Scotland’s experts on farmer co-ops and food industry collaboration, we work with food and farming businesses to make them more profitable, competitive, and sustainable - #workingtogether to shape the future, today.
All our work helps facilitate farmers and food and drink businesses to work together effectively. Over the years we've expanded and developed subsidiary businesses - getting the right people together and making innovative advancements - to help benefit food, farming and rural Scotland.
Developing staff capability is one of the most effective ways to improve a co-op’s performance. Check out our events and training programme - most of which are open to non co-op members too.
As a development organisation, owned by our members, we provide a range of specialist services not available elsewhere, to assist them in developing their people and their businesses. Get in touch to find out how we can help you.
See below for all the latest news, views and updates from us here at SAOS. Find all our latest videos on YouTube at: SAOS - working together in food and farming
Fiona Dewar knows what it’s like to lead when the business is racing ahead and the people you need to keep up just aren’t there.
For more than a decade, Fiona sat on the main board of Vets Now, the UK’s pioneering emergency vet service. They’re the people you phone at 3am when the dog has eaten a sock. She joined as HR Director and then did something rare: she moved from the people side of the business all the way to Managing Director. Along the way, she helped steer an award-winning, high-growth business through rapid expansion. That included 30% EBITDA growth in a consolidating market and, ultimately, the successful sale of the business.
The hardest part was finding enough brilliant people. Persuading skilled professionals to work nights, weekends and Christmas Day is no small ask. So Fiona became something of an expert in growing a business when talent is scarce. She built a culture people wanted to stay in, redesigned structures that weren’t working, and got creative about how to attract and keep them.
Fiona now coaches leaders and designs leadership programmes for organisations including Solvay, AXA and APMP, and she specialises in leadership across multi-generational workforces. She is also a coach on the Rural Leaders programme. Fiona loves helping leaders find the confidence, clarity and practical tools to lead well without burning out.
She’s warm, down-to-earth and allergic to jargon. Her sessions are full of honest stories, practical ideas and the odd laugh.