We are pleased to announce that Shepherds Friendly has been acknowledged as an accredited Living Wage employer by the Living Wage Foundation.

This recognises our commitment to paying our staff the real Living Wage, a minimum hourly wage of £9 for everyone 18 years or older, higher than the governments minimum for over 25s, currently at £8.21 per hour.

The Living Wage Foundation is a campaigning organisation, dedicated to encouraging employers across the UK to pay the real Living Wage.

There are currently 5,000 accredited Living Wage employers in the UK, employing over 1.72 million employees.

It is calculated according to what people actually need, to make ends meet, by taking into account the real cost of living. The real Living Wage provides a voluntary benchmark for employers who believe a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.

Currently, 22% of employees in the UK earn below the Living Wage, nearly a quarter of the UK workforce.

Nasrin Hossain, culture director, said:

“We are delighted to have received the accreditation of being a Living Wage employer. Our values as a Society include fairness and integrity, not only towards our members but also towards staff, therefore this recognition of being a responsible employer is truly a proud moment for us.

“We are committed to creating a workplace where staff are happy and motivated to achieve the best outcomes for our members, and strongly believe they deserve fair pay for all their hard work.”

Katherine Chapman, Director or the Living Wage Foundation said:

“We’re pleased that Shepherds Friendly has joined the movement of over 5,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.

“They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as IKEA, Heathrow Airport, Barclays, Chelsea and Everton Football Clubs and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Shepherds Friendly, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”