Abellio ScotRail has invested £375million in living wage suppliers since taking over the franchise to run Scotland’s railway, it was announced today.
To mark Living Wage Week, which saw the announcement of the a new level of £8.75 per hour, Abellio ScotRail released the figures to highlight its strong commitment to the living wage and to supporting businesses that pay a fair wage.
Abellio ScotRail became one of the largest living wage accredited employers in March 2016, and has fitted out every train with a living wage logo.
Abellio took over the ScotRail franchise in April 2015.
James Ledgerwood, head of economic and community development at the ScotRail Alliance, said:
“We are building the best railway Scotland has ever had – and a key part of that is investing in our own people and helping other businesses to thrive.
“The £375million we have invested in living wage suppliers since April 2015 has made an important contribution to our economy. We have a long-term commitment to supporting businesses that pay a fair wage.
“We are very proud to be an accredited living wage employer. It’s an important recognition of the valuable work our people do every single day to deliver for our customers.”
Humza Yousaf, Minister for Transport and the Islands said:
“The Scottish Government has long championed the Living Wage, recognising the real difference it can make to the lives of workers. Businesses can benefit too through better staff morale and increased productivity, that is why the ScotRail franchise includes a commitment to paying the Living Wage.
“Scotland has well over a quarter of the UK total of Living Wage accredited employers, putting us way ahead of other UK nations. We welcome Abellio ScotRail’s efforts to spread the benefits of the Living Wage even further by investing in living wage suppliers. They are setting a great example that encouraging the Living Wage is not just the right thing to do it makes good business sense.”
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) marked Living Wage Week 2017 (November 5-11) by becoming accredited as a Living Wage employer.
The Scottish Government’s Minister for Public Health and Sport, Aileen Campbell, visited Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, (CHSS) headquarters in Edinburgh to celebrate this milestone moment on Thursday, November 9.
During her visit, Ms Campbell met CHSS staff, who shared their plans to proudly display their Living Wage employer mark in each of their community hubs and retail units across Scotland.
The Living Wage, which this week increased to £8.75 from £8.45 per hour, will be extended to all 260 employees of CHSS by May 2018. This is significantly higher than the statutory minimum for over 25s of £7.50 per hour introduced in April 2017.
The Living Wage seeks to meet the cost of living in Scotland, including the cost of accommodation, food and accounting for factors such as inflation.
Minister for Public Health and Sport, Aileen Campbell said:
“This is great news and will ensure staff directly employed by CHSS – alongside all contracted staff – have the security of being paid at least the real Living Wage.
“The Scottish Government is encouraging more organisations to recognise the benefits of paying the real Living Wage, to help ensure that basic wages continue to meet the cost of living.”
Jane-Claire Judson, CHSS Chief Executive, said:
“For CHSS, being a Living Wage employer is part of our philosophy and is about doing the right thing for our people. Offering the Living Wage above the minimum wage is good for our workforce and it is great for our organisational health particularly in retaining employees. But just as importantly, it’s a symbol of the type of charity we exist to be and our aspirations to be responsible in all that we do in order to make a difference to our people lives. We’ve been delivering the living wage as an employer for years and it’s great to be officially recognised this way.”
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance said:
“I congratulate Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland on their accreditation as a Living Wage Employer. They join a growing movement of over 1000 accredited employers in Scotland. With the support of all accredited employers like CHSS, we aim to further grow the number of people our Initiative has helped to receive the real Living Wage. We encourage more employers to join us, to reinforce that Living Wage accreditation is the mark of a responsible employer.”
Law At Work Ltd has achieved accreditation with the Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative, as a Living Wage employer.
Their Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Law At Work Ltd, regardless of whether they are direct employees or third-party contracted staff; receive a minimum hourly wage of £8.75. This rate is significantly higher than the statutory minimum for over 25s of £7.50 per hour introduced in April 2017.
The real Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. The Living Wage is calculated according to the real costs of living.
Director of Legal Services at Law at Work, Donald MacKinnon, said: “We are proud to join the 1000-plus Scottish employers to have received this accreditation. The decision to pay a Living Wage underlines our appreciation of each and every member of staff. We pride ourselves on being a good employer and by ensuring a wage that supports the cost of living we recognise that every employee forms an integral part of Law at Work.”
Employers choose to pay the real Living Wage on a voluntary basis. The Living Wage enjoys cross-party political support.
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance said: “I am delighted to welcome Law At Work Ltd as an accredited Living Wage employer. We have seen more employers across Scotland join the Living Wage movement in the last year than ever before. They know that paying the real Living Wage is critical not only for the wellbeing of their staff but for the long term success of their organisation, and that accreditation is a mark of responsible business.
“With uncertainty becoming a feature of our economy, the commitment of Living Wage employers should be applauded. Over the coming years we will work with them and other employers to ensure that even more workers can benefit from the real Living Wage”.
Traveleads officially became a Living Wage Employer on the 28th of January 2015 after receiving their accreditation.
This accreditation ensures that all staff is paid at least the minimum living wage currently at £7.85, this stands at £1.35 above the National Minimum Wage.
The Living Wage is an independently set hourly rate updated annually and calculated accordingly to the basic cost of living in the UK.
Wayne Russell Sales Director for Traveleads said “We are delighted with the accreditation and feel that implementing the Living Wage is in line with our values as an ethical independent business operating within Scotland and the UK. This is not only good for us an employer but more importantly for the individual employee and society as a whole.”
The Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative has been operating in Scotland since April 2014 and provides support and advice to organisations that wish to pay the living wage. More than 70 employers in Scotland are now accredited.
If you wish to learn more about Traveleads and our services please contact Wayne Russell on 0131 718 4000 or by e-mail at wrussell@traveleads.net
On Wednesday 5th November, Standard Life will host a breakfast session to discuss the benefits and considerations of becoming an accredited Living Wage employer.
As a Living Wage employer Standard Life is delighted to be joined by Angela Constance MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women’s Employment as well as some current Living Wage employers who are willing to share their journey to accreditation.
Issues surrounding low pay and in-work poverty are highly topical, which has led to an increased focus on initiatives such as the Living Wage. The Scottish Government has funded a Living Wage accreditor for one year, working with the Poverty Alliance, to help to increase take-up of the Living Wage in Scotland. 2nd-8th November is UK Living Wage week, and so it’s especially timely for a small panel of representatives to discuss the benefits and potential challenges of becoming Living Wage employers, before taking questions from other interested groups, and then allowing time for some networking and informal discussion. To reserve a place, please e-mail our mailbox at sustainability@standardlife.com
Further details below:
Date: Wednesday 5th November
Time: 8.30-10am (Breakfast will be provided)
Venue: Standard Life House, 30 Lothian Road
This invitation has been issued through representative organisations covering SMEs, the charity sector and financial and professional services. Standard Life hope you can join them for what they hope will be a lively and informative discussion. Places will be allocated on a strictly first come, first served basis – please e-mail sustainability@standardlife.com to reserve yours.
