Introducing the Sustainable Production Group
The 2017 Life Sciences Strategy for Scotland laid out a ‘2025 Vision’ to grow the industrial turnover of the life sciences sector to £8 billion by focussing on 4 strategic themes.
The Sustainable Production Group (SPG) is one of the working groups formed with the Life Sciences Scotland Industry Leadership Group and members of the broader life sciences community to plan and coordinate the delivery of agreed actions under each strategic theme.
Now entering its fifth year, and one of the most active working groups, the SPG have 3 sub teams focussed on Digital, Innovation and Leadership.
The Digital team identified an underlying concern that “digital” was code for “expensive” and that overall levels of awareness of the benefits on offer by embracing Industry 4.0 mindset were not where they need to be. As a result, a Demystifying Digital workshop was developed and successfully delivered to a number of groups throughout 2019. This year, the team plan to condense the course into chunks to allow it to become web based, on-demand videos. They also hope to identify a suitable opportunity for the creation of a digital demonstrator.
Leading the Digital team, John Arthur, MMIC, said, “The response to the Demystifying Digital workshop has been very positive and we are getting feedback that it has transformed the way people are contextualising the digital revolution. The realisation that this is a cultural revolution driven by technology is changing their paradigm on what needs to be done in their organisations”.
The Leadership team have just successfully launched their Master Class Programme for 2020. This fourth cohort of future leaders will experience a 5-day course specifically designed by the team to both develop leadership skills and create an awareness and understanding of the Life Science sector landscape.
Leading the Leadership team, Arelette Priestley, GSK, said, “We are delighted to see this course go from strength to strength. We have had 19 companies involved to date, with 6 new ones coming on board for 2020 and for the first time we have been oversubscribed.
“Also, with an ever-growing number of past Master Class participants, we are creating a forum to encourage their continued collaboration and contribution.
“The development and nurturing of the right calibre of leaders is essential for our sector to grow and achieve our ‘2025 Vision’ and beyond.”
Finally, the Innovation team are working on ways in which they can support the new Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre, due to begin construction adjacent to Glasgow Airport in May. They are also looking to support Strength In Places bids and develop Pharma Plus 4.0.
SPG Chair, Clive Badman, CMAC, added, “We have achieved a great deal in the 4 years we have been together. As a voluntary group, representing industry and government, the commitment shown by everyone has been outstanding. Equally, with a number of new faces joining our team, I am incredibly excited about what we can achieve in the years ahead.”
Look out for further updates from the Sustainable Production Group here.