Law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, building society West Brom and savings and retirement firm Phoenix Group have been recognised for their commitment to supporting staff beyond the living wage.
Winning the Beyond the Living Wage Award at the Living Wage Foundation’s Living Wage Champion Awards 2023, the employers were among a list of others who were celebrated for promoting the real living wage in their industries, supply chain and areas, and outstanding contributions to UK communities and industries.
The awards were held at the National Football Museum in Manchester in recognition of the growth and strength of the living wage movement in the region. Greater Manchester has 663 living wage employers, the equivalent of nearly 25,000 workers earning at least £10.90 per hour, and 18 living hours employers, which is more than anywhere else in the UK.
West Brom was recognised for holding high standards of employment practices and going above and beyond its living wage accreditation, which extends to contractors that work onsite.
Sophie Pazzaglia, West Brom’s chief people officer, said: “It’s fantastic to be recognised for our efforts in such an important area. As well as signing up to the living wage in 2020 and becoming the first living hours employer in the sector in 2022, we’ve put time and effort into creating a safe, fair and inclusive workplace that positively benefits our people and our communities. This has included providing a one-off cost-of-living payment to eligible employees last year, offering a range of benefits to support staff wellbeing and much more.”
Katherine Chapman, director of the Living Wage Foundation, added: “Now more than ever, people need a wage that covers the cost of living, so it has been inspiring to hear about the work being done by this incredible collection of organisations and individuals to promote the real living wage across the country. It’s fantastic to be able to publicly thank a handful of those employers who are really leading the way on the living wage.”