Latest news with #Macfarlane
Scientific American
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scientific American
See The 4 Books Scientific American Loved Reading In June
In 2008 Ecuador startled the world. Articles 71 to 74 of the nation's then newly ratified constitution stated that nature had rights —rights to be respected for its existence and the crucial, life-giving services it provided and rights to be restored when damaged. Further, it asserted that the government could intervene when human activities might disrupt these inherent rights. In his latest book, Is a River Alive?, Macfarlane travels to three very different rivers (in Ecuador, India and Quebec) to examine the question of a river's sovereignty. He discovers that rivers create interconnected (and often fragile) worlds of plant and animal species—confirming they are life-giving wherever they run, as many Indigenous populations throughout the world have recognized for thousands of years. Now rivers are fighting for their lives as corporations, governments, pollution and climate change violate their vitalizing flow. 'Muscular, wilful, worshipped and mistreated, rivers have long existed in the threshold space between geology and theology,' Macfarlane writes. 'Rivers are—I have found—potent presences with which to imagine water differently. We will never think like a river, but perhaps we can think with them.' —
The Herald Scotland
21-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
'We are trying to get customers to buy less packaging'
And that can ultimately mean customers ordering a lower volume of products from the company, which was originally formed as a commercial stationery business by the late Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden shortly after the Second World War. Macfarlane provides packaging that helps high-profile retailers such as Dunelm, Currys, Lakeland and Halfords fulfil e-commerce orders, in addition to designing and manufacturing protective solutions for the automotive, aerospace, defence, and other sectors. It employs around 1,200 people across 40 sites. In an exclusive interview with The Herald, Mr Atkinson said it is 'often quite disconcerting for shareholders' to hear that 'one of the things we are doing is trying to get customers to buy less packaging, to make them more efficient and make them more sustainable'. He said: 'If you are a shareholder you are saying: 'you should be encouraging customers to buy more, shouldn't you?'. But in reality it is getting a lot more customers to buy less. So our objective is to get the existing customers to buy less and become stickier, and then obviously attract more and win new customers.' Mr Atkinson added: 'It's more about getting customers to use their packaging more efficiently. So it's not necessarily that we are, in all cases, giving them better value packaging. It's more that we are giving them a way of using their packaging in a more efficient way, or giving them better ways of packing their products. Because clearly if you are a customer like Dunelm or any of these guys, they have got products, we supply them packaging [and] those two have then got to be connected. 'If we can find a way of enabling them to use less labour to pack their products, that is a far bigger benefit to them than 10p off the price of a box, with labour costs and national insurance [contributions] as they are.' Read more: Mr Atkinson highlighted the benefits consumers are gaining from innovation in packaging, which have made it easier to return goods that are not wanted. 'If you find a box that is re-usable, that is easy to return and it saves all the hassle of finding another box and so on,' he said. 'If the packaging has just got a tear strip to open and all you need to do is put the goods back in, close the box and put tape round it, that's a far easier solution than if you have got to tear the thing open to get the goods out, then rebuild the box or find another box. That's about the [role of the Macfarlane] innovation labs and how we design the products.' Macfarlane's approach to innovation was one of a number insights provided by Mr Atkinson on the operation of a company that has routinely grown profits since he took the helm in 2003. As well as bringing more focus to its customer interactions, Mr Atkinson's early days at Macfarlane were spent consolidating a diverse business that had interests around the world, from 'Milngavie to Mexico' as he said in a previous interview with The Herald. Narrowing the focus to packaging distribution and the design and manufacture of packaging solutions, he put in place a growth strategy that has now seen Macfarlane undertake 22 acquisitions (and seven disposals) over the course of his tenure. Its recent £18m acquisition of Scottish firm The Pitreavie Group was the company's biggest since its purchase of National Packaging for £21.7m in 2001. Mr Atkinson said the pipeline of potential acquisitions remains strong, noting that it has 'only just touched the surface in Europe'. Following its acquisition of Germany firm PackMann around three years ago, a managing director was recently appointed to lead its expansion across the Channel. 'It's great to start off with a team of a well-meaning Brits, but you get to a stage where you need to have that experience,' Mr Atkinson said. 'So we brought in a new MD for Europe (Joost Meijs) at the beginning of this year, and he has added materially to our knowledge and our understanding of the European market, and the range of contacts and relationships he's got because he is steeped in the industry. He strengthened our approach to Europe in a very short space of time." Many potential acquisitions present themselves because company owners are seeking an exit to retire. 'There's one we are working on at the moment, which we've been working on for probably four years,' Mr Atkinson said. 'Because it's a retirement decision, you can't force it. They've done their plans. They've worked out, you know, what their numbers are in terms of their pension pots etc. And they know they're going to sell the business in 2028, so in that sense, what we're doing is courting them, building up a relationship with them so that when that date comes we are in the prime position.' Mr Atkinson has steered Macfarlane through several major political and macroeconomic events during the course of his 22-year tenure. He is aware that major government decisions, such as the recent increase in employer national insurance contributions and national minimum wage, cause a degree of uncertain among the group's staff, but said the firm strives to be as 'fair with people as we can'. 'We try as try as best as we can to give them security, to give them a degree of certainty, and a degree of fairness,' he said. 'And we are very open with our employees… we have regular dialogue sessions with all our employees to ensure that they're aware of how the company [is doing] and more importantly what the plan is going forward.'
ITV News
19-06-2025
- Health
- ITV News
Scottish Fire and Rescue paying 'buckets of money' to private company due to staff sickness
Scotland's Fire and Rescue Service is paying 'buckets of money' to a private company to run its wellbeing department – because so many staff members are off sick or have quit. ITV Border can reveal that Heales Medical is providing key services because of absences and resignation. It follows our investigation earlier this year, which revealed that one in five people working for the fire service had either experienced or witnessed bullying or harassment. Simon Macfarlane, of the trade union Unison, said: 'We know there's a real issue with the culture in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and that's evident in the wellbeing department because it's certainly not living up to his name. 'Our members have taken tribunals, they've left employment and they've put in a collective grievance.' He said an internal investigation had been carried out into how wellbeing service was run and making changes to service as a result. Heales were initially brought in to help deal with firefighters and staff members' records failing to meet 'the required standard'. This was in November and the firm's remit has expanded significantly as workers in the occupational health department were signed off or quit altogether. Macfarlane added: 'We're meeting the service [on Thursday] to discuss pay and I can anticipate they'll be telling us they don't have enough money. 'Yet there's buckets of money going out the door to Heales to provide a service that there are staff – our members – trained and well equipped to do. 'If we want to keep firefighters safe, it's better having staff who are motivated by public service than private profit to do that work.' In April, an ITV Border investigation uncovered a 'toxic' culture and a series of concerns around discrimination and harassment which has worsened in recent years. Multiple frontline firefighters and civilian staff have raised concerns internally either through formal grievance procedures, informally notifying managers or in some cases submitting dossiers chronicling instances of individuals being targeted in ways that were perceived as being unfair. At that time, first minister John Swinney said he was 'concerned' by the report and urged the fire service to address the concerns. A report was published on Wednesday by HM Fire Inspectorate in Scotland about the service's culture. It made a series of recommendations and 'areas for consideration' and finished by saying: 'We would encourage the service, its managers and commanders to consider clearly articulating and acknowledging, through relevant communication, that everyone's contribution is equally important and valued.' Brian Whittle, the South Scotland MSP and Conservative public health spokesman, said: 'There's a certain irony that the people who are supposed to keep people in the fire and rescue safe are the ones that are off ill at the moment. 'It is a worry. It speaks to a wider problem, it speaks to stress, it speaks to strain on the system, it speaks to the cuts that have been made to the system over a period of time by the SNP.' Fiona Ross, the fire service's director of people said: 'During an audit of our health assessment records, we identified a number of records which did not meet the required standard. 'We have notified all colleagues whose records are impacted. An in-depth recovery plan is being implemented, and we are taking steps to ensure this does not happen again. 'This includes moving all records to an electronic system and a review of our governance and auditing processes. 'The health and safety of our employees is the utmost priority. We have contacted the Health and Safety Executive and aim to resolve the situation as quickly and effectively as practicable, while ensuring we continue to deliver our emergency response.' She added: 'We have built upon an existing working relationship with Heales Medical to assist us in this process. 'We explored options with other external providers. However, due to the vast size of the SFRS and geographical spread, it has been difficult to find providers to support the full extent we require.'
The Herald Scotland
17-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Plans approved for student accommodation on O2 ABC site
Over nine stories, including a basement, House of Social would include student accommodation, a food hall, a public courtyard, a bar, a gym, and more. The councillors first deliberated over whether the proposal contained enough information to make a decision today, and a motion was offered to take the proposal to a hearing. A vote was taken, and the motion for the hearing was refused, with a vote of six to four. Then, after questions between councillors, the plans were approved by a vote of eight to two. The new proposed development (Image: Vita Group)Councillors were told that the proposal was made "as compact as it can viably be", despite the "admitted negative impact on the heritage buildings in the area." Ahead of the meeting, we reported that the Glasgow School of Art said the Sauchiehall Street plans put the rebuild of the A-listed Mackintosh building 'at significant risk'. And that locals and heritage organisations in the city mirrored calls for a rethink of the design for the mixed-use student accommodation and hospitality site. Councillor Sean Ferguson spoke up during the meeting about the rebuild of the Mackintosh building. He said: "What context are we to consider this in? In no other situation would we be considering the impact on a burnt-out ruin of a building. "Although the global significance of the Mackintosh is understood. "If we don't take this opportunity to approve this proposal, we may see it lie derelict like it has for a decade." The site was ravaged by fire in 2014 and 2018 (Image: Newsquest)Councillor Eva Bolander refuted claims that the Glasgow School of Art had no concrete plans to rebuild the architect's work. She said: "The Art School have never stated any other intention than restoring the Mackintosh Building. However, after satisfying some of the questions the councillors fielded, they came to the vote. The chair of the meeting, Councillor Ken Andrew, approved. He said: "It's with some regret that I will support this. "On balance, I think that the benefits of developing the site outweigh the negatives." The proposal promises an open area to admire the Mackintosh building (Image: Vita Group) Part of the meeting's appeasing of some concerns was the notion that the approval would be subject to conditions. One of the conditions set was that the Macfarlane cast iron screen, which formed part of the portico of the O2 ABC, would be displayed to the public in the development. The other conditions include a Section 75 order, which will require the developers to contribute to the area through the council. The proposed Vita development, featuring their House of Social brand, will bring around £70million investment to Sauchiehall Street. The student accommodation would feature 356 bed spaces, comprising 306 four, five, and six-bedroom 'houses' with a shared kitchen and lounge and 50 studio spaces. It would also feature a fitness centre, social and study spaces, café-style lounges, and cycle storage.
The National
17-06-2025
- General
- The National
Glasgow O2 ABC site plans approved for student accommodation
The development was presented to the planning committee at a meeting today, June 17. Plans for the nine-storey building include student accommodation, a food hall, a public courtyard, a bar, a gym, and more. The councillors first deliberated over whether the proposal contained enough information to make a decision today, and a motion was offered to take the proposal to a hearing. A vote was taken, and the motion for the hearing was refused, with a vote of six to four. READ MORE: Dozens of families to be rehomed and building demolished following fatal fire Then, after questions between councillors, the plans were approved by a vote of eight to two. The new proposed development (Image: Vita Group) Councillors were told that the proposal was made "as compact as it can viably be", despite the "admitted negative impact on the heritage buildings in the area." Ahead of the meeting, we reported that the Glasgow School of Art said the Sauchiehall Street plans put the rebuild of the A-listed Mackintosh building 'at significant risk'. And that locals and heritage organisations in the city mirrored calls for a rethink of the design for the mixed-use student accommodation and hospitality site. Councillor Sean Ferguson spoke up during the meeting about the rebuild of the Mackintosh building. He said: "What context are we to consider this in? In no other situation would we be considering the impact on a burnt-out ruin of a building. "Although the global significance of the Mackintosh is understood. "If we don't take this opportunity to approve this proposal, we may see it lie derelict like it has for a decade." The site was ravaged by fire in 2014 and 2018 (Image: Newsquest) Councillor Eva Bolander refuted claims that the Glasgow School of Art had no concrete plans to rebuild the architect's work. She said: "The Art School have never stated any other intention than restoring the Mackintosh Building." However, after satisfying some of the questions the councillors fielded, they came to the vote. The chair of the meeting, Councillor Ken Andrew, approved. He said: "It's with some regret that I will support this. "On balance, I think that the benefits of developing the site outweigh the negatives." The proposal promises an open area to admire the Mackintosh building (Image: Vita Group) Part of the meeting's appeasing of some concerns was the notion that the approval would be subject to conditions. One of the conditions set was that the Macfarlane cast iron screen, which formed part of the portico of the O2 ABC, would be displayed to the public in the development. The other conditions include a Section 75 order, which will require the developers to contribute to the area through the council. The proposed Vita development, featuring their House of Social brand, will bring around £70million investment to Sauchiehall Street. The student accommodation would feature 356 bed spaces, comprising 306 four, five, and six-bedroom 'houses' with a shared kitchen and lounge and 50 studio spaces. It would also feature a fitness centre, social and study spaces, café-style lounges, and cycle storage.
