Forth Ports is proud to announce that, following an independent review of the commitment that Forth Ports has to learning and development, the group has been awarded Gold accredited membership of The 5% Club. This accolade highlights the company’s strong commitment to early career employees through “earn and learn” initiatives, including apprenticeships, graduate opportunities and sponsored student placements.

The audit, conducted earlier this year, thoroughly assessed the company’s current efforts, future ambitions and commitment to social mobility, diversity and inclusion. Forth Ports takes pride in its ongoing investment to nurture and develop the next generation of talent for the port and logistics industry. Investing in talent is a key part of Forth Ports’ long-term strategy, which also aligns with the broader goals set by both the Scottish and UK Governments.

Currently, Forth Ports has 81 “earn and learn” roles filled within the business with continued growth since the Group was awarded Silver accredited membership of The 5% Club last year.

Stuart Wallace, Chief Executive of Forth Ports, commented on the award: “Achieving Gold accredited membership of The 5% Club is a significant milestone for us, as it reflects our substantial investment in early career opportunities across the group. At Forth Ports, we aim to lead in the development of new talent, as well as developing our entire workforce, and we are proud to be recognised for our efforts. We aim to deliver a learning and development environment that allows every employee to be the best they can be in their role.”

Natalie Dalgleish, Head of Learning & Development of Forth Ports, added: “We’re incredibly proud to have achieved 5% Club Gold status – a recognition of our passion and commitment to developing people at every stage of their career. From those in early and emerging careers to colleagues continually upskilling, this reflects the energy, collaboration, and belief we have in lifelong learning. It’s a celebration of how our collective efforts are helping to close skills gaps and strengthen the future of our business and the wider ports and logistics sector.”

As a proud member of The 5% Club, we join a movement of more than 1,200 forward-thinking employers who are championing inclusive, accessible and impactful workplace learning. Collectively, members support over 2 million employees, with more than 121,000 engaged in “earn and learn” programmes. The rigorous Employer Audit independently validates our achievements and future ambitions, recognising our commitment to social mobility, diversity and inclusion.