SNH and HIE in equality drive

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) have joined forces to run a series of events and workshops aimed at progressive moves towards a wider range of applicants under their next board recruitment round.

It comes as the public sector in Scotland gears up as part of its commitment to meet changes under the Scottish Government’s 50:50 by 2020 initiative. Women, in particular, are under-represented on many Scottish boards.

HIE and SNH are working with diversity charity Changing the Chemistry (CtC) - a voluntary mutual peer support network headquartered in Scotland. It offers guidance and development opportunities to individuals from currently under-represented groups in the boardroom who aspire to secure non-executive/trustee board positions.

The two organisations have board vacancies next spring and are running recruitment exercises this autumn with the Scottish Government.

Ian Ross, the chairman of SNH, said: “We are committed to achieving diversity at all levels in our workforce. I am particularly committed to improving the diversity of the Board that I lead.

“This will ensure that the important work of the organisation is shaped by a more representative range of voices from communities across Scotland. Improving the diversity in our board room will improve the quality of the services we provide to these communities.

“We and Highlands and Islands Enterprise are committed to investing time through these workshops to ensure that more people are better equipped to apply for positions and serve on our boards.”

HIE Chairman, Professor Lorne Crerar, said: “HIE and SNH are keen to ensure that opportunities to apply for board membership are widely known, and that we attract interest from suitably qualified and motivated people from across our whole society.

“Public boards fulfil a number of important roles, including making decisions on major investments and overseeing the performance of their organisations.

“These events with Changing the Chemistry are one way of promoting upcoming opportunities to a more diverse range of people, including greater numbers of women, people with disabilities and those aged under 50 in particular.”

The final third and final event takes place in Glasgow on Thursday 8 October at the Teacher Building, St Enoch Square, from 6-8.45pm.

Titled ‘Public Sector Boards – Quality through Diversity’ sessions are free but must be booked in advance. Online registration is available at www.hie.co.uk/about-hie/events on the HIE website.

Tanya Castell, chair of Changing the Chemistry, said: "This is a great opportunity to find out more about the range of opportunities which exist to join boards, including Scottish Enterprise, HIE and SNH, and we hope that as many people as possible will come along.

“There is much evidence to show that increasing board diversity improves the performance of organisations and thereby benefits the wider economy. We are committed to helping organisations embrace this change.”