New operating plan published

We have just published our new operating plan.

The plan sets out a roadmap for the delivery of our new corporate plan ‘Heritage for All’ which was published last month.

Central to the delivery of the new corporate plan is a focus on key areas including skills and learning, people and places and climate action.

The new operating plan will see a key focus on opportunities to help further harness the contribution of Scotland’s historic environment and providing opportunities for further investment, in a sector which plays a key role as a tourism driver, supports the circular economy, and generates an estimated £6bn for the Scottish economy.

The new operating plan will run for the full three years of ‘Heritage for All’ and will be reviewed annually. This approach is designed to set out a clear path for delivery and to help the organisation to be agile to help meet the needs of the historic environment, within an increasingly uncertain external environment, with factors such as economic uncertainty, the geopolitical situation and the climate emergency all playing a role.

The plan sets out key actions related to our statutory functions and organisation-wide priorities for the coming years to deliver real public benefit, including a refresh of the Historic Environment Policy for Scotland (HEPS), which was launched 10 years ago.

The plan also supports the delivery of Scotland’s national strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future, and contributes to Scotland’s priorities in the National Performance Framework. 

Katerina Brown, Chief Executive of Historic Environment Scotland said;

“We are all proud of our historic environment and the role it has played, and continues to play, in shaping Scotland.

“It touches our lives in many different ways, from supporting skills and jobs, to playing a key role as a tourism driver, however it also operates within an environment which is increasingly evolving, and it is important that we are alive to the challenges and opportunities ahead.

In developing our roadmap for the next few years we’ve been keen to ensure that we can be as agile as possible to the challenges and opportunities ahead but also focus on key areas where we can enhance the contribution of Scotland’s heritage sector.

“The publication of the operating plan marks a key opportunity for us to work together over the next three years in our collective ambitions to continue to make ‘Heritage for all’ a reality for those who live, work in and visit Scotland.”

Read our Operating Plan 2025-28

About Historic Environment Scotland (HES) 

• We are the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. It is at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future, investigating and recording architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes across Scotland and caring for more than 300 properties of national importance. We are also the lead on delivering Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.
• Historic Scotland, Scran, Canmore, The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), The Engine Shed, Stirling Castle, and Edinburgh Castle are sub-brands of HES.
• View our press pack and keep up to date by registering to receive our media releases. Already registered? You can unsubscribe at any time by following the unsubscribe link, included in every email.

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For further information, please contact:

Claire Mullaney
Historic Environment Scotland Media Office
07881 512 379
communications@hes.scot