Inside Ember: the company proving how mission-driven organisations can redefine broken systems
Ember is the world’s first all electric, intercity bus operator and currently has services the length and breadth of Scotland. 2 million journeys a year, 200+ staff and 80+ coaches.
To anyone passing an Ember coach in the streets, you’d think this was any old bus company. Of course their modern buses are quiet – thanks to being all electric – and the livery is slick. However, having had the privilege of working alongside the team at Ember over the past few months, I’ve realised this organisation is far from ordinary.
First and foremost, Ember is not a bus company. It is an organisation that owns and solves a complex set of problems. It just so happens that an electric coach network is the vehicle for this. In doing so, they’ve not only found a business opportunity but they’ve created an organisation that is high in impact, agility, efficiency and humility.
Whether you’re leading a government department, a large corporation, or a social enterprise, Ember’s philosophy and operating model offer powerful inspiration for innovation.
The problem at hand: public transport is often bad and offers no incentive for people to get out of their cars
From buses that don’t show up or blocked toilets and extortionate fares: travel by coach isn’t a desirable experience.
Ember’s mission is clear, and tangible: improve mobility, help the climate and make coach travel a preferable alternative to travel by car.
They aren’t seeking small wins but long term, sustained impact and growth. Journeys taken on Ember don’t represent people necessarily switching from one bus provider to another, but they are new journeys on public transport – people shifting methods.
Delivering the mission means owning the challenge.
Delivering this mission means tackling the pain points of travel head-on. The Ember team approaches the system from the perspective of real passenger experiences and design solutions from first principles. Because, ultimately, they are passengers too.
Unnecessary detours? Ember uses request-stop technology to avoid wasting time where no one boards.
Clogged toilets or unnoticed maintenance? EmberOS, their proprietary software, monitors everything from maintenance needs to utilisation rates, automating fixes before they become problems.
This isn’t just problem-solving. It’s systems-thinking combined with a willingness to take ownership of the full value chain.
Owning the challenge means owning the value chain.
As founders Keith and Pierce explain, you can’t solve complex social challenges with an asset-light approach. To deliver real change, Ember has chosen to own and design every critical part of its operation.
Ember’s unique full stack approach positions them as both a software and hardware business – making them well placed to manage their user experience, and operations in an environment where they can have full control.
From the precise specifications of charging hub foundations to EmberOS, their end-to-end operating system, Ember takes full control. This doesn’t just enable them to solve problems; it drives efficiency. For example, while many view electrification primarily as a climate choice, for Ember it’s also a commercial one – electric buses mean lower downtime, higher utilisation, and better long-term economics.
Culture
This ownership mindset extends to how Ember treats its people. Drivers speak about working for Ember as a life-changing experience. Flexible leave made possible by tech enabled rotas, strong terms and conditions, supportive tech, and a culture of trust have restored pride and passion in roles too often undervalued in transport.
Technology here isn’t about replacing people, it’s about assisting them to make better decisions, focus on their impact, and feel valued in their work.
It wouldn’t be easy for a conventional coach operator to adopt Ember’s approach wholesale. Their systems are purpose-built for this type of problem-solving, and their strategy is orientated around long-term growth rather than quick wins. However, there are broader principles that can be applied to organisations of all kinds: in culture, organisational design, and leadership.
Anchor mission in the value chain
Mission-driven organisations need a clear theory of change that links straight back to the value chain. Ember takes control of the problem wherever they can. Where they can’t, they collaborate smartly. They don’t manufacture their own buses, but they’re hands-on in shaping the design. This mission serves as a clear north star that underpins the design and make up of their organisation.
Technology as a force for good
It is possible to be lean, technologically agile and still centred around humility and user experience. Technology as an assistive backbone rather than replacing people.
Own the complexity, and rationalise
Ember doesn’t take the challenges facing public transport users as a given. They strip problems back to first principles and rebuild solutions from there. It’s a mindset that works well in any space weighed down by complexity and inertia.
The economics can work for impact-focussed organisations
It is possible to be both mission-focussed and economically viable: Ember’s margins are great, incredibly low prices for customers with a great fleet, drivers on good T&Cs – all because they optimise in a way for impact & efficiency.Building and scaling culture
The team at Ember like to think of culture as a two-way street. They are able to attract great people who are excited about Ember’s mission and the unique ‘software plus hardware’ business model. In return, Ember offers a place where teams are lean, empowered and trusted to deliver meaningful work. As the company scales, it is clear that this proposition remains true: high trust and high opportunity roles in a high impact organisation.
User experience
A nicer seat or cheaper ticket isn’t enough. Ember has redesigned the system itself: request stops that cut wasted time, software that fixes issues before they hit passengers. Real customer experience lives in the plumbing, not just the polish.