Business News Round Up (09/10/2025)
Businesses feel misunderstood by the Scottish Government
The Scottish Business Monitor found businesses feel misunderstood by the Scottish Government and are unprepared for net zero as last quarter’s tentative recovery in activity stalls. The latest report of the Fraser of Allander Institute’s quarterly Scottish Business Monitor, which surveyed over 200 businesses from 31 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities, revealed businesses’ relationship with the Scottish Government, readiness for the Net Zero transition, current business activity, and expectations for the economy over the next year. Sales and employment saw modest improvements from last quarter, with net balance (i.e., the share of firms reporting higher minus the share of firms reporting lower) up 0.6 percentage points and 1.4 percentage points, respectively. Export activity also showed some improvement. However, net balance for all six of the Scottish Business Monitor’s key indicators remain deep in negative territory.
North West sees autumn uplift with rise in new businesses, latest research shows
Entrepreneurial confidence is in evidence across the North West, despite ongoing challenging trading conditions. The latest research from R3, the UK trade body for restructuring, turnaround and insolvency professionals, reveals that an increase in the number of start-up businesses in the region since last year is a welcome uplift for the region, but firms are still facing a challenging economic outlook. R3’s analysis of data from Creditsafe shows that the number of new businesses started in the region rose by 24% in September 2025 to 7,485 new businesses, compared with September 2024 when there were 6,044 new start-ups. The region’s performance reflects the national trend, with the North West recording the fourth highest growth in start-up activity across the UK over the period. Only Wales (35%), the North East (29%) and West Midlands (26%) saw larger increases in new business formations.
Scotland’s Global Investment Summit secures over £10bn for green energy drive
Scotland’s Global Investment Summit has been hailed as a huge success, with at least £10 billion of new spending unveiled alongside plans to turbocharge green energy finance. The event, organised by Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) and the City of London Corporation, brought together investors, business leaders, politicians and regulators in a bid to unlock further investment in Scotland’s economy. During the summit, SFE also confirmed it will partner with ETZ Ltd, the not-for-profit and private sector led company spearheading north-east Scotland’s energy transition, to jointly host a new showcase focussed on accelerating the financing of low carbon energy solutions. The talks will be held in Aberdeen in the new year, bringing the financial services and energy sectors together in a focused forum to identify investment opportunities.
Scotland hits 100 B Corps as ethical business booms
Scotland’s commitment to responsible business is growing, with 100 companies now certified as B Corporations, firms recognised for meeting rigorous standards of social and environmental impact, transparency, and accountability. Beyond chasing profit, businesses with a B Corp stamp of approval actively prioritise social and environmental responsibility, aiming to benefit not just shareholders but also employees and local communities. Hitting this ethical milestone for Scotland is the family-owned Arbikie Distillery in Montrose, which has been recognised as a leader in clean energy, having been among the very first distilleries to use hydrogen energy to power its production methods, helping it to produce the first Scottish rye whisky in nearly 200 years. Arbikie has joined other Scottish businesses, from start-ups like Brewgooder to established household names such as Johnstons of Elgin, across a range of sectors that share a focus on balancing profit with purpose.
https://www.digit.fyi/scotland-b-corps