Read: UK Government Minister for Scotland John Lamont MP visits SMS plc HQ

UK Government Minister for Scotland John Lamont recently visited the headquarters of SMS plc in Glasgow to meet employees and apprentices and hear more about the company’s work to drive forward the UK’s Net-Zero agenda. 

SMS plc – which employs 1,500 people across the UK – provides a range of low-carbon energy solutions and has set a target to become a carbon neutral business by the end of the decade. As well as hearing about SMS’s activities to enable a smarter, greener, and more affordable energy system, the Minister had an opportunity to meet staff from across Glasgow and the West of Scotland who shared their experiences of working in the UK’s thriving sustainable energy sector. 

SMS plc installs, manages and operates a range of carbon reduction assets around the country, including smart meters, energy data, grid-scale energy storage, and electric vehicle (EV) charge points. The smart meter devices that SMS installs as part the UK government mandated rollout equips end consumers and businesses with data and knowledge to manage and reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions, and costs. This has been particularly important over the last 18 months with rising energy prices having become increasingly symptomatic of the global climate crisis.  

Last year, SMS partnered with the Purpose Coalition to launch a Levelling Up Impact Report to assess how its business was making a positive social impact and to evaluate its progress in making opportunity more accessible. It highlighted the company’s investment in national energy infrastructure that drives carbon reduction, in turn driving job opportunities for many of those furthest away from a level playing field and providing support to UK communities where it is most needed.

The Minister serves in the Scotland Office, which ensures Scottish interests are fully and effectively represented at the heart of the UK government, and that the UK government’s responsibilities are fully and effectively represented in Scotland.

UK Government Minister for Scotland, John Lamont said: “It was great to see the fantastic work SMS plc is delivering to help businesses and households tackle climate change.

“The company and its workforce - including apprentices - gave me a fascinating insight into how it’s helping its customers reduce carbon emissions. The UK Government is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and it’s heartening to see a Glasgow employer playing a key role in this while creating jobs and boosting the economy.”

Gail Blain, Chief Financial Officer at SMS, said: “It was fantastic to welcome the Minister to our Glasgow head office to showcase our work and demonstrate how we are delivering new jobs and opportunities for people across Scotland and more widely across the UK. SMS is a key player in the energy industry and we’re committed to driving positive change both for the environment, and communities we operate in.”