Our young people can teach us about the future of trade

For some, it was their first time leaving Scotland. And yet, standing tall in the typically Scottish rain, kilts pressed and chanters poised, they weren’t just representing Oban, they were representing Scotland itself.

First Minister John Swinney made a point of meeting them in the city’s Bryant Park, recognising what these young people embodied: talent, discipline, cultural pride, and indeed, the future of our nation. By evening, they were on stage at Carnegie Hall, performing alongside Dougie MacLean, Julie Fowlis and Mànran – earning rapturous applause, and in some cases tears.

From a remote coastal town where the wind howls in from the sea and community raffles fund big dreams, to the grandeur and neon glow of Manhattan, it was a journey of both miles and meaning.

Members of the Oban High School Pipe Band at the Tartan Day Parade in New York

Many of the Americans attending Tartan Day traced their roots back to the Highlands and Islands, and the warmth they showed towards Scotland was profound. Our culture, and the products woven into it, from Harris Tweed to Scottish salmon, is held in deep emotional regard on the other side of the pond.

Just like our piping, Scotland is famous the world over for the exceptional quality of our indigenous products. Which is why, as we consider the future of Brand Scotland, and the impact of trade tariffs on our indigenous industries, now is the time for bold, imaginative thinking.

At Elevator, we witness the power of courageous ideas every day. Through our Shell LiveWIRE programme, three Scottish businesses – Energy Mutual, Dekmar, and Fennex – have just reached the global final of the competition, proof that innovation thrives in our most remote rural communities.

Talking to Bruce Hare, founder of innovative seaweed company Kaly Group on Skye, last week, Bruce outlined an ingenious way of approaching tariffs vis-a-vis the US. Taking inspiration from the very roots of Scottish life, the croft, could a tariff-neutral trading system for indigenous products present one solution to Trump tariffs? A new kind of international bartering system, rooted in heritage, fairness, and place-based authenticity that stretches back to the Highland Clearances.

So, Harris Tweed for Montana leather, or salmon for Navajo blue corn. There is a compelling economic case in its simplicity. These goods are uniquely place-based, culturally rich, and require skilled labour. A protected, tariff-neutral framework for their exchange could safeguard livelihoods and preserve centuries old trade relationships – not just for Scotland, but in equally fragile rural economies across the US.

Yes, Scotland is a small player in global trading, but it also holds some particularly strong and exceptional cards. Brand Scotland isn’t just about bagpipes, though they were pitch perfect last week on the streets of New York, and we should take inspiration from our young people, who continue to show the world what they’re capable of.

Perhaps it’s time that our trading systems, and our economic leadership, find ways to give our traditional businesses a different framework in which to thrive.

Rachel Ross, CEO, Elevator