World Wildlife Day is now become the most important global annual event dedicated to wildlife and is celebrated annually on March 3. PURPOSE – To celebrate and recognise the incalculable value of wildlife. World Wildlife Day celebrates and raises awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora and was created by The General Assembly of the United Nations in order to reaffirm the natural value of wildlife and its various contributions, including ecological, genetic, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational and aesthetic, to sustainable development and human well-being. It seeks to raise awareness of wildlife in the lives of the world’s population and to ensure that international trade does not threaten the survival of species, especially those that have been classed as endangered. World Wildlife Day also helps to raise awareness of the extraordinary diversity of wildlife and marine life that exists today and to educate people on how we can help conserve the planet too. Billions of people, in developed and developing nations, benefit daily from the use of wild species for food, energy, materials, medicine, recreation, inspiration and many other vital contributions to human well-being. The accelerating global biodiversity crisis, with a million species of plants and animals facing extinction, threatens these contributions to people. World Wildlife Day (WWD) is an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that their conservation provides to people. At the same time, the Day reminds us of the urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime and human-induced reduction of species, which have wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts. Given these various negative effects, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15 focuses on halting biodiversity loss. Use the hashtags #WorldWildlifeDay Find out more about the day here GET INVOLVED by sharing knowledge and spreading the word, especially to children and youth. They are the future leaders of wildlife conservation and they deserve a future where we humans live in harmony with wildlife that share the planet with us. Share details of endangered species and habitats on different scales – locally, nationally and globally – as well as ways that people can get involved but most of all remember to celebrate the critical importance of wildlife to the planet. DOWNLOADABLE BANNERS FOR MARKETING PURPOSES

World Book Day changes lives through a love of books and shared reading and has an underlying mission to promote reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own. PURPOSE – To promote reading for pleasure for everyone. Reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success – more than their family circumstances, their parents’ educational background or their income. We want to see more children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with a life-long habit of reading for pleasure and the improved life chances this brings them. World Book Day was created by UNESCO on 23rd April 1995 as a worldwide celebration of books and reading. It is marked in over 100 countries around the globe. The first World Book Day in the UK and Ireland took place in 1997 to encourage young people to discover the pleasure of reading. As World Book Day founder, Baroness Gail Rebuck, recalls “We wanted to do something to reposition reading and our message is the same today as it was then – that reading is fun, relevant, accessible, exciting, and has the power to transform lives.” DID YOU KNOW? The earliest known work of literature is an epic poem titled the Epic of Gilgamesh. The ancient poem is from Ancient Mesopotamia. Top children’s book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, with 1,783,535 sales. Top cookery book is Jamie Oliver’s 30-Minute Meals, with 1,743,266 sales. You can check out the top selling books of all time here Use the hashtag #WorldBookDay #LoveBooks GET INVOLVED – Another great day for anyone to be associated with from showcasing the favourite books/authors of team members to running a poll on favourite authors/books in your sector. It is often good to highlight favourites in terms of business management books or a good book that has helped address a challenge – personal and relevant (and the sort of social media post that is well received) as long as it is authentic and real. Always good to have a list on news feeds such as your top management books or something relevant to your sector (eg top travel guides for those in tourism etc) and to use the day to share something that might be of help to someone else. DOWNLOADABLE BANNERS FOR MARKETING PURPOSES

International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world, taking place on March 8 annually. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. PURPOSE – To celebrate and recognise the achievements of women around the world. Since it was originally introduced, International Women’s Day has assumed a new global dimension for women in developed and developing countries alike. The growing international women’s movement, which has been strengthened by numerous global United Nations women’s conferences, has helped make the commemoration a rallying point to build support for women’s rights and participation in the political and economic arenas. Find out more about the day here Use the hashags #InternationalWomensDay #IWD #BreakTheBias GET INVOLVED as there are plenty of opportunities to showcase the role of women within any organisation, celebrating their contribution and achievements they make, as well as giving a shout out to the female pioneers of the past who can be recognised as helping to make change happen. It is a great opportunity to highlight the contribution of female members of staff and to recognise the role they play and the impact they have too. DOWNLOADABLE BANNERS FOR MARKETING PURPOSES

It is always great to take the opportunity to share the family business story. Family firms are the engine room of the UK economy and in this session for Tilney, Paul Andrews, Founder of Family Business United shares his thoughts on sustainability, challenges facing family firms going forward and the need for clarity of communication and for ‘family business matters’ to make it further up the agenda.

The latest in a series of family business interviews brought to you by Family Business United. In this episode, Paul Andrews hosts a session with Guillermo Salazar where they look at a framework for inducting the next generation into the family firm. An interesting look at the way culture can impact the process, the need to appreciate the family business narrative and the delicate need to bring the generations together to have what can be difficult conversations.

In this video, John Broons discusses the challenges of transitioning from an employee in the family business to becoming the owner and the changes needed going forward.

When they get ‘the call’, children of family business owners have to make the big decision about whether to move home and join their parents’ business. Their parents may also have plans for their spouses, or none at all. A good insight into some of the challenges and thought processes around the subject of in-laws and the family business.

Unleashing each veil on the family business, Professor Samish Dalal presented a fresh perspective, an insight into the factual reasons on the potential of family business, from the seeds of respect to the care of appreciation, from the roots of trust to the value that waters, grows the commitment! Prof. Samish Dalal specialises in the field of Negotiation, Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He is associated with the family business since many years and has taught more than 2500 students of family business and has touched base with more than 300 Indian Family Businesses. He has done his MBA from The University of Queensland, Australia and has further enhanced his skills through two major executive education programs in Harvard Business School and Wharton Business School, respectively. He is the associate professor at S P Jain and has played an important role in creating knowledge for family business community.

What do Wal-Mart, Mars, and Newscorp have in common? They’re family businesses. Vikram Bhalla analyses the unique strengths and weaknesses of family businesses today, contrasting it with the humble mom-and-pop store the term usually brings to mind. Vikram’s research has revealed that family businesses in emerging economies are the fastest-growing, most ambitious breed of companies in the world. He extrapolates some valuable lessons that these successful ventures can share for both family and traditional companies.

Macsween is a third generation family company established as a butchers shop in Edinburgh in the 1950’s. The company has passed down through a family of natural entrepreneurs. Following in his Grandfather and father’s footsteps the business is now under the leadership of James Macsween. The business has transformed over the years from that of a traditional butcher making haggis to a fully-fledged food producer, passionate about making the best tasting foods, prioritising environmental sustainability and recognising the importance of their people and place within the community. As a business, Macsween represents a family firm that continues to invest in their future, introducing new technology and new products to broaden and diversify their portfolio of products, whilst maintaining their desire to deliver quality and value at all times. As James explains, “We have a long history as a family of business owners with hard work at the core with four generations of crofters in the history that pre-dates the evolution of Macsween too.” “I joined the business back in 1992 and there has been a lot of change since then, in the business and the broader community that our products serve. Things are constantly changing and as a family business in the food sector you are only as good as the last order that you supplied and you have to keep up with trends and consumer demands.” As James continues, “The past couple of years have been tough, keeping the factory running and covid-free, plus investing in new products, keeping one eye on the future so that we continue to evolve and also doing our bit towards our sustainability agenda and net zero. Having said that, the team have been superb and responded well to the changes we have introduced and we have pulled together, focusing on what needs to be done in order to meet demand from our customers.” As a business owner there is always a full agenda and in the current climate there is certainly a lot more to take on board and address, not least the ongoing implications associated with Brexit, labour shortages, supply chain issues and the continuing pandemic. As James adds, “it is not easy but we are now trying to expect the unexpected a bit more and we try to err on the side of realistic and if something is not working take quick decisions because if you fail fast you fail cheap!” Looking ahead, James is optimistic about the future but there is also an air of caution. “We are only as good as our last order and there are plenty of pressure points but ultimately I love what I do, I make Scotland’s national dish and am fiercely proud of what we make and the overwhelmingly positive response that we get to our products,” concludes James. Macsween is certainly a household name and haggis is certainly an iconic Scottish dish, but this business is more than just haggis as they continue to innovate with new products and distributing to new markets, with an eye on the future making the products fit for future generations by reducing the carbon footprint of the business, automating where possible without affecting the quality of the products and doing their bit for the environment. As a business they are champions of all things haggis and constantly sharing new ways to use haggis in everyday cooking, from Bolognese to nachos, something that continues to broaden the appeal and extend its versatility too. Macsween is undoubtedly a great example of a Scottish family business that continues to thrive and be an integral part of the true essence of Scotland, something we hope continues for many generations to come.

When it comes to family-run businesses, there’s a common saying that the first generation creates a business, the second builds it and the third squanders it away. Is there any truth to that? Bloomberg TV India’s Mini Menon discusses how best family run businesses survive generations as she speaks to Professor John Davis, Senior Lecturer of Business Administration, Harvard Business School on Lessons In Leadership. Bloomberg TV India’s Lessons in Leadership With Harvard Business School is a special series that looks at the concept of Leadership across different kinds of companies. The series aims to put the spotlight on specific challenges that leaders face, within each category.

This short film highlights the depth and diversity of Scottish family businesses and our ten day journey of discovery as part of the 2021 Scottish Family Business Road Trip. Our tour included visits to family firms all over Scotland, Edinburgh, Elgin, Crieff, the Isles of Harris and Skye, not to mention Dundee, Aberlour, Glasgow and Auchtermuchty, the home of Scotland’s oldest family firm dating back to 1715. The film showcases the businesses we visited and helps to demonstrate the importance of the family business sector across Scotland. We hope you enjoy it and cannot wait to get back out on the road again soon!