Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to help firms thrive with "competitive business rates" after organisations representing thousands of companies said Scotland's higher rates are putting them at a "competitive disadvantage".

The SNP leader addressed an audience of business leaders in Glasgow a day after organisations including the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Scottish Engineering called for a "fundamental and comprehensive" review of rates to boost Scotland's "underperforming" economy.

She said economic growth must be fair and inclusive, with workers paid a living wage, and called on business to work with a "shared purpose" to make firms more representative.

Scotland's first female First Minister pledged to break the "glass ceiling" for women by supporting female entrepreneurs and improving childcare provision.

She said: "If we want to see more people in Scotland paid the living wage, if we want our workforce to be more representative with more roles for women and if we want more business investment in internationalisation and innovation, then government and business need to work with a shared purpose.

"We will only reach our full potential when we are truly inclusive - when everyone has an equal opportunity to fulfill their ambitions and when the glass ceiling has been firmly broken."

She pledged to support start-ups and expanding firms and work Women's Enterprise Scotland to support female entrepreneurs, who have the potential to generate £7.6 billion for the economy.

The SNP will also double the availability of free childcare to 30 hours per week, she confirmed.

"We will look at ways to make childcare more flexible, whether through childminders or nursery settings, piloting new types of childcare and providing free lunches for all those in full-time childcare," she said.

The SNP said Ms Sturgeon also pledged "an SNP government would do everything it could to help businesses thrive in Scotland - with competitive business rates, major investment in infrastructure and raising attainment, and a drive to break down barriers in education".

Business organisations said on Thursday the SNP's decision to levy a big business rates supplement of 2.6p - twice as high as the rest of the UK - is expected to add an extra £60 million a year to rates bills and affect one in eight commercial premises.