“Scottish International Week 2021 launches with a focus on COP26"
Scottish Business Network (SBN), Scotland’sglobal diaspora organisation, announced the fifth annual Scottish InternationalWeek at a launch event in Edinburgh highlighting that this years conference will have a focus on COP26.
Following a spectacular performance of the Edinburgh Fringehit WeCameToDance (with its strong climate change message) Russell Dalgleish, Chair of SBN announced that this year’s SIW would be much larger than previous years.
The week-long conference will coincide withthe international climate conference in Glasgow and look to utilise SBN’s globalcommunity to attract key figures from around the world who will share insights, experiences and highlight some of the opportunities for Scottish businesses in global markets.
Russell Dalgleish, chair of SBN, commented:“The popularity of SIW last year took us all by surprise and its quite clearthere is huge international interest in Scotland. It seemed only sensible to move SIW to early November so that we could help amplify the incredible innovation we are witnessing in Scotland to address Climate Change.”
The Scottish business community is urged touse SIW21 as a method to raise their visibility during COP26 when the eyes ofthe world will be on Scotland, and SBN announced a brand-new support service for companies looking to get the most out of this national and international attention.
The limelight was shared with GavinTweedie, chair of the newly branded Net Zero Nation (formally the Net Zero ScotCommunity) as he described what an enormous opportunity this is to show theworld the capabilities and commitment of Scottish businesses when it comes to addressing climate change.
Gavin said: “With the worlds eyes on Glasgow we can use this to showcase how the SME community in Scotland can be mobilisedto decarbonise their businesses, making further waves as that in-turn helps green the supply chains of larger businesses around the world”.
Net Zero Nation have already helped 21Scottish companies pledge to the UNFCC Race to Zero, totalling over £1bn inrevenue, and aims to get at least 100 signed up by the start of COP26 onNovember 2nd.
The final speaker at the launch was Bernard Pollack of Food Tank, a not-for-profit based in the United States, whospotlight and support environmentally, socially, and economically sustainableways of alleviating hunger, obesity, and bringing people together to for food system change.
Commenting after the performance of WeCameToDance, Bernard said: “Some people don’t have enough food, while othersare eating too much. There’s only one way to fix this problem—and it starts with you and me. We have the voice to influence not only policy and decision makers, but also businesses who have the power to make a difference now, and we’re thrilled that Scottish International Week will have such a strong climate focus this year”.
Last year, Scottish International Week sawover 10,000 registrations and with this years being both in person and virtualit is shaping up to be an even bigger force than before.