Wellbeing economy: what it means for business

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Frameworks

A number of established frameworks are open to businesses considering the first steps towards contributing to a wellbeing economy. These include:

• United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• B-Corp movement
• Business in the Community’s Responsible Business Map
• Scotland Can B’s Impact Journey
• industry specific programmes

The Scottish Government and Prosper also collaborated to create the Business Purpose Commission.

Ideas for further reading

• Social Enterprise in Scotland (Social Enterprise Scotland)
• Liberating work - workers.coop
• ‘The Business of Wellbeing’ (Wellbeing Economy Alliance)
• Doughnut Economics Action Lab – tools for business and enterprise

General support for business (not accreditations or quality marks)

• Find Business Support
• Highlands and Islands Enterprise – Support
• Scottish Enterprise – Support and advice for businesses in Scotland
• South of Scotland Enterprise – Support
• Public Procurement Support
• A Trading Nation – help for businesses looking to export
• Business Gateway
• Just Enterprise - Business Support for Social Enterprises in Scotland
• Social Enterprise Support Map

Responsible business initiatives

• Business In the Community provides organisations with support and information to help accelerate their responsible business journey
• Implementing Community Wealth Building: A Guide
• British Standard on purpose driven organisations PAS 808 | BSI (bsigroup.com)
• International Standard (ISO) on Social Responsibility Discovering ISO 26000
• Organisation for Responsible Businesses (ORB) – SME membership
• The Good Business Charter accreditation for organisations, includes a streamlined version for smaller businesses.
• Certified B Corporations (B Corps)
• Better Business Act – mission to change UK law so every company in the UK aligns the interests of their shareholders with those of wider society and the environment.
• Responsible Business Alliance – industry coalition to support Corporate Social Responsibility in global supply chains

Fair Work, flexible working and equalities initiatives

• Fair Work Tool – Fair Work Employer support tool
• Fair Work Convention
• Living Wage – employer accreditation to pay at least the real Living Wage
• Close the Gap supports businesses to identify and address the root causes of their gender pay gaps
• Equally Safe at Work - employer accreditation to advance gender equality in the workplace and prevent violence against women and girls
• Close Your Pay Gap – a tool for companies with over 250 employees who are required to report their pay gap.
• Think Business, Think Equality – gender equality self-assessment for SMEs
• Flexibility Works supports the adoption of flexible and new ways of working
• Timewise – a social enterprise working with employers on flexible working
• Working Families – advice and resources on flexible and family-friendly working
• Fair Tax Mark – accreditation for business, cooperatives, councils, multinationals, TUC, social enterprises
• Workplace Wellbeing Charter – employer accreditation
• Stonewall Scotland – employer tools for inclusive workplaces
• Minority Ethnic Recruitment Toolkit – support for recruitment managers to improve diversity in their workforce
• Anti-Racist Employment Strategy – employer resources and case studies
• Equality and Human Rights Commission – advice on employing disabled people and making workplace adjustments
• Access to Work – support for disabled people to enter and stay in work
• Inclusion Scotland – support for employers to address the disability employment gap
• Mental Health in the Workplace
• Employers Guide to Inclusive Recruitment
• Good Recruitment for Older Workers: A guide for employers
• Carer Positive employer accreditation scheme to support workers with caring responsibilities (Carer Confident in the rest of the UK)
• Menopause in the workplace: Guidance for employers

Net Zero, environmental initiatives

• The Carbon Trust – Route to Net Zero certification
• Net Zero Nation – Guidance and resources for business
• Green Certification Schemes for Tourism Businesses | VisitScotland.org
• Net Zero Accelerator Tool – business sustainability support (Scottish Enterprise)
• Zero Waste Scotland – guidance for business
• Business Energy Scotland · Make Your Business Greener
• Scottish Business Climate Collaboration
• Growing Climate Confidence – support for third sector