Scotland has a strong historical record in seeking out and supporting data centre investment. The Green Datacentres and Digital Connectivity: Vision and Action plan is already four years old. However, time has not dampened enthusiasm. The renewed interest in data centre investment that has followed encouraging comments from Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has spread across the UK.

In an era where modern commerce is inseparable from technology, digital transformation has become crucial for businesses to survive and thrive in all markets. Scotland has led the way in understanding the impact of this shift. In August 2023, the Independent Expert Group (IEG) on Unlocking the Value of Data delivered its report to the Digital Directorate, covering private sector use of public sector personal data.

The 2023 National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) report into the UK legal sector warns that a failure to: “maintain appropriate cyber security measures… can have exceptionally negative consequences for a legal practice and its clients". Current figures cite that 65% of UK law firms have been victims of cyber incidents . Elsewhere, another report revealed that 72% - almost three-quarters - of UK-headquartered law firms have at least one employee password on the dark web.

Since the 2011 Scottish Digital Strategy, Scotland's political and economic commitment to the technology industry has been consistent and substantial. The 2020 Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review and the subsequent TechScaler startup programme are great examples of this dedication at work today. Edinburgh's vital role in these plans has been equally long-standing.

As part of Pulsant’s commitment to make a positive difference to our environment, we recently pushed ourselves forwards in value chain engagement and brought together a cohort of SME suppliers for a series of in-person decarbonisation workshops. In association with sustainability specialists SLR Consulting, our investment in these sessions supported our suppliers in understanding the landscape of decarbonisation and establishing their own action plans.