In this season of goodwill, many Scottish businesses will fulfil their corporate social responsibility, perhaps donating a portion of profits to good causes or even manning a soup kitchen over the festive period.

 

Whatever the case, it is generally expected of businesses today that they make time to give back to society.

Indeed, for some businesses, it’s their sole mission to help solve social challenges.

With big names like George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio hitting the cobbles of the capital and showing their support in recent months, you’ll likely have heard of Social Bite - a social enterprise founded by Josh LittleJohn and Alice Thompson, where profits are reinvested in supporting those in most need.

Well, now the Social Bite phenomenon is taking a new turn, as it aims to build a village to help house homeless people.

In a bid to raise some of the £500,000 of much-needed cash for the project, hundreds of people, including Sir Chris Hoy and yours truly will be sleeping rough in Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square on the night of the 15^th of December.

I’m conscious that the CEO Sleepout will likely be a long, cold night – a stark, but appropriate, reminder of the challenges faced by those sleeping rough on our nation’s streets every night.

Yet, I’m also aware that when people and businesses unite for the greater good, we can make a difference.

So whatever you may be doing to give back this month, remember, it’s worth it.

And if you’re looking to donate to support Social Bite ahead of the Sleepout, you can visit my JustGiving page at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Shaf-Rasul

 

 

 

Firms Making Changes Leave A Sweet Taste.

 

Big business spends millions on employing trend analysts to look at ways consumers are parting with their money.

 

Basically, they’re paying people to figure out what the next big thing is going to be.

 

Well, I predict 2017 is going to see a BIG shift in how some businesses approach the market – I’m thinking of those who produce and sell goods which are generally acknowledged as being bad for you.

 

Sugar tax, minimum pricing, and a ban on advertising – government is hitting these guys hard.

 

Sugar, alcohol, tobacco – they are all going to have to reposition themselves if they are to survive. And as 2016 comes to an end, we are already seeing some making the first moves.

 

Obesity has been linked to 13 types of cancer and is estimated to cost the NHS in Scotland a belt-busting £600million a year.

 

Last week scientists at sweet treat giant Nestle claimed they had found a process to naturally reduce sugar in their products.

 

The Kit-Kat manufacturers are making a break with the industry by cutting sugar content by up to 40 per cent.

 

Boffins for the confectionery giant – which also happens to be the world’s largest food and drinks company – have altered the structure of sugar to make it sweeter in less amounts.

 

The candy was tried out by a panel of tasters and apparently tastes just as good.

 

Nestle are currently securing a patent for the innovation and plan to introduce it from 2018. They said this is to allow time for the shift. But the point is they have recognised where the market is going and are making the announcement now – ahead of the competition.

 

While obesity is stretching the nation’s waste lines, alcohol abuse has long been a downer on the country’s finances.

 

Scotland’s relationship with booze is estimated to cost the NHS at least £200million a year – with some saying it could be as high as £400million.

 

As regular readers will know, I was in attendance at the recent Scottish Business Awards – and as you would imagine there is no shortage of drink at these events.

 

Beer on the night came courtesy of Scotland’s latest social enterprise organisation, BrewGooder.

 

These craft beer lads are literally turning beer into water with their Clean Water Lager. The label donates 100 per cent of its profits to clean water charities around the world.

 

Following the craft beer trend, the product - which is developed with BrewDog - is a great example of re-positioning.

 

Craft beer has already shifted the traditional image of drinkers away from that of boozed-up blokes with their ales and lagers. But BrewGooder has gone one step further by marketing itself as a social enterprise alternative to commercial beers.

 

And last but not least, smoking is responsible for one-in-four of all deaths in Scotland and a bill of some £400million a year for the NHS.

 

The tobacco industry and many fans of a fag have long railed against moves designed to force them to stub out their habit.

 

So it was certainly a bit of a surprise when industry giant Philip Morris International launched a new non-burning cigarette alternative in the UK last week.

 

The Marlboro producer’s iQos device uses real tobacco, but it is heated rather than burned.

 

The company insists it is healthier than traditional products, although there has been some scepticism about just how much safer it is.

 

Make of it what you will, they spent an eye–watering £2.4 billion on it, so whilst it might just be a very expensive PR stunt, it does show the brand is recognising a need to adapt to healthier consumer demands and not be a drag on our economy.

 

It’s great to see these companies responding to demand and providing more responsible options – and why not? It’s a true win-win for health and business.

 

 

 

LAUGH

Did you hear that budding Mary Berrys and Paul Hollywoods north of the border will now have the chance to hone their craft with the help of one of the county’s oldest bakeries?

That’s right - Scotland’s first dedicated bake school is opening at Campbell’s family bakery in Crieff.

An afternoon baking class is being introduced by seventh generation family baker Iain Campbell for people of all abilities to perfect their sweet and savoury Scottish bakes.

I’m sure this move will be the icing on the cake for many Bake Off fans and no doubt it will bring in plenty of dough for the cake-makers too.

I wonder if deep-fried Mars bars will be on the menu?

 

WEEP

Last week came apparent confirmation of something which perhaps people in the furthest reaches of the country are already acutely aware of – the cost of living is higher in remote rural parts of Scotland than in other areas of the UK.

In fact, according to the Minimum Income Standard for Remote Rural Scotland 2016 report, remote rural Scotland needs up to 30 per cent more income than other parts of the UK to have a “socially acceptable standard of living”.

That’s a startling figure to many urban Scots, for whom rural struggles are not so tangible.

And while the authors of the report highlighted how falling energy costs have helped alleviate some of the burden on the remote population, they are calling for further action to even out the playing field.  Watch this space.