Turning up the Volume
15 Jan 2024
- About SIS
- Commitment
During 2024, I will have been with Social Investment Scotland for 15 years. This would be a significant milestone in anyone’s career; it is an honour and a privilege to have been part of SIS for this period of time. Much has been achieved, but there is still plenty more to do.
During my time with SIS, we have delivered progress through successive strategic frameworks. In 2019, following extensive consultation and reflection, we developed ‘Building an Impact Economy’, our latest strategic framework. In contrast to previous plans, Building an Impact Economy sought to present a vision for SIS over 10 years, with delivery supported by a series of shorter-term action plans. When we published the first of these plans in early 2020 for a two-year period, we never expected that this would be against the background of the challenges, but also the opportunities, of a global pandemic. It was therefore in this context that we developed the second action plan, re-engaging with many of those stakeholders that helped inform the inaugural plan.
In 2023 we published our second action plan, which remains firmly aligned with the ‘impact economy’ vision. This plan seeks to embrace the learning from Covid and the opportunities for social enterprise but also the challenges faced by people and communities from both the pandemic and subsequent cost of living crisis.
The plan is called ‘turning up the volume’, reflecting our aim to be bolder and more confident in the articulation of our impact economy vision."
Alastair Davis
Chief Executive of SIS
The Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation, social enterprise, alongside other alternative business models, is highlighted as an area of opportunity. To capitalise on this, social enterprises need champions that will be able to support them step up and scale up; invest in their sustainability; create opportunities for increased trading; and help others, including governments and their agencies, understand how they might support and invest in this transformational business model. SIS aims to be one of those champions.
That said, our desire to turn up the volume is not to drown others out. As has always been the case, we look forward to working in tandem with others to amplify messages.
The plan to turn up the volume will take us through to 2025 and the midpoint of our ten-year strategy coinciding with my own anniversary with SIS. I cannot think of a better opportunity to review and reflect upon our vision and ambition.