In episode 03, Fiona welcomes Andy Dick, the Head of Organisational Transition for Zero Waste Scotland to the show.

This episode is a chance to hear from someone who sits uniquely between our national policymakers and our business community and is tasked with bringing to fruition the Scottish Government’s commitment to a greener economy. 

Andy talks us through the gigantic remit of Zero Waste Scotland, explains how a Circular Economy is the way forward and lays out the free support options that are available to every business and community group here in Scotland. 

Links to all things discussed:

• Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) - Funded by the government to enact our nation’s commitment to a greener economy. Alongside writing the rule book, championing research and putting our country on the green initiative map, Zero Waste Scotland provides free support to businesses and community groups in Scotland. 

• Zero Waste Scotland Corporate Plan 2019 - 2023 - This is the guiding light for Zero Waste Scotland. Essentially it focusses businesses and consumers efforts in 3 key areas; Responsible consumption, responsible production and maximising the value of waste. It’s a good read, check it out. 

• 2017 World Economic Circulars Award- Andy explains Scotland’s position as a world leader in the Circular Economy. 

• Mud Jeans - One of Andy’s examples of how the Circular Economy model can be brought to life in any consumer category. New jeans anyone?

• Ellen McArthur Foundation - Award-winning sailor turned environmentalist, Ellen McArthur is at the helm of thought leadership in the Circular Economy. The work being driven by the Ellen McArthur Foundation is truly inspiring, I recommend signing up to their email newsletter. 

• Egg Lighting - Andy talks us through a company that Zero Waste Scotland has assisted in adapting their business model to see huge reductions in waste. 

• Locavore  - A packaging light grocery store based in Glasgow that has benefited from Zero Waste Scotland’s support.  

• Circular Economy Hotspot - We played host to this global event in 2018.

• Scottish Enterprise (SE) + Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) + South of Scotland Enterprise (SoSEP) - In many instances, Zero Waste Scotland works in conjunction with our traditional business support agencies. For more general business support, of a non-waste orientated nature please reach out to these guys.

• Andy’s podcast recommendation - A hilarious series that if you haven’t heard of already you need to get onto - My Dad Wrote A Porno. Also, look out for Zero Waste Scotland’s own podcast, Towards Zero, so far this hasn’t been launched but we’ll update these show notes with a link as soon as it’s live. 

In episode 02, Fiona welcomes Lucy Proctor, The Dog Poo Fairy to the show.

Lucy represents an important segment of Scotland’s conscious economy, a segment that this show is committed to providing airtime and exposure - the up and coming. Lucy is at that overwhelming, frustrating and hugely exciting point in her business journey where she has a fantastic idea and is trying to move from beta to big business.

Lucy tells us about her plans to simultaneously clean up our streets and divert hundreds of tonnes of doggy doo-doo from going to landfill each year, where - spoiler alert - IT DOES NOT BREAK DOWN! Lucy is on a mission to take our nation’s ever-increasing volume of dog waste and turn it into biofuel. She talks us through all the weird and wonderful ways in which she’s making this happen and shares her own personal experience of navigating the enterprise support landscape here in Scotland.

Links to all things discussed:

• The Dog Poo Fairy - Follow Lucy’s adventure or reach out to her for personal advice on dealing with your own dog’s doo doos in more environmentally friendly ways via her Facebook page. Or email her directly here. 

• The K9 Lantern - Lucy mentions Brian Harper, an inventor of a lampost that is fuelled by dog waste. Lucy is piloting his lantern design in the Scottish village of Aberfeldy.

• GrowBiz - A charity providing free enterprise support to businesses and the self-employed across rural Perthshire. If you’re based in the Perth & Kinross area this is a resource you need to know about. 

• Lucy’s podcast recommendation was originally taken from a TEDx talk, ‘Why Raising Your Vibration Increases Serendipity’. 

In episode 01, Fiona welcomes Celia Hodson, founder of the sustainable menstruation brand Hey Girls to the show.

Celia is a world-class social entrepreneur fighting period poverty from the Hey Girls HQ in Midlothian. Celia talks us through her experience of building a sustainable supply chain in a category that’s littered with plastic and talks openly about the challenges of developing her buy one give one, social enterprise model. 

She’s hard-wired into the social entrepreneurship landscape here in Scotland and a walking directory of where support can be found. So if you’re interested in developing a more than profit business based in Scotland this show is not to be missed. 

Links to all things discussed:

• Hey Girls - Buy a reusable cup, follow their social channels or read some of their enlightening period myth busters. 

• Business Gateway - The first stop for free business support services anywhere in the UK. 

• Scottish Enterprise - Scotland’s own provider of free business support. A more tailored support system for the Scottish business community than Business Gateway. 

• RBS Accelerator Programme - An Accelerator programme for established businesses seeking growth, fully funded. 

• Virgin Start-Up - Loans, mentoring and other forms of support for start-ups. 

• Barclays Scale Up UK Programme - Barclays bank and the Cambridge Judge Business School have teamed up to provide a short programme focussed on scaling established businesses.  

• PWC Social Enterprise Club - A UK wide network of social entrepreneurs, grow your network and gain access to mentoring and training.

• Great British Business Entrepreneurs - Awards, events and initiatives to support Britain’s entrepreneurs. 

• Entrepreneurial Scotland - A member network to support, challenge and develop entrepreneurs and leaders. 

• Celia’s Podcast recommendations - Ask For More by Zara Janjua and Egg Talks To with Kylie Reid. 

A teaser of what's to come in Season 1 of Sustainable Scotland At Work.