Our values

Work/life balance

Our aim is to create a happy and healthy workforce.

We believe offering a work-life balance for our staff is the right thing to do. We support colleagues with wide ranging care responsibilities, and we have won industry awards in recognition of our work in this area.

• Winner – 2017 Top Employer for Working Families
• Winner – 2016 Scotland’s most Family Friendly Third Sector Employer
• Winner – 2015 Institute of Directors Award for Family Friendly and Flexible Working

We strive to buy all our services from social enterprises and local business where possible. These include the Broomhouse Centre, FreshStart and Paper Plus.

We are an accredited living wage employer, paying a real living wage to all our staff, and where it is traceable, through suppliers.

We support the entry of young people into the labour market and have worked with the Edinburgh Guarantee to offer three young people employment opportunities. All three young people successful moved onto employment.

Our environmental commitments

We cherish the world we live in.

Where possible we:

Recycle and minimise all our waste using social enterprise Changeworks.
Purchase sustainable office products.
Use public transport where possible.
Utilise flexible working to avoid time and costs associated with commuting.

Our commitment to Fair Work First

Inspiring Scotland is committed to the principles of Fair Work First.

Fair Work is work that offers all individuals an effective voice, opportunity, security, fulfilment and respect. We believe Fair Work can boost creativity, realise untapped potential and increase productivity.

Since our launch Inspiring Scotland has adopted policies which support a positive working environment where the resources, talent and skills of all employees are maximised. These include:

• Paying the living wage and guaranteeing a decent standard of income for all employees. Inspiring Scotland is a Living Wage Accredited Employer
• Offering security of contract, including hours and other entitlements and benefits such as sick pay and pension. Inspiring Scotland does not have zero hours contracts or other forms of demand driven contracts. We offer a range of employee assistance schemes.
• An award winning Flexible Working Policy and promotion of flexible working opportunities to ensure employees have good work-life balance
• Equal Opportunities and reasonable adjustment policies
• A wide range of staff development, training and wellbeing opportunities. Inspiring Scotland ensures a safe and healthy work environment where staff wellbeing is activity supported and provided.
• A strong commitment to the development of Scotland’s young workforce through employment and paid intern opportunities.

We continue to develop best practice in support of the Fair Work First principles by:

• Supporting and developing a range of channels for our employees to have an effective voice.
• Continued investment in workforce development.
• Ongoing development and action on policies relating to Equality and Diversity including action to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
• Monitoring of pay and gender. Inspiring Scotland does not have a gender pay gap.
• Supporting people to feel valued and respected and that they have a sense of purpose in work and wider society; and
• Promoting innovation and productivity.