members. Whatever happens as the process continues, the EDIC team will be hard at work to advise and guide businesses and citizens across the North Highlands & Islands.

UK Government Many of the sectors affected by Brexit will need specific advice not covered by more general guides – for example on complying with REACH regulations or exporting

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CHAMBERCONNECTIONS

CHAMBER CONTACTS

Scottish Chambers of Commerce Strathclyde Business School, 199 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G4 0QU T: 0141 444 7500 E: admin@scottishchambers.org.uk President – Tim Allan Chief Executive - Liz Cameron OBE

Dumfries & Galloway Chamber of Commerce

Scottish Chambers of Commerce

Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce The Hub, Exploration Drive Aberdeen Energy Park, Bridge of Don Aberdeen, AB23 8GX T: 01224 343900 E: info@agcc.co.uk www.agcc.co.uk Chief Executive - Russell Borthwick President - John Brebner Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce & Industry The Mezzanine, Glasgow Prestwick International Airport, Prestwick, KA9 2PL T: 01292 678 666 F: 01292 678 667 E: enquiries@ayrshire-chamber.org www.ayrshire-chamber.org Chief Executive - Val Russell President - Lorna Gibson Cairngorms Business Partnership Ltd Inverdruie House, Inverdruie Aviemore, PH22 1QH T: 01479 810200 E: office@visitcairngorms.com www.visitcairngorms.com Chief Executive - Mark Tate Chair of the Partnership - Angus McNicol Caithness Chamber of Commerce Naver Business Centre Naver House, Naver Road Thurso, KW14 7QA T: 01847 890076 E: info@caithnesschamber.com www.caithnesschamber.com Chief Executive - Trudy Morris Chairman - Stephen Sutherland

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Eskdale House, The Crichton, Bankend Road Dumfries, DG1 4UQ T: 01387 270866 E: admin@dgchamber.co.uk www.dgchamber.co.uk President & Chief Executive – Tom Armstrong Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce Whitecrook Business Centre 78 Whitecrook Street, Clydebank, G81 1QF T: 0141 280 0272 E: admin@dunbartonshirechamber.co.uk www.dunbartonshirechamber.co.uk Chief Executive - Damon Scott President - Stewart Rennie Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce Unit 27, City Quay, Camperdown Street Dundee, DD1 3JA T: 01382 228545 F: 01382 228441 E: info@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Chief Executive - Alison Henderson President - Ian Collins East Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce Barrhead Foundry Main Street, Barrhead, East Renfrewshire, G78 1SW T: 0141 887 6181 E: info@eastrenchamber.org.uk www.eastrenchamber.org.uk President – Laura Molloy Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce 40 George Street, 2nd floor Edinburgh, EH2 2LE T: 0131 221 2999 F: 0131 261 5056 E: info@edinburghchamber.co.uk www.edinburghchamber.co.uk Chief Executive – Liz McAreavey President - Scott Black

Fife Chamber of Commerce John Smith Business Centre, 1 Begg Road John Smith Business Park, Kirkcaldy Fife, KY2 6HD T: 01592 647740 E: info@fifechamber.co.uk www.fifechamber.co.uk CEO – Alan Mitchell President – Peter Southcott Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce Group (incorporating Stirling Chamber of Commerce) Suite 2, Scion House Stirling University Innovation Park Stirling, FK9 4NF T: 01786 448 333 E: info@forthvalleychamber.co.uk www.forthvalleychamber.com www.stirlingchamber.co.uk President Lynn Blaikie Glasgow Chamber of Commerce 30 George Square, Glasgow, G2 1EQ T: 0141 204 2121 E: chamber@glasgowchamberofcommerce.com www.glasgowchamberofcommerce.com Chief Executive Stuart Patrick President - Jim McHarg Inverclyde Chamber of Commerce Room 5, Victoria House, 5 East Blackhall Street, Greenock, PA 15 1HD T: 01475 806824 M:07939 272787 E: enquiries@greenockchamber.co.uk www.greenockchamber.co.uk Senior Executive Officer - Margaret Moran President - Gavin McDonagh Inverclyde

Chamber of Commerce

CHAMBER CONTACTS

Inverness Chamber of Commerce Metropolitan House 31-33 High Street, Inverness, IV1 1HT T: 01463 718 131 E: info@inverness-chamber.co.uk www.inverness-chamber.co.uk Chief Executive - Stewart Nicol President - Liam Christie Lanarkshire Chamber of Commerce Barncluith Business Centre, Townhead St, Hamilton, ML3 7DP T: 01698 400 219 E: info@lanarkshirechamber.org.uk President: Sean Walls Lochaber Chamber of Commerce 15 High Street Fort William, PH33 6DH T: 01397 705 765 E: membership@lochaberchamber.co.uk www.lochaberchamber.co.uk Chairman - Bruno Berardelli Chief Executive - Frazer Coupland Midlothian & East Lothian Chamber of Commerce Moulsdale House, Edinburgh College 24d Milton Road East, Edinburgh, EH15 2PP T: 0131 603 5040 E: info@melcc.org.uk www.melcc.org.uk Joint Chief Executives - George Archibald and Keith Barbour Moray Chamber of Commerce Suite 7, Elgin Business Centre Maisondieu Road, Elgin, IV30 1QP T: 01343 543344 E: info@moraychamber.co.uk www.moraychamber.co.uk Chief Executive - Sarah Medcraf President Carol Stewart

Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Saltire House, 3 Whitefriars Crescent Perth, PH2 0PA T: 01738 448 325 F: 01738 450 402 E: info@perthshirechamber.co.uk www.perthshirechamber.co.uk Chief Executive - Vicki Unite President - Ross Graham Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce Bute Court, St Andrews Drive Glasgow Airport Paisley, PA3 2SW T: 0141 847 5450 F: 0141 847 5499 E: info@renfrewshirechamber.com www.renfrewshirechamber.com Chief Executive – Bob Grant President – Tom Johnston Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce 27 North Bridge Street, Hawick, TD9 9BD T: 07771 865 758 E: communications@borderschamber.com www.borderschamber.com Convenor - Jack Clark Vice Convenor - Bruce Simpson

Scottish Chambers of Commerce Scottish Chambers of Commerce Strathclyde Business School 199 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, G4 0QU T: 0141 444 7500 E: admin@scottishchambers.org.uk www.scottishchambers.org.uk @ScotChambers Like us on Facebook Production & Design Distinctive Group 3rd Floor, Tru Knit House, 9-11 Carliol Square Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 6UF Telephone 0191 5805990 production@distinctivegroup.co.uk www.distinctivepublishing.co.uk Advertising John Neilson Commercial Director Telephone 07813 874970 john.neilson@distinctivegroup.co.uk This publication is also available as an ebook at: www.issuu.com/distinctivepublishing

West Lothian Chamber of Commerce Systems House, Alba Centre, Alba Business Park, Rosebank, Livingston, EH54 7EG T: 01506 414808 E: chamber@wlchamber.com www.wlchamber.com Chief Executive Linda Scott President Billy MacLeod

Disclaimer

Distinctive Publishing or Scottish Chambers of Commerce cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies that may occur, individual products or services advertised or late entries. No part of this publication may be reproduced or scanned without prior written permission of the publishers and Scottish Chambers of Commerce.

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CHAMBER NEWS

Last year’s guest speaker, Cathy Newman of Channel 4 News addresses the audience.

Support for annual dinner continues with another sell-out With a reputation for providing the Highland business community with a superb evening of high-profile networking, corporate hospitality and engaging speakers, tickets for this year’s Highland Business Dinner on Friday 17th May have sold out!

One of the very first female sports presenters in the UK, Hazel Irvine will address over at the dinner which returns to the Drumossie Hotel.

With the help of Floral Elegance by Nikki Roberts and a/v production from HCVF, organisers Inverness Chamber of Commerce will transform the suite ready for 350 of the region’s business leaders who attend the stylish black-tie function.

Paula Nicol, Deputy Chief Executive & Head of Events for Highland Business Dinner organisers Inverness Chamber of Commerce, said: “We’re delighted to be returning this year with another sold out Highland Business Dinner, the event is firmly established as a premier business dinner.

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“One of the UK’s most popular and engaging sports broadcasters, Hazel is also hugely well respected, having led commentary for some of the most iconic sporting events throughout her remarkable career. We’re looking forward to a fantastic evening as we hear more about Hazel’s career at the forefront of British sport.”

The Highland Business Dinner is a platform for the Highland Business community to support a chosen charity through a prize draw raffle. This year the nominated charity will be Gateway: Highland Homeless Trust, who have been supporting vulnerable people in our community for over 20 years.

Hazel Irvine will address 350 business leaders at this event

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