The third annual Scottish Highlands and Islands Renewable Energy Awards celebrates the very best of the region’s green energy sector in a virtual event on Thursday 23rd June.
The event showcases the achievements of the sector, while also recognising and rewarding the contribution that renewable energy makes to the Highlands and Islands economy and the businesses at the heart of it.
Renewable energy has a long history in the Highlands, and these Awards shine a light on what is being achieved at present, and also what is possible in the future – recognising the excellence and evolution of the sector.
The awards and the Scottish Highlands and Islands Renewable Energy Conference (SHREC) which precedes it, are both supported by leading Scottish law firm Harper Macleod, which founded SHREC in 2010, and Highland News & Media, publisher of the Executive and 18 newspaper titles across the Highlands and north-east Scotland.
Entries for the Awards are open until 20 May, and can be made in the following categories:
- Best Onshore Renewable Energy Project
- Best Offshore Renewable Energy Project
- Best Community Energy Project
- Best Natural Capital Project
- Best Public Sector Collaboration
- Most Promising Individual
- Best Renewable Transaction of the Year
- Best Supplier Offshore Renewables
- Best Supplier Onshore Renewables
- Outstanding Achievement Award
To find out more and enter, visit the SHREC 2022 website.
Caithness Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Royal Bank of Scotland, would like to invite you to attend a workshop on Managing Change, hosted from 12:00-14:30 on 17 May 2022 at the Pentland Hotel in Thurso.
The past few years have brought with them any number of unforeseen challenges for businesses in the North Highlands. From the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic to the more recent challenges arising from uncertainty around energy prices, material costs and international events, it has been hard for businesses to prepare for what might come next.
At this event, attendees will hear from the Royal Bank of Scotland’s expert team on how to prepare their businesses to adapt to whatever the next few years may bring, as well as hearing direct from guest speakers as to how they have managed change within their own businesses. The event will also feature a networking lunch.
Book to attend this free event using this link.
About this event
The content will cover:
- Defining net zero
- What’s the goal and why
- Potential related benefits for your business/support available.
- An introduction to Skills for Growth.
It will be an interactive session including short break out group work and time for questions and comments from participants.
The webinar will help you to:
- Get clarity on business benefits
- Think of ideas on action they you can take now
- Highlight key resources to investigate
- Encourage you to set goals towards net zero
- Widen your network of like-minded business-owners
The session will be delivered on Teams and recorded.
We wish to make you aware that there may be photography and/or video footage taken at this event, which will be used to promote Highlands and Islands Enterprise. If you do not want your photo to be taken or to be filmed, please let the event organiser know in advance of your photograph being taken. HIE’s full privacy statement is available to view online https://www.hie.co.uk/legal/privacypolicy/
Join us for a special event that will bring together female entrepreneurs and industry experts. A hybrid event – Venturing Forward: Sustainable Transition – will see a selection of speakers discuss how we build our knowledge around climate change, understand the benefits of accelerating our climate action journey and activate our sustainable growth strategy whilst championing the race to Net Zero.
There will also be an opportunity to participate in themed workshops, aimed at demystifying Sustainable Transition for your business, and sharing best practice. Themes to include: future sustainability, circular economy, agriculture, accessing finance, and making the most of your ecosystem.
The event will feature a keynote address from Kate Forbes MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, together with a number of panel experts from across the Scottish business community.
Tickets are available to attend either in person or via Zoom. Please make sure to book your space before midday Friday 11th March.
With 15.6% of people in Caithness and Sutherland employed in the accommodation and food services, the second highest employing sector in the region, showcasing careers pathways for entry and development into the sector is key.
In our third Talking Tourism event, we are inviting businesses and communities from across our region to discuss the different career pathways into the tourism and hospitality sector and the support available to develop your workforce. Joining Venture North will be representatives from:
- The Caithness Collection Hotel Group
- Developing Young Workforce
- North Highland College UHI
Presentations will be followed by a Q&A and discussion with our panel of speakers.
Now more than ever, discussions are being made around sustainability and in particular how the tourism sector can contribute in delivering “green tourism”. But what exactly does this mean? How can tourism and hospitality businesses in our area make a difference in achieving the nations net zero targets?
Joining Venture North in our second Talking Tourism event on net zero and sustainable tourism will be representatives from:
- Highlands and Islands Enterprise
- Caithness Chamber of Commerce
- North West Highlands Geopark
- North Highlands and Island Community Hub
Presentations will be followed by a Q&A and discussion with our panel of speakers.
Joined by representatives from our board of directors and key funders, the event will include:
- Short presentations about our key roles and a review of our first year as the destination management organisation for Sutherland and Caithness.
- Q&A and discussion on future activities you would like to see from Venture North.
About this event
The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) is pleased to provide an opportunity to discover more about the Horizon Europe Civil Security for Society work programme. With security challenges rapidly evolving, and the nature of criminal activity becoming more and more complex, security research has never been as important and vital as it is today. Through new technologies and knowledge, it is possible to move from a reactive to a proactive response to criminality. The Civil Security for Society work programme offers opportunities for such research and innovation to contribute to the safety and security of citizens and communities.
The Civil Security for Society work programme spans six ‘destinations’:
- Better protect the EU and its citizens against crime and terrorism
- Effective management of EU borders
- Resilient infrastructure
- Increased cybersecurity
- Disaster-resilient society for Europe
- Strengthened security research and innovation
This webinar will provide an opportunity to find out more about how to apply for Horizon Europe funding.
What will be covered in the event?
- Introduction to Horizon Europe
- Civil Security for Society 2022 calls
- Optimising partner searching
- Proposal preparation and application process
- Legislation and finance
- Q&A
Sign up to attend this event using this link.
As the country emerges from the pandemic, Productivity Club Scotland’s hybrid conference explores how new ways of working may be adopted and embraced to boost business performance and productivity.
Full Day Event: 09.00 – 18.00
In-person Location: RBS Conference Centre, Gogarburn, Edinburgh
Online Platform: Zoom
This day-long free conference has been designed specifically to address some of the complex issues facing the commercial sector following a difficult and demanding two years. The conference promises to provide support, practical advice and plenty of innovative ideas to aid business recovery and improved productivity, and with expert enterprise input will consider the challenges to productivity posed by Scotland’s unique geography.
Guest speakers and session facilitators will help us:
- Assess how productivity in Scotland is affected by geography and socio-economic factors, and how we can overcome barriers
- Discover the role played by digital leadership and data in business growth and planning
- Analyse how HR, legal and health & safety requirements might affect new ways of working
- Learn from businesses on how they: implemented creativity and innovation processes; started their net zero journey; introduced a 4-day week improving productivity and employee engagement
As well as offering practical advice and space for forward thinking, our conference will provide time for networking, and a session exploring the vital importance of mindfulness and wellbeing for ourselves, our colleagues and staff, as we continue on the road to recovery.
Speakers and Panel Members:
- Ms Kate Forbes MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy;
- Nico Simeone, Director, Six by Nico;
- Kirsty Thomson, CEO, The Circle;
- Lesley Smillie, Partner, Deloitte;
- Matthew Kennett, Director, Productivity – People and Transformation, NatWest;
- Jackie Brierton, CEO, GrowBiz;
- Robert Thorburn, Partnership Director – Scotland, Openreach;
- Carolyn Currie, Chair, Productivity Institute Scotland, CEO, WES;
- Lee Ann Panglea, Head of CIPD Scotland and North Ireland, CIPD;
- Sean Duffy, CEO, The Wise Group;
- Anthony Burns, COO, ACS Clothing;
- Prof. Patricia Findlay, Professor of Work and Employment Relations, Strathclyde University;
- Sara Thiam, CEO, SCDI;
- James Bream, CEO, Katoni Engineering;
- Samantha Bedford, Mindfulness Teacher;
- Susan Galashan, Senior Consultant, Employment Law & HR, NatWest Mentor;
- Katie Bryant, Senior SHE Advisor, NatWest Mentor;
- Mark Wilkinson, Head of Business Development, The Data Lab.
- Willie Maltman, Director, Future Proof Learning.