BUSINESS PLEDGE: HARVIE URGES STURGEON TO BE BOLDER
Patrick Harvie, Scottish Green MSP for Glasgow and a member of Holyrood's economy committee, today (26 May) welcomed the launch of the Scottish Business Pledge but urged First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to address weaknesses in environmental standards and tax avoidance.
The scheme aims to encourage businesses to pay the Living Wage, end zero-hours contracts, commit to workforce engagement and employee diversity - all of which are Scottish Green Party policy.
Patrick Harvie MSP said:
"The ethics of doing business has been overlooked for too long, and I welcome the First Minister's attempt to encourage companies to see how they can continue to turn a profit in a fair way. However, given the clear opportunity Scotland has to develop a low-carbon economy that respects our finite resources, and the urgent need to meet our failed climate targets, it's disappointing that the environmental impact of business is barely mentioned in this pledge scheme.
"Ministers are also missing the chance to make a strong statement that tax dodgers won't be tolerated. Multinational firms who use havens and loopholes should not be permitted to join what is being branded as a movement for a forward-looking nation, and I would urge the First Minister to be bolder in this area."