Community Wealth Building

Community Wealth Building (CWB) is a practical approach to local economic development that supports the delivery of a wellbeing economy for Scotland. It delivers actions that give the people of Scotland a greater stake in our economy and wealth, making it work for us and our planet. CWB has five principles:

1. Inclusive Ownership

Developing more local and social enterprises that generate community wealth.

2. Spending

Maximising community benefits through procurement and commissioning, developing good enterprises, fair work and shorter supply chains.

3. Workforce

Increasing fair work and developing local labour markets.

4. Land and property

Growing the social, ecological, financial and economic value that local communities gain from land/property assets.

5. Finance

Ensuring that flows of investment and financial institutions work for local people, communities and businesses.

CWB is growing across Scotland. North Ayrshire Council were pioneers, followed by the Scottish Government supporting the development of CWB action plans and delivery in Tay Cities Region (Fife), Glasgow City Region, Clackmannanshire, South of Scotland and Eilean Siar (Western Isles).

More areas are starting to implement CWB principles independently, for example South Lanarkshire and Moray.

You can find the latest information on CWB locations here.

Some examples of projects demonstrating a CWB approach can be found on the website for Scotland's Centre for Regional Inclusive Growth (SCRIG).  You can access the case studies here.