We are Scotland’s public sector network on sustainability and climate change
The Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) supports over 600 members across Scotland’s public sector to drive action on climate change, scaling up impact through leadership, policy, and research.
Our vision, mission & aims
- Vision: Scotland’s public sector fully engaged in enabling Scotland to achieve its climate change targets while securing a green recovery from COVID-19 and demonstrating leadership in the just transition towards net zero emissions and sustainability.
- Mission: Supporting and empowering public sector collaboration to accelerate action on climate change and deliver a sustainable future for all.
- Aims: To support members and public sector organisations to address their climate change duties and demonstrate leadership on climate change and sustainable development. We aim to support public sector action in three inter-linked thematic programmes, Net Zero Places, Net Zero Indirect Emissions, and Net Zero Public Sector Organisations.
SSN sets out its net zero programmes in more detail in the SSN Strategy 2020-24 available here.
Working in Partnership
SSN is an un-constituted entity, based on a close partnership between network members, core/principal funders, and the University of Edinburgh’s ECCI.
Our strategic partners are drawn from the sectors named in Public Bodies Climate Change Duties – including NHS Scotland, EAUC Scotland, COSLA and other major players.
Steering Group
The Steering Group is SSN’s member-led leadership forum. It provides a senior-level space for public sector practitioners and decision-makers to engage directly with the Scottish Government, to collaborate with peers from across the public sector, and to steer the development of SSN.
Steering Group members are drawn from the SSN membership. SSN’s strategic stakeholders – the Scottish Government, COSLA, and EAUC Scotland – are also represented on the Steering Group. Find out more about the Steering Group here.
Secretariat
The Secretariat is a team of three people based at the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI) at the University of Edinburgh. Awarded to the ECCI in 2018, its ambitious approach to developing the network is helping connect climate change action across Scotland’s public sector with a wider audience of decision makers. Enhancing and growing the strong capacity-building, training, knowledge exchange and peer-to-peer opportunities offered by the SSN. Find out more about the team and get in touch here.
Find out more about the benefits of joining the SSN here.