Freedom of Information Request - Workplace Basic Details
Date: 05 May 2025
Our ref: SIR179751/A5118801
Information Request – Workplace Basic Details
Your Request & Our Response
Following a search of the information we hold our response to your questions is below. Please note, NatureScot is now the operating name for Scottish Natural Heritage following our re-brand in August 2020.
1) What is the primary SIC 2007 code for your organisation's activities?
‘82990 – OTHER BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES ACTIVITIES n.e.c’.
2) How many workers are directly employed by your organisation?
At 25th April 2025 we have 820 employees.
3) How would you classify your organisation: Private, Public, or Voluntary?
NatureScot is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) and therefore we are classed as Public.
4) In which region is your workplace located?
We are located nationally in Scotland, as per our website: Nature.Scot
5) Do you recognise any trade unions in your workplace? If so, please name them.
We recognise two trade unions: Prospect and Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS).
6) What was the date your latest pay settlement/agreement, came into effect?
Our latest pay settlement / agreement came into effect on 01 April 2023 and covered the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years.
7) What date will your next pay settlement/agreement begin?
Our next pay settlement / agreement will begin on 01 April 2025 once agreed.
8) In this latest settlement/agreement, what was the percentage pay increase for your lowest-paid employee?
• Year 1 (2023/2024) – 7% (5% from April 2023 + 2% from January 2024)
• Year 2 (2024/2025) – 6.2%
9) In this latest settlement/agreement, what was the standard percentage pay increase?
We operate a grading system within NatureScot whereby A grade are the lowest paid, and H grade are our Director level positions.
• Year 1 (2023/2024) - 7% for grades A to F (5% from April 2023 + 2% from January 2024) and 5.5% for grades G and H (5% from April 2023 + 0.5% from January 2024)
• Year 2 (2024/2025) – 6.2% for A grade, an average of 5.6% for B grades and for grades C to H – 3% (2% from April 2024 with a further 1% from January 2025).
10) What is the job title(s) and hourly rate of your lowest-paid employees?
Our current lowest rate of pay is £14.03 per hour.
We have withheld job titles as these cannot be sufficiently anonymised. Releasing personal or identifiable data into the public domain in response to an access to information request would breach the Data Protection Act 2018. We are therefore withholding the information under FOISA section 38(1)(b) (Personal information).
11) Are you a living wage foundation Accredited Living Wage Employer?
Yes
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
