I find this time of year a great opportunity to reflect on how the year has gone in my business and for me personally, noting achievements, successes and proud moments. It is also a good time to reflect on what could have been done differently as learning and “tweaking” is how we change things for the better.

On a recent car journey, I heard a news item about farmers choosing not to sow seeds as they can’t guarantee workers will be available to harvest crops. You reap what you sow and the consequences of this possible inaction in Scotland, when over 70% of its land area is under agricultural management, is a concern.

Last night at Holyrood, a Ministerial Statement was delivered by Patrick Harvie MSP, Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights, giving further details on the Proposed Domestic Building Environmental Standards (Scotland) Bill and how it will be delivered.

Recent ONS reports for Scotland’s construction sector show there was a slight increase in construction output for new work. Despite this resilience in the sector, there are still issues which lie in the significant lack of skills within the industry and the difficulty that young people face in accessing jobs.

Last Christmas, when we went into the final pandemic lockdown, feels like a very distant memory. As we wondered then what the new year might bring, many conversations in the engineering sector were around what the so-called ‘new norm’ would look like.

Perceptive Communicators, the multi-award-winning Glasgow-based communications and PR agency, is teaming up with Cancer Card to provide pro-bono communications support after the charity’s successful application to the firm’s Improving Lives campaign.

Award-winning Glasgow-based communications consultancy Perceptive Communicators has made a new appointment to their team, adding to their expertise for clients.

Scotland needs more homes. With a shortfall now approaching 100,000 houses since 2007, this is beyond doubt and we require a robust and ambitious plan to put this right. The Scottish Parliament will shortly vote on such a plan, the fourth iteration of the National Planning Framework (NPF4).

In the last few weeks, the ever-changing nature of the social media landscape has been brought into sharper focus after Elon Musk’s buyout of Twitter and the global reaction.

For two decades now social media platforms have been part of the fabric of modern life. What started with Bebo, MySpace and Vine has now graduated to ever more sophisticated platforms...

The cost of living crisis is hitting hard and escalating costs are a significant challenge for businesses across Scotland. With inflation recently hitting a 40-year high and energy costs forecast to increase again in spring, business leaders are facing serious decisions on delivering priorities.

On Thursday The Scotsman will host its annual Life Sciences conference with the theme of “Growing Global”. As a global leader in the life sciences sector, Scotland has much to offer both start-ups and more established organisations. With its highly skilled workforce, world-class universities and research and development facilities, Scotland is well placed to continue to lead the way in this rapidly growing industry. 

For Clyde Gateway, Scotland’s most ambitious regeneration project, there has been an increased focus on creating new green spaces. Aside from the many environmental reasons brought into focus throughout COP26 in Glasgow, our investment in new parks is due to the plethora of benefits they provide to both families and businesses.

The only thing I love more than being on a surfboard is taking the opportunity to be an ambassador for the sport’s development in Scotland. My recent ambassadorial trip to California to speak at the International Surf Therapy Organisation’s conference on mental health was one of my best experiences of being able to showcase Scotland to the world.

Glasgow-based communications consultancy Perceptive Communicators has won its third award this year, Managing Director of the Year at The Scottish Women’s Awards in Glasgow. This follows recognition as Property Team of the Year at The Herald Property Awards in September and Associate Member of the Year at the Homes for Scotland awards in May.

The eyes of the world watched as the combination of centuries of tradition and ceremony combined to celebrate the life of Queen Elizabeth and lay her to rest. 

It’s impressive that the world-first for live TV news using shared radio spectrum was made possible by an innovative private network, designed and deployed by experts from the software-defined radio (StrathSDR) team, one of The Scotland 5G Centre’s funded projects, and part of the University of Strathclyde. 

Glendoick Garden Centre near Perth, which opened in 1973, was one of the first garden centres in Scotland, but in 50 years of trading, conditions have never been as tough as they are now.

This week marks world homelessness and world mental health day. These two issues are inextricably linked. People experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness suffer from incredible stress and have very often experienced significant trauma in their lives. As Chief Executive of Simon Community Scotland, our country’s largest provider of homelessness support services, I am very aware of this; in fact we see very few people accessing our services who do not also have significant and long term mental health problems.

Scotland is a global powerhouse for biotechnology innovation and entrepreneurship. Our strengths in this area have driven the establishment of a thriving industry with approximately 250 active companies and a sector worth an estimated £750 million.

Glasgow-based communications consultancy Perceptive Communicators has been recognised as Property Team of the Year for the second time at The Herald Property Awards for Scotland 2022 in Glasgow.

Every day it feels like there’s another article about the challenges for both employers and employees as they navigate the sensitivities of hybrid working alongside the risks of quiet quitting in the workplace. The rumblings of disquiet are set against the backdrop of unemployment rates at their lowest since 1974, as well as a record number of workers dropping out of the jobs market altogether.