Sweet smell of success for Harris candle company

Candle and home fragrance company Essence of Harris is celebrating after achieving the prestigious Investors in Young People Standard accreditation.

Developed in 2014 as a result of the Wood Commission recommendations, Investors in Young People is a framework that helps organisations in Scotland recruit, develop and retain young people.

Jamie McGowan, founder of Isle of Harris-based Essence of Harris (pictured, with two members of staff and the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon), said: “We are honoured to receive the Investors in Young People award in recognition of our young, talented workforce based at our factory in the Outer Hebrides.

“There has always been a problem on Harris with the younger generation moving away for education and employment, and we wanted to change this; we aimed to create a business which would allow people to stay on the island to build their career. We owe a huge amount of our business development to our workforce of young, creative staff.”