Essex, UK-based landscape and maintenance contractor Ground Control has become a Living Wage Foundation accredited employer.
The organisation’s employees across the country will now earn £9.50 per hour, or £10.85 if they are based in London. Both rates are higher than the UK government minimum wage for people over the age of 23, which currently stands at £8.91 per hour.
Ground Control’s commitment will also ensure its staff at the lower end of the pay scale receive at least £9.50 per hour, meaning they will earn at least £19,960 a year at 40 hours per week.
According to the Living Wage Foundation, the real living wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living, and provides a voluntary benchmark for employers to ensure their staff earn a wage they can survive on, not just the government minimum. Since 2011, the living wage movement has delivered a pay rise to more than 250,000 people and given an extra £1.3 billion to low-paid workers.
Jason Knights, managing director of Ground Control, said: “We are delighted to have joined many great businesses in becoming a living wage employer, and ensuring all of our employees are paid fairly for the amazing work that they do. We hope to influence others in our industry, including our supply chain, to make the commitment as we believe this is critical to being a responsible business and a good employer.”
Laura Gardiner, director of the Living Wage Foundation, added that she is delighted that Ground Control had joined almost 8,000 other employers across the UK that voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.
“In this difficult time, their commitment will help to give their staff the additional support they need to better support themselves and their families,” she said.