The public sector in Scotland spends around £11 billion each year buying everything it needs to run the country. Things like wheelie bins, medicines, fire alarms for buildings, paper for schools, hospital equipment, medicines and stationery. A glance at Public Contracts Scotland, where all public sector contracts are advertised, shows the thousands of goods and services bought daily.

That's a lot of spending power. What would happen if the public sector harnessed some of that power and used it to persuade its suppliers to commit to using their resources to improve the lives of the communities and customers their products serve?

How businesses recruit, employ and retain staff is changing, which offers an enormous opportunity for spouses and employers. Employers who are prepared to overlook potted career histories and gaps in CVs and offer roles which can be done remotely and flexibly will have access to an untapped wealth of talent. Not only that, if you make it possible for a military spouse to work in their chosen industry and enable them to take that role with them whenever they move, you will have a loyal, motivated employee who will stay with you for a long time.

The best thing the ­private sector can do in the face of overwhelming calls for action on an issue is to take the necessary action without waiting for the government to legislate and force through change. Why wait for a tax to force you to reduce the plastic you use in your packaging? Or the amount of sugar, salt and chemical ingredients in your food? Why wait to be told to stop advertising your products to children if they are blatantly unsuitable or be forced to manufacture products that can be repaired when they break?