Waste management business Cawleys has received living wage employer accreditation as part of a recognition of its investment in staff and commitment to fair pay.
As part of this accreditation, every Cawley employee will receive a minimum hourly wage of £10.90. This is higher than the government minimum for those aged 23 and above, which currently stands at £10.42 per hour.
The real living wage is calculated by the Living Wage Foundation according to the cost of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that want to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on and not just the government minimum.
The firm has also achieved the Gold Standard from Investors in People. It was benchmarked against other organisations as part of the accreditation and was ranked second among other businesses in the same sector.
Kirsty Dwan, human resources manager at Cawleys, said: “At Cawleys we believe our success begins and ends with our people. Since achieving the Investors in People Silver accreditation three years ago, we have further developed our strategies and culture to an exceptionally high standard, earning us the prestigious Gold award.
“Employee wellbeing is a key priority for us, demonstrated by the living wage accreditation. We pay all employees well above the national living wage and we have also recently reduced working hours for all staff, helping improve wellbeing and work-life balance. We are proud to be recognised for creating a working environment which inspires, motivates and supports our employees.”
Katherine Chapman, director of the Living Wage Foundation, added: “We’re delighted that Cawleys has joined the movement of more than 13,000 responsible employers across the UK. These businesses recognise that paying the real living wage, which is based on the cost of living, is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Cawleys, believe that we all need a wage that meets our everyday needs.”