WCHG Shortlisted in Living Wage Champion Awards
Wythenshawe Community Housing Group has been shortlisted by the Living Wage Foundation for the Living Wage Champion Awards 2014.
The awards recognise Living Wage employers that have made great contributions to communities and industries by implementing and celebrating the Living Wage. The Living Wage Foundation offers a recognition mark for employers that commit to paying the Living Wage. There are now over 900 accredited employers
The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. It is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the ‘Minimum Income Standard’ for the UK. Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the public; it is a social consensus about what people need to make ends meet.
Nigel Wilson, Group Chief Executive of Wythenshawe Community Housing Group said; “We take our commitment to employees very seriously, so becoming a living wage employer was a natural step for us. It meant that 25 of our apprentices and 10 Wythenshawe Futures employees were given significant wage increases. This was particularly rewarding for our young apprentices who worked so hard on our very first ‘built by apprentices’ training scheme that saw our apprentices learning their trade direct from their senior colleagues on a development of purpose-built bungalows.”
Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis. The Living Wage enjoys cross party support, with public backing from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
Living Wage Foundation Director, Rhys Moore said: “I would like to send huge congratulations to Wythenshawe Community Housing Group on being shortlisted for the Living Wage Champion Awards. The commitment of Living Wage Employers to responsible pay makes a real difference to families and communities across the country. We look forward to celebrating this even further when announcing the winners of the Awards during Living Wage Week.”
The Award Winners will be announced during Living Wage Week 2014, with one winner announced for each region of the UK: Scotland; Wales; Northern Ireland; the East Midlands; the West Midlands; the East of England; Yorkshire and the Humber; North East England; North West England; South East England; South West England; and London.
The awards are judged by an independent panel of community leaders from the Citizens UK Living Wage campaign.
