“I am extremely proud that ISS is the first of the major Facilities Services companies to sign the Service Provider Accreditation contract with the Living Wage Foundation.” said Richard Sykes, Chief Executive Officer, ISS UK and Ireland when he announced their commitment to the principles of responsible pay: “Formalising our commitment to the Living Wage is a pioneering step for our industry and I sincerely hope others in the FM sector will follow our lead. As a responsible and progressive business, paying a Living Wage makes sense on every level, and it feels good to be doing business the right way”.
The Living Wage is an independently set hourly rate, which is updated annually to ensure workers earn enough so that they, and their families, can live free from poverty.
In London, the current rate of £8.55 is calculated by the Greater London Authority, while the rate for the rest of the UK, currently £7.45, is set by the Centre for Research in Social Policy. Already significantly more than the existing minimum wage rate of £6.31, the announcement of the new Living Wage rates are eagerly anticipated on Monday 4th November, the start of Living Wage Week.
As a voluntary commitment, the coalition partners pledge to encourage landlords, customers and suppliers to adopt a fair wage approach. To this end, in addition to paying a Living Wage for all support staff employed on their estates, the partners include a Living Wage option in all tender submissions.
New research commissioned by KPMG, highlights the need for wider take-up of the Living Wage if more people are to earn a basic standard of living. Guy Stallard, Head of Facilities at KMPG explained the importance of working with suppliers who share their philosophy: “KPMG’s implementation of the Living Wage in 2006 has been a great success with increased quality of service and higher levels of productivity and flexibility. We have implemented in a cost-neutral way thanks to the pro-activity and engagement of our Facilities suppliers. It is really important for KPMG to work with suppliers who are forward thinking and respect their employees.”
These are the minimum conditions of being an accredited service provider and, essentially, they mean that accredited partners meet the usual Living Wage criteria, bar where their services and pay rates are determined by the market.
Living Wage Website
ISS Website