Lily Blanche gleams as 650th firm for Scottish Business Pledge

A Stirling-based jeweller has become the 650th company to sign up to a partnership between the Scottish Government and business, aimed at boosting productivity, competitiveness, sustainable employment, and workforce engagement and development.

Lily Blanche founder Gillian Crawford says fair work is 'at the centre' of her strategy. Picture: Malcolm Cochrane

Lily Blanche has added its name to the Scottish Business Pledge, whose focuses include a commitment to paying the real Living Wage; promoting workforce engagement and development; business innovation and community involvement with youth engagement and globalisation.

The firm was founded by Gillian Crawford, and it this week hosted Scottish business minister Jamie Hepburn to talk about the pledge and the potential for ecommerce in Scotland.

Crawford, a Women’s Enterprise Scotland (WES) ambassador and chair of the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs, said Lily Blanche’s multi-lingual team has been accelerating its ecommerce. “Social purpose and fair work are at the centre of our strategy and doing business in an ethical manner is important to us and to our customers.”

MSP Hepburn discussed a new ecommerce resource for Scotland.

In conjunction with the University of Strathclyde Business School and ecommerce specialist Indez, Crawford is one of a small team working on establishing a new Scottish ecommerce institute.

WES chief executive Carolyn Currie welcomed the company becoming the 650th to sign up to the Business Pledge. “Women-led businesses play a vital role in driving sustainable growth… Gillian commits a huge amount of time to supporting the ecosystem for female entrepreneurs, paying forward the skills and knowledge she has acquired.”