Scotland earlier net zero target creates greater 'urgency'

Job title

Co-founder and director

What is your business called?

The Verdancy Group

Where is it based?

The Verdancy Group was founded in Scotland and our new headquarters is at the BE-ST Innovation Campus in Hamilton.

While our origins are Scottish, last year we joined global charity Fedcap and have expanded across the UK. Our new Apex Training arm delivers courses from our base in Hamilton and our training centre in Basingstoke, Hampshire. Our industry-accredited courses are also delivered online and at organisations’ own premises.

What does it produce/do?

 We deliver green skills training through our Apex Training arm, as well as consultancy and environmental guidance to organisations, schools and communities.

Our programmes include training in domestic retrofit, understanding damp and mould, solar PV installation and maintenance, and insulation and building treatments; as well as broader sustainability qualifications that support workforce transition across industries.

To whom does it sell?

We work mainly with housing associations, local authorities, construction and energy organisations, colleges and public sector partners. Increasingly, we’re also supporting employers who recognise that net zero affects leadership, procurement and workforce planning as much as technical delivery.

Alongside that, we work with individuals looking to move into green careers or adapt their existing skills.

What is its turnover?

We’re currently in a growth phase following our integration into Fedcap, so the focus is less on headline turnover and more on building long-term impact.

The transition to net zero will take decades, and we’re scaling in a way that prioritises quality and trust rather than short-term growth.

How many employees and what is the size of the Scottish workforce?

We have 10 employees based in Scotland and a further four colleagues at our Apex Training Centre in Basingstoke.

Beyond that, we’re part of Fedcap, which is a global leader in promoting economic mobility, serving more than 330,000 people across the US, Canada and the UK last year. Alongside The Verdancy Group, there are around 500 of our colleagues across the UK working in employability, social enterprises, health, education and skills. Fedcap has also recently started working in Australia, too.

What major projects are you working on in Scotland at the moment and what other opportunities do you see arising?

We’ve recently opened our second Apex Training Centre at the BE-ST innovation campus in Hamilton. Establishing a base at the country’s National Retrofit Centre strengthens our ability to contribute to Scotland’s transition to a net zero economy, while supporting growth and workforce development at every level.

We’re also leveraging the experience and expertise of Fedcap’s Apex Technical School, which has been a leading vocational training institution in the US for more than 65 years.

And we’re currently exploring opportunities to work in North America. Exciting times ahead!

Have you seen different trends in Scotland compared with other parts of the UK?

Where Scotland differs more noticeably is in the funding and delivery context. Scotland has set a legally binding net zero target for 2045, five years ahead of the wider UK, which naturally creates a greater sense of urgency across sectors.

At the same time, the funding landscape is more constrained. Much of Scotland’s capital budget is determined at UK level, meaning ambitions are often higher than the financial flexibility available to deliver them.

There’s also evidence that the transition may cost more per person in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK, largely due to factors like housing stock, climate and geography.

What attracted you to your current role?

For me, it was the opportunity to build something meaningful at the intersection of education, industry and social impact.

Net zero can feel abstract or political, but when you focus on people and skills, it becomes practical. I’ve always been drawn to work that helps people feel more confident during periods of change.

What were you doing before?

My background is in education, skills development and sustainability partnerships. I spent 12 years working in the college sector, focused on curriculum design, employer engagement and aligning learning with real industry needs.

Before that, I was a secondary school technology education teacher. I originally graduated in product design and then completed a PGDE in Education. Teaching design and technology was formative for me. It’s where I first saw how practical learning builds confidence and how powerful it is when someone realises that they can solve problems and create solutions.

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What do you least enjoy?

Unnecessary complexity. The transition to net zero is challenging enough without layers of jargon or siloed thinking making it harder for people to engage.

What do you consider to be the main successes of the business?

Creating learning that resonates beyond a single discipline.

When someone in finance, housing management or construction says they finally understand how net zero relates to their role, that feels significant.

What are your ambitions for the firm?

To grow into a trusted UK leader in green skills training while staying grounded in collaboration and practical delivery.

If we can help make the transition to net zero feel achievable and inclusive rather than overwhelming, then we’re contributing something worthwhile.

What are the challenges facing the sector and market, and what could be done to overcome or address these?

Alignment remains the biggest challenge. Policy ambition, funding cycles and workforce capability don’t always move at the same pace.

Clearer long-term direction and stronger collaboration across sectors would allow organisations to invest confidently in skills and build lasting capacity.

What single thing would most help?

Consistency. When organisations understand the long-term direction of travel, they can invest properly in people.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned?

That education only really works when it connects to real life.

Over the years, I’ve seen brilliant qualifications fall flat because learners couldn’t see how they related to their world, and I’ve seen fairly simple programmes transform confidence because they felt relevant and practical. Skills development isn’t just about content, it’s about context.

What was your best moment?

It’s rarely one big milestone. The moments that stay with me most are usually small but meaningful.

I’ve had learners come back months or years later to say a course helped them change direction, apply for a role they didn’t think they were ready for, or simply feel more confident at work. Those conversations mean a lot because you see the longer-term impact of education beyond the classroom.

What has been your most challenging moment in life or business?

Navigating the financial uncertainty that has become increasingly common in the education sector has been one of the most challenging parts of my career. During my time in the college sector, funding pressures were a constant reality. There were times when excellent programmes or teams were at risk despite doing good work.  You could be developing programmes, supporting students and building strong partnerships, while knowing that budgets or priorities might shift with very little notice.

What made that particularly difficult was supporting teams through those periods. People care deeply about their work and their learners, so uncertainty affects both morale and operations. A big part of leadership during those times was creating stability where you could, being honest about challenges while still giving people confidence and direction.

How do you relax?

Switching off with a good box set or escaping for a caravan or lodge break. Something simple, quiet and outdoors works for me.

What phrase or quotation has inspired you the most?

I’ve always liked the Buddhist idea: “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened.” It reminds me that sharing knowledge and supporting others doesn’t diminish what you have; it strengthens everyone. That feels very relevant to education, skills and collaboration.

What is the best book you have ever read? Why?

Two books have stayed with me. Poverty Safari by Darren McGarvey challenged how I think about inequality and opportunity in Scotland. It highlights the gap between policy intentions and lived experience and reminds you that change only works when people are genuinely included.

The Young Team by Graeme Armstrong also resonates because it’s set around the area where I live and grew up. There’s something powerful about recognising familiar places and experiences.

Where do you find yourself most at ease?

In rooms where different sectors are speaking openly and honestly. When industry, education and community voices are together, conversations tend to become more grounded and constructive.

If you weren’t in your current role, what job would you most fancy?

Something connected to mentoring or supporting people into new careers. Helping people recognise their strengths and see new possibilities is deeply motivating.

What countries have you most enjoyed travelling to, for business or leisure, and why?

Las Vegas will always be special because my husband and I eloped there in 2024. It was spontaneous, joyful and completely outside our normal routine, and it holds really happy memories for us. Celebrating something so personal in a place that’s so energetic and different felt quite freeing.

But honestly, some of my favourite places are much closer to home. I love heading over to the east coast of Scotland and visiting the small coastal villages. There’s something about being by the sea that helps you switch off properly.