Co-operative Development Scotland is the arm of Scottish Enterprise which supports company growth through co-operatives and employee ownership business models. Our annual review looks at the work we have done across 2014/15.
1. Annual Review 2013/14
Collaborating for success
Consortium co-operatives are established when businesses collaborate for a shared purpose, e.g. market
more effectively, jointly bid for contracts, increase levels of innovation and access new markets.
This year businesses chose the model for the purpose of:
MARKETING TENDERING INNOVATING
79% 42% 37% 10%
INTERNATIONALISATION
This year we
supported the
creation of
new
consortia19
150+businesses
These will enable (projected to
increase to
within the next three
years) to reduce
costs, share risks and
create new platforms
for growth.
350+
in key sectors, including
tourism, creative industries,
forestry and renewables.
Scottish Mountain Bike Consortium is a
collaboration of likeminded private sector
businesses committed to developing the best
family mountain biking experiences, packages
and solutions.They formed a consortium to bid
for new work and to increase innovation.
CASE STUDY
Influencing agendas
It has worked on influencing agendas helping
to create:
Incentives for Employee Ownership–through
active membership of The Department for
Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) Employee
Ownership Stakeholder Group.
Community Shares Scotland–a new
service that will assist communities to raise
investment. Launching in 2014–funded by
the Big Lottery Fund and Carnegie UK Trust–it
will be led by Development Trusts Association
Scotland, in partnership with Co-operatives UK
and Plunkett Foundation, with Co-operative
Development Scotland becoming a member of
its Expert Reference Group.
Education Packages for Universities and
Colleges–development of teaching materials
and toolkits for the Further and Higher
Education Sector which have been piloted by
two universities with positive outcomes, with
support from the Scottish Funding Council
being pursued for wider roll out.
Promoting benefits
Co-operative Development Scotland has also
promoted benefits through:
International Focus:
Co-operative Development Scotland’s work is
increasingly recognised on the world stage.This
year it:
• Advised the Malawi Trade & Investment Institute on
Scotland’s approach to co-operative development
• Participated in a transnational project, led by
the Flemish Government, designed to promote
co-operative entrepreneurship in European
member states and regions
Generating over 200 million
opportunities to see via print, online
and broadcast media activity
Increasing digital activity and
engagement with audiences
through social media channels
Encouraging more people to enter
for the Collaboration Prize attracting
1,758 unique visits to the website
Rolling out a dedicated programme
of speaking engagements and
specialist articles for the Employee
Ownership Ambassadors
Engaging directly with professional
advisers promoting awareness of the
models in 138 practices
Co-operative Development Scotland
promotes co-operative and employee
ownership business models. During
2013/14 it supported 36 new ventures
and buy-outs across the country,
nurturing successful collaboration and
succession in businesses from a variety
of sectors.
2. With refreshed strategies we will focus on:
Community ownership
Community
co-operatives are
organisations set up to
provide services, using
co-operative principles to
guide their organisation
and their activities.
Shared ownership enables
communities to develop
services, such as renewable
energy and broadband
provision.
Successful succession
Selling to employees allows owners to
manage their exit from a business and achieve
a competitive price while safeguarding the
long-term future of the company.
Voice Technologies, a specialist provider of
speech recognition, digital dictation and
automated correspondence technology for
the healthcare, legal and government sectors
became employee-owned to provide a
platform for further growth.
CASE STUDY
SCALE
(potential impact)
SECTOR
(key industries)
PURPOSE
(addressing economic
development need)
It aspires to achieve a
in employee
ownership
over the next
tenfold increase
years10
The future
Co-operative Development Scotland has
ambitious plans for the future.
Co-operative Development Scotland will continue to work closely
with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise and
with key partners including Business Gateway, industry bodies,
membership organisations and professional practices–to raise
awareness, provide advice and influence policy.
As awareness grows, Co-operative
Development Scotland is advising an
ever increasing number of businesses
interested in this model, with
currently
benefiting from
professional
support.91
companies
8
new community
ventures
This
year started up with support
from Co-operative
Development Scotland
new co-operatives
in Scotland over a 10
year period.
In addition,
Co-operative
Development
Scotland
aims to
establish
350
For further information visit
www.cdscotland.co.uk or call 0141 951 3055
Follow Co-operative Development Scotland on
Twitter @cdscotland or read our blog www.cdsblog.co.uk
Co-operative Development Scotland is the arm of Scottish
Enterprise working in partnership with Highlands and Islands
Enterprise that supports company growth through co-operatives
and employee ownership business models.
Green Energy Mull will own and operate the
Garmony Hydro hydroelectric scheme on Mull.
It will produce a sustainable form of electricity
that will be sold to the National Grid.The surplus
income generated will then be made available as
grants for community projects on the islands of
Mull and Iona.
CASE STUDY