IOD SCOTLAND WINTER 2022

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In conversation with... Catherine McWilliam “We held a round-table event on Talent and Skills, bringing in people from different sectors to look at the problems Scotland has on the talent pipeline... it was a great event and some brilliant conversations were started... the IoD was the cog that linked the two sides of the equation” Continued from page 19 Once the discussions are completed, “we’ll take our insights to the Scottish Govermemt as a fully formed policy.” Looking forward, what are the big topics that IoD Scotland faces? Will it make a decision on where it stands on the independence question, for instance? “We won’t take a position, ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the question, if it’s asked,” Catherine says. “What we insist on instead is that the government makes sure our members receive all the information they need – proper information, full details, costings, pitfalls, opportunities. Not guess work and wishful thinking but concrete facts. That way people can make an informed choice if the situation arises.” Another challenge is going to be how Scotland deals with what could be acute labour shortages in the future. “We know that Scotland has an ageing population and we’re already seeing this hit some sectors as labour shortages become more apparent. We need a new Visa scheme that works for Scotland and allows the agricultural and tourism sectors, as two examples, to bring in the people they need.” But what’s also important is that Scotland makes better use of the talent on the ground. “We cannot waste anyone. We need to find a role for everyone in our society. Too many people have not found their niche in the Scottish workplace and that’s an issue that we have to solve. But it will be best solved collaboratively, with all stakeholders having an input – and with the IoD at the heart of the solution.” This loss of talent is something that rankles, as does Scotland’s poor record at scaling up its successful start-ups. “Scotland is a nation of entrepreneurs, it always has been, but why don’t we scale up? Why haven’t we had more Skyscanners? Is it lack of finance, is it lack of confidence or support – or does it play back to that lack of a talent pipeline? “Are big plans being shelved for fear of not getting the people in you need to grow? “Whatever the reason, it’s a stumbling block we have to get past.” Here again, IoD Scotland can help. “I know from my conversations with start-ups that often you have this young, dynamic team, bursting with ideas and confidence but perhaps without the experience to make them work. The IoD membership is full of experienced people who can bring real knowledge to a boardroom in an NXD capacity. If you have a plan and want to bring in guidance from outside, the IoD membership is the place to start looking.” She has another word of advice for start-ups: “Follow your gut. The best piece of advice I ever received was ‘don’t ask permission, seek forgiveness.’ It’s a posh way of saying ‘follow your gut’; it’ll be right most of the time.” It all sounds like 2023 is going to be a very busy year for Catherine and the IoD. “That’s just how I like it. I love being surrounded by engaging and exciting people, all discussing “We need a new visa scheme that works for Scotland and allows the agricultural and tourism sectors, as two examples, to bring in the people they need” new ideas, thinking up ways of doing things, challenging each other, helping each other. That’s why I love IoD events – that’s what you get in the room.” One event in particular is ringed on the calendar. “I can’t wait for our Director of the Year Awards in June. We’re going to get a big room for members to sit down and reflect on what they’ve achieved – despite the challenges they faced. It will be a chance to say, collectively, ‘we got through this, we survived the storm.’” See pg 14 for details 20 WINTER 2022
ScotRail’s on track to play its part in Scotland’s net zero target David Lister Safety, Engineering & Sustainability Director, ScotRail As many are aware, Scotland has a goal for net zero carbon emission by 2045. This will require co-operation across the whole country, from individual citizens, to small businesses and large corporations, and ScotRail is excited to contribute to this effort. Through the decarbonisation of our network, ScotRail aims to improve our service, making it greener, cheaper, and more reliable for all. Decarbonisation of the railway overall focuses on two main components: electrification of large sections of our track and the upgrading of our fleet. These needs naturally go hand in hand and, though a huge undertaking, are the cornerstone to delivering a greener, more efficient service for both passengers and freight and a reduced cost for taxpayers. The decarbonisation of the railway focuses on large-scale electrification as it gives the greatest benefit for the investment. Electrification involves much more than just putting up wires and while we still have significant work to do, the programme in Scotland is leading the industry across the UK. There are incremental benefits to electrification: it will allow for a more dynamic and flexible timetable for both passenger and freight journeys, route clearance allows for larger freight trains to operate, and both benefits go live long before the full programme is complete. Alongside electrification, we will procure new train fleets to replace current stock with more modern and sustainable options that will also deliver a better passenger experience. A key aim of our procurement strategy is to reduce the number of types of train we operate from 11 down to five. This will not only make our service more efficient through streamlining maintenance and training but also make it easier to redeploy resources to different routes and provide passengers with consistency when they travel. Customers will notice the first major change in 2028 when new suburban trains start to enter service. These will progressively replace four existing train fleets as their leases expire and it becomes uneconomical to extend their lives. This will drive a massive effort towards the decarbonisation of the network. More procurement will take place through 2035, which is our goal for the replacement of diesel fleets and other life-expired trains. Business travel benefit for IoD Business travel can also play a key part in our country’s net-zero effort. Instead of driving to work or for business meetings across the country, why not travel by train? With your IoD membership, you qualify for a £5 upgrade to first class on any ScotRail train that offers this service. Our first-class seating offers a more comfortable and peaceful environment for you to conduct all your business needs or to simply relax after a long working day. ScotRail also offers business travel accounts. The ScotRail Business Travel tool is designed to help businesses and organisations save time and money when booking train travel. Our account managers know the pressure businesses are under to stretch their budget, so they’re always on hand to ensure you get the best value for money, with a huge array of tickets available to fit every business’s budget. If you’d like to discuss how we can work together to save you time and money, along with reducing your business’s carbon footprint, email scotrail.salesteam@scotrail.co.uk. Alongside this, we offer support with our online booking tool, and we will work with you to tailor-make travel plans and policies that align with your business strategy. WINTER 2022 21
Page 1: The official membership magazine fo
Page 4 and 5: News Edinburgh & Lothians Behind th
Page 6 and 7: News Aberdeen and Grampian Driving
Page 8: News South of Scotland New Chair to
Page 12 and 13: Downtime AA’s The Restaurant Guid
Page 14 and 15: News Our awards are back - and you
Page 16 and 17: In conversation with... Catherine M
Page 18 and 19: In conversation with... Catherine M
Page 22 and 23: Technical briefing: HR To navigate
Page 24 and 25: Membership offers IoD membership We
Page 26 and 27: Technical briefing: IT matters Esto
Page 28 and 29: Technical briefing: Education Quali
Page 30: Professional Development
Page 33: Introducing ... the Chartered Direc

IOD SCOTLAND WINTER 2022

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