ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

In the UK, The Living Wage Foundation has published a new toolkit designed to help employers within the service provision industry to join the Living Wage network.

The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living, and is currently £13.15 per hour in London, and £12 per hour in the rest of the UK. 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.

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 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.

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."

Dominic Ponniah, CEO and co-founder of Cleanology, who co-chairs the Living Wage Foundation's Recognised Service Provider Leadership Group added: "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. 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."

"Paying the Real Living Wage is absolutely vital for employee wellbeing, ensuring fair pay and reducing home life and financial stress," concluded Phil Smith, managing director of Indigo Integrated FM and co-chair of the Living Wage Foundation's Recognised Service Provider Leadership Group. "However, in the outsourced FM industry, it's also business-critical, as these essential workers keep schools, hospitals and myriad other commercial environments operational."

Click here to access the Service Provision Toolkit.