Burberry and GSK extend living wage

Burberry-2015

Burberry and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have extended their commitment to pay the living wage to include their sub-contracted and third-party workforces at sites across the UK.

They had previously committed to pay the livign wage to all directly employed staff.

In addition, painting and decorating firm A Connolly has been accredited as a living wage employer for committing to pay all staff the national living wage. This will see all staff, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors and suppliers, receive the living wage.

More than 1,400 businesses have now made the commitment to pay the living wage of £7.85 an hour, which is the current rate for the UK, or £9.15 in London.

The rates are significantly higher than the current national minimum wage of £6.50 an hour.

Rhys Moore, director at the Living Wage Foundation, said: “We are delighted to welcome two of the UK’s most successful and well-known businesses to the living wage movement.

“The move by these [organisations] to accredit as living wage employers is a significant milestone for the Living Wage Foundation; increasing the number of FTSE 100 living wage employers, and cementing the living wage mark as a sign of responsible business.

“Leading businesses are recognising that the living wage is good for business and increasingly what customers expect.”

A spokesperson from GSK added: “We believe we have identified around 99.9% of staff indirectly employed by us who were not already on the living wage, and hope to get them earning it by the next round of payroll, which is on Friday [1 May], so we’re getting it done very quickly.

”It just felt like the right time to get everyone on board, such as catering staff and cleaners who look after GSK facilities.”