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The Business Archives Surveying Officer visited the Head Office of STEP to undertake an archive survey, as part of a wider national programme of archive surveying in Scotland, and to coincide with the recent 40th anniversary of STEP which was celebrated in 2023.
Part-funded by the National Records of Scotland, in recognition of its national remit and broad scope, Scotland’s Business Archives Surveying Officer (BASO) works with large corporates and small family businesses, charities, organisations, membership bodies, sports clubs and trade unions to identify, preserve and promote records of historical significance so they can be used and cared for as unique assets and resources within businesses.
Records that have particular historical value to a business may include documents, correspondence, plans, drawings, photographs, products, packaging examples, newspaper cuttings, policies and strategies, accounts, promotional and marketing material, and memorabilia.
Such records can provide a business with a unique opportunity to showcase their brand development, corporate identity, innovation, to support anniversaries, and help evidence intellectual property and copyright queries.
In the case of STEP, the business has done a superb job in preserving key records throughout its history including magazines, site plans, building drawings, and photographs documenting key events such as the openings of new buildings and Royal events.
“Working with the Surveying Officer has truly opened our eyes to the wealth of valuable information we hold—and just how important it is to preserve it for future generations.
Archiving our unique and important historical documents, along with the story of STEP, ensures that this legacy is never lost or forgotten. It also makes our history accessible to a wider audience. We’ve dedicated time and care to gathering and safeguarding as much historical information as possible about both our organisation and our building.
Continuing this work remains a top priority for us, and we are committed to adding to this archive over time. We can’t thank the Surveying Officer enough for their dedication and support. Their efforts have been invaluable, and we highly recommend that other businesses take the time to document and preserve their own stories—keep your history alive!” Laura Melville, Director of Property & Operations
The Surveying Officer is delighted to now be able to extend the offer of a free archive survey to tenants of STEP. If you have historical records that would benefit from a survey, or you would like some archive management and records guidance about what your business should be keeping in order to develop its own in-house archive, then contact the Surveying Officer on surveyingofficer@glasgow.ac.uk
Testimonies of other companies and organisations that have recently had an archive survey can be found at: www.surveyingofficer.co.uk/testimonies/.
