Tripling the number of inclusive and democratic businesses (IDBMs) in Scotland will make a significant contribution to transforming the country’s economy according to a new report published 3rd September 2024.
The report: Developing Scotland’s Economy: Increasing the Role of Inclusive and Democratic Business Models was published after the review was announced in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) report (Scottish Government, 2022) and seeks to provide guidance for increasing the number of Inclusive and Democratic Business Models (IDBMs) in Scotland.
The review was carried out by an independent group of economists, businesses, and support organisations including Co-operative Development Scotland, Scottish Enterprise team leader, Darah Zahran.
In our latest blog article, we caught up with Darah to find out her thoughts now the review has been published.
“Co-operative Development Scotland (CDS) was launched by Scottish Enterprise in 2002, born from a recognition that Scotland would benefit from a supportive framework to enhance economic development through democratic business practices. Since then, we have developed the service to provide advice, resources, and funded support for new and existing co-operatives and employee-owned businesses. For over two decades we have adapted to meet changing economic conditions but always with the goal of increasing awareness and understanding about the range and value of inclusive and democratic business model among entrepreneurs, business advisers, policymakers and communities.
“As the only public sector-funded service in Scotland dedicated to supporting economic growth by increasing the number of co-operatives and employee-owned businesses, we welcome this review as a timely opportunity to shine a spotlight on these great models and maximise their impact in our economy. Over the years we have seen first-hand the opportunities, stability and value that employee-ownership and co-ops bring to our businesses, communities and economy. The resilience of these models was evident during the pandemic, and the aspiration to grow the number of businesses operating this way is increasingly attractive to ensure a fairer, greener Scotland.
“Achieving this has to be a team effort. We continue to build our services across a number of networks and partnerships to create the right environment and support for all enterprises keen to build a more democratic approach into their legal structure. Collaboration across stakeholders and intermediaries is critical to fully understand, respond and celebrate the value of these organisations is critical and we welcome the opportunity to contribute to this through the new proposed Economic Democracy Group recommended in the report.
“CDS has compiled many stories of successful, innovative and impactful IDBMs, learning from the entrepreneurs at the heart of these thriving organisations and sharing their experiences to increase awareness of their scope and importance. These can all be accessed through our past blog articles, case studies and podcasts.
“Scotland has been ambitious in its vision for inclusive business models as they grow and embed across the economic landscape and within all sectors- from hospitality to creative industries, B2B, community energy, and health and social care. As a service focused on developing commercially successful and sustainable IDBMs we welcome all initiatives that give a voice to these innovative models and inform future areas of support. This review recognises their value and importance in creating economic change that drives a fairer economy and derives wider benefits for the workforce. CDS is excited to be part of the discussion.”
