Prosper’s mission is for sustainable economic growth that benefits all of Scotland’s places and people. Supporting and encouraging more organisations to adopt principles of good work is part of that mission.

Fair Work is the Scottish Government policy framework around this which has informed its approach to workplace relations and the labour market for a decade since the establishment of the Fair Work Convention. It encompasses a framework of 5 principles including opportunity, effective voice, security, fulfilment and respect. The adoption of some aspects of this – including the payment of the real living wage and providing an effective workers’ voice – are now mandatory in public grants and contracts whilst the others are voluntary but encouraged.

Public procurement may be the driver for some, but there are other sound business reasons to consider the framework. Key amongst these is the ability to recruit and retain staff in a tight labour market. Evidence also points towards higher levels of innovation and productivity, and lower levels of absenteeism. Moreover, implementing fair work principles in your workplace is a chance to get ahead of proposed changes in the UK Employment Rights Bill expected to come into law in 2026 which include payment of a new living wage rate, strengthened flexible working rights, rights around zero hours contracts and redundancy.

Next week is the Fair Work Festival and Prosper is teaming up with partners through our Peer Works team to bring a practical business view to bear on the issue and to demystify what might be involved in implementing aspects of fair work in your organisation. Click here to see full list of events, part of a wider programme.

We will hear from real-life case studies such as Changeworks in Edinburgh, Aberdeen Cyrenians in Aberdeen, Lantra in Perth and Iron and Pine and Boxfish online. We’ll also hear from James at the 4 Day Week Foundation about the benefits of a four-day working week. And we will be hosting a workshop showcasing self-assessment tools (also available on the Scottish Government’s website) for both workers and employers which provide an entry point for evaluating Fair Work practices to organisations.

Free to attend and open to anyone through peer-to-peer learning and expert presentations, these events will give employers and employees a practical understanding of Fair Work and the implementation of these practices, including challenges and opportunities.