Colmore BID celebrates commitment to Living Wage

Colmore BID has officially been accredited as a Living Wage Employer by the Living Wage Foundation, furthering its commitment to improving working conditions for its own employees and those that work within in the District.

The BID’s Living Wage commitment will see everyone receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.50 in the UK or £10.85 in London. Both rates are significantly higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £8.91 per hour.

The West Midlands is a region with one of the highest proportions of non-Living Wage jobs in the country (21%), with around 442,000 jobs paying less than the real Living Wage. Despite this, Colmore BID is committed to pay the real Living Wage and deliver a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work.

The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 250,000 people and put over £1.3 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers.

Michele Wilby, CEO of Colmore BID, said: “As a Business Improvement District, we are committed to delivering projects, services and initiatives which not only improve the natural environment but also the working environment for our levy payers and their employees. The Covid pandemic has put a significant strain on people’s finances, with many moving onto the furlough scheme or losing their job altogether.

“Before we ask other businesses to sign up to the Living Wage programme, it was vital that we do it ourselves to ensure that we too are a responsible employer. The process itself was simple and since we already pay staff above the Living Wage, very few changes were required. The process doesn’t end there though as we must continue to monitor the rate of pay; as the Living Wage increases, we must ensure staff pay continues to meet the standard.

“We would encourage all employers, no matter the size, to undertake the programme and ensure their staff are paid what they deserve.”

Laura Gardiner, Director, Living Wage Foundationsaid: “We’re delighted that Colmore BID has joined the movement of over 7,000 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 Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Colmore BID, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”