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The Living Wage Foundation has published a new toolkit designed to help responsible employers within the service provision industry join the Living Wage network.
Service providers can be part of the network through either accrediting as a Living Wage Employer or signing up to the Recognised Service Provider scheme. Living Wage Employers commit to paying all members of staff at least the Living Wage, whilst Recognised Service Providers agree to pay all staff not tied to client contracts at least the Living Wage and promote the Living Wage to their clients.
- The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living, and is currently £13.15/hr in London, and £12/hr in the rest of the United Kingdom. For a full-time worker, the difference with the National Living Wage equates to just over £1,000 a year, going up to more than £3,000 a year for those based in London.
- There are currently more than 15,000 Living Wage Employers across all industries, including the likes of Aviva, KPMG and Ikea, as well as 190 Recognised Service Providers, including Compass Group, Mitie, ISS UK, CBRE and Sodexo.
- There are 3.7 million jobs paid below the Living Wage in the UK, including hundreds of thousands in cleaning, security and facilities management.
The toolkit offers context around the Living Wage, both generally and within the service provision industry, including the benefits of the Living Wage to both employers and employees. It goes through the accreditation process with case studies from businesses who have already signed up, and answers some frequently asked questions. Finally, it highlights some further opportunities for working with the Living Wage Foundation to champion fair pay and good employment practices.
The Living Wage campaign began with cleaners organising and campaigning for fair pay at some of London’s major financial institutions, and cleaning remains a focus for the Living Wage Foundation. More than 200 UK cleaning companies are accredited Living Wage Employers, whilst the likes of Cleanology, ISS UK and Greenzone Cleaning & Support Services are signed up as Recognised Service Providers.
Fin Watkinson, Campaigns and Partnerships Manager at the Living Wage Foundation said: “We are incredibly grateful to the hundreds of employers within the cleaning industry who are showing fantastic leadership in promoting the Living Wage, and this toolkit attempts to celebrate some of those, whilst helping and encouraging others to sign up. We would be delighted to speak to any organisations who would be interested in joining this growing network of responsible employers.”
Dominic Ponniah, CEO and Co-Founder of Cleanology, who co-chairs the Living Wage Foundation’s Recognised Service Provider Leadership Group said: “I continue to be heartened by the ongoing support of our clients and the wider industry of the Real Living Wage. In this current cost of living crisis, it has never been more important to support the Real Living Wage, but moreover, it is simply the right thing to do: a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. It is also a sound commercial business decision, because you get a more motivated team who want to go over and above for you and your clients.”
Phil Smith, Managing Director of Indigo Integrated FM and Chair of the Hill Club, who co-chairs the Living Wage Foundation’s Recognised Service Provider Leadership Group said: “Paying the Real Living Wage is absolutely vital for employee wellbeing, ensuring fair pay and reducing home life and financial stress. However, in the outsourced Facilities Management industry, it’s also business-critical, as these essential workers keep schools, hospitals and myriad other commercial environments operational. Fair wages attract and retain skilled staff, ensuring high service standards and business continuity across all of these vital sectors. Paying anything less, quite frankly, puts the security of our built environment in jeopardy!”
Employers can access the Service Provision Toolkit on the Living Wage Foundation website here. There is more information about accrediting as a Living Wage Employer here, and as a Recognised Service Provider here.
