Team ‘BamBrew’ from Shawlands Academy have been announced as the winners of the 2025 ‘Made in Glasgow’ enterprise challenge.

Made in Glasgow is a cross-school competition, hosted by Buchanan Galleries and Ahead Partnership, where 30 students were tasked to imagine and design an exciting community space for the city before going head-to-head in Dragons’ Den-style pitches. Centred around the theme ‘reimagining their local retail space’, the project challenged Glasgow pupils to present their ideas and vision for retail in the future, while considering the broader impact retail space has on the local area.

Year 10 students from St Mungo’s Academy and Shawlands Academy took part in three workshops at Buchanan Galleries which replicated real-life design processes. This included creative placemaking, community and customer insights, and environmental sustainability hosted by professionals at Buchanan Galleries, before the students developed their own ideas for a retail space to best serve their community in Glasgow.

The final allowed the teams to present their ideas to an expert panel, showcasing the principles learned during the workshops. The pitches addressed all aspects of creating a sustainable retail space, including establishing their concept, understanding their key audience, and shared how they would design and market the space. The final presentations included concept diagrams, mood boards and branding, survey questions for customer research, example social media content and key points on sustainability.

The winning team professionally pitched an innovating café specialising in Matcha Teas. Their concept aimed to tap into the growing popularity of Matcha as a trendy and health-conscious beverage to attract a fresh demographic to Buchanan Galleries – specifically teenagers and students.

‘Made in Glasgow’ aims to showcase the vital role young people can play in transforming the retail landscape into a dynamic force for positive change within their communities. In recent years, physical retail has shifted towards creating experiences, with shopping centres evolving into social hubs that foster and strengthen community connections.

The school engagement project is delivered by Buchanan Galleries, its parent company Landsec, and Ahead Partnership, and is funded by the Landsec Futures Fund. The £20m social impact fund is dedicated to enhancing social value to the communities it serves.

Kathy Murdoch, Centre Director at Buchanan Galleries, said: “Made In Glasgow is a wonderful initiative that encourages students to explore their creativity within the retail sector. Listening to the perspectives of the younger generation offers fresh inspiration for creating retail experiences that resonate with their needs and interests.

“This year, we have been really impressed by the creativity and innovative thinking shown by all the students – and would like to congratulate Team ‘BamBrew’ from Shawlands Academy, who after much deliberation from the judging panel emerged as well-deserving winners.”

“This is the second time the competition has run in Glasgow and helps individuals learn everything they need to know about taking an idea from its first draft to its design and pitch, whilst building self-confidence and skills to further develop their own career paths.”

Georgina Johnson, Programme Manager at Ahead Partnership said: “We have been so impressed by the quality and presentation of the students’ ideas for the second time delivering the Made In Glasgow challenge. Their concepts put community at the heart of the future of retail and incorporated innovative sustainability features that are so important to our places and spaces.

“It has been brilliant to see the Buchanan Galleries and Landsec teams come together to nurture the next generation of talent through employability skills development and role modelling, helping to engage more young people with the careers and opportunities available in the retail sector.”

The winning team will now progress through to the national virtual semi-finals where they’ll compete against teams from other Made In Challenges happening across the UK. The three winning teams from the semi-final will then head to Landsec HQ in London for the national final in-person in June 2025.

For more information, please visit https://buchanangalleries.co.uk/.

Price overtakes battery as the most important factor for drivers considering going electric in latest Venson survey

www.venson.com 

Key Survey Findings:

In a rerun of the Venson Automotive Solutions ‘Attitudes to Electric Vehicles’ survey[1], 44% of drivers said that price will be the most influential factor if they switch to an electric vehicle (EV) this year. Battery range was top of the list of considerations for those surveyed in 2021 (45%) but this has now slipped down to fourth place.

Free installation of an at-home charger was placed as the second biggest priority this year (37%) followed by charging time (35%). Joint fourth place went to battery range and safety ratings, with 33% of drivers placing each of these as a deciding factor. In 2021, price came in second with 41% of votes, safety ratings in third place with 30% and charging time 29%.

When asked what further action the next government could take to encourage take-up of EVs, respondents to the 2024 survey believe financial incentives would bring the greatest benefit (44%), followed by increased investment in public charging points (26%) and more clean air zones in cities (12%). 11% would like to see new legislation introduced to encourage businesses to move to fully electric company car or commercial vehicle fleets in the next 5 years.

“SMMT data shows that sales of new and used EVs are soaring, with fleets accounting for a huge proportion of new sales” commented Simon Staton, Client Management Director at Venson Automotive Solutions. “It is perhaps unsurprising, given the extended cost of living crisis, that vehicle purchase price and charger installation are such significant considerations for potential EV buyers. With purse strings restricting buying decisions, financial incentives would understandably be gratefully received.

“Whilst businesses are playing a significant role in driving EV adoption, they could potentially propel the number of drivers opting for electric company cars further still by helping drivers fund home charger installation, through monthly salary deductions, loan or perhaps offering as a recruitment or retention incentive as well as ensuring vehicle options include models with the fastest charging times and greatest battery range.”

When it comes to what is changing drivers’ minds about switching to electric, three factors are working together to improve perceptions: improvements in charging infrastructure have increased confidence for 40%, 39% are encouraged by the positive impact EVs are having on reducing emissions and falling prices have helped change the minds of 38%. A wider range of vehicle options and greater confidence in owning and maintaining EVs have also helped for 20% and 19%, respectively.

Simon Stanton continued: “As we look ahead to the ban on new petrol and diesel car sales, and the net zero pledge, it is encouraging to see drivers’ attitudes shifting and confidence increasing. Education on the reality of living and working with an electric car can help encourage drivers to move to electric.”

To help fleet managers and company car drivers understand the costs and convenience of EVs and address key concerns that could be creating barriers to greater EV ownership, Venson offers a number of free whitepapers. Visit www.venson.com/White-Papers for more information.

The Climate Change Act 2008 (2050 Target Amendment) Order 2019 mandates that organisations must reach net-zero by 2050. In recent years, businesses have become acutely aware of the need to focus on their progress towards net-zero and many are exploring carbon reporting and bureau service as a result, not least because of increasing expectations of reporting activities within supply chains and for their customers.

A recent survey revealed that 82% businesses in the UK have set targets to reach net-zero before 2050; however a lack of data around their operations has contributed to stifled progress.

Carbon reporting provides businesses with the ability to measure, report and monitor their carbon footprint. This service provides detailed insight into a business’ energy use, highlighting what improvements can be made to reduce carbon output and offset emissions, as well as making energy savings through reducing consumption of pollutive non-renewables such as grid-sourced energy.

Paul Rekhi, Head of Carbon Services at Advantage Utilities, commented that: “Carbon reporting is so essential to enabling progress towards net-zero. Because if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it and therefore can’t reduce it! That’s why we offer this service to our clients, who have been able to leverage it to not only reduce emissions, but also to reduce their energy bills and safeguard their reputation too.” 

Achieving certification of carbon neutrality is a growing asset for businesses, yet research from the British Chambers of Commerce shows that fewer than one in 10 SMEs in the UK fully understand what the net-zero target means for them.

Businesses using a bureau service can have additional confidence in their energy bills because of its use of bill validation, automatically highlighting billing errors in the process by carrying out 100 checks via the bureau service system – making energy savings where overpayments have occurred. Monthly reports are also produced on factors such as consumption, bills and carbon emissions, accessible through an online portal.

“Using a bureau service is crucial to measuring current bills and ensuring that no irregularities occur – and these are surprisingly common. By using carbon reporting in combination with this, businesses can better understand their needs and energy use so that bespoke solutions can be implemented, thereby maximising carbon offsetting and reduction. Through a carbon reporting platform, businesses gain insight into their scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and facilitate supply chain reporting to plan, track and report their GHG emissions and their progress towards net-zero. Businesses must collaborate with their supply chain to tackle the most significant and complex part of its carbon footprint, however,” adds Rekhi.

Rekhi concludes, stating that: “Using both a bureau service and carbon reporting enhances working relationships with key retailer customers and suppliers, improves stakeholder engagement, fostering carbon neutrality and cost efficiencies in the process. These two services are also the most important tools for businesses in achieving net-zero.”

Further guidance and explanation on carbon reporting can be found on Advantage Utilities’ website here and further information on the bureau service can be found here. 

Around 4.75 million mattresses every year end up in landfill or are incinerated in the UK, that’s equivalent to an area around four times the size of Holyrood Park or enough to cover the pitch at Celtic Park 1,575 times each year – that’s over four times every day!

While some parts of the country are well-equipped with facilities to recycle end-of-life mattresses, either at the local household waste recycling centre or via a household collection service, many are not, with the fragmented system amounting to a postcode lottery.

Last September, the NBF’s fourth report on the rate of mattress recycling in the UK showed that while the number of mattresses being sent for recycling between 2014 and 2022 had more than doubled to 24%, the ‘real’ rate of recycling – the fate of the mattresses or their components and materials after sorting and processing – was lower at an estimated 14%. The NBF has a target of 75% diversion from landfill by 2028.

“In the current economic climate, with so many pressures on local government budgets, it is not surprising that mattress recycling provision is so patchy across the UK. However, given the ever-growing concern about global warming and increasing demand from consumers for sustainable options, we believe that the Government should move towards implementing a national mattress recycling service as a priority,” comments Jessica Alexander of the National Bed Federation.

The NBF, which last year launched an industry-wide ‘Pledge for Our Planet,’ has seen the number of signatories from its bed company members more than double in the last 12 months. These businesses have committed to coming together to take steps that will address global environmental damage at both a company and product-level to reverse these trends. The Pledge includes progressive targets for halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050, in line with Science-Based Targets Initiative.

“While many of our members are on a sustainability journey, working to find ways of operating in a more environmentally friendly way and developing products which re-use materials or can be recycled, it is still a real worry that so many mattresses end up in landfill. We have been actively supporting the development of the Register of Approved Mattress Recyclers (RAMR) which is now up and running, with the aim of helping to ensure that the 1.5m mattresses a year which are currently diverted from landfill are recycled in a responsible way. RAMR will help local authorities, public bodies and businesses wishing to dispose of used mattresses to identify responsible, reputable operators with whom they can work,” explains Alexander.

“Given their size and mix of component materials, mattresses are difficult to dispose of responsibly, and often the public simply do not know what to do for the best when their mattress reaches the end of its life. In the current landscape, we advise consumers to take the time to find their nearest recycling facility that will strip it down into its parts for reuse, or, alternatively, to organise for a specialist licensed company to come to collect it from their house. Most importantly, beware of people in white vans offering to pick your mattress up for free or at a ‘bargain’ price – these rogue traders may take your old mattress and stuff it into a new cover to re-sell or dump it at the roadside!

“Our industry is offering leadership to solve this postcode lottery for those wanting to have their old mattress recycled and not dumped in landfill, we are calling on Government to play its part too with a regulative framework giving industry confidence to invest. “

The leading container repair and refurbishment specialist will be showcasing its innovative range of solutions to bring waste and recycling containers of all types and sizes back to life, promoting a circular economy. With asset management, alongside health and safety front of mind, the company will be on hand to share with attendees an insight into container tracking devices, and to advise on the importance of undertaking statutory tests.

Held at the MacDonald Aviemore Highland Resort, the APSE Scotland Fleet, Waste and Grounds Seminar sees the largest trade exhibition of its kind, with over 115 internal and external exhibitors. The conference attracts delegates with direct procurement responsibility, in the first instance from councils across Scotland but also from other areas of the UK.

Emma Elston MBE, CEO of UK Container Maintenance spoke ahead of the event and said: “The APSE Scotland Fleet, Waste and Grounds Seminar is a very well-regarded event in the industry and we are proud to be exhibiting once again.

“At UKCM we take great pride in supporting both public bodies, and waste, recycling and manufacturing companies across Scotland and beyond, enabling them to benefit from the extensive opportunities afforded through container repair and refurbishment. In addition to ensuring that their waste and recycling containers are fully operational, effective for use and safe, through container repair and refurbishment we can also fulfil an ever-increasing obligation to reuse and recycle, therefore benefiting the circular economy.”

Established in 1998, UKCM, the UK’s largest family-owned container repair and refurbishment company is dedicated to the refurbishment of all types of waste and recycling containers. UKCM works across the country offering waste companies and local authorities’ mobile repairs, as well as factory-based services at its head office located in Winsford, Cheshire.

The process brings old, and often unwanted, waste containers back to life instead of them going to scrap. The business model – refurbishment over replacement – is simple and for a third of the price of replacing a container, UKCM can restore the unit to full working order.

ARRAN recently launched its new Naturals Collection – an environmentally conscious range with wellbeing at its heart – and are donating 5% of all ARRAN Naturals sales from their Home Farm store on the Isle of Arran to the trust. This will work out at approximately £1 per bottle sold that will be given back for continued conservation of the brand’s island home.  

The new collection includes three expressions, Calm, Mindful and Awaken, with the focus being on functional fragrance, offering both mental and emotional benefit alongside 100% natural fragrance. It’s sustainable with 100% recyclable packaging including aluminium bottles, recycled bottle tops and cardboard.  

The Arran Trust is the Isle of Arran’s visitor gifting scheme and funds projects which look after the beautiful landscapes and environment, working alongside businesses and community groups to improve sustainable practices and safeguard the island’s future. 

Sheila Gilmore, CEO Arran Trust, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic that ARRAN Sense of Scotland is supporting the Arran Trust in this way. Their Naturals range is perfectly aligned with the environmental nature of the Trust, and all funds raised can support community projects that help to keep Arran beautiful. Hopefully many community groups will benefit by applying for funding through the Arran Trust website: www.arrantrust.org” 

Since 2010 The Arran Trust has supported projects conserving, educating and revealing the stories of this special place. It is an independent Scottish Charity and relies on the support of friends and supporters to continue its work, which includes funding for conservation and environmental works, community projects and research into the impact of tourism along with solutions, sustainable tourism training and advice. 

The Arran Trust was set up with five initial businesses on board and has steadily grown, with nearly forty businesses now on board. The beautiful island is very dependent on tourism, so it makes sense to preserve all the places that attract visitors in order to sustain its future.

Quote from Kevin Meechan, CEO of ARRAN Sense of Scotland:   

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with the Arran Trust and work with them to preserve everything that is special about our island home, the Isle of Arran, which is our inspiration and at the heart of our brand. Sustainability is a priority for our business and this partnership is another step in that journey. We will be donating £1 for every Naturals product sold through our Home Farm store to the Arran Trust, so that they can continue their amazing work across the island.” 

A brand with corporate social responsibility at its core, ARRAN Sense of Scotland is no stranger to helping the wider community. Most recently in May 2022, it gifted hard working members of the NHS who were nominated by its employees with a ‘personal thank you from the people of ARRAN’.  

The charity partnership with the Arran Trust is the latest move in a raft of measures the company has been introducing to reduce its environmental impact.   

Alongside the aluminium packaging of the new ARRAN Naturals range, all of the company’s remaining 300ml bottles are now made using 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) materials, eliminating the use of virgin plastics. Alongside this, the company’s online warehouse is now fully carbon neutral, and it has reduced packaging and zero plastic in all orders being placed on the web shop.   

Continuing along the theme of reducing waste, all the company’s gift boxes are made with 80% recycled paper, which is fully recyclable or can be re-used as storage. The company has committed to ensuring that all ARRAN Sense of Scotland bottles will be made of 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) material hence eliminating the use of virgin plastic by the end of 2022.  

Find out more about ARRAN Sense of Scotland’s sustainable promise here: https://arran.com/pages/our-eco-friendly-commitments  

Egg has been awarded the Impact Fifty Award 2023. Impact Fifty recognises 50 companies for their commitment to creating a workplace environment where all employees feel they are making a genuine impact on an important cause. In Egg’s case, judges identified that employee satisfaction was driven by delivering on the brand’s mission of creating a clearer path to clean energy through making green home technology more accessible, affordable and less complex for homeowners. 

Egg’s core products are home chargers for electric vehicles, solar panels and battery storage; and it is the only company operating in this space to be honoured with an Impact Fifty award. Other companies on the list include mental health charity Mind, confectionary brand Tony’s Chocolonely, wellness app Headspace, outdoor brand Patagonia and major global names UNICEF and Google.org. To explore the full list, see www.impactfifty.com. 

“It’s a huge honour to be recognised with an Impact Fifty Award just 12 months after our brand first came to market,” commented Julie Agnew, CEO of Egg. “Egg is a young, agile brand, focused on making it much simpler for people to switch to clean energy. The feedback we receive from customers on the positive difference we make to their lives is something that motivates the whole team and makes working at Egg so rewarding. Egg has ambitious plans for the future and we are just getting started, so being recognised alongside such well-established, well-respected names is a real boost to our business.” 

Hyer.co made the following assessment of Egg when confirming it within the Impact Fifty winners:

Egg is cracking open the energy and climate crisis by providing homes and companies with sustainable and affordable clean energy solutions. Governments, businesses, and individuals are more aware than ever of environmental impacts and are seeking ways to reduce emissions towards Net Zero. Egg is making the transition to clean energy easier by offering and installing solar panels, EV charging stations, and batteries to completely electrify your home and workplace with flexible and simple payment options. With rising fuel prices and geopolitical uncertainty, Egg is positioned to champion innovation and adoption of green energy throughout the UK.

The Impact Fifty website contains further information on Egg, plus video testimonials from key personnel providing further insight into the company’s vision, mission and work culture. To learn more about Egg’s products and capabilities, please visit www.crackingenergy.com. 

This is the second major accolade for Egg in recent months. In October 2022, Egg’s pay-monthly home EV charger won Best New Product or Service (Domestic) at the EVIE Awards (the Electric Vehicle Innovation and Excellence Awards).

In the chief medical officer’s annual report on air pollution (published Thursday 8 December 2022), Sir Chris Whitty has cited solid fuels as being by far the most polluting method of domestic heating within England.

Acknowledging the rising popularity of wood burning over recent years due to “aesthetic… practical, ecological or [now, more than ever,] economic reasons[1]”, the government report lays out the best ways to approach solid fuel domestic heating where its use cannot be avoided.

HETAS, the leading biomass and solid fuel heating organisation, is one of the contributors to the report. The not-for-profit can vouch for the unprecedented demand for solid fuel heating currently, with its website recently reaching peak traffic levels surpassing 500,000 users as consumers seek out new or alternative ways to keep warm this winter without breaking the bank.

Bruce Allen, chief executive officer for HETAS and Woodsure, comments:

“The crucial takeaway from Chris Whitty’s report for us is that we could all do more to tackle air pollution. Almost one third (32%) of those interviewed for the report had either recently burned wet wood or were unaware of the correct wood seasoning requirements for efficient and cleaner burning. This means that an alarming proportion of solid fuel users may be causing unnecessary pollutants to be emitted from their home appliances.

“Dry or seasoned wood (with a moisture content of up to 20%) emits 7.21g per tonne of PM_2.5 emissions when burned. But this figure quadruples to 28.87g per tonne when the wood is wet[2]. If more people burned better by simply switching to the right fuel or by using an efficient appliance, we could dramatically reduce harmful emissions and ultimately do much better by our planet.

“The domestic burning sector is of course aware that solid fuel appliances emit harmful pollutants. But with around 70% of UK housing stock said to be unsuitable for heat pumps, homeowners need to rely on a combination of complementary heat sources until truly green heating innovations become mainstream and financially viable.

“Part of our job as a not-for-profit industry organisation is providing help and guidance to promote appliances which meet performance limits for low emissions, and to raise awareness of ways to burn fuel as efficiently, cleanly and sustainably as possible where fires and stoves are the solution chosen by the home or business owners.

“We all breathe the same air; and while we agree that the industry undoubtedly must do more to tackle air pollution, consumers must take action too to make cleaner, safer choices when it comes to solid fuel. Our advice to consumers covers three main points:

1. When installing a new heating appliance, opt for DEFRA-listed stoves or burners certified by the Cleaner Choice Scheme which achieve 50% lower PM₅ emissions
2. When choosing fuels, look for the ‘Ready to Burn’ label – a DEFRA certification (administered by HETAS and Woodsure), guaranteeing the cleanest fuels for burning at home
3. Don’t skimp on annual sweeping or servicing; a well-maintained appliance will burn more cleanly, efficiently and safely”

For more information about cleaner, safer choices for solid fuel use within the home, visit hetas.co.uk or woodsure.co.uk.

[1]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1121614/chief-medical-officers-annual-report-2022-air-pollution.pdf – p. xiv

[2]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1121614/chief-medical-officers-annual-report-2022-air-pollution.pdf – p. 218

And despite the number of electric vehicles (EVs) increasing, there may be car buyers out there who are cautious about buying an EV due to some myths that have been perpetuated about them. But so many of those ideas can be easily corrected.

In this article, we’ll go through some of the most common myths that surround EVs and debunk them, so you have the full picture of what they’re really like.

Can they manage long distances on a single charge?

EVs have always faced the question of how much distance they’re able to cover over the course of a single charge, compared to how much you can stretch from a full tank of petrol.

The distance electric cars can reach on a single full charge tends to average around 200 miles, and 68% of day-to-day trips taken in a car are under five miles. This means that on a single charge you could do multiple trips over the course of several days.

If you’re travelling a considerable distance that extends beyond the capacity of your battery, you can approach recharging the same way you might approach a long trip in a car with traditional engine. There are plenty of road-mapping software options that you can use to plan out your route that also display charge points along the way. Preparing for your journey ahead of time means you can maximise the distance your car’s capacity can manage before needing to stop and recharge. Plus, if you’re using a hire car, it’s important to remember to recharge the car before returning it.

Are traditional engines faster?

One myth that seems to be perpetuated is that cars with traditional petrol and diesel engines are faster than battery-powered ones. However, the numbers indicated that this isn’t the truth at all. In fact, battery electric vehicles can accelerate as fast than those that rely on fossil fuels – if not faster.

Taking Formula E cars as an example to emphasise this, as they can go from 0 to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds and have a top speed of 174 mph. Comparing this to a several Ferrari cars available in the current market, the electric cars are actually faster than the luxury racing brand. These numbers easily dismantle the idea that fossil fuel cars are all faster than electric cars.

Charging will be more difficult if everyone has an EV

Another concern of potential buyers of EVs is that if a mass move to electric vehicles occurs, charging the battery will become much more difficult due to chargers being occupied and, amid talk of an energy shortage and possible blackouts, the potential of the power grid being unable to handle that much energy required.

In line with the number of EVs on the road, the number of charge points has similarly increased.

In fact, gov.uk have found that there were 32,011 EV charging devices in the UK as of the beginning of July 2022. This is a 6% increase from the start of April the same year, which shows that the number of charge points will increase to meet the demands of the number of cars that require them.

The idea that our energy grids would see an increase in demand if there was a complete switch to EVs is correct, however it wouldn’t make a catastrophic difference to the system. Current estimates indicate there would only be an increase of demand of around 10%, and that’s assuming it was a sudden transition. With the rate we’re seeing drivers switch to EVs, it’s a gradual move meaning increased demand is less of an issue than could be feared.

Sources

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-takes-historic-step-towards-net-zero-with-end-of-sale-of-new-petrol-and-diesel-cars-by-2030

https://www.zap-map.com/ev-market-statistics/

https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/electric-vehicles-debunking-myths/

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/electric-vehicle-charging-device-statistics-july-2022/electric-vehicle-charging-device-statistics-july-2022#:~:text=in%20October%202022.-,Main%20findings,available%2C%205%2C974%20were%20rapid%20chargers

https://www.nationalgrid.com/stories/journey-to-net-zero/electric-vehicles-myths-misconceptions

ARRAN recently launched its new Naturals Collection, an environmentally conscious range with wellbeing at its heart, and will be donating 5% of all ARRAN Naturals sales from their Home Farm store on the Isle of Arran to the trust. This will work out at approximately £1 per bottle sold that will be given back for continued conservation of the brand’s island home.  

The new collection includes three expressions, Calm, Mindful and Awaken, with the focus being on functional fragrance, offering users mental and emotional benefit alongside natural fragrance. It’s sustainable with 100% recyclable packaging including aluminium bottles, recycled bottle tops and cardboard.  

The Arran Trust is the Isle of Arran’s visitor gifting scheme and funds projects which look after the beautiful landscapes and environment, working alongside businesses and community groups to improve sustainable practices and safeguard the island’s future. 

Good friend of the trust, Billy Connolly, said: “The Isle of Arran is the true Gem of the Clyde. Loved by the residents, and adored by visitors, it is truly a miniature Scotland.” 

Since 2010 The Arran Trust has supported projects conserving, educating and revealing the stories of this special place. It is an independent Scottish Charity and relies on the support of friends and supporters to continue its work, which includes funding for conservation and environmental works, community projects and research into the impact of tourism along with solutions, sustainable tourism training and advice. 

The Arran Trust was set up with five initial businesses on board and has steadily grown, with nearly forty businesses now on board. The beautiful island is very dependent on tourism, so it makes sense to preserve all the places that attract visitors in order to sustain its future. 

Quote from Kevin Meechan, CEO of ARRAN Sense of Scotland:   

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with the Arran Trust and work with them to preserve everything that is special about our island home, the Isle of Arran, which is our inspiration and at the heart of our brand. ESG and Sustainability is a priority for our business and this partnership is another step in that journey. We will be donating £1 for every Naturals product sold through our Home Farm store to the Arran Trust, so that they can continue their amazing work across the island.” 

A brand with corporate social responsibility at its core, ARRAN Sense of Scotland is no stranger to helping the wider community. Most recently in May 2022, it gifted hard working members of the NHS who were nominated by its employees with a ‘personal thank you from the people of ARRAN’.  

This is the latest move in a raft of measures the company is taking to reduce its environmental impact.   

All of the company’s bottles are now made using 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) materials and it no longer produces packaging using virgin plastics. Alongside this, the company’s online warehouse is now fully carbon neutral, and it has reduced packaging and zero plastic in all orders being placed on the web shop.    

Continuing along the theme of reducing waste, all the companies gift boxes are made with 80% recycled paper, which is fully recyclable or can be re-used as storage. The company has committed to ensuring that all ARRAN Sense of Scotland bottles will be made of 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) material hence eliminating the use of virgin plastic by the end of 2022.  

Find out more about ARRAN Sense of Scotland’s sustainable promise here: https://arran.com/pages/our-eco-friendly-commitments