The pledge is a partnership between the Scottish Government and business to improve productivity, workforce engagement, enshrine fairness and generate the kind of inclusive growth that benefits both business and society.

With 100 members across Scotland, CECA represents firms who together carry out around 70 per cent of all civil engineering activity in the UK - focusing on the key sectors of transport, energy, communications, waste and water.

Business minister Fergus Ewing attended a board meeting in Inverness to thank CECA on making the pledge.

Mr Ewing said: “Visiting Inverness today, I am pleased to personally congratulate the members of CECA Scotland’s board on their decision to make the Scottish Business Pledge.

“As Scotland’s leading representative organisation in civil engineering, their choice to make the pledge sends a strong signal to the entire sector about the value of fair and progressive business policies that not only benefit employees, but help companies to realise their ambitions, develop new markets, pursue innovation and, ultimately, to flourish and grow.”

Alan Watt, chief executive of CECA Scotland, said: “We have 100 members across Scotland, ranging from SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) which play a vital role in their local communities to international companies. The Scottish Business Pledge offers a great way of acknowledging some of the significant work that is already underway and also identifying and encouraging opportunities for firms to develop.”