Scotland ranks among top three UK regions for small business sustainability, Edinburgh firm shows how

Scottish SMEs outpace national average

Scotland has been named among the top three UK regions for sustainability-minded small businesses, according to new research from Novuna Business Finance. The study found that 37% of Scottish small business owners consider sustainability core to their culture and planning, compared with a UK average of 31%. A further 35% said they are taking practical steps this year to reduce their environmental impact.

The findings come as the UK faces another year of extreme weather, with the report suggesting that smaller businesses are continuing to prioritise sustainability even as some larger firms and governments scale back net zero commitments.

Edinburgh agency featured in podcast series

Among those highlighted in Novuna’s research is Gilly Bain, founder and chief executive of YourScene, an Edinburgh-based experiential design agency operating internationally. The multimillion-pound firm, now a certified B Corp, featured in the latest series of the Novuna Sustainable Business Podcast, discussing how it has embedded sustainability into its operations since 2021.

Bain said her company’s sustainability journey began after the team worked at COP26 in Glasgow, prompting a review of how the business could take accountability for the carbon emissions inherent to the events industry. She described her approach as one of “progress over perfection”, encouraging other small businesses not to be deterred by imperfect efforts.

Bain also pointed to the challenge of persuading clients to prioritise lower-carbon options when these come at extra cost, saying budget expectations remain a barrier despite widespread awareness of sustainability issues. She credited YourScene’s B Corp certification process as valuable, despite finding it challenging, and encouraged other small firms to consider it.

Novuna’s response

Jo Morris, head of insight at Novuna Business Finance, said the interviews from the podcast series show that different businesses define and implement sustainability in different ways depending on their priorities and customers. She said these insights help shape a flexible approach to supporting SMEs.

The research was carried out by UK Omnibus Group among 1,000 small business owners nationally, conducted online in 2026. Interviews from the podcast series have been compiled into a new Novuna report examining how UK small businesses are balancing financial pressures with sustainability commitments.

All 12 series of the Novuna Sustainable Business Podcast are available via Novuna’s website.